Mike Compton with the Matt Flinner Trio and Scott Nygaard: “Sittin’ On Top of the World”

Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play a Mississippi Sheiks song with Matt Flinner’s talented trio.

By: Dan Gabel

October 11, 2016

In a case of excellent timing, the Matt Flinner Trio played a show at the Back Room in Berkeley, California, on one of the days that Mike Compton was in the Bay Area to record new lessons for his Monroe-Style Mandolin course on Peghead Nation. Matt asked Mike and Peghead Nation co-founder and Flatpicking Guitar instructor Scott Nygaard to join the trio for one of their popular Music du Jour evenings, during which guest musicians play tunes that Matt and his bandmates, guitarist Ross Martin and bassist Eric Thorin, have written earlier that day.

To warm up, Mike led the band in a rousing version of the Mississippi Sheiks song “Sittin’ On Top of the World.” Written by the Sheiks’ Lonnie Chatmon and Walter Vinson, the song was originally recorded in 1930 and has become a core piece of the roots music repertoire since then, re-recorded by Bill Monroe, the Grateful Dead, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jack White, and many others, including Mike Compton and Joe Newberry. This is another tasty take on the popular song.

Learn to play blues mandolin and more from Mike in his Monroe-Style Mandolin course, or guitar with Scott in his Flatpicking Guitar, Roots and Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar, and Weekly Guitar Workout courses. Enroll in Peghead Nation today!