Tab for Blind Fiddler

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: 2581
Date: 09 May 11 - 04:09 PM

The Tom Paxton song that Roger from Baltimore was referring to is "Dogs at Midnight". It's about black lung disease...
By the way, I have never heard John McCutcheon's version of "The Blind Fiddler". Does anyone know if it is on a CD or LP...?

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: GUEST,Cyril
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 10:17 PM

David Blue (Samuel David Cohen) with whom I also played wrote a tune in the same mode, almost zackly same tune, called "King's Highway"
ROad I'm walkin' called the King's Highway (3 times)
Good times in Frisco, good times cross the bay

The tune is an old one, Eric had is version, Hoyt had his own, Stephen Stills, McCutcheon etc. miner, blacksmith, whatever

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: GUEST,Cyril
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 10:11 PM

I played with Eric in the 60's before he went down to north carolina and discovered a kid named Amos Garrett. OK--here's how he did it--you are in the key of G minor. Wrap your thumb around and hold down G on 6th string 3rd fet. then bar the high E and B string on the first fret. That gives you a C and an F note. Do a constant walking bass from the G note to the open D with your thumb. Leaving your index bar on the two strings, hammer onto the third fret on both of those strings. For a sensual variation, hammer on both at once. Also hammer on the G string open to 3rd fret. So you are walking the G to D bass while hammering on and pulling off the third fret on the top three strings while holding your left thumb and index in place.

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: rhyzla
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 03:29 PM

Hello striper, do I know you?

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: Striper
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 10:42 AM

Have a listen to 'The Blind Fiddler' by 'Show of Hands'.
done on fiddle of course and cello mandolin.

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 10:37 PM

WE have two versions of Blind Fiddler; one has a tune. Search for [Blind Fiddler]

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: Barry Finn
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 09:55 PM

John Macutcheon ( I can't spell for +#%@*& ) does a great job on a song about a blind fiddler - "I am an old blind fiddler & a long, long way from home", it's been years but I think the fiddler was blinded in a mining accident, don't know if this is what you're looking for but I thought I'd toss it in, in case. Barry

Subject: RE: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: Roger Himler
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 09:08 PM

Ed,

I think you will find more success in learning this tune if you use a D-Modal tuning on your guitar. This is also known as DADGAD, because those are the notes to which you tune the strings, left to right is bass to treble.

This tuning gives you a flavor described as a mix between minor and major.

The basic chord is to fret the G-string on the second fret. An alternate chord is A-string third fret with D string second fret.

The alternative is work around in the key of Dm.

I dislike playing this song so much, that I only do it a capella. Then I get the guitar part perfect. I also love it a capella, so that helps, too. It really has that "high lonesome sound."

If my memory serves me well (and it sometimes doesn't), Eric stole the tune for this song from some other Appalacian tune. The story of this song, I believe, is thatThe Highlander Folk Center had engaged several folk singer/singer songwriters to come to the Appalacian Mts. to learn of the miner's plight and to write songs. This tune was one of them. I believe Tom Paxton was also there and wrote a haunting tune whose title I don't recall. The chorus goes "Oh,the .... may not get you, the fire may pass you by. When the gas goes up, it might not be your time to die. But each day it gets harder to take a simple breath. When the black lung gets you, that's the kiss of death."

Roger in Baltimore

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: Tab for Blind Fiddler
From: Ed Mehollin
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 08:42 PM

I am looking for help with the Eric Anderson version of Blind Fiddler - tuning, tab, chords. I have the lyrics but am stumped figuring out the tune. Thanks.