The Coo-Coo Bird

This lesson is part of the course Old-Time Banjo with Bruce Molsky.

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Learn the tunes and techniques of some of the legends of old-time banjo, taught by one of the icons of contemporary old-time music.

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Mississippi Sawyer

Wade Ward’s solo version of the square dance tune “Mississippi Sawyer” is a little different than the way it would be played for a square dance, in that it drops a beat at the end of each part. It’s played in double-D tuning: aDADE, where the fourth string is D, third string is A, second string is D, first string is E, and fifth string is A. Bruce shows you the tuning, gives you advice on getting in tune. Then he starts showing you the first part of “Mississippi Sawyer,” which starts with a D chord shape at the fifth fret and a simple bum-ditty pattern. Bruce walks you through each phrase slowly, giving you lots of chances to play along with him as you learn the tune. You’ll learn a basic version of the A part of “Mississippi Sawyer” in this video.

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The Coo-Coo Bird

“The Coo-Coo Bird” Play-Along Track

The Coo-Coo Bird

“The Coo-Coo Bird” comes from Clarence (“Tom”) Ashley, and was included on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. Ashley sang it in the key of A, but Bruce sings it in G and tunes the banjo to G modal tuning (gDGCD). He shows you the “turnaround” that Ashley plays between verses, which includes the fill you can play between vocal lines, and then shows you how to combine the vocal, fills, and turnaround.

“The Coo-Coo Bird” Tablature (Available to subscribers)

“The Coo-Coo Bird” Lyrics (Available to subscribers)

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← Cleveland’s March to the White House, Part 3: Fiddle Play-Along Track

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“The Coo-Coo Bird” Play-Along Track →

Previous Lesson

← Cleveland’s March to the White House, Part 3: Fiddle Play-Along Track

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The Coo-Coo Bird

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