Tennessee Waltz - Clawhammer Banjo

I'm in Glover-Archbold Park in Washington DC for this one, snuck down into a creek bed to play amongst the bull frogs and wrens. I don't care how overplayed this song is, it's such a classic melody that sounds just like the heartbreak it describes.
Benny Bleu is on:
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Website: bennybleu.com/

[@proulxmarc]

The best compliment that can be made is that I now feel that the Tennessee Waltz was made for claw hammer banjo. Well done.

[@BennyBleu]

Wow, thanks!

[@kishascape]

I like playing it on Harmonica

[@PhnxCaller]

My mom would sing this song to me and my sister...beautiful thank you.

[@BennyBleu]

Awesome, thanks for sharing, it's a beautiful melody 8^)

[@billmacaulay]

Superb interpretation of The Tennessee Waltz - a heartbreaker

[@Kiereze]

Sounds so nice even the frogs had to join in!

[@appalachiamama]

How beautiful! I am just learning to play the banjo and am so inspired hearing you play. You are simply marvelous! Thank you for playing this beautiful old song...Bravo!

[@BennyBleu]

Thank you so much! Glad you are inspired on your journey, keep pickin'!

[@jesluck5709]

Never imagined this song in clawhammer style. It works so well! Gorgeous. :)

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks Jes, good to hear from you!

[@Tasmanaut]

I've never like the sound of 3/4 time with clawhammer, but this changed my mind. This is incredibly sensitive and beautifully arranged. The fingering on the 5th string, as you take the melody up the neck, just gorgeous.

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks so much! I agree, I think clawhamming a waltz can be so beatiful. 6/8 grooves can be really fun too 8^)

[@HackberryHollow]

Well done! I would never have imagined it in clawhammer, much less playing it this way. Beautifull!

[@barrygoldstein7280]

Shows what immaculate technique, beautiful phrasing, a creative arrangement, and heartfelt playing can accomplish with even the simplest of tunes. Awesome.

[@bearshield7138]

sweet job

[@yourcelebrant]

Wonderful playing. Such a lovely tune and you've done it justice. Definately on my list of tunes / songs to learn now.

[@BennyBleu]

Awesome, have fun with it! And stay tuned, I'm going to make a tutorial for this one and post it later this summer 8^)

[@jimbopicks]

What a beautiful version of this tune.

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks very much Jim!

[@michaelholt3721]

So this will be the first thing I learn to play. Thanks.

[@BennyBleu]

Nice - stay tuned this summer for a tutorial on how I play it 8^)

[@Code12x]

​@BennyBleu please make it sooner than later haha... I love how you play this! The first waltz I learned to play was cowboy waltz arranged by Josh Turknett, but I think this may top that - a great addition anyway.

[@sav864]

Any chance you could post the tabs? This is the sweetest softest version I’ve heard and I’d love to give learning it a shot :)

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks a lot! I am actually going to post a tutorial on this one later this summer, so stay tuned!

[@johno9754]

As always, a fine and emotive rendition. We be smiling!

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks John!

[@davidcedarholm4309]

What a wonderful arrangement! Thank you for this beautiful treat. 🙂

[@jgsawka]

This!!! So good. I play this one on the fiddle but I never thought to try this on the banjo. Thanks for sharing your rendition!

[@simondavis2457]

Well played, very good

[@attilatasciko4817]

Thanks .

[@librandy77]

Brilliant playing, I’m also looking forward to your next musical production… I love the way you play big time…mad cool🪕🪕🪕

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks a lot Paul! The next album is in the works!

[@F_later]

Wonderful arranged for clawhammer banjo ! Chapeau !!👍

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks so much for listening!

[@LORDSPHYNX]

Well done, great rendition

[@atthefiveforks8077]

great rendition .... I really like it. beautiful job

[@BennyBleu]

Thank you! Fish on..

[@librandy77]

One of my favourites well played

[@BennyBleu]

Hey thanks much Paul, me too

[@victorvargas4120]

Very soothing.

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks as always Victor

[@Pickernik]

Ohhhhh mmmyyyyy....

[@esperanzamendoza6048]

Thanks for sharing it!! I loved it! 😊😊😊😊

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks for listening Esperanza :)

[@johnschneider4160]

Sweet!

[@gristlevonraben]

beautiful version of this song

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks a lot for listening!

[@lilaclookie]

Beautiful

[@twoowls5570]

Great post of great classic!

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks :)

[@greghoover7995]

Hey Ben…..sounds great! Might see you tonight in Syracuse. Greg

[@aleki7639]

Wonderful song and clawhamming. Very inspiring to practice that tune! Any tab from it? Greetings from France 😎🇫🇷

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks, I'm so glad you like the arrangement! I don't have tab for it, but I'd be happy to walk through how I play it in a lesson sometime: bennybleu.com/banjo/

[@manbat1011]

Thanks man that was very comforting

[@BennyBleu]

wow really appreciate it. that's what i'm going for :)

[@wingoguitar3077]

Excellent

[@tricia814]

I sure wish I had the tab for that.

[@BennyBleu]

If I ever sit down to write it out, I'll post a link here. I don't use TAB, so it takes me a long time to write it out correctly. If it helps, you can slow the video way down using the settings in KZbin.

[@stephenbaker645]

Beautiful ! Thanks x

[@BennyBleu]

You're welcome, thank you!

[@edwardhanson3664]

This is vert sweet,

[@jeffcrowder1892]

wonderful

[@ollyolsen697]

Awesome ❤

[@gdgbd]

very nice, thank you

[@DB-cx6cb]

Beautiful ❤ from Okeechobee, Florida

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks for listening!

[@RichSmith-zd8sl]

what equipment do you use to record? Very nice job!

[@BennyBleu]

Thank you! For this video I used a Zoom H6 to capture sound, and a Nikon D3400 for the video.

[@musicgirl7558]

Hi! Is there any possibility that you could play the Westphalia Waltz? I play the violín and I would like to play along with your video. Love your banjo playing! Greetings from Argentina😊

[@BennyBleu]

mmm, I love that tune! I'll work on it!

[@musicgirl7558]

@@BennyBleu Wow! Great!

[@IslandSoulFilms]

Sounds very beautiful. Are you using nylon strings for this?

[@BennyBleu]

Thank you! Nope, they're steel on this one. Just really dead haha. But I do play several other banjos with nylon strings

[@glennkemp7450]

Very nice! are you tuned to double C?

[@BennyBleu]

Yep!

[@gregerfulgerman7802]

beautiful! What tuning do you play in?

[@stevemepsted1]

I believe this is in Double C tuning...

[@BennyBleu]

Yep, double C!

[@Welther47]

0:29 what are you playing right there? Stole my sweetheart form me. I just can't get that to sound right

[@BennyBleu]

"Friend stole my" is a walk down of a C arpeggio - C, G, E, and then "sweetheart from me" walks the top note of a G7 chord (pinky at 3rd fret 1st string on 'sweet', move down to 2nd fret for 'heart' etc) down F, E, D, C.

[@jkingwhistler]

Beautifully played. What are you using to record this? Cheers!

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks Jay! I recorded it w a Zoom H6 handy recorder.

[@jkingwhistler]

@@BennyBleu Nice. Again really well played.

[@jdseery]

that goldtone sounds really nice which model ?

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks John! It's the CC-OT, Cripple Creek open back. Pretty great for a low end banjo!

[@marionstratford8503]

Well done. Double C?

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks Marion. Yep, you got it.

[@marionstratford8503]

@@BennyBleu You really nailed it. Don’t hear a waltz on banjo much, at least not without demolishing it. You did a fine job of bringing out the beauty of a beautiful song. Not a bad sounding box you got there, either!

[@BennyBleu]

@@marionstratford8503 Really appreciate that Marion, thank you!

[@tommiller4644]

What tuning?

[@BennyBleu]

Double C

[@tommiller4644]

Thanks

[@JeffinBville]

Overplayed? Not even close.

[@crouqetoo2]

Cannae believe your response but as often quoted ,"it takes awe kind ". Personally ,I think it's a cracking version.

[@ethancooley6659]

@@crouqetoo2 what are you saying

[@crouqetoo2]

I am saying ,I think your playing is tip top.Others may think differently but to me its beautiful.

[@clarkkc11]

Beautiful

[@BennyBleu]

Thanks Ken! Looking forward to the next time we meet up in the real world. Soon I'm sure.

[@clarkkc11]

@@BennyBleu I hope very soon. Checking your events on your socials now just to see!

[@clarkkc11]

@@BennyBleu maybe this Sunday at Birdhouse! We shall see... If not Noble, I see a few dates there!