Hank tunes

[Drew Howard]

I've been learning a bunch of Hank Williams tunes, and almost to a tune they all start with an intro on the V chord ( and sometimes end the same way). Last nite at the gig I couldn't remember which intro went with which tune. Fortunately nobody seemed to notice, and there were no steel guitarists in the crowd!

cheers,
Drew


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Drew's Website

[Perry Hansen]

That used to be known as the Sear & Roebuck intro. Those intros will fit just about any song.

[Tim Rowley]

Drew,

I've been playing country music for well over 30 years and I'm here to tell you that Perry is exactly right about this type of intro when it comes to "traditional" or "standard" music, country or otherwise. It is a whole lot more useful system than the "vamp" type kickoffs we hear so much of nowdays.

What you (or the lead guitar, or the fiddler, or any combination of yuz) play over the V and I chords is what gives the individuality to the Sears and Roebuck intro. For instance, the 2 or 3 pickup notes, the little melodic piece of the last line of the song, how many notes are being played, how you stack the harmony in relation to the melody, etc. You basically have 4 bars to set up the song and it is entirely possible, acceptable, and appropriate to do so with this type of kickoff if you play the notes thoughtfully and tastefully. Even if you don't know the song, you can ask the singer to sing the last line in your ear, then you simply count off the timing and fake that little melody line right into the tune with the tried and true Sears and Roebuck intro.

Of course this system doesn't work well with the modern stuff because commercial music has changed so much. But hey, it worked just dandy on Hank's records!

See ya in about a week,
Tim Rowley

[Tim Rowley]

At the Grand Rapids show, that is...

Tim Rowley <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Tim Rowley on 30 April 2004 at 11:15 PM.]</p></FONT>

[Glenn Austin]

I had to smile when I read this, because the same thing happened to me on the Hank tunes. I couldn't remember which intro went with what. I can remember the melodies. The whole band would be just standing there looking at me waiting for the kickoff, and I would be mumbling the song trying to clue myself in.

[Bobby Lee]

Gee, I never even noticed that!

[Ben Slaughter]

A lot of the old Chuch Berry tunes are the same too. If you know Jonny B Good, you know 'em all.

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Ben
Zum D10, NV400, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.

[David L. Donald]

This all gives you a great apreciation for Don Helms!
Even at his advanced age he STILL remembered his old kick-offs in St Louis last year.

[Tony Palmer]

OK, since we're on the subject, are the first three notes of the intro to Your Cheating Heart, 2 part harmony in the IV chord or the I chord?
(IV to V, or I to V?)

[Tim Rowley]

Tony,

According to the last line of the chorus of Your Cheatin' Heart (basis of Sears and Roebuck intro), they would be considered harmonies of the IV chord leading directly to the V chord. This is also illustrated in the fiddle solo in the middle of the tune. However, it's probably all mox nix for the intro because this pair of harmonized notes are normally played by the steel alone as the 3 pickup notes (count 2-3-4) leading up to the V chord (on the 1 count), where the rest of the band falls in on the intro.

Am I making any sense?

Tim Rowley

[Tony Palmer]

Yes, Tim, that's what I thought. I used to play it, and hear a lot of others play it, as a two-note harmony in I to V, but then I heard Don Helms play it last year at STL and rethought it.
I think the two strings are a 1 and 5 harmony in the IV chord to a 3 and 5 harmony in the V chord.
DOn related how he thought up this intro in about 10 mintues and recorded it right on the spot.!!!

[Bobby Lee]

Right. If you're in the key of C, the pickup notes are F and C (3 times) resolving inward to G and B on the downbeat.