Jorma Kaukonen's "Crystal City"
A Jorma Kaukonen original, "Crystal City has long been one of his most requested guitar solos.
Free Licks/Blog/Performances
Here are some useful guitar licks and playing tips by Homespun owner/instructor Happy Traum and others. Homespun Performances are excerpts from lessons by some of our great artists that are worth listening to just for pleasure. Keep checking back as we'll be adding to them frequently. And take a look at Happy's Blog. He has had a fascinating journey through more than six decades of playing, writing, and studying about American folk music, and he has quite a few stories to tell.
Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady: "Hesitation Blues"
Jorma and Jack, aka Hot Tuna, play the classic tune they learned from Rev. Gary Davis. This has been one of their most popular numbers through the years.
Pete Seeger With Doc Watson "You Got to Walk That Lonesome Valley
We shot this video in 1991 during one of the earliest MerleFest festivals in Wilkesboro, NC. It was where we also recorded Doc Watson's "Doc's Guitar" and Mike Seeger's "Old Time Banjo" videos. We love the interplay between the folk icon, Pete, and the great traditional artist, Doc. Both are historic figures and musical giants.
"The Water is Wide" by Happy Traum at Fur Peace ranch
Here's Happy's performance of an ageless ballad, with some good friends accompanying him. You can learn this on Happy's "Basic Arranging Techniques" video lesson.
Ramblin' Jack and Arlo Sing Woody's "Hard Travelling"
Legendary artists Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Arlo Guthrie played this classic Woody Guthrie song on Jack's instructional video, "The Songs and Guitar of Ramblin' Jack Elliott." Jack turned 90 in July 2021 and is still going strong.