Author Archives: sixstrstories

About sixstrstories

I am the son and only child of a registered nurse & a self-employed collector of wildflowers. I went on to become: a Beatles’ fan; a record collector; a drummer; a music magazine subscriber; a guitar player; a songwriter; a high school graduate; a college student; a music major; a performing singer/guitarist; a photography student; a yearbook photographer; a student teacher; a boyfriend; a letter writer; a college graduate; an elementary school music teacher; an apartment dweller; a husband; a guitar teacher/independent contractor; a homeowner; an independent music producer; the father of a daughter; the father of a son; a bandmate; a teacher of the history of popular music in America; an instructor of music/adjunct faculty member; a grandfather (x3); a condo dweller; and a blogger.

Finding Covers – “Bootlegger’s Blues”

Posted on June 24, 2020 by sixstrstories

The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Second Edition, 1989, edited by Donald Clarke) defines a tribute album as an album “of various artists paying tribute to another artist.” Given my fondness for a good cover, you’d think I would have … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding Covers, Posts with Video | Tagged Alice Dawson, Black Hen Music, Bootlegger’s Blues, Oh Susanna, Steve Dawson, The Mississippi Sheiks, Things About Comin’ My Way | Leave a comment

“…beaten up, his guitar smashed…”

Posted on June 18, 2020 by sixstrstories

“I want to tell you all about the way they treated me.” From: “If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day” by Robert Johnson I’ve written about Robert Johnson before. I’ve written about the Mississippi Blues musician’s first recording … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Bruce Conforth, Columbia Records, Don Law, Ernie Oertle, Frank Driggs, Gayle Dean Wardlow, Gunter Hotel, H.C. Speir, Kindhearted Woman Blues, King of the Delta Blues Singers, Marie Oertle, Race Records, Robert Johnson, San Antonio, Up Jumped The Devil, Vocalion Records | 6 Comments

“Waltz: My Home” – The Transcription

Posted on June 15, 2020 by sixstrstories

Since one of my guitar-playing followers asked, I decided it was time to transcribe my arrangement of the fiddle tune “Waltz: My Home” that I posted about last month. Here it is! To see more Guitar TAB transcriptions, click … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar Music, Random Topics | Tagged Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar Music, Fiddle Tunes, Guitar TAB, Guitar Transcriptions, Waltz: My Home | 4 Comments

“Waltz: My Home”

Posted on May 23, 2020 by sixstrstories

“Waltz: My Home” is a fiddle tune. I found it here: The Second Fiddler’s Tune-Book – 100 More Traditional Airs. This small gold mine of music was edited by Peter Kennedy and published in 1954 by Hargail Music Press and … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Audio, Random Topics | Tagged Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals, Fiddle Tunes, Peter Kennedy, The Second Fiddler's Tune-Book, Waltz: My Home | 6 Comments

No. 10

Posted on April 18, 2020 by sixstrstories

Today – April 18, 2020 – is the 10th anniversary of the day that I, with the able assistance of my always amazing daughter, launched this blog. Today is also the 22nd day here in New Hampshire of living under … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged 10-string Guitar, But Does It Djent?, Decacorde Stories, Marina Krupkina, Ouroboros | 2 Comments

A Song For Now, Verse 4 – “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”

Posted on April 12, 2020 by sixstrstories

My story with this song started in 1970. Back then, the New World Coffee House was largely the home to the music scene in Portsmouth, NH; the “big city” closest to Exeter, the small town (with no music scene) where … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Bob Dylan, Happy Traum, The Band, The Basement Tapes, The Byrds, You Ain't Goin' Nowhere | 5 Comments

A Song For Now, Verse 3 – “Hard Times Come Again No More”

Posted on March 28, 2020 by sixstrstories

“Hard Times Come Again No More” was written by Stephen Foster. Firth, Pond & Co., Foster’s publishing company at that time, registered the title page for copyright on December 16, 1854. They deposited the music for the complete song on … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Audio, Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Allegheny City, Best Medicine, Buddy Miller, Edger Mayer, Edison Male Quartette, Edison Manufacturing Co., Frith Pond & Co., Hard Times Come Again No More, James Taylor, Ken Emerson, Library of Congress, Mark O'Conner, Matt Rollings, Mavis Staples, Maya de Vitry, Pittsburg, Stephen Foster, Steve Fishell, University of California Santa Barbara Audio Archive, Yo-Yo Ma | 2 Comments

A Song For Now, Verse 2 – “Worried Man Blues”

Posted on March 24, 2020 by sixstrstories

“Music is the best medicine.” That line is from “Best Medicine” – a 2014 song by Maya de Vitry when she was with the wonderful acoustic trio known as The Stray Birds. My thought behind this series is to offer … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged A.P. Carter, Charles Hirshberg, Johnny Cash, Lesley Riddle, Mark Zwoniker, Maybelle Carter, Sara Carter, The Carter Family, The Johnny Cash Show, Worried Man Blues | 2 Comments

A Song For Now, Verse 1 – “I Shall Be Released”

Posted on March 19, 2020 by sixstrstories

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Best Medicine, Big Pink, Bob Dylan, Happy Traum, I Shall Be Released, Maya de Vitry, The Band, The Basement Tapes | 3 Comments

This Historic Day… My Mother – Take 2

Posted on March 8, 2020 by sixstrstories

Avis Louise Foss Sinclair, my mother, was born on this day, March 8, in the year 1914. Avis was the daughter of George P. and Stella Foss and grew up in Center Strafford, NH. She graduated from Austin Cate Academy – … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Topics | Tagged Anytime, Avis Louise Foss Sinclair, The Ladies of Fairburn | 4 Comments