JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum Jerusalem Ridge (Instrumental)

"Jerusalem Ridge" was written by Fiddleman Kenny Baker and Bill Monroe, although Bill Monroe gets the credit. It's not your typical A/B/A/B fiddle tune. It's more like A/B/C/D/E. The melody or mood constantly changes which is what makes this song so unique. It's a very fast song and was a challenge. I'm playing at 200 BPM, but most bluegrass bands play it a bit faster. There's no fiddle here but I am playing lead and rhythm guitars, mandolin, and Bass. Hope you like it.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12321785

Outstanding musicianship, Ben. Had my feet a tappin'.

Stevie

Hi Neighbor,

This is very pleasing to my rabbit ears, hats off to you.

Calvin


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

Sounding good to me, too. Should have broken the fiddle out. I can tell you've been practicing on this one.

Thanks Stevie and "Rabbit Ears".

Hi Kevin, there's no way I can get a fiddle close to this song. I do take the fiddle out and scratch around on it occasionally..at least until the neighborhood stray cats start gathering outside my window. Then I put it away.

Yes It took a lot of practice. I already knew most of the lead guitar but had to relearn it. I had to learn the mandolin part from scratch. Believe it or not, the hardest part to learn was rhythm guitar. I did a lot of retakes and it still ain't perfect.

Bump.

Really enjoyed this one Ben excellent playing a real foot tapping number, which I confess I've never heard before.
Travis

Ben--

This is some fine picking--I haven't heard this one in a long time!

We have DAVE MACON days in July in Murfreesboro TN--lots of this kind music
and BUCK dancing there!

I had to listen a couple of times--That is a mighty fine sounding acoustic on this song--

Play on--

Mackie

Thanks Travis. I think it was written in the early 70's. It was named after a place on the property where Bill Monroe grew up in Rosine Ky.

Hi Ben,

Great job -- very cool -- you sure got my toes-a-tappin'!

Lisa

Very nice. JR has been my favorite BG instrumental since the first time I heard Kenny Baker play it many years ago. It's one of those haunting melodies that just never leaves you. Thanks for posting a new version for me to enjoy!

This is really cool Ben. Mixed just right for my headphones. Excellent panning, and performance.

Best, John

nice playing. Why do I hear a fiddle playing in my head

Ben,

I really enjoyed this. What I like about Bluegrass, is that it just seems to penetrate beyond your conscious and makes you just feel better! Superb "get-box" flat pic'n!

steady-eddie.

Thanks Mackie, I remember "Uncle Dave" Macon. He was one of the first country (hillbilly) music celebrities.

Fine rendition, Ben! Our band, Dave Leatherman and Stone County, has played the Jerusalem Ridge Festival every year. We once played the song "Jerusalem Ridge" on Jerusalem Ridge. You need to make it up here some time!

http://www.jerusalemridgefestival.org/

Glad you liked it Lisa.

Hey Janice and Bud. Yes, it is a moody song..both haunting and jubilant.

I listened to some of your music. You folks play a wide range from a jazzy "Big Sky Mudflaps" sound to old time string music. We need more of that around here.

Thanks Ben. I throw one up here that we wrote/recorded this weekend. We played in BG bands for years but are having fun experimenting around now days. BTW, I'm a lefty also. Weirdly enough, I play a lefty guitar but play my bass fiddle backwards. Guess my brain is strangely wired! Janice and I look forward to checking out more of your music this evening. On the iPhone now.

I play the guitar, mandolin, and bass left handed upside down, but the little fiddle playing that I do is right handed. I took violin lessons as a kid and was taught to play right handed..so it's a habit now.

Thanks for that John. I worked on the mix for awhile.

Hey Raggy, you heard a fiddle because the original version was a fiddle.

Absolutely loved it! It's still resonating in my head as I'm writing this. I'd give a vital organ to be able to play that well and that intuitively. Very very nice.

Hey Eddie, bluegrass music is like spring water. It's pure and undiluted.

Thanks Mike D. I see you guys got some primo slots last year at the JR festival. Sat. and Sun. I'll set my sights on this year if I can afford it. My brother has a huge fancy motor home and is looking for any excuse to use it, so I'll tell him and his wifey about it. Maybe they'll let me tag along.

I'm glad you liked my rendition. Feels good coming from a major league picker like yourself.

Thank you Bobby Wayne. Keep those vital organs, you might need them. Sell your soul to the devil. It's easier.

Really nice Ben. I don't often get to hear fine pickin like that! Great arragement, and excellent mix. As Bobby said the songs still playing in my head!

Todd

Glad you liked it Todd.

Ben Willis,

You never cease to impress me and I know you put lots of work into this and it has surely paid off. You didn't just stitch a song together, you really immersed yourself into the mood changes and let the song shine, great playing my friend


Tammy

Thanks for the kind words TamsNumber4. I always like hearing from you.

Hey Ben,

This is a tremendous instrumental. As Stevie said, excellent playing. It makes me want to go take out and listen to some of my old Alison Krauss & Union Station cd's. I really enjoyed this. Thx for posting.

Dave

By the way Ben and Calvin, we are all neighbors. I reside in Bradenton.

Hey Ben,

Woohoo ! Nice one. Is that all played lefty ?

cheers, niteshift

Hi Dave, thanks and I'm glad you liked it.

I've been to Bradenton plenty of times. If you run into Dickey Betts, say hi for me.

Hey there Shifty, thanks for the listen. Yep it's all lefty.

Very cool...loved it. Nice playing!
mike

Thanks Mike, from a fellow guitar picker.

Hey Ben- Nice picking. Good to hear some things like this stylistically on here. Congrats and Best Wishes.......

Damn it Man.

A real smoker and a bang up job, you did on it.

As always, very impressive musicianship.

Thanks for listening Bobby.

Thank you Nelson.

Amazing! I love bluegrass instrumentals.

Thanks for stopping by Lex.