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Cowboy Concertina - New Book?


gcoover

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In Australia they are not called cowboys but rather "stockmen" and of course there is a wonderful history and tradition surrounding them, think "The Man from Snowy River". For a token Aussie inclusion "The Overlander" jumps at me, or for more bounce "Travelling Down the Castlereagh", or for something more wistful there is "The Banks of the Condamine"

 

Just a few thoughts.

Cheers Steve.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Gary,

I have no "cowboy song" to submit, but I'm longing to buy this book when ready.

Between gifts and personal boughts, I have now all of your anglo tutors. I find them very clear, "sober" (I mean without many "disturbing" pics or anecdotes). There are plenty of tunes ; I find them accurately chosen and sorted. Congratulations for this well-done work.

So ! When this book will be ready, I would be glad to know it. :)

 

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Hi Gary,

I have no "cowboy song" to submit, but I'm longing to buy this book when ready.

Between gifts and personal boughts, I have now all of your anglo tutors. I find them very clear, "sober" (I mean without many "disturbing" pics or anecdotes). There are plenty of tunes ; I find them accurately chosen and sorted. Congratulations for this well-done work.

So ! When this book will be ready, I would be glad to know it. :)

 

I so agree
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Thanks so much for the interest. I just got the exciting news that famous Western artist William Matthews is making a new painting especially for the cover!

 

And yes, Steve, we'll definitely have to include a few stockmen songs for all our friends down under, thanks for suggesting that.

 

 

Gary

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  • 5 months later...

Here's a little teaser for all you wanna be cowpokes. 

 

It's in the same key as the Don Edwards recording, so you can pull it up on YouTube and play along if you want. Beautiful song.

 

Final tally for the book is 75 songs and it's currently in the final proofing stage, so hopefully out soon.

 

Cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell has given permission to include some of his poems set to music by Pipp Gillette, and I'm really excited to report that noted Western artist William Matthews made a new painting especially for the front cover!

 

 

Gary

Colorado-Trail-C-COWBOY.pdf

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It may be the same as or similar to "The Rivers Of Texas" but one of my favorites is "The Hills Of Mexico" or "The Mexican Cowboy".  the earliest version in my ken is from Roscoe Holcolm.  For a sublime version, Lonesome Ace String Band on utube.  For a romantic aspect, "Someday Soon",  Ian Tyson.   Tragic?  "Darcy Farrow" written by Steve Gillett.  " The Tennessee Stud"  was long and lean.  Finally, I don't remember what her name is but she sings the Hell out of "West Texas Waltz".  "Cherokee Shuffle", (sometimes called "Lost Indian") is a fast fiddle tune we play for dances, usually in A.  I double dog dare you to play it on concertina!  

 

Edited by wunks
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  • 2 weeks later...

Excellent suggestion for some Wilf Carter! And although he's an authentic singing cowboy, unfortunately it looks like he wrote his songs after 1923 and so far I'm not finding who owns the copyrights. Chasing down copyrights (and then trying to get permission) is probably the hardest part of writing these books. But, ol' Wilf (aka Montana Slim) does a great job of "Strawberry Roan" so at least I can cite his recording and give him some credit.

 

By the way, great 45-minute show on the life of Wilf Carter on YouTube, courtesy of Historica Canada: 

 

I just recently added a Hawaiian paniolo song and should be printing a first proof this next week.

 

The book will also include QR code links to videos of every song, so that's my next task. And, they will be recorded with my brand new Jake Middleton-Metcalfe "Wolverton" CG Anglo - beautiful instrument.

 

So to answer your question, I'm shooting for the first part of September to get the book 100% completed. It's been a real treat listening to and arranging these old cowboy songs - I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I have.

 

Gary

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

Howdy buckaroos!

 

Cowboy Concertina is finally out of the chute and available on Amazon worldwide.

 

It has 176 pages and features 75 songs of the Old American West with full lyrics, musical notation, chord symbols and the same easy tablature system for the Anglo concertina you’re familiar with from my other books.

 

It has been a mighty fine pleasure to work with renowned cowboy musician Pipp Gillette from Crockett, Texas, on this book, and many of the songs come from various Gillette Brothers CD’s. Most of the songs are traditional, but the book also has a few new songs, including some of Waddie Mitchell’s cowboy poems set to music. There’s also a vaquero song from Mexico, a stockman song from Down Under and a paniolo song from the Big Island in Hawaii.

 

Although arranged for the 30-button Anglo, approximately 15 of the songs can be played on a 20-button Anglo directly, and about another 50 can be played on a 20-button with minor adjustments. Players of EC and/or duet can easily use the melody line and chords to craft their own arrangements.

 

AND…..every song has a QR code link to a YouTube video so you can hear and see each song played on an Anglo concertina.

 

Here’s the link to the complete YouTube playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0gieP8u6c4&list=PLDAFAr6LGkx1Np3Q_m35lJNhX-CfXn7Ay

 

Attached is the Table of Contents plus a couple of classic cowboy songs from the book – “Oh Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” and “The Streets of Laredo”.

 

So, you have two great choices for Christmas presents for others or for yourself (even better) – Cowboy Concertina for beginning to intermediate players and Adrian’s Brown’s A Garden of Dainty Delights for the more advanced player.

 

Enjoy!

 

Gary

 

3-COWBOY-CONCERTINA-TOC.pdf

110-111-Oh-Bury-Me-Not-COWBOY.pdf

144-145-Streets-of-Laredo-COWBOY.pdf

Edited by gcoover
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Ok, time for a little contest, since these have been such great fun.

 

Most of the 75 songs in the book are traditional and in the public domain. However, there are a few of more recent vintage including several of Waddie Mitchell's poems set to music, plus a couple of songs written by Steve Hartz from East Texas.

 

How about a free copy of Cowboy Concertina to the first three people who can correctly identify the song in the book that was composed by an Englishman, more specifically a concertina player and singer known to many as the "Bolton Bullfrog" - the wonderful Bernard Wrigley. And no, I'm not talking about "Saturday Cowboys"!

 

Just send me a PM here on cnet to see if you're a winner. Yeehaw!

 

Gary

Edited by gcoover
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Here's my elaborated version of Cherokee Shuffle, and with chords

X:1
T:Cherokee Shuffle
L:1/8
M:4/4
Q:1/4=200
K:D
|:A,2B,2C2|"D"D2DF EDB,A,|"D"DEDB, A,2A,B,|"D"DCDE FDFA|"Bm"BABd B2A2|
"G"BABc dedB|"D"ABAG FED2|"D"FEDE F2A2|"Bm"BABd B2B2|"A7"AFGE FDEC| "D"D2 ?
|:d2c2=c2|"G"BABc dedB|"D"ABAG FE D2|"G"BABc dcde|"Bm"fefa fedc|
"G"BABc dedB|"D"ABAG FE D2 |"D"DCDE F2A2 |"Bm"BABd B2B2|"A7"AFGE FDEC| "D"D2 ?

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