Norman & Nancy Blake play "Jordan Am A Hard Road To Travel"

In this 1988 performance, Norman & Nancy Blake perform their version of "Jordan Am A Hard Road To Travel." From the DVD "Norman & Nancy Blake: The Video Collection." More info at www.guitarvide...

[@artemusdee]

A man without an ego. This is Norman Blake at his pinnacle...with Nancy at his side. I never get tired of listening to this. Thanks much.

[@mikelisacarb]

Nothing quite as pleasant as letting my head roll around between the sweet sounds of Norman and Nancy's guitars!

[@jamesbusse1543]

Cello, Vio, Guitar and more,... Behind every great man there is a Nancy.

[@kevinweaver4265]

I can'y belive ANYONE would not be blown away at this incrdeibly beautiful performance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bpatrickhoburg]

One of my favorite songs. The Blake’s are a treasure and will be appreciated in the future I believe, but it’ll be a long road to travel.

[@jake_runs_the_world]

yes!

[@Dulcimerea]

Well said.

[@ulrichfriehe3459]

The Blakes is the correct plural, I tell you from abroad.

[@bpatrickhoburg]

@@ulrichfriehe3459 just a typo

[@123Shel12]

The man is first class! Look how relaxed his right hand is.... no tension what so ever! I can't even come close!

[@eddiemoore8468]

He is my true guitar hero of all time

[@thmpick]

I saw Norman play a scuzzy little bar in Louisville, Ky in 1976. It was called the Bluegrass Bar, there was no more that 8 people in there that night...probably only held 10. I went down town just because I had heard he was going to be there that night... It was the first time I saw him or heard a D 18 played live. I was introduced to heavy gauge strings though his playing....Twas a great night.

[@loessfool]

I had the honor of presenting Norman and Nancy in 2000 at the Loess Hills Acoustic Music Festival in Sidney, IA. The event didn't survive that rain soaked weekend in August but the memory of Norman onstage Friday night dedicating a performance of "Heavenly Sunlight" to me standing just off stage will truly last me a lifetime!

[@deborahkauffman09]

I ve had the priviledge of seeing Norman about 20 times in my life, he sorta got to know my cause I always requested this song from him and became "that gal from Texas", Norman is THE MAN...

[@jftruthseeker989]

Fantastic, i love this so much, Norman’s playing is perfect and and Nancy playing too and what can i say about her guitar? a Martin 00-42 prewar i think ? A gem , a St- Graal of a guitar that must worth thousands and thousands of bucks

[@oogaboogachiefwalkin]

You can't get any better music than this

[@MaurizioMusic]

nope

[@jonhart-dj7fn]

Like watching Norman and wife Nancy duets.. fun flatpicking fiddle tune

[@TracyFClark]

Wonderful flatpicking and beautiful melody. What more do we need?

[@giannirocco7492]

Mr.NormanBlake is one of the most influential players in my life!How he seems to prefer a twelve fret instrument is something I learned about after,well after,I started playing them myself!To this day I truly believe placing the bridge down towards the middle of the soundboard gives a much more clear and nuanced tone that can never be achieved with a fourteen fretted guitar!Norman Blake is the one player who is really worth taking the time to listen to...

[@robertshorthill6836]

Gianni Rocco yes, my friend, Norman and Nancy have been an influence in my musicianship since that Homespun tape came out. I lent that tape to a fellow I worked with. A month later the fellow quit the job and I never saw my tape again. But his approach to flat picking is outstanding, not easily copied. When I discovered they both played mandolin, I just had to have one and learn to play. I found a dirt cheap Harmony that was so hard to fret and tune it was near impossible to play. I ended up giving it to a girlfriend. What she did with it is anybody's guess. Then, many years later I had the opportunity to work at the Flatiron mando factory in Belgrade, MT where I had just moved to. It waa there I built myself a decent mandolin. Now I can play all these fiddle tunes I hear on KZbin. (Ha, I wish!) But I am collecting a fair number of 'em. I never learned to sight read notation, but I can convert all these great tunes to TAB and fool around some with them. My two current favorite tunes are the Silver Spire and Nancy Blake's version of the Old Hollow Poplar. The Blake's have a book out from the 70s but I can't seem to get my hands on it. My music store in Bozeman was going to help find it for me, but I have yet to hear from that bunch. All they wanna do is sell guitars and strings, it seems. Yeah, Norman knows guitars, no doubt about it. Cheers my friend, Bob in SW MT.

[@sandraclark2922]

Regarding 12-string guitars...I recently met a great musician Garry W. Hill who plays the 12-string guitar, in Jefferson, Texas. He has some CD's out there (T & T Toe Tappin....the first song is my favorite!) Although he's now mostly blind, he still plays well. A true Southern gentleman~

[@BrianWMay]

Sublime, by those guitars sound good.

[@JoeRailfan]

E flat is a nice, comfortable midrange key for all kinds of voices. Lots of choral and sacred music is written in E flat. Notice that Norman is playing in C capoed up 3 frets while Nancy plays in D, capoed up only 1 fret. Gives some nice voicings to their guitars.

[@robertshorthill6836]

These two capo away from each other for a good reason. It gives a wider range of tones from their guitars. That's why Nancy will play the cello to Norman's guitar occasionally. Or fiddle lines, even mandolin. Try two guitars with different capo possitions. It can be a very nice sound

[@nobanjono]

I love playing in E flat...most of my music buds, not so much

[@user-fv2ko5jz3k]

Beautiful tone, an orchestra

[@haroldsteinblatt2567]

As is the case with all great players, whether it’s Doc or Jimi Hendrix, the hands look like they’re part of the guitar.

[@arlenroth8373]

What a GREAT song!

[@moonoggin]

I love their living room concert feel. A slight improvement of the one my Daddy played for us on the hi fi

[@jennyronneng7671]

I just love this music makes my heart happy. Thank you 😊

[@deborahkauffman09]

Uncle Dave Macon song by a master of interpretation, Mr. Norman Blake

[@The314moses]

This is so good..

[@dobberkcd]

Magnificent ...19th century had the best music

[@bluto212]

I believe this was shot in the 20th Century

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

@@bluto212 but written much earlier.

[@bluto212]

@@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer very true🤗

[@chrislecompte4694]

My fav picker. Legend in every finger tip.

[@AndreHessels]

Norman Blake: fantastic guitar player. Church Street Blues is my fav.!

[@robertshorthill4153]

Andre hessels. Fiddler's Dram is one of my favorite tunes. I've been trying for years to work it up for mandolin. I've got a version, but not sure Norman would approve. Seems to work, tho for me. Just not the same as crosspicking on guitar. Then there's that version of Hollow Poplar I discovered two days ago. Now I have to find more socks, cuz mine have been blown away. 💖🍺😁😲😃

[@BionicBrain2]

Two of my favorite performers. Great picking and singing. Please post more videos.

[@hang-sangitch]

This is genius in simplicity

[@gnm109]

Wondeful stuff from guitar picking royalty!

[@joeybologny6746]

I've played with Jerry Garcia and I've played with Doc Watson, and I'd trade them both if I could play with Norman Blake. Any students out there look at Troy Grady now.

[@guitarreilly]

yeh troy gradys got a great vid on this picking technique although i still dont get it

[@Dulcimerea]

and Charlie Worsham is a fine guitarist also

[@adamschmalenberger]

highly suggest buying the entire DVD

[@CS21dude]

Perfection.

[@redhairedlad]

Yes. My name is Dan Bright and I was a member of "Hobson's Choice" which had an episode in the studio and a Fret & Fiddle special from Spoletto. I recorded a lot of the episodes (my favorites plus ours) on VHS. Unfortunately, the series was never "archived" into digital. I may try to convert some of ours and post them. I think this Blake video is from that series.

[@BURGRKNG]

long shot as i know this comment is 10 years old, are you going to upload any of the footage?

[@lieberman33]

Blake is the pinnacle of the carter style of playing

[@gasshuffer]

magical!

[@blueseruser]

What a great Musician!!!

[@jamesbusse1543]

what a wonderful family!

[@buzzee9961]

Norman loves to sing in Eb. He must have figured out its the best key for his voice.

[@joannehack7588]

💟

[@bill10140]

Norman and Nancy are unquestionably the best and purest folk musicians around. Kristin and I do several of their songs. We love em. E flat is a great key as well as Bb. We play most of our fiddle tunes that way, as well as sing in those keys. The frets are closer together. Fiddlers don't like it much though.

[@jake_runs_the_world]

beautiful

[@JamesScottGuitar]

So great!

[@JohnEdwinentertainment]

Just amazing !!!

[@squirrelsRfun24]

Unreal

[@julane50]

Great!!

[@planezane]

Try contacting The Barking Legs Theater in Chattanooga, Tn. Norman and Nancy perform there often.

[@shylockmaximus3861]

Shit this is some damn good drinkin music.

[@lieberman33]

Actually when one refers to Carter style it doesn't necessarily mean finger style (although yes she used finger style). It usually refers to following the melody of the tune with single note picking technique and incorporating various techniques around this (cross picking, strums, hammer ons, slides etc). Even Blake acknowledges Carter as one of his biggest influences. So again, he is the pinnacle of the Carter style of playing.

[@joannehack7588]

🤩🙏✌🏽

[@michaeleisenbise4278]

wow, very nice rendition of his song. Well done. Suggest others look at Richmond is a hard road to travel on KZbin.

[@PickingGaz1972]

Them lefties are losing here in this one. Love it. Is my bet this great man played on a few stones tracks

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

This is possibly the most disturbing comment I've ever read on KZbin

[@PickingGaz1972]

Don't be sad

[@williamdean4101]

During the "War of Northern Aggression", called by the Yankees the "Civil , War, this tune was adapted to the fortunes (or misfortunes) of the Lincolnite armies to take Richmond VA. It was appropriately re-named "Richmond is a Hard Road to Travel."

[@williamdorn406]

Hey William, The war is over!!!! It was in all the papers!!!!!

[@louisbyron]

For us, the war is never over!

[@haver333]

... and now more accurately recognized as the war started by the South in attempt to save slavery

[@Dulcimerea]

the real thing

[@jamesbusse1543]

This is a woman for every man though she knows one.

[@bigearl33]

Norman is playing a flat picking style with cross-pickin, 'Carter Scratch' is a finger picking style now Noman is among best flat-pickers no dought.

[@MightySpoiler]

Sweet as honey.

[@giacomobenini8626]

It's interesting, I had never seen a "notched" saddle before.

[@jeffg5179]

Very beautiful playing. I’m curious to know if anyone can tell me, how does it change from this version, in a major key, to the Peter Paul and Mary version, called “old coat,” in a minor key?

[@robertshorthill6836]

Jeff G It's not the exact same song. I believe the Blakes play an "ol' timey version" where PP &M borrowed the idea of taking off your coat and getting to work improving yourself and the world in the process. It didn't hurt that PP&M got popular and rich as well. I loved all my PP&M records, but Norman and Nancy are more to my liking as I've reached geezerhood. Take care, my friend and listen to more of the Blake's whenever you can. Regrettably, these folks are nearing the end of their trails, as I myself am. So much good music, so little time. Bob in SW MT.

[@JablesMullet]

Great rendition! Who did this originally? Riley Puckett’s non PC version is the oldest I’ve heard.

[@stevenpoe640]

You cannot convince me that these are not Tim O'Brien's parents.

[@oneloveinus]

I am the 1K like.

[@cortezcortez739]

What guitar model is this?

[@zymelin21]

martin for sure, and out of production. ask the guys in Nazareth pa. which model.

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

I believe that one's the d-18. Hawaiian. Converted to Spanish. Probably the only one ever made. He had another 12 fret dread that was a 28 but a believe that one was Spanish from the factory. Also one of a kind being a shade top.

[@Deathrash89]

Good Song but isnt the Title ,the Original Title of the Battle between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys? But this isnt anything like that song.

[@derekskater1996]

Relitively easy to play actually. Takes alot of practice and expiriance with alternate picking though

[@TheZacek]

@plowhand247 no shit :D

[@muskokaguitar]

well sir thts just afine tune!!

[@Krabadaque]

Two very different takes on the same theme: This one and this one (which I remember from when I was a teenager in the 60's): kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp_Hi6WDi5dnbaM

[@jackienichols8010]

music is still not playing