Learn the three basic styles of western swing fiddling. the melody section includes classic techniques to help you achieve an authentic sound. Harmony Fiddling covers the basics of two- and three-part fiddling. the Improvising section unlocks the secrets of the hot, jazzy fiddling heard on recordings by Bob Wills, Asleep at the Wheel, and many others. the accompanying CD includes a play-along section where you can try out new techniques.

From the author’s preface: “This book was conceived four years ago, almost to the day, at a time when I was teaching fiddle and mandolin in New York City. It was my idea then, with my students in mind, to compile a book of the most often played, most important and most interesting fiddle tunes from the various Celtic and North American traditions. The tunes were chosen by cataloging a large number of recordings by tune title. A tally was taken to find out which had been recorded most often. This established a foundation of material that could not be left out. To this list I added the names of other pieces which had not been recorded as frequently, but which I knew were played regularly and with respect. I admit to sprinkling the collection with a few lesser known tunes which happen to be personal favorites, but I am sure they will hold their own when placed next to the old war horses of the fiddler’s repertoire. . . . Although I started out with my students in mind this book has turned out to be the book that I’ve always wanted and I hope that it will serve the advanced player as well as the beginner.”

(Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook). All Night Long * Bring It on down to My House * Bubbles in My Beer * Dusty Skies * Faded Love * Fat Boy Rag * Hang Your Head in Shame * I Can't Go On This Way * I Wonder If You Feel the Way I Do * I'm Gonna Be Boss * Ida Red * Keeper of My Heart * A Maiden's Prayer * My Confession * New Texas Playboy Rag * Roly Poly * San Antonio Rose * Smoke On the Water * Spanish Two Step * Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima * Stay a Little Longer (The Hoedown Fiddle Song) * Steel Guitar Rag * Sugar Moon * Take Me Back to Tulsa * Texarkana Baby * Thorn in My Heart * We Might As Well Forget It * White Cross on Okinawa * You Don't Care What Happens to Me * You're From Texas.

This book was written to be used as a learning tool for beginners who read music. It presents very easy tunes to learn the basics of bowing and style, and progresses in difficulty with each tune. All of the arrangements are renditions that the author plays and has heard other fiddlers play. Many of the tunes are done in the style of Herman Johnson, a five-time National Fiddle Champion.

If you have ever heard the sound of rhythm guitar in a good western swing band, you may have wondered how the guitarist achieved that unique chordal sound. While the song might be a simple one-playable with only two or three chords-the western swing guitarist changes chords every two beats, providing a driving and harmonically interesting background for the singers and instrumentalists. This book is designed for intermediate players who have a basic understanding of open chords. It begins with study of the Texas fiddle back-up style and the chords used to enhance this music. the chords and progressions explained in this book can be used in many types of music in addition to western swing and would serve as an excellent transition from open-string folk chords to more of a jazz approach.

They may wear cowboy hats and boots and sing about "faded love," but western swing musicians have always played jazz! From Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys to Asleep at the Wheel, western swing performers have played swing jazz on traditional country instruments, with all of the required elements of jazz, and some of the best solo improvisation ever heard. In this book, Jean A. Boyd explores the origins and development of western swing as a vibrant current in the mainstream of jazz. She focuses in particular on the performers who made the music, drawing on personal interviews with some fifty living western swing musicians. From pioneers such as Cliff Bruner and Eldon Shamblin to current performers such as Johnny Gimble, the musicians make important connections between the big band swing jazz they heard on the radio and the western swing they created and played across the Southwest from Texas to California. From this first-hand testimony, Boyd re-creates the world of western swing-the dance halls, recording studios, and live radio shows that broadcast the music to an enthusiastic listening audience. Although the performers typically came from the same rural roots that nurtured country music, their words make it clear that they considered themselves neither "hillbillies" nor "country pickers," but jazz musicians whose performance approach and repertory were no different from those of mainstream jazz. This important aspect of the western swing story has never been told before.

"If you are interested in cowboying as it really was with all its heat, dust, blood, and boredom, this remarkable book is for you."--Books of the Southwest "If you like cowboys, or if you like country fiddling, you'll enjoy Frankie McWhorter's story. . .If you like both, you're doubly in luck. If you like Bob Wills music--and who doesn't?--you'll find his recollections of Wills compelling, often funny, occasionally sad."--Elmer Kelton In this lively memoir McWhorter recalls how he manages life as a working cowboy and a professional musician. He's a member of the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame and foreman of a large ranch in the Texas panhandle. He toured with Bob Wills from 1960 to 1962 and is a frequent guest at Bob Wills Day in Turkey, Texas.