|  let's do something... (Native and Fine Records 906-8)
The debut CD from Bill Evans and Megan Lynch!
Rocks and Water / The Distance Between Two Points / Northern Sky / Fall / I Was Just Thinking / Check Yes Juliet / Old Dog / Into the Mystic / Song for Sonny Liston / Sleeping Lady / Morningside
Bill Evans (banjos, lead and harmony vocals), Megan Lynch (fiddles, lead and harmony vocals). Produced by Stephen Mougin and BEML.
Based in Albany, California and Nashville, Tennessee, banjo player Bill Evans & fiddler Megan Lynch make music that uses bluegrass virtuosity as a springboard into the broader worlds of Americana and alternative rock. While virtuosic fiddle and banjo work is to be expected from these internationally known bluegrass musicians, it’s the outstanding lead singing of Megan and the pair’s rich duo vocal sound that is a revelation. Drawing on singer-songwriter and alternative rock sources as much as traditional old-time and bluegrass music, the duo creates music that’s intensely intimate but truly difficult to categorize. While rooted in bluegrass tradition, Bill Evans and Megan Lynch display a natural and unassuming sophistication that reflects their wide-ranging interest in many kinds of contemporary and popular music.
The new CD let’s do something… is produced by Sam Bush Band guitar player Steve Mougin and was recorded over the last nine months in Nashville. Featuring richly textured soundscapes of multiple fiddles and banjos (and only fiddles and banjos) matched to Megan and Bill’s voices, the project features new takes on compositions from Deb Tannen, Nick Drake, John Gorka, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, Teitur, and the rock bands Editors and We The Kings along with two new instrumental tunes written by Bill Evans.
More info at: www.myspace.com/billevansandmeganlynch
What folks are saying about let’s do something… :
“This is a hugely exciting album! The singing’s exquisite, the playing’s completely masterly and tasteful (not a lick fiesta), the songwriting kills…..Nick Drake, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, and a host of others, intensely snazzy production, and it’s fresh…really fresh. This music demands repeated listenings to catch all the nuances and to savor a brand new sound coming full-blown from two of today’s most forward-thinking and accomplished acoustic musicians.” Tony Trischka, Dec. 2008
"The breadth and depth of the duets on let's Do Something... is jaw-dropping, but Bill and Megan are more than the sum of two virtuoso musicians. Together, they prove that the fiddle/banjo is made for any genre when it's done with imagination and passion." Chris Stuart, IBMA Print Media Person of the Year
Price: $15.00
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|  Banjo
For Dummies
By Bill Evans from Wiley Publications
A
330 page accessible how-to guide with over 130 banjo tab examples,
120 photos and diagrams and a 94 track CD.
Great
for beginners but also with plenty of useful information and tunes
for intermediate and advanced level players.
It’s
here! The famous yellow-and-black book series meets the world
of the five-string banjo. Bill takes you through a guided tour
of all things banjo, with instruction offered in clawhammer, bluegrass,
minstrel, classic, melodic and single-string banjo techniques.
Banjo
For Dummies covers everything you need to get into the
banjo: including how to choose, tune and care for your instrument,
developing a good playing posture, and getting comfortable with
the left and right hand positions used for clawhammer and bluegrass
playing techniques. You’ll master the basic clawhammer right
hand stroke and learn the eight most important roll patterns in
Scruggs style playing. You’ll then add the left hand, spicing
up your playing with slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and chokes
while learning chord positions and several tunes.
From
there, you’ll move on to play 19th century minstrel style,
early 20th century classic style as well as try your hand at more
advanced examples of bluegrass style. An in-depth chapter on bluegrass
explores Scruggs licks and techniques as well as melodic and single-string
styles. Also included is a banjo buyer’s guide, a section
on music theory as applied to bluegrass and old-time music, an
accessories guide, information on how to find a good teacher,
banjo camp or music festival, chord charts, bios of twelve influential
players, practice tips and much, much more!
Written
in the familiar Dummies style, the book is accessible and fun
to read and it’s easy to locate just what you’re interested
in. Included are several new compositions written by Bill just
for the book, including “Reno’s Rag” (single-string
style), “Winston’s Jig” (Irish three-finger)
and “Everyday Breakdown” (Scruggs style). All musical
examples are played slowly on the accompanying CD, many with guitar
and mandolin accompaniment.
If
you’ve enjoyed Bill’s teaching, either at his workshops
or through his AcuTab DVD’s, you’ll love Banjo
For Dummies!
Take
a closer look at Banjo For Dummies by clicking on the links below:
$24.99 includes
a personalized signed copy. If this item is ordered by itself,
a $4.50 shipping charge will be added at checkout. Shipping is via
USPS Priority Flat Rate. Please email to inquire about Canadian
and foreign shipping rates.
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|  Parking
Lot Picker’s Songbook: Banjo Edition
by Bill Evans & Dix Bruce from Mel Bay Publications
A 304 page songbook with over 225 bluegrass & old-time favorites
in notation and tab with two CDs!
This is a bluegrass songbook
unlike any other on the market: with Parking Lot Picker’s
Songbook: Banjo Edition
you can hear each piece as well as follow along in both
music notation and banjo tablature. Over 225 songs are included
with melodies presented in standard notation and banjo tablature
along with complete lyrics and chords. Two CDs (with over 144
total minutes of music) are included in this set that features
Bill playing backup banjo (and singing every now and then) to
every song in the book with Dix Bruce playing on guitar and mandolin.
After listening to the song on the CD, you can then use the tab
of the melody to work up your own arrangement.
Songs include “Rocky
Top,” “Molly and Tenbrooks,” “Roll In
My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” “Nine Pound Hammer,”
“Little Maggie,” and many, many more bluegrass, old-time
and gospel favorites from Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Jimmy
Martin, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley and the Osborne Brothers, among
others. Bill also includes a tab of his banjo version of “Train
45” (with six variations) along with short banjo lead arrangements
of “Cripple Creek” and “Sally Goodin’.”
An introductory essay discusses everything you need to know to
get ready for your next jam, including how and when to use the
capo, finding a good key to sing a song and how to transpose melodies
and chord progressions for both men’s and women’s
voices.
The book also features over
40 photographs of many of today’s leading bluegrass performers
from Tom Tworek, Bill Evans and Gretchen Snyder.
Click
here to hear “Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms”for a CD
sample.
Click
here to view “Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms as it appears
in the book.
“I picked up a copy of
the book from Bill at Banjo Camp North. It is fantastic. I love
that just the melodies are tabbed so I can work out my own arrangements…It’s
what the banjo fake books should be, but aren’t.”
Matthew, in a review post to banjohangout.org.
This book lists for $29.95.
Due to the high price of Postal Service Priority Mail for this
item (because of its weight), please note that there are two shipping
options to choose from below. You may choose shipping via Media
Mail (a cheaper option, with 7 to 10 day delivery service within
the United States) or Priority Mail (2 to 4 days within the United
States).
Please note that in either case, an additional $4.50 shipping charge
to the prices indicated below will be added at checkout to pay
for the total United States Postal Service shipping costs (your
total shipping costs are determined by how many items you are
ordering). The total cost at checkout for Priority Mail for this
item alone will be $38.90 ($29.95 for the book + $9.45 USPS Flat
Rate Priority Box shipping). For Media Mail, the total cost at
checkout for this item alone will be $33.95 ($29.95 for the book
+ $4.50 USPS Media Mail shipping).
FOREIGN ORDERS FOR THIS ITEM: contact Bill Evans via email at
bevans@nativeandfine.com for shipping rates and to place an order.
Priority Mail shipment (2 to 4 days within the U. S.)
$34.90 ($29.95 list price for book + $5.45 additional shipping
charge):
Media Mail shipment
(7 to 10 days within the U. S.) $29.95:
|
|  Parking
Lot Picker’s Songbook: Guitar Edition
by Dix Bruce from Mel Bay Publications
A 304 page songbook with over 225 bluegrass & old-time favorites
in notation and tab with two CDs!
This is the perfect companion
book to Parking Lot Picker’s Songbook: Banjo Edition
for all of your guitar-playing friends. Both volumes present the
same songs in the same keys and arrangements. The only difference
is that the Guitar Edition presents the melody in guitar tab and
standard notation.
Parking Lot Picker’s
Songbook: Guitar Edition also comes with the same two
CDs as the Banjo Edition, with Bill Evans and Dix Bruce performing
on each track with guitar, banjo and mandolin backing.
This book lists for $29.95.
Due to the high price of Postal Service Priority Mail for this
item (because of its weight), please note that there are two shipping
options to choose from below. You may choose shipping via Media
Mail (a cheaper option, with 7 to 10 day delivery service within
the United States) or Priority Mail (2 to 4 days within the United
States).
Please note that in either
case, an additional $4 shipping charge to the prices indicated
below will be added at checkout to pay for the total United States
Postal Service shipping costs (your total shipping costs are determined
by how many items you are ordering). The total cost at checkout
for Priority Mail for this item alone will be $38.90 ($29.95 for
the book + $9.45 USPS Flat Rate Priority Box shipping). For Media
Mail, the total cost at checkout for this item alone will be $33.95
($29.95 for the book + $4.50 USPS Media Mail shipping).
FOREIGN ORDERS FOR THIS ITEM:
contact Bill Evans via email at bevans@nativeandfine.com for shipping
rates and to place an order.
Priority Mail shipment
(2 to 4 days within the U. S.) $34.90 ($29.95 list price for book
+ $5.45 additional shipping charge):
Media
Mail shipment (7 to 10 days within the U. S.) $29.95:
|
| 
Bluegrass Banjo Master Class: Power Pickin’ Vol. 4
2 hour 20 minute DVD with tab book
What’s a master class? It’s
an opportunity for players at all levels to enjoy an instructional
event with a noted master of their instrument. It’s a common
concept in the jazz and classical music worlds and now it’s
come to bluegrass banjo!
Bill continues
his series of highly acclaimed AcuTab DVDs with Bluegrass
Banjo Master Class, an instructional project designed
for all levels of banjo players that presents an overview
of techniques that will benefit any banjo player.
Bluegrass
Banjo Master Class provides the most detailed analysis
of right and left hand technique in bluegrass banjo currently
available on DVD. Bill begins by showing you how to fit and shape
the picks and how to find the optimal position on the banjo head.
He proceeds to explore how hand position and angle of pick attack
work together to produce great tone and volume.
Bill also teaches essential bluegrass
roll patterns and such left hand techniques as slides, hammers,
pull offs and chokes. He then moves on to explore such topics
as straight time vs. playing with a bounce and how to practice
with a metronome. Bill’s analysis is designed to help both
new pickers get on the right track and to refocus more experienced
players on the importance of the basics - solid rhythm, big tone
and bluegrass drive.
Bill then introduces
21 essential licks and shows how to use them to improvise and
build new licks. Finally, Bill presents 20 chordal exercises to
help you become more familiar with the all areas of the neck -
all based on familiar bluegrass rolls. More skilled players will
especially benefit from these exercises, as they open your ears
to some new sounds while showing your fingers some new places
to go. Three screen orientations are available for the split screen
sections, based on whether the left or right hand is of greater
interest - or seeing them both at equal size.
The accompanying
tab book features all examples played on the DVD. Check out these
video samples:
http://www.acutab.com/artists/evans/media/qt/earls_fave.mov
http://www.acutab.com/artists/evans/media/qt/fmb_GCD.mov
http://www.acutab.com/artists/evans/media/qt/pp4_splits.mov
Price:
$35,
|
|  Power
Pickin' Vol. 3: Playing Banjo Backup In A Bluegrass Band
Featuring Bill
Evans with Kenny Smith (guitar), Herschel Sizemore (mandolin),
Nick Reed (fiddle) and Warren Anderson (bass)
2 hour instructional
DVD with tab book
“Simply put, this is the
best instructional DVD I have ever seen – both in terms
of content and presentation.”
Eddie Collins, Banjo
Newsletter, July 2006.
Power
Pickin' Vol. 3 is a new and innovative companion project
to Bill's highly acclaimed AcuTab instructional DVD on up the
neck backup. In this new DVD, Bill combines both up the neck and
down the neck approaches, along with introducing new backup techniques,
to show how to build an effective, professional sounding banjo
backup to a wide variety of bluegrass songs.
Topics covered
include choosing the appropriate backup to play behind a singer
or another instrument; leading a singer in after taking a banjo
solo; using target tones to move from one chord to the next; using
forward rolls to create drive; ending licks; combining F and D
position up the neck backup techniques and much, much more. Bill
uses the following tunes to demonstrate these techniques:
- Long Journey
Home - standard bluegrass in G
- Dark Hollow
- standard bluegrass in C
- Man Of Constant
Sorrow - modal/bluesy bluegrass
- Bury Me Beneath
The Willow - slower bluegrass
- All The Good
Times - 3/4 time
- Don’t
Let Your Deal Go Down - cycle of 4ths tune
- Blackberry
Blossom - fiddle tune in G
- Soldiers Joy
- fiddle tune in D
Bill plays each
tune with the band and then slowly and clearly demonstrates the
backup techniques that are appropriate for each song. Three split
screen viewing options allow you to easily view both right and
left hand fingerings. You can also listen to the performances
in either a concert or banjo prominent mix. In addition, the chapter
options provide immediate access to whatever section of the DVD
you want to work on while also allowing you to watch the project
as an eight song, stand alone concert.
All of the banjo
breaks and many backup examples are included in an accompanying
20-page tab booklet. Vol. 3 is a companion piece to the first
two volumes in this series (Vol. 1 is available below in the Native
and Fine Store). However, you do not need to have mastered all
of the material in these preceding volumes to benefit from this
exciting and innovative new project. DVD length is approximately
two hours.
Price:
$35
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|  Flatt
and Scruggs-Foggy Mt. Special
(Copper Creek Roots CCRS-7006)
A remastered collection
of mostly 1950's era instrumentals featuring the original recordings
of many of Earl's classic banjo tunes with liner notes
by Bill Evans!
Randy Lynn Rag
/ Shuckin' The Corn / Fireball / Earl's Breakdown / Ground Speed
/ Foggy Mountain Chimes / Georgia Buck / Flint Hill Special /
Dear Old Dixie / Foggy Mountain Special / Shuckin' The Corn /
Foggy Mountain Rock
Price: $10.00
|
|  White
Dove: The Bluegrass Gospel Collection
(Rounder 0523)
A new 21
track collection featuring bluegrass' biggest stars performing
songs of faith and inspiration.
WONDROUS
LOVE - Bill Evans & Suzanne Thomas
LEAD ME ON - Claire Lynch
THY BURDENS ARE GREATER THAN MINE - Lynn Morris
I JUST STEAL AWAY AND PRAY - Paul Williams
ALL PRAYED UP - Jeff White
WHEN ANGELS SING - Rhonda Vincent
POWER IN THE BLOOD - Weary Hearts
ARE YOU AFRAID TO DIE? - Nashville Bluegrass Band
HOW CAN YOU REFUSE HIM NOW? - Open Road
MAKE HIM A SOLDIER - The Whitstein Brothers
YOUR HEART HAS FOUND A HOME - Ron Block
STANDING BY THE BEDSIDE OF A NEIGHBOR - The Cox Family
THE SEVENTH ANGEL - Blue Highway
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME - Alecia Nugent
WAYFARING STRANGER - Tony Rice
I'LL NOT BE A STRANGER - Ginny Hawker & Tim O'Brien
JUST CALL ON HIM - IIIrd Tyme Out
THE WHITE DOVE - Jim & Jesse McReynolds
HARBOR OF LOVE - Johnson Mountain Boys
THE LIGHT - Laurie Lewis
IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND - Alison Krauss & The Cox Family
Price:
$15.00 CD
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|  Suzy
Thompson -- No Mockingbird (Native and
Fine Records 906-7)
1. Babe (3:20)
2. Frosty Morning Blues (3:57)
3. Red Apple Rag (3:05)
4. Salt Lake City Blues (Cathie Whitesides) (3:12)
5. My Handy Man (4:07)
6. Teabag Blues (Hank Bradley) (2:45)
7. Prodigal Son (4:09)
8. Worried Yid Waltz (3:23)
9. No Mockingbird (S. Thompson) (3:12)
10. Blue Devil Blues (2:34)
11. California Blues/Left All Alone Again Blues (2:35)
12. Lonesome Shack (3:22)
13. Dickson County Blues (2:57)
Suzy Thompson,
fiddle, guitar and vocals with: Kate Brislin, Bill Evans, Paul
Hostetter, Tony Marcus, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, Dave Murray,
Hoyle Osborne, Del Rey, Fritz Richmond, Mike Seeger, Eric Thompson,
Larry Cohea, Steven Strauss
Price: $15.00
Click
here to get more info on this great new CD! |
|  Due
West - These Boots (Native and
Fine Records 906-6)
"Due West
is a contemporary bluegrass band of the highest caliber. They
combine all the essential ingredients - smooth vocal harmonies,
instrumental virtuosity and great tunes, old and new - in refreshingly
different ways. Don't pass this one up!"
David "Dawg" Grisman
These Boots Were
Made For Walking / Virginia Rose / Dakota / The Heart That You
Own / The Good Times We Never Had / Sandy Marsh/Fast Ruby (The
Slowest Mule) / Does My Ring Burn Your Finger? / Gotta Travel
On / Mexicali Moonshine / Are You Alone / Cumberland Furnace /
Travelling The Highway Home
Jim Nunally (guitar,
vocals)
Erik Thomas (mandolin, vocals)
Bill Evans (banjo, harmony vocals)
Chad Manning (fiddle)
Cindy Browne (bass)
Price:
$15
|
Click
here to get more info on this great new CD!
|
Alan Senauke -- Wooden Man (Native
and Fine Records 906-5)
The Bravest Cowboy
/Angelina Baker /Angeline the Baker /The Unquiet Grave /The Preacher
and The Bear /La Valse de Grands Chemin /Diamonds in the Rough
/Tom Cat Blues /Special Agent /She Has Forgotten /Wise County
Jail /The Spanish Cavalier /Dust Storm Disaster /Will There Ever
Be Another /Fairbanks /All Night Long /Meeting is Over
Bonus Tracks (recorded in 1981): The Honky Tonk Song/What
Was I Supposed To Do
With Kate Brislin
(vocal, guitar), Yassir Chadly (gimbri, bendir), Marty Cutler
(banjo), Bill Evans (banjo, vocal), Mary Gibbons (vocal, guitar),
Matt Glaser (fiddle), Larry Hanks (vocal), Michael Holleman (drums),
Roger Mason (bass), Jon Sholle (guitars), Jody Stecher (mandolin,
fiddle, vocal), Evan Stover (fiddle), Eric Thompson (mandolin,
guitar), Suzy Thompson (vocal, fiddle).
Price:
$15.00
Click
here to get more info on this great new CD!
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|  Old
As Dirt (Native and Fine Records 906-4)
Jack of Diamonds
/ Poor Ellen Smith / On a Monday / Polly Put the Kettle On / A
Lazy Farmer Boy / May You Never Be Alone / Bring Back My Blue
Eyed Boy / You Don't Know My Mind / Sally in the Turnip Patch
/ Girl on the Greenbrier Shore / Burn Another Honky Tonk Down
/ Petersburg Gal / You've Got to Righten That Wrong
Bill Evans (Banjo),
Alan Senauke (Guitar), Eric Thompson (Mandolin), Suzy Thompson
(Fiddle), Larry Cohea (Bass)
Price:
$15
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|  Bill
Evans Plays Banjo (Mighty Fine Records
906-3)
Petersburg
Gal / Germaine's Dream / Kobe Blues / Meadows of Dan / Corey's
Slide / Catching the Dickens / New Black Eyed Suzie / Raising
the Beams / When She Smiles / Leaving Owensboro / Lonesome Polka
/ Granite Chief / Heavy Traffic Ahead
With
Rob Ickes (dobro), John Reischman (mandolin), Darol Anger and
Greg Spatz (fiddle), Jim Nunally and Nina Gerber (guitar), Missy
Raines and Todd Phillips (bass) and Steve Smith (mandola). On
"Heavy Traffic Ahead," Don Rigsby (vocal), Glen Duncan
(fiddle), Mike Compton (mandolin), Chris Sharp (guitar) and Mike
Bub (bass).
Price:
$15.00
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|  Power
Pickin' Vol. 1
Up The Neck Backup For Bluegrass Banjo
featuring Bill Evans
2 hour video/tab book set.
A visual method for
learning the basic techniques used to play bluegrass banjo accompaniment
in up the neck positions. The material is presented in a step-by-step
approach appropriate for all levels of pickers, and a tab booklet is
included. Great for pickers at any skill level!
In this Power Pickin’ video from AcuTab, Bill Evans takes you through
a careful description and demonstration of many important backup techniques
that you can incorporate into your picking right away. Each new technique
is explained in detail, using a variety of camera angles and split screen
formats to show you exactly how it’s done.
Topics covered include:
• vamping --with
variations
• roll patterns based on chord forms
• 2 finger backup for slower songs
• 3/4 time backup
• classic backup licks
• bluesy backup styles
Price: $35
|
|
 Native
and Fine (Rounder 0295)
Fling Ding/Native and
Fine/Goodbye Liza Jane/Wondrous Love/Scotland Yard/Choking the Strings/Clarinet
Polka/Omie Wise/Jump Jesse/Saalo's Joy/Chicken Pox/Midnight in Rosine
With Stuart Duncan and
Jason Carter (fiddle), David Grier (guitar), Mike Compton (mandolin),
Missy Raines (bass), Suzanne Thomas (vocals), and Ron Thomason (mandolin
and vocals).
Bill's debut bluegrass
banjo CD on Rounder features five original tracks along with favorites
from Ralph Stanley and Don Reno. Also included are two banjo/vocal duets
with Suzanne Thomas ("Wondrous Love") and Ron Thomason ("Omie Wise").
Here's what the critics
have said about Native and Fine:
Honorable Mention 1996
"Acoustic Instrumental Recording of the Year" Association for Independent
Music
"Editor's Choice for
1995' (Banjo Newsletter, January 1996)
"Bill Evans can...play,
which is no surprise, but the melodic quality of his original compositions
may be to those unfamilar with Evans the solo artist. As impressive
as he is on numbers like Ralph Stanley's 'Fling Ding,' it is on his
own tunes that Evans is at his transcendent best, blending tradition
with a distinctive sound that only covertly suggests newgrass." (David
Royko, Chicago Tribune, June 1996)
Price: $15.00
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