Topic: Bowling Green Rag by John Cephas and Phil Wiggins

[greynolds]

Hi everybody,
Any one know how to play "Bowling Green Rag" by John Cephas? I've been chipping away at it but would love some tabs, or a video of John and Phil performing it. Any guidance appreciated!
 

[EddieD]

Is this the song you want to learn? If so It's standard tuning and in E. Has some Barre chord movements. Starts with some riffs on the E chord then something like A, Ab, F#, B then repeat and go to the E chord at the 12th fret. If this is the song, I'll see if I can get a bit of time to work some out for you...but I can't promise anything! Don't quote me on those chords just yet, that was just after 1 listen to the song, I would suspect the Ab and F# to be minor but Im not sure that they are. I will listen again tomorrow and try to come up with a bit more.

[greynolds]

Thanks EddieD. That's a cool song, but not the one I'm after. I'm looking for "Bowling Green Rag" off "Sweet Bitter Blues." I don't think there is a youtube for an audio or a video version of it.

[Rivers]

After one quick listen and quick attempt on the guitar before I have to go grind some concrete...

E position standard tuning. John and Phil really dig in. John's playing a lot of brushing of multiple bass strings with his thumb, delightful sound, wonderful syncopation. Great touch on the treble licks.

John regularly used a capo so I guess when I get the concrete dust out of my hair later I'd like to try it capoed at the 4th fret out of a C position, but you can play the whole thing capoless. Chords are the I (E), IV (A) & V7 (B7), with a raggy II (F#) in the second change. I would also bet there are some Merle Travis tricks and passing chords in there somewhere but need to work with it.

Once again great picking on this, and Phil's harmonica phrasing is likewise sheer class.

[EddieD]

Thanks EddieD. That's a cool song, but not the one I'm after. I'm looking for "Bowling Green Rag" off "Sweet Bitter Blues." I don't think there is a youtube for an audio or a video version of it.

It appears I'm off the hook then  haha Johnm's thread on what is this musician doing has really inspired me to figure out more songs by ear. It use to be my main way of learning songs until I ventured into new territory a few years back of Country Blues. However, I do not have this song and I'm unfamiliar with it. Maybe I can help next time!

[greynolds]

Thanks. Y'all's input helped a bunch and I've got a better line on it now. I think it's mainly first position E, but then later in the song slide up to the E7 based on a c7 shape at the 7th fret. reminds me some of Doc Watson's Deep River blues up there.

 The tune is stuck in my mind because my dad grew up in Bowling Green, VA around the same time as John Cephas. There were only 500 people in the whole town back then, and it?s a real trip to imagine my dad walking around with his violin while John Cephas was somewhere close with his guitar. Different times back then, my dad is white and probably never overlapped with John; but I?d love to get some of them both into my playing.