[dcab-l] Songs from the South: Lay Down My Old Guitar

Music Lovers:

 

Here is a live cut from Cactus Flats, a wonderful family restaurant just north of

Fredrick, Md.          (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cactus-Flats/158687354187225)

 

This song was written by The Delmore Brothers (Alton & Raybon), country music

pioneers and stars of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s.  In addition to the

regular six-string acoustic guitar, the duo was one of the few to use the rare

tenor guitar, a four-string instrument that had primarily been used in vaudeville.

Also, they were one of the first country groups to flatpick a guitar as a lead line.

 

Over the course of their careers, the Delmores wrote more than a thousand

songs.  Some of the most popular were "Brown's Ferry Blues," "Gonna Lay Down

My Old Guitar", "Fifteen Miles from Birmingham", and "When It's Time for the

Whippoorwill to Sing".

 

These days, although "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar" has been covered by a

plethora of musicians, it is associated with Doc Watson, a famous flatpicker in

both country and folk realms; it is his standard which has influenced this version.

 

Musicians:

 

   Barb Diederich               Bass and Harmony

   Tom McLaughlin             Mandolin and Harmony

   John Bruce                    Banjo

   Ed Schaeffer                  Guitar and Vocal

 

To listen, click URL below:

 

http://rattlesnakehill.org/Web_Music/edsmusic.html

 

I hope you enjoy it!

Ed