Bill Frisell made Shenandoah "cool" again.

[@PGrizzy91]

I agree the spacing of time between notes makes it really special. Stefan Grossman had a quote for that he would say from Rev Gary Davis.

[@kostringworks]

Ah man don’t leave me hanging! What’s the quote 😂!?

[@0inter1]

Thanks for sharing, for want of a better word, the magic of Bill Frisell

[@CJasonThwaites]

I've always loved how Bill kinda "shows" his work so to speak. I feel like I can see the wheel turning inside him. That takes a certain special kind of courage

[@kostringworks]

Dude that’s put so well. I’ve had the same reaction watching him play but didn’t have the words.

[@holzhausholz8215]

Please keep the innovator lessons coming! This, and the Julian Lage Freight Train video, are two of my favorites. Thanks!

[@kostringworks]

Dude thanks! I def enjoy them so good to know someone else does too!

[@sword649]

Some of the energy and melody reminds me of the Deer Hunter theme which is darker, but meanders along & takes you on a journey of happy sadness & longing. A champion guitar picker is Mr Bill! Thank ya thanks very much!

[@kostringworks]

Nice! I’m not familiar w that theme, but I’m glad you dug the vid dude!!

[@sword649]

@@kostringworks The Hunter movie is one of Robert De niro and Christopher Walken's greatest movies. And soundtrack theme/score is incredible, please check it out!

[@MikeM-Colorado]

Well done. You have a great ear, as has already been demonstrated in your other videos. It takes some courage to wade in with Frisell!

[@kostringworks]

Thanks dude! It was my first time taking on his stuff. Honestly the thing about his playing that’s so amazing (and true of most of my heroes) is that the stuff he’s doing isn’t all that hard to play. The beauty lies in his touch and how he breathes this stuff out spontaneously! So much respect.

[@guyb7005]

Good Dog Happy Man stands tall in my extensive music collection. Dare I say it's my favourite recording of any artist. I keep a spare copy in a fireproof box - LOL

[@kostringworks]

It is so good! Not a miss on the whole record. That original Johnny smith arrangement is nothing to gloss over either! Absolutely stunning.

[@brucedow3883]

Very nicely done. Sure I’m going to watch many times. Please interpret more of Mr. Frisell.

[@kostringworks]

Was my first go at it and I’m feeling eager to do some more!

[@FiddlePickinGood]

Don’t forget Tony Rice’s arrangement!

[@uberjam-sam8512]

Yes! 🙌🏼 I've studied both and both are amazing

[@Winstonrodney6989]

Came here to say that!

[@kostringworks]

Phew that thing would eat me alive.

[@kamilrekosz7829]

Amazing. Subscribed! It was my first transcription of Frisell that I „learned”. The stuff he does, those little things, damn… sometimes I hear people say that he is boring, I think that they don’t listen carefully. Cheers.

[@kostringworks]

Yup, those “little things” make all the difference if you know how to use them. Thanks bud!

[@firecrackerheart]

love bill's sweet playing so much......and, your passion for the guitar makes me smile .. .

[@kostringworks]

Haha, I can’t help myself! The man is a miracle!

[@woofcity6307]

It’s funny, but I became obsessed with creating an acoustic version of this song myself and I think I played it in drop d, but I was really inspired by his version of surfer girl. Which got me on a take of taking like really simple old songs from 60 years ago and trying to kind of re-voice them on acoustic and a very slow way like he does. It’s a really awesome exercise.

[@kostringworks]

Oooh nice man. Yeah I’m like you too, love making slow reharms so much!

[@nilspeereboom3000]

Yes, love him. Will see him live soon!

[@kostringworks]

Nice! I missed him last time he was in my town and still regret it!

[@rogertinker1813]

Two words - just beautiful, thank you.

[@kostringworks]

Thanks Roger!!

[@runrin_]

turned on all notifications. great video. thanks.

[@kostringworks]

☺️ thanks bud!

[@Stephen-zx4uf]

Nice analysis. Simplicity is a beautiful container..

[@kostringworks]

You said it bud.

[@dantebronte]

Check out Bill playing Shanendoah with Charles Lloyd and the Marvels. Amazing.

[@kostringworks]

Ooooh man, ok I will!

[@andysanchez1]

New subscriber, thanks for the video

[@kostringworks]

Yeeeeah bud!!

[@supercool7342]

I've liked his version of Shanenadoah on Good Dog, Happy Man for awhile but I had never seen that video. Loved the commentary, you highlighted tons of things I wouldn't have noticed. Wish I had just a fraction of Bill's understanding of the fretboard, it's really awesome what he comes up with

[@kostringworks]

Ah, hearing that’s the best. Thanks dude!

[@samuelhatman8995]

I need about a thousand words of space to answer here. Or maybe just drive up one weekend and go for coffee or lunch and talk. This is right up my alley, and what I am preparing to do as the memory goes. Think about the classical "Claire de Lune" by Debussy. It unravels me emotionally and I usually listen fully alone for embarrassingly obvious reasons. Bill is the "Great" Artist. I spent the first several years with guitar... age 9-11 with my ear down on the upper bout of my 64 J45. I lived "in there... in the music." Yeah this was a great episode Kyle... more!!! The Gibson Bill is playing, and the room presence and production ambiance are reminiscent of all the classical recordings by the greats. Yeah... we should talk. There is so much power in this song, rendition and episode. It elevates the genre. Quite the spiritual deal.

[@kostringworks]

My man you are welcome anytime! Shoot me a line on my website if you’re ever coming up!

[@samuelhatman8995]

@@kostringworks Will doer!

[@Earthstein]

It is always amazing to me how a true artist can make great art from so little. (Tony Rice's solo rendition of Shenandoah (late in his career) is a masterpiece on a very large canvas) Thank you for sharing your thoughts and posting this video.

[@kostringworks]

For real! Your welcome! Love Tony’s, on my list to learn too!

[@woofcity6307]

The problem with Tony Rice‘s was that that was the first one I heard, and some parts are kind of re-harmonized and I couldn’t really figure out what the melody exactly was so when I heard the original like I sat there for like two months with my brain hurting just trying to figure out likewhat is this song? How do I make this song you know it was actually very interesting. Like take the Ernie Ford version and take the Tony Rice version and smash them together and like you’ve got some interesting choices there to make. I found that particularly in the part where the melody goes down low and then into the crescendo like I don’t know if it was a voicing thing or what but like I still sit there and feel like I had to make a devils choice of which voice leading to go with. I still find that very interesting.

[@Earthstein]

@@woofcity6307 Outside of the tyrannical constraints of Classical Music, you are exemplifying part of the joy of music.

[@golds04]

Beautiful. But Know guitar history- and 💐 to the guitarist who mastered this song a long time ago: the brilliant Tony Rice. ✌️

[@kostringworks]

Hell ya. On my list!

[@golds04]

@@kostringworks

[@aronkristensen2051]

There is a video here on youtube of Bill Frisell playing Shenandoah with his band. Greg Leisz plays pedal steel in the band, and it makes me tear up every time.

[@kostringworks]

Daamn dude I’ll scope it out!

[@UNKUHNOODLES]

Amazing.

[@dmytryk7887]

Keith Jarret also does a nice solo version of Shenandoah. His version is also strictly diatonic, and triad based -- tossing in sone 7ths and 9ths from time to time as I recall.

[@kostringworks]

I’ll have to check his out!!

[@doobeedoo2]

It was never not cool; the Ernie Ford version is not cheesy; neither is Glen Campbell's; Keith Jarrett has a very nice take;

[@loontil]

Top!

[@JediMobius]

Instant sub.

[@kostringworks]

Yeah!!! Thanks bud. See ya round the comments!

[@OldBanjer]

Tony Rice’s version would like a word with you. 😂

[@kostringworks]

Haha, man those are big shoes to fill.

[@mattjohnson2526]

This version of Shenandoah by Bill Frisell is great, but Tony Rice's version is masterful.

[@lowellcalavera6045]

Overdone and hideous imo

[@stanby2712]

I really enjoy this channel and the analysis in this video is excellent. But.. I picked up on your passing quip about Tennessee Ernie Ford being “cheesy. I went back and listened to him singing Shenandoah and it’s a stunning and evocative vocal performance; powerful and moving. The only comparable artist I can think of would be Paul Robeson. I notice that @sc1915 called you out on this and I’m seconding him. I think your comment was ill thought,snide, disrespectful and plain wrong. Even so, I still think it’s a great video.

[@kostringworks]

Yo! Appreciate your respectful insight on Ernie Ford! Sorry if it came off as a low blow. I def respect his talent and the folks who dig it, but he def lives in the cheesy side of the tracks to my taste so I couldn’t help the comparison!

[@stanby2712]

And I get that! He ain’t rock ‘n roll and he ain’t country/folk blues but I do think he’s an important part of an”Americana” musical tradition ( I’m in the UK). I think my tastes are pretty close to yours but I respect a wider range of outside of that. The example that comes to mind is that I wouldn’t dis (say) Jim Reeves who was massively popular but not to my taste (I’d say cheesy 😎) As I said, I love the channel

[@holzhausholz8215]

​@@kostringworksI wish people would lighten up 🙄. You made a thoughtful video that introduced me to several great versions of Shenandoah, including Johnny Smith's and Tony Rice's. As a novice guitar player I appreciate the education and the work you do!

[@skyemoz6559]

This was on my list to learn thanks for the great lesson

[@kostringworks]

Dude awesome! Hope it helps!

[@rigelloar7474]

Bill would tell you that EVERY version of Shenandoah is cool, including Ernie Ford's . . . . . .

[@kostringworks]

Fair!!

[@rigelloar7474]

@@kostringworks 👍

[@Smitoons]

Get over it guys.

[@sc1915]

Tennessee Ernie Ford cheesy? I think not!

[@jeffhildreth9244]

16 Tons

[@kostringworks]

Ohh man, call me out!

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@kostringworks Yer welcum : ) That was a down right knockout video. Thanks.

[@sc1915]

@@kostringworks say it ain't so Kyle 🫤

[@akfisher7138]

who wrote this?

[@jaybolsega1861]

Dropped D?

[@kostringworks]

Nope! Standard tuning!

[@beyshore_]

frisell did it for johnny smith

[@kostringworks]

The ephemeral.

[@domcarr1973]

Richard Thompson did a nice version

[@kostringworks]

Noted!

[@jltrem]

Bill could make "Old MacDonald" cool.

[@kostringworks]

And he probably has 😂

[@woofcity6307]

Dude, Bill can make the McDonald’s theme sound cool - ‘you deserve a break today’

[@actlloyd]

Dave Alvin and Spider John made it cool.

[@kostringworks]

Spider John’s version is not of this world. Maybe my favorite folk song he ever did.

[@actlloyd]

@@kostringworks I agree. It's stunning on so many levels.

[@jamesearl389]

Great cover but you lost me when you said “cheesy”. If you don’t respect the source material, an iconic, historical melody, I don’t care about your thoughts on the remake.

[@pajamasflannel]

I reacted similarly to that characterization but I wonder if, one, he was being somewhat tongue-in-cheek and, two, if he was referencing not so much “source material” but, instead, an outdated, cultural expression of the song.

[@jamesearl389]

@@pajamasflannel that’s a fair point. I’ll reconsider 👊🏻

[@kostringworks]

Nailed it.

[@dankelly7712]

Excuse me. How is Shenandoah at all “cheesey”. That’s not very observant of a beautiful tune.

[@kostringworks]

Sorry for the cheap shot! It was just for comparison sake to bills, but I could see how it came off wrong.

[@blinkie7]

No such thing as cool.