In this first session of The Banjo Style of J.D. Crowe, Bill talks about the influence of Earl Scruggs’s playing on a young, teenage J.D. Crowe. He analyzes three J.D. solos from songs associated with Scruggs’s playing: “Molly and Tenbrooks,” “Down the Road” and “Shuckin’ the Corn.” He also suggests you prepare for the first session by watching Parts 1–3 of Kentucky Educational Television’s A Kentucky Treasure: The J.D. Crowe Story.

Here’s what Bill says about the first session:

Welcome everyone to this very deep dive into the banjo style and musical career of J.D. Crowe. To prepare for our first session, I invite you to watch Parts 1–3 of the Kentucky Educational Television’s “A Kentucky Treasure: The J. D. Crowe Story.” These three videos are 14 minutes in length combined:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfczIhoOwo8

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhlOTrdmJZc

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdRdsZ-Ahs

I also suggest you try to find a copy of Crowe on the Banjo: The Music Life of J. D. Crowe by Marty Godbey (2011, University of Illinois Press), our companion biography for this course. If you are able to obtain this book before our first class session, try and read Chapters 1 and 2. For the second class session, please try and read Chapters 3 and 4. Note that it’s not mandatory to purchase this book but reading J. D.’s thoughts about the music he played at various points in his career will deepen our understanding of his style. The paperback version of the book is currently unavailable for purchase online via Barnes and Noble and Amazon (although both offer Kindle and eBook versions). You can purchase directly from the University of Illinois Press. And no worries if you are not able to immediately find this book!

J.D.’s main banjo inspiration throughout his entire life was the playing of Earl Scruggs. J.D. literally sat at Earl’s feet in Lexington, Kentucky, absorbing his banjo style as a young teenager. In this first session, we will analyze three J.D. solos from songs associated with Scruggs’s playing: “Molly and Tenbrooks,” “Down the Road” and “Shuckin’ the Corn.” We’ll compare and contrast Earl and J.D.’s approaches and in the process, we’ll start to unlock some of the secrets of J.D.’s style. Here are video and audio links to the three tunes we’ll explore:

“Molly and Tenbrooks”

Earl Scruggs’ 1947 performance with Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys

JD Crowe with the Bluegrass Album Band (From 1981, Vol. 1 LP, the basis of the transcription.) 

JD Crowe with the New South in 2010 (Live video with great close ups of J. D.!) 

“Down the Road”

Earl Scruggs’ 1956 video performance with Flatt & Scruggs 

Flatt and Scruggs’ classic 1949 recording: 

JD Crowe with the Bluegrass Album Band (Live video. Check out J. D.’s solo at 1:52.) 

JD Crowe with the Bluegrass Album Band (From 1981, Volume 1 LP. The solo that is the basis of the transcription begins at 1:28) 

“Shuckin’ the Corn”

Flatt and Scruggs’s classic 1957 recording 

JD Crowe from the album Live in Japan. 1979 performance, 1982 album. The solo that is the basis of transcription begins at 1:22. 

JD Crowe and the New South with Keith Whitley and Jimmy Gaudreau. Live video, circa 1979, with great views of J. D.’s hands!

You can download PDFs of the tab below.