Recording Suggestions

[EightstringJim]

First time posting here, so here goes...I'm looking for suggestions on recordings of bluegrass, newgrass, and oldtimey songs that are originally in a major key but recorded in a minor key, and vice versa(Minor to major). I'm trying to help a friend put together a radio setlist, plus help add to my collection and maybe learn something as well. Any ideas?

[Ethan Setiawan]

Crooked Still does a version of Shady Grove in a major key. Kind of backwards from what you've asked for, but it's something....

[EightstringJim]

Thanks Ethan - that's a start! And no, not really backwards. My friend and I were in a conversation and that's what got me to post here. We talked about both major to minor and minor to major, so this is just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

[Gerry Hastie]

The first track, 'Jailer, Jailer' from The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band album 'Legacy' was written in the major key and during recording it was changed to a minor key to give it a different sort of feel. Jody Stecher speaks about this in the mandolin cafe interview he did (which is how I know this!).

[lukmanohnz]

Thanks Ethan - that's a start! And no, not really backwards. My friend and I were in a conversation and that's what got me to post here. We talked about both major to minor and minor to major, so this is just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

John Reischman and The Jaybirds also recorded a major key version of Shady Grove on their most recent album Vintage & Unique. Reischman introduced this tune in concert as an 'older' version of Shady Grove, so I'm actually not certain which came first, the major or minor key version. Maybe the Garcia/Grisman version from the album of the same name (in a minor key that I expect is the more familiar version to most listeners) could be presented as the variant of the original. In either case, perhaps your friend would like to include both versions in the show (er... maybe that's the idea ).