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Shortnin Bread

There are two different songs with the same name.

Tommy Jarrell's version. "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortnin Bread"
  • Key of A. Two parts. 
  • This [utoob] video shows the old time way. That is the great John Herrmann on the half-fretless banjo with duct tape. Sadly, you cannot hear the guitar. This group is playing at the Clifftop festival, 2012 (we were there).
  • Freight Hoppers play this tune fast. We saw them play it in 1999 and we bought the CD. You can hear a rip [utoob]. Here is an exciting live video [utoob]; David Bass fiddles and clogs. 
  • Instructional video for fiddlers by Amanda Lynn Kerr [utoob].
  • Mississippi John Hurt plays it slow. Library of Congress [utoob].
  • We all have to put up with the little kid who plays it better than we do on YouTube.
  • On the Prarie Home Companion radio show, Garrison Kiellor sings "Rhubarb Pie" to this tune. [Clip from the movie.]
  • Fuzzy Mountain String Band did this on their clawhammer CD.
  • The Spunk Holler Boys created a movie made to look old [utoob].
  • The Wikipedia page for this song mention that Donald Duck sang it.
  • This tune and many others are on the Old Time Machine which you can configure to give guitar backup in a continuous loop.
  • Some kids in Frederick Maryland [utoob]
  • The Wayfarers CD [utoob nonvideo].
  • Living room video of Carter Bancroft + Dusty Rider [utoob].
  • Water Tower Bucket Boys on the street with dancers [utoob].
  • Fun fiddle rhythms at festival jam [utoob], Karen Celia Heil fiddle.
Doc Roberts' version. Called "Doc Roberts' Shortnin Bread"
  • Key of G. Four parts in a 2 & 1 pattern (AABCCD).
  • Fiddlin Doc Roberts [mp3 at oldtownschool].
  • Jam at Clifftop 2013 [utoob] with Dan Gellert (fiddle), Steve Arkin (banjo), Karen Heil (guitar).
  • Jam at Clifftop 2010 [utoob] with Anna Roberts-Gevalt (fiddle), Brent Feito (banjo), Jesse Wells (guitar). 
  • We have it on the Tater Patch CD [clips at Amazon or utoob nonvideo].
  • Instructional videos for solo banjo by Hilarie Burhans [toob,toob].
  • Foghorn Stringband CD [utoob nonvideo].
Two tunes with one name? Well, this tune also has two names. See [tunearch] for analysis of "Irish Cobbler."
Old Crow Medicine Show plays Shortnin Bread really fast. Key of A.
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