NOW BACK IN PRINT! PETE SEEGER’s WHERE HAVE TEACH-IN: by Tony Trischka ALL THE Helpful hints & suggestions from instrumental masters FLOWERS GONE EARL’S PEARLS

new album is always an event in the bluegrass community. A The fact that Earl’s latest, Earl Scruggs And Friends, features Elton John, Sting, Billy Bob Thornton, and John Fogerty, among others, should be no cause for alarm. This line-up may be “suspect” from a purist point of view, however, there are certain songs, including John Fogarty’s and Dwight Yoakam’s, and a solid rendering of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” featuring a solo by comedian , which are fairly straight-ahead, acoustic renderings. Others, such as Elton John’s “Country Comfort,” (covered by the Earl Scruggs Revue in the 1970s) feature a more polished production. But, when Earl plays, he’s up in the mix, and his rich, grounded sound is intact. It’s a sound that stretches all the way back to 1930s North Carolina, a golden template that launched, and continues to launch, thousands of aspiring banjoists. In this column, I’m including a transcription of Dwight Yoakam’s “Bor- rowed Love,” from Earl’s latest. “Borrowed Love” is a good song to get started on the Scruggs style because, with his musical autobiography by the exception of a couple of slightly complex rhythmic elements, it’s very straight- T Pete Seeger, one of the influen- forward. The melody is simple and is well served by the profusion of driving for- tial musicians of the folk music revival, ward rolls (thumb-index-middle) throughout. The only rhythmic thicket revolves is now in its second printing (with around the tied notes between measures 14 and 15 (notes repeated with an arc be- some minor revisions). Stories and an- tween them). In this situation, play the first note and let it ring out for double the ecdotes are supported chronologically length. Do not pick the notes twice. The open first string should last the length of with approximately 200 songs (music two eighth notes. As always, be sure to listen to get the timing down (Members: see and lyrics) that Pete wrote or with which he is associated – “Guantanamera,” the PDF and hyper-linked MP3 files on the Sing Out! 46#1 companion CD.) “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” A great solo from the most influential banjoist of them all, a man in his 70s “If I Had A Hammer,” “Turn Turn and still strutting his creative stuff. Turn,” “Wimoweh,” “We Shall Over- come” and more! Pete provides perspectives on everything from songwriting and the music business to social activism – in- cluding his experiences with the la- bor, peace, civil rights & environmen- tal movements. $25.00 (plus $5.00 s&h) Sing Out! P.O. Box 5460 Bethlehem, PA 18015-0460 Earl Scruggs 610-865-5366

Toll Free For Orders Only: 1-888-SING-OUT Photo by Raeburn Flerlage ©

62 Sing Out! • Vol. 46 #1 • Spring 2002 Click here (or on the TAB) to hear Tony play “Borrowed Love”

Click here to for a slowed down version.

BORROWED LOVE Lyrics by Dwight Yoakam; Music by Dwight Yoakam, Earl and Randy Scruggs © 2001 Coal Dust Music (admin. by Warner-Tamberlane Publishing Corp.) / Scruggs Music Inc. / Angelattic Music (A Division of McLachlan-Scruggs International) / Warner-Tamberlane Publishing Corp. / BMI

Banjo master Tony Trischka has been described as “a forerunner in the evolutionary process that brought us to bluegrass in the first place.” He has collaborated in the studio and onstage with a multitude of other world-class musicians. Questions can be sent to Tony in care of Sing Out!, P.O. Box 5460, Bethlehem, PA 18015-0460, or by sending e-mail to [email protected].

Spring 2002 • Vol. 46 #1 • Sing Out! 63