Repertoire-Builder LabClasses
Exploring the music of a specific artist or band to help students build personal song-lists.

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“Oh Brother”
Songfest  

All instruments and singers welcome

Comfortable playing most simple chords in first position

Instrument, tuner, capo, pencil. tape recorder optional

We’ll learn to play and sing a wide range of tunes from the sound track, like  I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow,  Po Lazarus, Down In The River To Pray,  I'll Fly Away,  Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby, In the Jailhouse n now, etc. We'll provide the lyric and chord sheets for all the tunes. Lead players will have plenty of opportunity for solo breaks during the tunes.

No need to be a great singer to have a great time in this class. You just have to love all the tunes from the movie that put old-time and bluegrass music back in the spotlight. We'll provide specific instruction on accompaniment styles for guitarists and mando players, but all instrumentalists are welcome. .

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  BLUES CRUISE

All singers and instruments welcome

 Comfortable playing most simple chords in first position

Instrument, tuner, capo, pencil. tape recorder optional

Our purpose is surveying some of the most important artists and songs that make up the blues tradition.  We won’t spend much time on instrumental technique. Come play and sing a dozen or more blues tunes drawn from all periods and styles.

We’ll tackle everything from a chain-gang holler to a Jimmy Rogers hillbilly blues, some Jimmy Reed R&B blues, B.B. King's "The Thrill is Gone," Keb Mo’s "Your Love",  Taj Mahal's  Goin' Fishin' Blues and “Cakewalk Into Town" We'll even play through Eric Clapton's great version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out." All lyric and chord charts provided.

NOTE: You definitely do NOT need to be a great singer to have a great time in this class. You just have to love the blues. We'll provide specific instruction on accompaniment styles for guitarist and mandos, but all instrumentalists are welcome. If you just want to drop in and give your traditional blues soloing skills a workout this will be a perfect opportunity for that.

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Hank Williams Sr. Songfest

 All instruments and singers

 Able to play simple chords in first position.

Instrument, tuner, capo, pencil. tape recorder optional

If you've been hankering to pick and sing some simpler songs from simpler times, this hands-on workshop is definitely for you. And if you've heard old Hank sing on those old recordings, you know you don't have to be an opera star to sound just fine on his tunes. Easy chords and easy melodies make it really easy to love this truly authentic American music. Add some of these tunes to your personal song list and invite your friends over for some great jamming.

Remember "Hey Good Lookin'", "Jambalaya"  "Lovesick Blues", "Honkey Tonk Blues", "Why Don't You Love Me?", "Cold, Cold Heart", and Your Cheatin' Heart"? Those are just a few great jamming tunes penned by the "Hillbilly Shakespeare" that we’ll cover in the funl LabClass.You're welcome to show up at this LabClass in your overalls and cowboy hat, or gingham dress and sunbonnet - whatever gets you in the mood for some hang-loose hillbilly pickin' and hollerin'.  We'll provide the lyric and chord sheets for all the tunes. And you instrumentalists will have plenty of opportunity to take solos during the tunes.---------

NOTE: You definitely do NOT need to be a great singer to have a great time in this class. You just have to love Hank Senior’s honky tonk style country music. We'll provide specific instruction on accompaniment styles for guitarists, but all instrumentalists are welcome. This will be a great opportunity for you soloists to try your hand at some traditional country western style lead playing.

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Grand Old Opry
 

Guitar, Fiddle, Dobro, Mandolin, Banjo, Bass (upright or electric) and Singers welcome

 Comfortable singing and/or playing simple three-chord folk-style tunes

Instrument, tuner, capo, pencil. tape recorder optional

 Explore the roots of country music in a relaxed jam-style setting as we recreate the tunes America first heard on the weekly radio broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry. Perfect opportunity to strengthen accompaniment techniques, lead and fill playing, and singing skills.

We’ll be playing tunes made famous by early Opry stars like: Jimmie Rodgers, the "Father of Country Music", The Carter Family, Roy Acuff  (Opry star for 50 years), Patsy Montana ( First female country singer to sell 1 million records). Ernest Tubb,  Hank Snow,  Hank Williams Sr, Bill Monroe, Louvin Brothers, Little Jimmy Dickens,  Jean Shepard, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Johnny Cash, Ray Price, and countless others.

The class surveys the songs and styles characteristic of this important early period in the evolution of American music. Instruction will focus primarily on helping individuals contribute to the ensemble sound, rather than on teaching specific instrumental techniques. Lyric and chord charts for all tunes will be handed out. We’ll use recordings of the original Opry performances for study in class.

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 Merle Haggard Songfest  

All instruments and singers welcome

Instrument, tuner, capo, pencil. tape recorder optional

Merle Haggard is both a great performer and one of the most prolific country music songwriters ever. We’ll learn to sing and play a long lisgt of his most popular tunes, including The Bottle Let Me Down, Branded Man, Hungry Eyes, I'm A Lonesome Fugitive, Mama Tried, Okie From Muskogee, Sing Me Back Home, Swingin Doors,  Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink, Today I Started Loving You Again. 

We'll provide the lyric and chord sheets for all the tunes. And you instrumentalists will have plenty of opportunity to take solos during the tunes.

NOTE: You definitely do NOT need to be a great singer to have a great time in this class. You just have to love Merle’s music. We'll provide specific instruction on accompaniment styles for guitarists, but all instrumentalists are welcome. This will be a great opportunity for you soloists to try your hand at some traditional country western style lead playing.