"Wise County Jail" by Dock Boggs - Traditional Banjo Lesson

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

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[@jacksonstein8866]

Part of what drew me to this channel was the respect for the history of the songs and the folk tradition of old time banjo music. Sweet history/banjo lesson

[@marinevet7273]

Dock is a cousin, a lot of the Boggs families lived on Cox Holler on Indian creek near Pound VA. Wise county VA. Yes it was and still is common for people to travel back and forth. from Wise County to Whitesburg and other coal towns in Letcher County KY. Where a lot of related families worked the mines Today Wise County VA. Folks are some of the best people on earth. The funds, bad lawmen are mostly gone

[@TheRenaissanceHillbilly]

My mother grew up at Pardee. When she was a kid in the 30s, she said Dock would come to her grandmother's house and get drunk with her Uncle Dave and my Pappy. Pappy had bought Mom an old Kay dreadnaught guitar, and she would get mad because Pappy would hand Dock her guitar, he'd tune it down like a banjo and then he and Dave would play while Pappy would dance.

[@blainechappell5383]

Firstly, that rifle is boss. Secondly, great energy man. You looked like how they described Kentucky riflemen tactics during the Revolution.

[@FineLineMovie]

You are a great teacher, Clifton! I was really struggling and now I’m on the way to getting it, thanks to your videos. I can really tell a difference in my playing. The way you slowly show the detail is the key for me. I sometimes even slow the video down even more when try to play along, but I’m still a beginner. Your catalog of songs seems extensive and hearing the history of the songs makes each one even more interesting and special. I am especially excited to learn two-finger style banjo. I thank you!

[@blainechappell5383]

I was skeptical of 2 finger picking, early on, thinking it to be like bluegrass 3 finger stuff. It doesn't help that growing up, my dad only ever dissed on picking, saying clawhammer was the only good way to play. This from a guy that only ever partially learned to play one song. Then I decided to give it a shot while learning Clifton's "Darling Cora" lesson, and now I love the volume and emotion control you get with it, along with the change of pace from just strictly doing clawhammer.

[@brianchild3242]

You make it sound so easy, love the music and the stories behind the music.

[@k9kayaks]

Thank you for the History lesson one of many reasons why I enjoy this channel ❤️🪕

[@toadeepants]

Love love love your historical stories, Clifton, makes the music so much more deep. ❤️

[@LoneRevD]

Thanks for that, I love the history and the stories. Playing is mighty fine as always.

[@fredericknewbill2703]

Thanks as always, brother. Really appreciated you giving the history its time on this one.

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Thanks, Frederick. Folks like you have inspired me to spend more time focusing on the history and anthropology behind this art. I hope you and yours are doing well!

[@nikolairuskin]

Dude, that shot at the end was hilarious :D

[@a.p.2497]

you are an incredible teacher, thank you so much

[@seannamadra5675]

He's my hero Clifton! Thanks so much!

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Mine too, Seanna!

[@dannydickerson755]

I want to thank you for what you're doing. You do a hell of a good job. I'm sure the old masters of this music would be proud of you.

[@astro781]

man, I love your Dock Boggs stuff....Thank you.

[@JohnyG29]

First class job Clif!! 👍👍👍

[@mattniven6380]

Doc is my hero

[@bbcustomoutdoors]

I taught myself this one just a few days ago! Awesome history. Thank you for sharing.

[@DylanKDowd]

So stoked to have learned this one! Would love a look at bascom Lunsford Mountain Dew. He does this double finger picking that puts me in a trance other recordings of him have the same thing goin on, perhaps you’d know what I’m talking about.

[@Channelsettings1]

Nice lesson

[@vinsamson8061]

Great Doc story! 🤘🎶great tune too Clifton

[@talknormal]

this is so awesome. also timely well done

[@simonolsen9995]

Hey Clifton :D Glad I hung 'round until the very end. Only ever seen your rifle on the wall behind you. Great to see her in action! Seems to pack a bit of a kick. That trunk might be good cover, but there's bugger all concealment with them things, eh? (Edit: On thinking more... was that your personal message down the years to Wise County law enforcement?)

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Simon, I'll admit that rising over the top in a straw hat is the "Hollywood" option. In a real-life situation, I'd probably fire underneath the log from the prone or assume a kneeling position with the weapon resting in the tree's roots. (EDIT: As for brushes with law enforcement: I've never been pulled over in Wise County, nor have I stopped there longer than it takes to do business at a filling station. And I've never even seen a cop in Harlan, Letcher, Knott, or Perry. What few times I have traveled that far north I was always visiting friends who kept me pretty well hid.)

[@simonolsen9995]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo ;D

[@pastorharry2]

Interesting history. I had heard that this was after Dock did a stint in the Wise County Jail in Decatur Texas after the police came in to break up a party he was at and he whooped on one of the police.However at my age I may be mistaking this for another "prison song". "Seeger style" refers to Pete Seeger and what he taught in his early "How to play the 5 string banjo" book. It had nothing to do with his half brother Mike. Both were excellent banjoists .

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

You're right about "Pete Seeger Style." I said Mike Seeger by mistake there. And the song is definitely referring to Wise County, Virginia, where Dock Boggs lived.

[@silviusuelbus3108]

Isn’t the “Seeger style” called like that because of Pete instead of Mike? I think Pete Seeger used that technique and illustrated it in his book 🤔

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

Yes, _Pete_ Seeger is the one who popularized that technique as the "basic strum." I first heard it called "up-stroke" and "up-picking."

[@silviusuelbus3108]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo I am pretty familiar with that technique myself, but I saw Pete doing that with a finger pick on his index finger. I tried that as well but I totally sucked, and never tried it again 😂

[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

I never thought to do it with a fingerpick, I guess because I like to brush down with my index sometimes while up-picking. Have you ever heard of a fingerpick company called ClawJam? They make a fingerpick specifically for trad banjoists that covers both sides of the finger. Each pick is handmade, so they're not cheap, but I reviewed them in this old video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3nEZolmj6udgac

[@silviusuelbus3108]

@@CliftonHicksbanjo wow no, I had no idea such picks existed! I should definitely give it a try! Regarding Pete, if you watch this video, I think it’s somehow clear that he’s using some kind of finger pick on his index: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/ganRZ5-Orrd7hqs but the problem with it is as you said, you can’t both down pick and up pick with the same finger, so it gets very tricky. However I really thing that the “Pete Seeger sound” is too crisp and clear to be only “bare finger style”. Thank for the info, I’ll check that company website!