Recordings and books of the southern mountains and rural American music

Songbooks

(in Alphabetical Order)

Old-Time, Bluegrass, Railroad, Civil War, Cowboy, Outlaw, Gospel


Backpocket Bluegrass Songbook Wayne Erbsen	Book $6.95
Since it came out in 1981, thousands of people have enjoyed and learned from the pages of the Backpocket Bluegrass Songbook. In addition to the lyrics and melody line, the book also includes guitar chords, tips on choosing the right key, using the capo, bluegrass music history, information on each song, and vintage photos. 57 pages. Includes words, music and history of: A Beautiful Life, All the Good Times Are Past and Gone, Banks of the Ohio, Bury Me Beneath the Willow, Cumberland Gap, Darling Cory, Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky, Down in the Willow Garden, East Virginia, Give Me the Roses Now, Handsome Molly, I'll Be All Smiles Tonight, John Hardy, Just Over in the Gloryland, Knoxville Girl, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Life's Railway to Heaven, Little Maggie, Little Log Cabin in the Lane, Lonesome Road Blues, Long Journey Home, Lord, I'm Coming Home, Maple on the Hill, Midnight on the Stormy Deep, My Home's Across the Smokey Mountains, Old Joe Clark, Poor Ellen Smith, Pretty Polly, Put My Little Shoes Away, Rabbit in the Log, Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms, Roving Gambler, Sally Goodin, Seeing Nelly Home, Short Life of Trouble, Sweet Sunny South, The Girl I left in Sunny Tennessee, When the Bees Are in the Hive, Where the Soul of Man Never Dies, Wildwood Flower. "You done a good job on that!" Legendary banjo player Wade Mainer, at age 96. "I have seen many versions of 'Wildwood Flower' but yours is the only one that makes a lick of sense." Jesse Stark. "I learned guitar on the porch of my restored log cabin from your Backpocket books. I can't tell you how much enjoyment they've brought me." Mike Antoniak "I learned my guitar chords from this book." Jim Mills, banjo player with Ricky Skaggs

Backpocket Old-Time Songbook Wayne Erbsen	Book $6.95
Along with its twin brother, above, The Backpocket Old-Time Songbook is considered a classic. In addition to song lyrics, musical notation and guitar chords, it is packed hints on singing in the right key, singing with an instrument, transposing your chords, using a capo, plus a short history of old-time songs, minstrel songs, dance tunes, knockdown tunes, ballads, parlor songs and gospel songs. Includes numerous vintage photos. 57 pages. Includes words, music and history of: Angelina Baker, Bald-Headed End of the Broom, Bravest Cowboy, Bully of the Town, Cindy, Cluck Old Hen, Come Take a Trip in My Airship, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Cumberland Gap, Darling Nelly Gray, Diamond Joe, Dixie, Don’t You Hear Jerusalem Moan? Ground Hog, Hard Times Come Again No More, I’m Gwine Back to Dixie, I’m the Man Who Rose the Mule Around the World, Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel, Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy, Kingdom Coming, Little Rosewood Casket, Little Log Cabin in the Lane, Little Stream of Whiskey, Milwaukee Blues, Mole in the Ground, Oh, Them Golden Slippers, Oh My Little Darling, Old Maid’s Last Hope, Pap’s Billy Goat, Pretty Saro, Rambling Boy, Shady Grove, Shall We Gather at the River? Sourwood Mountain, Sugar Babe, Watermelon on the Vine, Wild Bill Jones, Wildwood Flower, Wind and Rain, Yellow Rose of Texas. "The Backpocket Old-Time Songbook is the BEST! I've looked for some of these songs for 20 years!"--David Mattson, Egegik, Alaska

Ballads and Songs of the Civil War Songbook by Jerry Silverman 107 songs, 272 pages!		Book $24.95
This 272 page book captures the tragedy and hopes of the Civil War. Arranged for voice with piano, Guitar chords included. Vintage photographs and brief historical introductions compliment the songs. The perfect companion to the Ballads and Songs of the Civil War recording! The Army of the Free, The Battle Cry of Freedom (Rallying Song), The Battle Cry of Freedom (Battle Song), The Battle Hymn of the Republic, For the Dear Old Flag I Die, Give Us a Flag, John Brown's Body, The John Brown Song, Marching Along, Marching Song of the First Arkansas Regiment, Marching Through Georgia, Nine Miles to the Junction, Southern Battle Cry of Freedom, Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!, Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (Southern Version), The Why and the Wherefore, The Bonnie Blue Flag, Dixie's Land, Maryland, My Maryland, Riding a Raid, Southron’s Chaunt of Defiance, Stonewall Jackson's Way, We Conquer or Die, The Yellow Roses of Texas, The Young Volunteer, Abraham's Daughter, Abraham's Daughter ( II), Booth Killed Lincoln, The Liberty Ball, Lincoln and Liberty, Old Abe Lincoln Came Out of the Wilderness, We Are Coming, Father Abr'am, We'll Fight for Uncle Abe, All Quiet Along the Potomac, Do They Miss Me at Home?, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, The Faded Coat of Blue, Home, Sweet Home, Just After the Battle, Just Before the Battle, Mother, Lorena, Somebody's Darling, The Southern Soldier Boy, The Vacant Chair, Weeping Sad and Lonely, Who Will Care for Mother Now?, he Brass Mounted Army, Cumberland Gap, Drink It Down, Farewell to Grog, Goober Peas, Here's Your Mule, I Can Whip the Scoundrel, I'll Be a Sergeant, Johnny Is My Darling, The New York Volunteer, The Old Union Wagon, Pat Murphy of the Irish Brigade, The Rebel Soldier, The Southern Soldier, The Southern Wagon, Tenting on the Old Camp Ground, There Was an Old Soldier, The Valiant Conscript, We've Drunk from the Same Canteen, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, The Battle of Shiloh, The Battle of Shiloh, Hill, Brother Green, Cairo, The Cumberland Crew, The Cumberland and the Merrimac, The Fall of the Charleston, Flight of the Doodles, A Life on the Vicksburg Bluff, Roll, Alabama, Roll, Virginia's Bloody Soil, When Sherman Marched Down to the Sea, Clear the Track, Follow the Drinking Gourd, Free at Last, Go Down, Moses, The Gold Band, Many Thousand Gone, My Father, How Long?, Oh Freedom, Slavery Chain Done Broke at Last, Steal Away, We Wait Beneath the Furnace Blast, Babylon is Fallen, Billy Barlow, De Day ob Liberty's Comin', Grafted into the Army, The Grant Pill, Hard Times in Dixie, High-Toned Southern Gentleman, I Goes to Fight Mit Sigel, Jeff in Petticoats, Kingdom Coming, Overtures from Richmond, Richmond is a Hard Road to Travel, Sambo's Right to Be Kilt, Sixty-Three is Jubilee, The Blue and the Gray, Oh, I'm a Good Old Rebel.
*NEW!* THE BLUEGRASS GOSPEL SONGBOOK Wayne Erbsen		Book $19.95 Book & CD $29.95
This handsome and hefty 172 page book has over 100 of your favorite bluegrass gospel songs with lyrics, music (melody line), guitar chords, 100+ vintage photos, song histories, the roots of bluegrass gospel music, painless gospel music theory, how to choose the right key, how to operate a capo, using the guitar in gospel music, harmony 101, tips on how to sing lead, baritone, tenor and bass. 9" x 12." Large, easy-to-read print. See song list, below. Available with CD (Old-Time Gospel Favorites) which features thirteen gospel songs that are in the book. *Click HERE or HERE for a sample page of The Bluegrass Gospel Songbook* as a pdf file. The book includes history, lyrics, melody and chords to over 100 gospel classics: A Beautiful Life*, A Picture From Life’s Other Side, Ain’t Gonna Lay My Armor Down, Amazing Grace, Angel Band, Are You Washed in the Blood?, Beautiful, Church in the Wildwood, Come And Dine, Come Thou Fount, Crying Holy Unto My Lord, Daniel Prayed, Death is Only a Dream, Deep Settled Peace, Diamonds in the Rough, Don’t You Hear Jerusalem Moan?, Drifting Too Far From the Shore, From Jerusalem to Jericho, Give Me The Roses Now, The Glory-land Way, The Good Old Way, Grave on a Green Hillside, The Hallelujah Side, Hallelujah, We Shall Rise, Hand in Hand With Jesus, He Will Set Your Fields on Fire, Heaven Above, Hold Fast to the Right, Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand, Home in That Rock, How Beautiful Must Be, I Am a Pilgrim, I Am Bound For the Promised Land, I Feel Like Traveling On, I Have Found the Way, I Heard My Mother Call My Name in Prayer, I Will Never Turn Back, I Would Not Be Denied, I’ll Be No Stranger There, I’m Going That Way, I’m Going Through, I’m S-A-V-E-D, I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages, If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again, In the Sweet By And By, In the Garden, Jesus, Savior Pilot Me, Just One Way to the Gate, Just Over in the Gloryland, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Keep on the Sunny Side of Life, Kneel at the Cross, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Let the Church Go Rolling On, Let The Lower Lights Be Burning, Life’s Railway to Heaven, Little Moses, The Lone Pilgrim, Lord I’m Coming Home, Methodist Pie, My Old Cottage Home, Oh Those Tombs!, The Old Rugged Cross, The Old Account Was Settled, The Old Gospel Ship, Old-Time Religion, On The Sea of Life, On The Sunny Side of Life, Our Meeting is Over, Palms of Victory, Pass Me Not, Pilgrim of Sorrow, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Power in the Blood, Precious Memories, Row Us Over the Tide, The Royal Telephone, Shake Hands With Mother Again, Shall We Gather at the River?, Standing in the Need of Prayer, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Take Me In the Lifeboat, Take Up Thy Cross, Tell Mother I Will Meet Her, There is No Hiding Place Down There, Twilight is Falling, The Unclouded Day, Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John, Warfare, We Are Going Down the Valley, We Shall Meet Someday, We’ll Understand it Better By and By, What Would You Give in Exchange?, When the Savior Reached Down for Me, When They Ring Those Golden Bells, When I Laid My Burdens Down, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, Where the Soul Never Dies, Where We’ll Never Grow Old, Who Will Sing For Me?, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, Will There Be Any Stars?, Won’t You Come and Sing For Me? Wondrous Love, Working on a Building. "You've done a great job with this book."* David Freeman, Rebel and County Records "This is an amazing book. It's going to be well-received, well-used and well- loved. Such fabulous history, background to the songs, A treat to read." Cathy Fink. "This is a great book, and very informative." J. Stewart "I am very pleased with your new Bluegrass Gospel Songbook. It was worth waiting for." D McDougal "This is a simply wonderful and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library American Music History reference collections." Midwest Book Review "A real treasure." Nadine Kerfoot, Bluegrass Music Profiles

Cowboy Songs, Jokes, Lingo & Lore Wayne Erbsen		Book $5.95
Oozing with old-time cowboy wisdom and advice, this handy book combines 30 classic cowboy songs of the Wild West, along with historic photographs and drawings, cowboy insults and one-liners. Fans of the Old West are treated to such vital information as Cowboy Poetry, Camp Cook Rules, a Recipe for Cowboy Coffee, and 33 uses for a Neck Scarf! 5 ½ x 8 ½, 64 pages. The perfect companion to the recording Cowboy Songs of the Wild Frontier. Songs include: The Big Corral, Bravest Cowboy, Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie, The Colorado Trail, Cowboy Jack, The Cowboy's Dream, Cowboy Jack, Cowboy Valentine, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Dony Gal, The Girl I Left Behind Me, Git Along Little Doggies, The Gol-Darned Wheel, Goodbye Old Paint, The Hills of Mexico, Home on the Range, I Ride an Old Paint, I'm Going to Leave Old Texas, Night Herding Songs, The Old Chisholm Trail, The Railroad Corral, Red River Valley, Roving Cowboy, Rye Whiskey, The Strawberry Roan, Streets of Laredo, The Texas Rangers, The Trail to Mexico, Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail, When the Work's All Done This Fall, Zebra Dun "This book contains the lyrics, melodies and guitar chords for 31 cowboy songs. The "Cowboy Lore" side of the book is a lot of fun, especially the insults and slang. What are 'whistle berries'? A plate of beans, of course."--Dirty Linen, March 1996

Front Porch Songs, Jokes & Stories 48 Great Sing-Along Favorites Wayne Erbsen Over 135, 000 sold!		Book $5.95
A treasure trove of 19th century songs, hilarious jokes, wild stories, vintage photos, and even a recipe for cooking groundhog! 48 favorite melodies of the past that have traveled along with the pioneers in covered wagons through the Civil War period and up to today! 8½ x 5½ , 64 pages. The perfect companion to the recording Front Porch Favorites. Includes words, music and history of: Amazing Grace, Arkansas Traveler, Bile Em Cabbage Down, Blue-Tailed Fly, Buffalo Gals, Cindy, Cluck Old Hen, The Crawdad Song, Cripple Creek, Down in the Valley, Goober Peas, Grandfather's Clock, Ground Hog, Hambone, Home Sweet Home, I Was Born 4,000 Years Ago, Jack of Diamonds, Jesse James, John Henry, Listen to the Mockingbird, Moonshiner, My Homes Across the Smoky Mountains, My Old Kentucky Home, New River Train, Oh! Susanna, Oh Them Golden Slippers, Old Dan Tucker, Old Joe Clark, On Top of Old Smoky, Polly Wolly Doodle, Poor Ellen Smith, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Pretty Polly, Railroad Bill, The Riddle Song, Roving Gambler, Soldier's Joy, The Sunny South, Turkey in the Straw, Uncle Joe, Unclouded Day, Wabash Cannonball, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, When You And I Were Young Maggie, whoa Mule, Wild Bill Jones, Wildwood Flower, Yellow Rose of Texas. "This book is FAB-U-LOUS!"--Philip A. Mackey, Newark, DE "I'm having a ball with this book!" Carl Turlington, Gainesville, FL
Log Cabin Pioneers Stories, Songs & Sayings Wayne Erbsen		Book $14.95
Step inside the door of Log Cabin Pioneers as Wayne Erbsen tales you on a personal journey of finding and restoring an historic log cabin. By the magic of a crackling fire, he'll introduce you to authentic pioneers who will sing you ancient songs, spin yarns about Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Thomas Jefferson, and tell spell-binding tales of bear hunting with moonshine or give you advice on how to buy a mule. Join other settlers in a house raising, hew logs for a cabin, shop in an old-time general store, eat ash cake and dance your socks off at an old-fashioned barn dance. Includes remedies, superstitions, romantic advice, 143 vintage photos, words & music to 19 songs. 6" x 9", 184 pages, perfect bound, glossy full color cover. The perfect companion to the recording Log Cabin Songs. "We were absolutely thrilled with the Log Cabin Pioneers book."--Mary and Dick Elder "I just had to write you on the wonderful book and CD on log cabins...It's the best! the songs and informative book is a treasured keepsake forever. I will definitely buy more products from you in the future. Thanks for putting together such a quality product." C. Bradley For More reviews of this book, Click HERE!

Old-Time Gospel Songbook Wayne Erbsen *The lyrics, music, guitar chords, vintage photos and song histories to 56 great old-time gospel tunes. 75 pages. The perfect companion to the Old Time Gospel Favorites.*		Book $12.95
A Beautiful Life, Amazing Grace, Angel Band, Are You Washed in the Blood?, As I Went Down in the Valley to Pray, The Church in the Wildwood, Death is Only a Dream, Deep Settled Peace, Don’t You Hear Jerusalem Moan?, Drifting Too Far From the Shore, Give Me the Roses Now, The Glory-Land Way, The Hallelujah Side, Hallelujah We Shall Rise, Hand in Hand With Jesus, He Will Set Your Fields on Fire, Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand, How Beautiful Heaven Must Be, I Feel Like Traveling On, I Have Found the Way, I Will Arise, I Will Never Turn Back, If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again, I’ll Be No Stranger There, Jesus Savior Pilot Me, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Just Over in the Gloryland, Keep on the Sunny side of Life, Kneel at the Cross, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Life’s Railway to Heaven, Lord I’m Coming Home, Methodist Pie, Oh Those Tombs, Old-Time Religion, On the Sea of Life, Our Meeting is Over, Palms of Victory, Pass Me Not, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Previous Memories, Rock of Ages, Shake Hands With Mother Again, Shall We Gather at the River, Swing Low Swing Chariot, The Unclouded Day, Walk in Jerusalem Just like John, We Are Going Down the Valley, We Shall Meet Someday, We’ll Understand It Better By and By, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, When They Ring the Golden Bells, Where the Soul of Man Never Dies, Where We’ll Never Grow Old, Will There Be Any Stars?, Wondrous Love.
Outlaw Ballads, Legends and Lore Wayne Erbsen		Book $5.95
An authentic collection packed with the ballads and legends of the lawless men and women of the Wild West and the South! Learn Frontier Etiquette, Outlaw Nicknames, a Cure for Snoring, Outright Insults, Frontier Wisdom, and much more! 5 ½ x 8 ½, 64 pages. The perfect companion to the recording Authentic Outlaw Ballads. Songs include: Bad Lee Brown, Billy the Kid, The Boston Burglar, Bully of the Town, Cole Younger, Darling Corey, Don't Let Your Deal Go Down, Frankie and Johnny, The Gambler, The Hangman, The Highwayman, Jesse James, John Hardy, Lilly of the West, Messin' With the Law, Old Maid and the Burglar, Otto Wood the Bandit, Poor Rambler, Quantrill, The Rambling Boy, Rose Connally, Roy Bean, Sam Bass, Stagolee, Tom Dula, Tom Sherman's Barroom, Wild Bill Jones.
Railroad Fever Songs, Jokes & Train Lore Wayne Erbsen		Book $5.95
Relive the glory days of railroading! Discover railroad oddities, poetry of the rails, railroad diner lingo, strange railroad laws, flying railroads, train heroes and villains, hobo lingo and porters' secret codes. Like Wayne Erbsen's earlier book, Singing Rails, Railroad Fever contains the melody and lyrics to many classic railroad tunes.5 ½ x 8 ½, 64 pages. The perfect companion to the recording Railroad Fever. Includes: Blue Train, Death of John Henry, Down at Dinah's Diner, Drill Ye Tarriers Drill!, Early Morning Train, The Hell-Bound Train, He's Coming to Us Dead, In the Baggage Coach Ahead, Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel, Kansas City Railroad, The Little Red Caboose, The Longest Train, Paddy Works on the Railway, The Railroad Blues, Red and Green Signal Lights, Working on the New Railroad. "...a dandy collection....better than anything else available...you can't go wrong on this one."--Norm Cohen, author of Long Steel Rails
Rousing Songs and True Tales of the Civil War by Wayne Erbsen Here are the songs and stories that made history. Includes lyrics, music, chords, song histories, trivia, humor plus 100 Civil War photographs and illustrations. 5½" x 8½", 72 pages.		Book $5.95 Book & CD Ballads & Songs of the Civil War $19.95
All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight, Battle Cry of Freedom, Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Bonnie Blue Flag, Dixie's Land, The Faded Coat of Blue, Goober Peas, Hard Crackers Come Again No More, Home! Sweet Home!, Here's Your Mule, Just Before the Battle Mother, Lorena, Maryland, My Maryland, Marching Through Georgia, O I'm a Good Old Rebel, Tenting on the Old Camp Ground, Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!, The Vacant Chair, Weeping, Sad and Lonely, When Johnny Comes Marching Home. "Wayne Erbsen has produced a rare piece of work-something new and fresh relating to the Civil War. Fun and fresh facts can be found on nearly every page."--Webb Garrison, Civil War Authority" "Perfectly captures the spirit of a troubled and transforming era with vintage songs, anecdotes and just plain eye-popping tales from the American Civil War." Midwest Book Review

Rural Roots of Bluegrass Songs, Stories & History by Wayne Erbsen *Click HERE for a sample page of Rural Roots of Bluegrass* as a pdf file.**		Book $14.95 Book & CD $24.95
SPECIAL: Order Rural Roots of Bluegrass CD with the book and save $5.00 * Rural Roots of Bluegrass is a songbook and history book that takes a deep at the roots of bluegrass music: ballads and fiddle tunes of Scots-Irish pioneers, black spirituals, plantation melodies, blues, murder ballads, sentimental parlor songs from Tin Pan Alley, North Carolina banjo styles and gospel songs. This book is richly illustrated with 107 vintage photos and includes history, lyrics to 94 songs, musical notation, chords, playing tips, and historical sources for each song. Includes profiles on the Monroe Brothers, Carter Family, Bradley Kincaid, Riley Puckett, Charlie Poole, Wade & J. E. Mainer, Vernon Dalhart, Carolina Tar Heels, G. B. Grayson & Henry Whitter, Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith, Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman, Blue Sky Boys, Fiddlin’ John Carson, Coon Creek Girls, Earl Scruggs, Eck Robertson, Callahan Brothers, Samantha Bumgarner, Bill Monroe and Jimmie Rodgers. 6" x 9", 180 pages. The perfect companion to the CD Rural Roots of Bluegrass. Includes words, music and history of: A Beautiful Life, All the Good Times Are Passed And Gone, Amazing Grace, Angel Band, Are You Tired of Me My Darling?, Banjo Pickin’ Girl, Banks of the Ohio, Blue Ridge Mountain Blues, Bury Me Beneath the Willow, Careless Love, Columbus Stockade, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Cripple Creek, Cumberland Gap, Darling Cory, Dig a Hole in the Meadow, Don’t Go Out Tonight, My Darling, Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down, Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky, Down in the Willow Garden , Dream of the Miner’s Child, Drifting Too Far From the Shore, East Virginia, Footmarks in the Snow, Girl I Left in Sunny Tennessee, Give Me the Roses, Going to Georgia, Handsome Molly, He Will Set Your Fields On Fire, I Wonder How the Old Folks Are At Home, I’ll be All Smiles Tonight, In the Pines, Jealous Lover, Jesse James, Jimmie Brown the Paper Boy, John Hardy, Johnson Boys , Just Over in the Glory Land, Katy Cline, Katy Dear, Knoxville Girl, , Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Leather Britches, Life’s Railway to Heaven, Little Bessie, Little Log Cabin in the Lane, Little Maggie, Little Rosewood Casket, Little White Washed Chimney, Lonesome Road Blues, Long Journey Home, Lord, I’m Coming Home, Man of Constant Sorrow, Maple on the Hill, Mary of the Wild Moor, Midnight on the Storm Deep , My Homes Across the Blue Ridge Mountains, My Old Cottage Home, New River Train, Nine Pound Hammer, Oh Those Tombs, Old Joe Clark, Poor Ellen Smith, Precious Memories, Pretty Polly, Put My Little Shoes Away, Rabbit in the Log, Red Rocking Chair, Red Wing, Reuben’s Train, Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms, Roll On Buddy, Roving Gambler, Sally Goodin, Seeing Nelly Home, Shady Grove, Shake Hands With Mother Again, Short Life of Trouble, Sweet Sunny South, They’re at Rest Together, Unclouded Day, The, Wabash Cannonball, Wait Till The Clouds Roll By, Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John, What Would You Give In Exchange?, When the Bees Are in the Hive, When You And I Were Young, Maggie, Where the Soul Never Dies, White House Blues, Whoa Mule, Wild Bill Jones, Wildwood Flower. "Wayne did a good job! He certainly knows how to tell a story." Wade Mainer, 97 year old music legend For More reviews of this book, Click HERE!