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Nine Pound Hammer / Walking Boss

from Folk, Blues, and Union Tunes by Corey Andrew Iris

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"Nine Pound Hammer" is a traditional railroad and prison tune, particularly popular in bluegrass. I, however, used a a completely different melody, much closer to that of "East Colorado/ Spike Driver Blues", from which I also sneak in a couple lines. (Mississippi John Hurt does an amazing version of "Spike Driver Blues" on the Harry Smith Anthology, and the recording I took from. Leadbelly also plays a similar song called "Take This Hammer") In fact' all this songs are part of the same linneage of songs, morphing to adapt to differing social circumstances and genres.

The second part of this recording is "Walking Boss". The earliest recording seems to be from Clarence Ashley. It's unclear to me if he wrote it, or if it's an older tune. I learned it from someone who brought their banjo to the bar.

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from Folk, Blues, and Union Tunes, released August 10, 2019

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Corey Andrew Iris Olympia, Washington

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