Grandfather's Clock Slack Key Style
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- "My Grandfather's Clock" was written in 1876 by Henry C. Work. It's long been one of my favorite songs and one that has traveled across genre and around the world. It's been a bluegrass instrumental, a popular children's song, a British military march, and even a slack key song thanks to "Uncle" Leonard Kwan.
Leonard was a master of slack key, a composer of classics like "Opihi Moemoe" and arranger of both Hawaiian and mainland songs. His slack key version of "Silver Threads Among the Gold" is a standard. I was thrilled to discover his "Grandfather's Clock" when I bought a used copy of his LP, "Slack Key" also known as "the red album."
Inspired by Uncle Leonard's version, I borrowed some of his licks and added a few of my own to come up with an instrumental that has become my signature set closer. This recording is the first I've done in a long time. I used my Wingert Model E tuned to taropatch open G (D G D G B D from low pitch to high). I rigged a pair of Schoeps mics in a Mid/Side array and recorded the tracks on my Zoom F6. I used a Panasonic Lumix GH4 and GH5 for video. I massaged the audio a bit in REAPER before editing the video in Edius 9.
Superb! Thank you.
Thanks David, I really appreciate hearing from people who watch these clips.
Fran
This old grandpa loves it! Amazing Fran! 😎👍🏻🇺🇸
Eh Ken, I wonder if kids are as taken with that old song as we are. In the Wikipedia article they mentioned the song being used for kids' TV shows.
Fran
Very nice. One of my favorites when I was trying to learn banjo. Unfortunately my musical abilities are more tuned to listening than playing but I keep trying anyway. Some day someone will say, "Hey, I think I know that song." and that will mark the pinnacle of my music career.
I hope the pursuit is its own reward for you, in spite of the frustration. I sometimes feel that the more I learn, the more I discover I can't do.
Fran
Wow, so nice Fran! As always, love to hear your music. Thanks for posting. 😊 Joan
Mahalo Joan, it means a lot to hear from you and the other commenters.
Fran
Love this Fran - it’s one of my fav tunes too. I remember your video of this song with the amazing oak tree. I love this arrangement. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful talent 👍👍
My favourite man with his favourite guitar
The amazing Kathy Wingert did me a huge favor in building and maintaining that guitar, I'm honored to be able to play one of her instruments. kathywingert.com/
Thank you Fran. Very well done
Thank you for you kind comment, it's a work in progress even after 20 years.
Fran
Die goeie oude tijd. Weer perfect gespeeld, zoal altijd. Groetjes Wim, uit Holland.
As always, thanks for visiting, Wim.
Fran
Thank you for posting this very popular song.
You play slack key very well not only Hawaiian songs but also every world songs♪
Mahalo, I figure if Leonard Kwan or Ray Kane or Led Kaapana or Gabby Pahinui does the song in slack key then I can call it a slack key song and try to do it myself.
Fran
A+ as always Fran. Big Mahalo from Nuuanu Valley Oahu
Mahalo to you, can't wait to be back at the Gathering Place.
Fran
Thank you, Fran, for the best version I believe i have ever heard of this song!!
Please understand how much I appreciate your visits and comments. Knowing that someone is enjoying one of these clips is very satisfying for me.
But I have to say that your comment caused me to dive into RUclips versions of "Grandfather's Clock" and there are some amazing versions out there. Johnny Cash, David Grisman and Tony Rice, Ken Aoki, the euphonon solo in the military band ... it seems to be never ending!
Fran
Big MAHALO again from Kona, I’m going get my guitar and start playing
I hope you have a chance to hear Uncle Leonard Kwan's version, I borrowed as best I could but his still has more special flavor.
Hey, you can count on RUclips to have it all, here's Uncle Leonard:
ruclips.net/video/QpJ6vNPsBOc/видео.html
Fran
nicely played!
Thanks, Sebastian. There's always something that could be better, though.
Fran
You have made my day. Thanks for sharing.
I really appreciate your visit and your comment. Thanks for stopping by.
Fran
I learned to sing that tune back in the Fourth Grade in Elementary School. Stuck with me. I mentally sang with you playing the great slack key arrangement of yours. Love the chimes. Works.
Thanks Linda, it's one of my all time favorite songs no matter what the version. I've heard banjo players, piano players, and marching bands do it. I think my favorite might be David Grisman and Tony Rice on the first "Tone Poems" record. It was amazing to me to hear Leonard Kwan do it on his classic slack key album.
Fran
Beautiful arrangement and performance of this heart warming tune originally composed in 1876. Keep ‘em coming Fran! And thank you for sharing your gift.
Thank you for visiting and commenting, Mike. There's obviously something compelling about that relatively simple song, even without the words.
Fran
Great melody & guitar
Thanks, Victor, I can remember how excited I was to get my Wingert guitar. It's hard to believe that it's 20 years old this year!
Fran
Thank you Fran.
My pleasure, thanks for taking a moment to comment.
Fran
Lovely arrangement! I always appreciate the additional details you provide in the description.
Thanks, Scott, I always look for info in other clips and am often disappointed by the lack.
Fran
Great ad for Kathy Wingert Guitars!
That guitar is probably better than I deserve but I'm not giving it back (grin).
Fran
Great!
Glad you enjoyed it, this old song is out there in some amazing versions, very humbling.
Fran
Hi Fran
I must have commented before but I just re-visited this recording. It is so well done! Hope
All is well. Bo from taro patch.
I always appreciate a visit, thanks for stopping by and commenting. Are you checking in at taropatch.net? There are still a few people posting and I try to visit every day to see if anything is happening.
Fran
Excellent--just had to go revisit your post from 8 years ago when you played your composite guitar in F. Both well done my friend. Always a good day when we see the "Guidry Grin" on the tube !!
Aloha, Robert, I should take a moment to listen to that old clip. I till walk up to that tree pretty regularly but I haven't been hauling the gear up there in a while.
Fran
AMAZING, as always...
I think you `ukulele build with "Somewhere Over" is pretty amazing. I should buckle down and learn to play the uke a lot better than I do.
Fran
@@franguidry WOW, thanx for the compliment. My playin and singing doesn’t hold a candle to what you do.
Loved the intro. Loved the arrangement. You and Led would have a ball with this.
Funny you should mention that, Led is starting to pick up on the structure and some of the licks so we may be doing a duet on this song next time we get together.
Fran
@@franguidry I would love to hear that. I imagine there would be lots of jollity
Great arrangement! I'll never hear this song again without thing of your slack key version. Thank, Fran!!
@@doloreswatkins2242 You're certainly welcome, and thanks for your generous comment.
Fran
Great arrangement, Fran!
E Kory, mahalo. It's big fun when it works!
Fran
So simple, yet so...
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Walter. I think all the stuff I do is simple, I just hope some of it is worth the ... (grin)
Fran
Nice work, Fran!
Thanks Rick, I'm certainly honored by your visit. Did you know that Teddy Randazzo had a Hawai`i connection?
Fran
@@franguidry No, I didn't.
@@RJRuskin According to Wikipedia he was especially popular in Hawai`i, his second wife was local there, and after they married he divided his time between homes in Hawai`i and Florida. He produced the Beamer Brothers "Honolulu City Lights" which was one of the few Hawaiian records to make an impact on mainland charts.
(Bob from taro patch)
Fran... I have a LOT of your (and Led's) slack key videos compiled into a terrifically soothing, stress reducing, blood pressure lowering DVD. Thank you so much. I'm curious what you think of Paul Togioka's version of "Maori Brown Eyes", which I think is the best version ever recorded... ruclips.net/video/9Gt71uxvsEA/видео.html
Great timing, I was cruising around listening to different versions of "Maori Brown Eyes" but I missed Paul's. His arrangement seems to draw on (I think) Peter Moon's which I think was inspired by Leonard Kwan's. But the song was published in the 1940s and according to Huapala the original lyrics were very different.
My engagement with Hawaiian music came along so late, I missed the heyday of Peter Moon and his various groups and projects, so I'm always learning about him and other artists.
But to answer your question, Paul's version is spectacular. He's a great player.
Fran