Just a Pinch of South

For those of us who grew up in the South but have moved elsewhere, we love our roots and all they have provided. There's a lot that I've come to appreciate about the South. But let's be honest, most of us don't want to go back to "full Southern." We're happy with just a pinch here and there to add flavor to the life we live now. If you are not a Southerner, perhaps you'll come to better appreciate the little gifts the American South has given and continues to give our culture. This blog is written by Elizabeth Bloodworth. Photos are not mine unless specified. Email me at justapinchofsouth @ gmail dot com. I tweet at @apinchofsouth and my other tumblr is called "everythingthatdoesntfitelsewhere" which is just what it sounds like.

Posts tagged banjo

Jul10

Jul7

My friends in NYC have started doing a monthly “Hymnalong.” It means getting together, drinking beer, and singing hymns. Just about everyone is a pretty good or excellent musician or singer (I’m a mediocre-at-best guitar player but they let me join in), but not everyone would say they are a Christian (though I am one). It’s a slightly rag-tag looking group, but it sounds amazing. Last time there were mandolins, guitars, and a banjo. I wish we could have recorded it. It was that good. Most of the great hymns sound their very best with a bit of a Southern folk influence. Just a pinch of it. Even if it has Brooklyn hipster overtones. I’m looking forward to tonight!

My friends in NYC have started doing a monthly “Hymnalong.” It means getting together, drinking beer, and singing hymns. Just about everyone is a pretty good or excellent musician or singer (I’m a mediocre-at-best guitar player but they let me join in), but not everyone would say they are a Christian (though I am one). It’s a slightly rag-tag looking group, but it sounds amazing. Last time there were mandolins, guitars, and a banjo. I wish we could have recorded it. It was that good.

Most of the great hymns sound their very best with a bit of a Southern folk influence. Just a pinch of it. Even if it has Brooklyn hipster overtones.

I’m looking forward to tonight!

(Source: rebekahleanne, via lifeofhunt)

640 notes #music #banjo

Apr21

Tonight I went to a friend’s apartment for “Hymnalong” which is basically “Hymns and Beer”. We sat around, drank beer, and sang old hymns. Simple as that. This group of people is really talented (unlike yours truly). For instance check out this and also this by guys who were there. We had some guitars, a couple of mandolins and a banjo accompanying us. And we just sang old hymns. With the harmonies and the instruments it sounded amazing. There’s something that makes me want to sing some of those songs with a very strong Southern accent. I guess because that’s how I heard them growing up. My family had a mountain cabin and we would attend a country church on Sundays that just had a piano and did traditional hymns the traditional way. I have to admit that at the time I found the hymns boring. I didn’t particularly care for the lyrics or the melody. I would rather listen to, I don’t know, Madonna or something. But knowing those songs now feels like a gift my parents gave me. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but now I am so grateful that I know these melodies and lyrics. These old songs are beautiful and evocative and some are profound. It was a joy to sing them.

Tonight I went to a friend’s apartment for “Hymnalong” which is basically “Hymns and Beer”. We sat around, drank beer, and sang old hymns. Simple as that.

This group of people is really talented (unlike yours truly). For instance check out this and also this by guys who were there. We had some guitars, a couple of mandolins and a banjo accompanying us.

And we just sang old hymns. With the harmonies and the instruments it sounded amazing.

There’s something that makes me want to sing some of those songs with a very strong Southern accent. I guess because that’s how I heard them growing up. My family had a mountain cabin and we would attend a country church on Sundays that just had a piano and did traditional hymns the traditional way.

I have to admit that at the time I found the hymns boring. I didn’t particularly care for the lyrics or the melody. I would rather listen to, I don’t know, Madonna or something. But knowing those songs now feels like a gift my parents gave me. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but now I am so grateful that I know these melodies and lyrics.

These old songs are beautiful and evocative and some are profound. It was a joy to sing them.

(Source: papaya-maya)

21 notes #banjo #sing #hymns #song

Feb17

Nov12

cbsundance:

End of America, These Things Are Mine

I heard these guys at Rockwood Music Hall tonight. They’re from NY, CT, and PA, but there’s a pinch of South in their sound (banjo, for instance). Amazing 3 part harmonies. I’m not sure this video does them justice.

1 notes #music #end of america #banjo

Oct3