Rag Baby Jig- Flatpicking

[Eastbound]

I learned from Blake's album, Far Away on a Georgia Farm. Otherwise, I've never heard any other version. Sounds like he's playing it on a "6 string banjo"

[Rumblefish]

Excellent playing!

[Railroad Bum]

That's a nice version of Blake's tune. I have done some deep dives listening to Norman Blake, between the studio releases and all the live shows I could find. He got really sort of adventurous in the early 70s when he was playing with John Hartford and those guys. I was almost taken aback by some of the improvisation he did in those days--it was pretty wild. That spilled over some into his work with Tut Taylor, but by the time he settled into playing with his wife mostly, he had reeled himself in quite a bit. It kind of showed me that Blake could have been like an old-time influenced jam giant like Tony Rice was for jazzy bluegrass. But that was just not him. I heard him comment at a show years ago that he got tired of playing that "machine gun sh*t" for people, lol. Whatever he played, it was always beautiful. And he's still kicking. I believe he and Dan Crary are the last two of that old guard of flatpickers who emerged in the 60s and 70s.

[Eastbound]

I very much appreciate his body of work, especially songs like this that I cant find anywhere else. I wish I could ask him about his song selection on some of these later albums, and where he got them from. Beyond that, just how he picks his material in general

I have also noticed his musical changes throughout the years and I can relate. I think many could say their playing has a similar arc

[rémy64]

Excellent !!