Videos of Old-Time Performances and Clawhammer Banjo Lessons by Hunter Robertson

See the Banjo Tips page for banjo lesson videos and other instructional stuff.

Old Joe Clark at Moseley Folk Festival	Last Chance at the La-Roche-sur-Foron Bluegrass Festival
One of several videos on Youtube from my performance at Moseley Folk Festival, September 2009.	From Hobart Smith, recorded at the La-Roche-sur-Foron Bluegrass Festival, July 30th 2009. Played on an S.S. Stewart strung with Nylgut (tuning is fDFCD, though tuned low). A kissing cousin to 'Rambling Hobo' and Dock Boggs' 'Davenport'.
Pateroller Song	Lonesome John
Pateroller Song, learned from Hobart Smith. Pretty much the same tune as Salt River and a close cousin to Lonesome John. Banjo's tuned to sawmill (aEADE) and the fiddle AEAE (more or less, probably less).	This is Lonesome John (from John Salyer) played on my recently defretted Harmony (the bright light from the banjo neck is a sheet of copper) - makes a great fretless banjo. Tuning is sawmill (gDGCD, tuned a hair low I think). This is a version of the first real tune my father taught me, Clinch Mountain Backstep - I don't know where he got it, but he taught it to me as a clawhammer tune. Not very different but this is a little more fiddle-like. The Salyer recordings are available on the Digital Library of Appalachia, and well worth hearing.

Soldier's Joy, played on my trusty plastic Harmony. Tuning is gCGCD. This is based on Hobart Smith's version of the tune.

Casey Abair (fiddle) and Hunter Robertson (clawhammer banjo, tuning gDGBD). We played live on WRUV's show Exposure, hosted by Jeremy Ayers, on February 27th 2008. Our friend Rose came and filmed us.

John Brown's Dream (or Herve Brown's Dream or Little Rabbit or Devil's Dream) performed by Casey Abair (fiddle) and Hunter Robertson (clawhammer banjo, tuning gDGBD).

Old Molly Hare, a descendant of Largo's Fairy Dance and Fairy Reel. I think I've got some bits of Juba in there too. The banjo's an S.S. Stewart with nylgut strings, tuned to the equivalent of gCGBD, down about 5 steps though. Learned this from my father's playing and Art Rosenbaum's and John Burke's books as well as Lomax's field recording of the McDonald family singing it.

Soldier's Joy Soldier's Joy, played on my trusty plastic Harmony. Tuning is gCGCD. This is based on Hobart Smith's version of the tune.	Old Joe Clark Casey Abair (fiddle) and Hunter Robertson (clawhammer banjo, tuning gDGBD). We played live on WRUV's show Exposure, hosted by Jeremy Ayers, on February 27th 2008. Our friend Rose came and filmed us.
John Brown's Dream John Brown's Dream (or Herve Brown's Dream or Little Rabbit or Devil's Dream) performed by Casey Abair (fiddle) and Hunter Robertson (clawhammer banjo, tuning gDGBD).	Old Molly Hare Old Molly Hare, a descendant of Largo's Fairy Dance and Fairy Reel. I think I've got some bits of Juba in there too. The banjo's an S.S. Stewart with nylgut strings, tuned to the equivalent of gCGBD, down about 5 steps though. Learned this from my father's playing and Art Rosenbaum's and John Burke's books as well as Lomax's field recording of the McDonald family singing it.