“Cindy” is one of the most common fiddle tunes, and is still frequently played for square dances and old-time sessions. In those contexts, the tune itself tends to be the focus, with occasional “floating” verses and a chorus tossed in randomly. Bill Monroe recorded it as a full-blown song, with verses and a chorus alternating with instrumental breaks. That version was recorded in December 1962, but it wasn’t released until 1965 as the flip-side of “Jimmy Brown the Newsboy.” Monroe put his indelible stamp on the melody with some blue notes, slides, open drone strings, and an impressionistic B part. He plays the A part based on an A chop chord at the fifth fret. The galloping B section starts on a IV chord (D) and is also played out of an up-the-neck chop-chord position, but with an open A string ringing above the D and F# on the low strings. Mike walks you through Monroe’s solo phrase by phrase.
