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Clint's Mandolin

This song is a tribute to my (Bud's) step father. Clint was born in 1907, his father died young, and he had to get his first crop loan from the bank when he was only 14. He lived his entire life on the family farm. During the late 1920's and 30's he, a brother (Sanford) and a friend played in a string band on Saturday nights - the traditional recreation time for farmers who worked 6-7 days a week.

The prelude was created from an old tape that I recorded over 40 years ago of Clint, Sanford and me (Bud) pickin' in the living room.

The arrangement and mix attempts to present the sound of a string band (pre bluegrass) playing live into, at most, a couple of mics. The pickers had to "work" the mics moving in and out for fills and solos. It took some choreography! The bluegrass band Janice and I were in for many years used this setup.

Keeping with his style of music the song is a basic three chord write with no chorus or bridge. Many songs of their repertoire were of this style. Since I used to pick guitar or bass with Clint and Sanford I played and recorded my upright bass for the first time in nearly a decade and comped in a few guitar fills for this tribute.

This is, as Bill Monroe called them, a “true life song.”

The Soundcloud photo is a group of photos I took many years ago of Clint, Sanford, the mandolin he played 80 years ago and his favorite chair and cushion smile

While this is a personal song we do hope that you enjoy it and as always we welcome your thoughts.

The mandolin and his brother's banjo hang on a wall in our house.

Janice: Vocal
Bud: Upright bass, RealTracks, mixing and mastering.


Clint’s Mandolin

clint and his brother worked the fields every day
times were hard but they held their farm together
on saturday nights they played in a string band
pickin’ at barn dances when a crowd could gather

years passed till they could no longer work the farm
i’d find him sitting out back on a feed sack cushion
playing mandolin, his brother on the five string
i’d join on guitar and listen to the tales they spun

time came when family and friends were all gone
he’d hold his mandolin staring into the past
i could feel the memories drifting all around him
some were fleeting but some will always last

today he rests a few miles from the old farm
his name and a mandolin are carved in the stone
a wise man who never left the land he loved
when i think of him i hear the ancient tones

above our mantle hangs clint’s mandolin
lord, i wish i could hear him play it again
i’d love to hear clint play his mandolin again

Janice and Bud Merritt
© 2016 / All rights reserved

Hi J&B what a wonderful story!
A great tribute too.i loved this kind of music from the days i used to roam the flea markets, second hand shops and market stalls in my native Manchester area looking out for Stanley Brothers Flatt and Scruggs etc records which were'nt easy to come by in the UK in the early to mid 60s.
Great stuff really enjoyed this one
Travis

Thanks, Bud... for the "liner notes" and background of the song. Super Nice tribute to Clint. Step-Fathers can be special, too. Strange how this style of music seems to be woven through the fabric of our Country and it's rich history. We even have a Bluegrass Festival here in Glen Rose and this one probably would have stolen the show. Enjoyed all the talent you guys share with us so often. ----Dave

Loved the Music, here...…...what a nice sentiment!
Beautiful home cooking!
-Tom

Jancie and Bud,

Love the opening—it really sets the mood; and then followed by the lively intro thereafter—very sweet. And the liner notes and back story really add something to this. I admire creating a song from family history; something so strongly and emotionally grounded in life experience. It comes through on this one. Wonderfully put together. Pretty cool listen!

All the best,

Deej

Hello J & B,


Totally entertaining


Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com./bands/0/calvinstewart

I love a story.
I love that sound.

Vic

Great to hear this again.

No one does bluegrass better.

Janice sounds great - of course.

Nice to hear Bud playing the big box...



Great story. Great mix.

fj

Such an authentic feel to this one, J&B. A sweet sentimental tribute to Clint and his contemporaries. Great work.

Ricki

Thanks Travis. We played many a Stanley Brothers song in our bluegrass band years.

J&B




Thanks Dave. That is very kind. We look fondly back on the times we played bluegrass festivals. The cool thing about them is that a huge percentage of the audience play also!

J&B




Thanks!

J&B




Thanks. We're glad to hear that it worked for you. I wondered if perhaps it was too personal. Thanks for the nice comments!

J&B

Thanks!

J&B




Thank you Vic,

J&B



Thanks floyd. It was fun to do the rare, for us nowadays, bluegrass song. We much appreciate you mentioning the mix,

J&B



Thank you Ricki. He was a gentleman. .

J&B

Hey guys,

What a great story! Nice tribute for sure and some fine pick'n!

steady-eddie

Thank you Eddie!

J&B

Hi Janice and Bud

That is a fine lyric - feels like natural conversation. The instruments sound great and the your vocal tone is exactly right for the song.

Thanks for listening and the kind comments. We do appreciate it.

J&B