"Milton Brown is one of the great unsung heroes of American music; and one of the true fathers of western swing. Ginell's biography offers a wealth of new information on Brown and his times and paints a marvelously detailed portrait of the rich Texas music scene of the Depression era." -- Charles K. Wolfe, Middle Tennessee State University

If you have ever heard the sound of rhythm guitar in a good western swing band, you may have wondered how the guitarist achieved that unique chordal sound. While the song might be a simple one-playable with only two or three chords-the western swing guitarist changes chords every two beats, providing a driving and harmonically interesting background for the singers and instrumentalists. This book is designed for intermediate players who have a basic understanding of open chords. It begins with study of the Texas fiddle back-up style and the chords used to enhance this music. the chords and progressions explained in this book can be used in many types of music in addition to western swing and would serve as an excellent transition from open-string folk chords to more of a jazz approach.

(Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook). All Night Long * Bring It on down to My House * Bubbles in My Beer * Dusty Skies * Faded Love * Fat Boy Rag * Hang Your Head in Shame * I Can't Go On This Way * I Wonder If You Feel the Way I Do * I'm Gonna Be Boss * Ida Red * Keeper of My Heart * A Maiden's Prayer * My Confession * New Texas Playboy Rag * Roly Poly * San Antonio Rose * Smoke On the Water * Spanish Two Step * Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima * Stay a Little Longer (The Hoedown Fiddle Song) * Steel Guitar Rag * Sugar Moon * Take Me Back to Tulsa * Texarkana Baby * Thorn in My Heart * We Might As Well Forget It * White Cross on Okinawa * You Don't Care What Happens to Me * You're From Texas.

Over 100 transcriptions of classic swing fiddle solos. Includes interviews with the masters, exercises, tips, discography, bibliography and rare historical photographs.

The result of years of research by its authors, this discography strives to identify and trace the recorded development of the musical style now known as western swing from its early years through World War II. The style developed from the Texas string band tradition, growing from a fiddle and guitar duo into full swing band groups, and along the way, it drew from and absorbed a variety of other musical styles, thus making it one of the most diverse genres in American music. Until now, studies have been limited to a few book-length biographies, but through exhaustive research and interviews, Ginell and Coffey have provided the most complete and comprehensive listing of pre-War western swing and hot string band recordings to date. Accessible through a variety of indexes, the information included here comprises four sections. The reader can easily find cross-referenced information on which musicians played with which bands on which songs. Easy-to-follow linear and chronological development of the music is provided as well.

Take it Away! Unlock the secrets of hot take-off lead guitar as played by the greatest players from the greatest bands. Western Swing master Joe Carr has transcribed the great guitar solos from the Bob Wills band and other greats and breaks them down note by note into useful licks that can be used to improvise original hot solos. Includes solos by western swing legends Eldon Shamblin, Jimmy Wyble, Leon Rhodes, Junior Benard (often called the first rockabilly) and more. the accompanying CD uses classic western swing song progressions and presents the licks at a medium, learnable pace. Written in standard notation and tablature.Learn hot take-off style lead guitar Includes transcribed solos by Shamblin, Wyble, Rhodes, Bernard and more. Includes play-along CD with all licks at playable pace. Features the music of Bob Wills and other Western Swing greats.

Includes essays tracing Country's growth from hand-me-down folk to a major American industry; concise biographies; critical album reviews, from the earliest commercial recordings of the 1920s through the mulitplatinum artists of today; and vintage album jackets and previously unpublished photographs.

(Guitar Recorded Versions). Western Swing was born in the '30s and is still going strong! This book includes 25 swingin' classics, including the solos of the best guitarists from yesterday and today, such as Chet Atkins, Ray Benson, Vince Gill, Roy Lanham, Marty Stuart and more. Songs: Choo Choo Ch' Boogie * Corrine Corrina * Faded Love * Hesitation Blues * Honky Tonkin' * My Bucket's Got a Hole in It * New San Antonio Rose * Stay a Little Longer * Steel Guitar Rag * Yearning * and more. Includes a special introduction to Western Swing guitar styles.

Learn the three basic styles of western swing fiddling. the melody section includes classic techniques to help you achieve an authentic sound. Harmony Fiddling covers the basics of two- and three-part fiddling. the Improvising section unlocks the secrets of the hot, jazzy fiddling heard on recordings by Bob Wills, Asleep at the Wheel, and many others. the accompanying CD includes a play-along section where you can try out new techniques.

(Guitar). Laying down that solid groove for the rest of the band is a joy! In this book, 26 tunes are transcribed in varying levels of difficulty: a basic rhythm approach for the newcomers, then more adventurous and different approaches. Songs are included from styles spanning western swing, fiddle tunes, ballads, jazz standards and a polka. Playing tips are included for each song, plus you'll learn rhythm history, guitar theory, the right hand, a basic chord chart, and more.