The session book features 26 of the finest Scruggs-style banjo instrumentals ever played. This 147 page book/52 track CD package features full arrangements, played by real musicians. These are not your typical, generic MIDI, BIAB backing tracks.

The accompanying CD includes two versions of each song in the book. One with banjo to demonstrate the tab and one without the banjo so you can play-along with the band.

The tab includes a minimum of three solos per song  complete with intros and endings. The chords for the entire arrangement are shown in an easy to follow format that minimizes page flipping so the rest of the jam session can follow along as well.

These are complete, performance ready, arrangements based on classic recordings. The backing tracks range in speeds between 80-120 bpm so you can work on your timing confidently without struggling to keep up. As you get more comfortable with the songs you can use your playback software, such as Quicktime, to speed up the tracks to your desired tempo.

if you’re new to the banjo then you can grow into this book or if you’ve been playing for a while then this is perfect for building up your repertoire.

Songs included: Blackjack, Bugle Call Rag, Clinch Mountain Backstep, Cripple Creek, Cumberland Gap, Dear Old Dixie, Earl’s Breakdown, Farewell Blues, Fireball Mail, Five Speed, Flint Hill Special, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Foggy Mountain Chimes, Foggy Mountain Special, Ground Speed, Home Sweet Home, John Hardy, John Henry, Lonesome Road Blues, Pike County Breakdown, Randy Lynn Rag, Reuben, Sally Ann, Sally Goodin, Shuckin’ The Corn, Train 45.

Book with CD

Price: $45
+1st Class shipping ($10-US/Canada – $20-International)

In Stock

Shipping – US/Canada $55.00 USD Shipping – International $65.00 USD

Details:
Book: 147 page 5-string banjo tablature book with chord chart. High quality 8.5″ x 11″ spiral bound. (Book is not available as a digital download)

CD: 52 Tracks Total (26 with banjo/26 without banjo). Three hours of music. High quality MP3 – 44.1 kHz/320 kbps. CD will play in all computers and CD players capable of playing MP3.

Shipping: 1st Class Mail.

Personnel:
Sean Ray – Banjo, Guitar, Bass
Brian Ray – Mandolin
Paul Kienitz – Violin

Special thanks to Brian Ray and Paul Kienitz for their invaluable contributions to this project. For more information about their various other musical endeavors here are a couple of links:
Bluegrass Boys Reunion
The Briar Pickers

Samples:

Cripple Creek – Backing Track – Key of A – 100 bpm

Factory Farm Songs, the debut album from four-piece Trouser, is filled with echoes of classic Americana, folk and country combined with modern rock sounds. Themes throughout the nine original songs are varied — from Ken and Barbie’s troubled middle-age years to a family man’s desire to live underwater.

Politically and romantically charged lyrics are enhanced by the driving backbeats of Geoff Lewis (Across State Lines, Zydecrunch), and a range of acoustic and electric stringed instruments are played by songwriter and vocalist Nick Brown (Boris Texas), guitarist Rob Ericksen (Jive Dharma, Fly Illusion) and bassist Chris Hines (Domingo).

All of the musicians featured on Factory Farm Songs are good friends who’ve spent a decade recording and touring throughout the midwest, and Factory Farm Songs captures the straight-forward energy of the band’s live performances.

Recorded at the studios of Onsight75 Productions, LLC, and mastered at The Vault in New York City, Factory Farm Songs is also the first big release for Lemonchester Music, a Madison, Wis., based independent label dedicated to capturing the musical spirit of hungry and independent artists and delivering their music and messages to larger audiences.

I had the pleasure of playing pedal steel on tracks 1, 4 and 7 of this fine album. If you like what you hear below then go here and buy a copy for yourself.

Factory Farms
In The Bathroom
Crack In The Door

Pumpskully was the “Outlaw Country” band from hell.
Out of a basement in Nashville with some help on pedal steel from
Buddy Cage of The New Riders Of The Purple Sage

Damn Hole
Farmer
Liar

Download the the entire album for free right here. (36MB zip file)