Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 04 Apr 18 - 01:31 PM

I just use the "Thomas the Tank engine" whistle that was my son's when he was little: it has 2 ends, one sounding much like an American train whistle, the other doing the high-pitched "peep-peep". Have to make sure I get the right end. But I defer to the excellent moothie players o' this ilk.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 18 - 12:30 PM

what harmonica tones uses Johnny Cash in orange blossom special?

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 06:51 PM

Mike Stevens, a Canuck harp player also uses two harps to play OBS.
Mike Stevens and Raymond MacLain play OBS

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 06:43 PM

Johnny plays about two bars before changing harps for two more bars and then switching back. He doesn't modulate to a different key. It just happens to work that way.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 05:24 PM

How does Johnny Cash blow and draw playing harmonica to this song. It looks so easy to him. I can't find any tabs telling me how??

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 05:24 PM

How does Johnny Cash blow and draw playing harmonica to this song. It looks so easy to him. I can't find any tabs telling me how??

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: meself
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 11:10 AM

I've always played it on one harmonica - never occurred to me that two would make a bigger impression - no wonder I never hit the big-time ... !

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: Vixen
Date: 03 Jun 15 - 09:25 AM

A great book of harp tab of fiddle tunes is Glenn Weiser's Irish and American Fiddle Tunes for Harmonica.

Glenn is all over YouTube too...

My dad's buddy Ken plays OBS on two harps, and it's AMAZING to watch.

good luck! I'm happy to play the whistle and guitar (NOT simultaneously)

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Joe hartnett
Date: 02 Jun 15 - 09:34 PM

You use 2 harmonicas. Whatever you start with, and then the next harmonica is a
4th, or one key counterclockwise.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Mountain Goat
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 07:53 PM

Charlie McCoy is the guy I remember for this one. I was being a harphead in the post about it not being a fiddle tune. It is a fiddle tune. But it's also a good harp tune. I always "heard' it in D with the modulation to the Bb for the breakdown. I honestly must have typoed, because my previous post said in A, and I've never played this one in A. Not that you couldn't. That's just not the way I hear it.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,John
Date: 06 Mar 12 - 05:27 PM

Johnny Cash used Hohner Marine Band harmonicas. The two he used are in the key of F and B♭. F is the one he held in his right hand, B♭ in his left. I am watching YouTube videos with him playing and trying to learn.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 04 Jan 12 - 08:07 PM

Geographic Location
Date
Time (which show)opening closing
Promoter - who did the booking?

Sincerly,

Gargoyle



Did you wrap your lips over the the reeds/ have you considered testing for HIV? Bob Dylan performed a similar stunt. And black-oak, and the who.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Ted Jones
Date: 04 Jan 12 - 01:30 PM

I was very fortunate to catch the harmonica which Johnny Cash played a few years ago in the West of England where I live. He always threw the harmonica into the audience at the end of the number, at his concerts. I still have it (of course!) and it hasn't been blown since. It is a 'M Hohner' with a letter B written on it in marker pen, which I think was for quick reference. Bflat is etched into the metal, as is 'Marine Band'.
Ted Jones

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 02:59 PM

You may find this harp TAB helpful.

countrytabs.com/songs/images/3/country_31589.jpg

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: Mark Ross
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 09:43 AM

Orange Blossom Special was originally a fiddle tune, written by Erwin Roush and Chubby Wise in the late '30's.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jul 11 - 05:06 AM

What is the makeand name of the Harmonicas that johnny cash uses on orange blossom special



regards

M B

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,AirMojo (Ken H in OH)
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 12:21 PM

There may be different versions of Johnny Cash's Orange Blossom Special out there, but on the version I have, he uses an F harp and a Bb harp, same as what Charlie McCoy usually uses.

I'm not sure Johnny is actually playing harp on the version that I have because its pretty good harmonica playing !

The F harp in 2nd position (song in the key of C) is the main harp, and the Bb is used briefly in the "da-da-da da-da-da da-da-da" chorus to get the unavaiable notes that are not on the F harp.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 10 - 11:46 PM

look @ the san quentin performance

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 24 Aug 09 - 06:37 PM

You wanta hear one of the world's greatest Harmonica Players -

Charlie McCoy...play it?

or if you wanta hear Johnny Cash play it---

Email: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Mountain Goat
Date: 24 Aug 09 - 06:22 PM

I assure you that Orange Blossom Special was definitely originally written/played on harp. With time, and some o' dat good ole cheurrah bounce it evolved into a song primarily considered as a fiddle tune. Good, or great harp players can kill on this one! Mike here is correct about how to play it cross harp style, and the switching harps is a great stage gimmick. For harmonica: The D is dominant, A is the key to get her chugging up over Hogback Mountain with. Then let her rip down Saluda Grade just as wide open as you can play the D. My favorite way to play it is trading off at least one lead with a good fiddler, and a dual lead with the fiddler.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Mike Billo
Date: 10 Jun 01 - 02:38 PM

Orange Blossom Special is a three part tune, usually played in the key of E, with the second section modulating to the key of A, staying in A for the third section then returning to E.

I play this on harmonica by playing the first section cross harp style on an A harp (key of E), then swithching to cross harp on a D harp (key of A) for the second section, then, switching to first position on the A harp for the third and final section in the key of A.

This will definitely take some practice, but it's worth it.

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From:
Date: 10 Jun 01 - 06:07 AM

"Orange Blossom Special" is a fiddle tune. I would be interested in literature (web sites or books or....) on the subject of playing fiddle tunes on harmonica.

It is a thing that is often done, and I don't seem to be able to master it myself.

Murray

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,John Dillenger
Date: 09 Jun 01 - 11:25 AM

Yeah , I'd like to know about that too!

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 12:25 AM

Johnny used 2 harps last time I saw him do it...

then tossed both to the audience...

Subject: RE: Help: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: Stevangelist
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 10:15 PM

What do you mean, what combination? The song is only played in one key. That means you use one harmonica... played in the blues or cross-harp style. For specific instruction on how to play, please e-mail me at [e-mail]

May The Road Rise To Meet You,

Stevangelist

Subject: Orange Blossom Special Harmonica
From: GUEST,Jawbone
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 03:50 PM

Does anyone know what combination of harmonicas John Cash uses for Orange Blossom Special? and can anyone give hints on how to play the dern thing! i need a new party peice you see; thanks; Jawbone