Gilsaw – fiddle lesson with John P. Williams

John P. Williams is a wonderful fiddler from the "Little Dixie" region of North Missouri. This part of the country was strongly influenced by a handful of outstanding fiddlers of the older generation, and...

Kansas City Rag: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman

In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches the classic Midwest tune "Kansas City Rag". This tune was well known in the repertoires of Missouri fiddlers Pete McMahan, Jimmy Gilmore, Lyman Enloe, and Ray "Pick" Johnson....

Oldtime Bow Technique: lesson with Craig Judelman

Most oldtime fiddlers will tell you that the real stuff is in the bowing. It can easily take a lifetime to work through the intricacies of all that happens in oldtime fiddle bowing. But...

Shortnin’ Bread: Fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman

In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches the classic American folk song "Shortnin' Bread". In some versions of the song, shortnin' bread is fed to sick children on the plantation in an effort to provide...

Circle Bowing: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman

This next video in the series on oldtime fiddle technique dives into circle bowing - a key component of what makes oldtime fiddling so unique and driving. By continuously playing one string and catching...

Sally Ann, the Gal I Like: Fiddle Lesson with Craig Judelman

In this lesson Craig teaches a tune that he learned from Bruce Greene. Bruce learned it, in turn, from Snake Chapman. Recording of the tune by Snake Chapman, on Slippery Hill This fuller history below is...

Old Folks Get in Bed: fiddle lesson with Craig Judelman

In the 1920s, Georgia fiddler Oscar Ford and fellow bandmate Walter Morris made a number of great recordings including this one: Old Folks Get in Bed. Craig Judelman teaches this great tune and gives...

Twin Sisters: Oldtime Rhythm Guitar Lesson

“Twin Sisters” is a classic D tune with countless variants, all related to an Irish tune called “The Boys of Bluehill.” The guitar tab presented here is played with the capo on the second...

Twin Sisters: Fiddle Lesson with Craig Judelman

In this lesson Craig Judelman teaches "Twin Sisters" based on the playing of West Virginia fiddler Melvin Wine. It's a fun, up-tempo tune with lots of opportunity for variety in bowing. Guitar chords D / G...

Highlander’s Farewell: fiddle lesson with George Jackson

In this lesson, Nashville, TN oldtime fiddler George Jackson teaches the classic Emmett Lundy version of "Highlander's Farewell." He also includes a refresher on the finer points oldtime bowing, applicable to many other tunes...