Bill Frisell made Shenandoah 'cool' again.

Shenandoah is one of the most popular folksongs in the world, and Bill Frisell figured out how to make it cool again. Using footage from one of his many Fretboard Journal interviews - this time with a lovely Gibson 00 - I want to show you how he took a simple melody, spun it on it's head, and maybe how we all might learn to do the same to some of our favorite tunes too.
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Kyle Orla is a Duluth-born folk musician who champions bygone tunes and instruments from the depression era. Kyle has a deep reverie for the vintage styles of playing guitar, and is constantly looking for new ways to create relevance for folks who feel the same.

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[inter]

Thanks for sharing, for want of a better word, the magic of Bill Frisell

[guyb]

Good Dog Happy Man stands tall in my extensive music collection. Dare I say it's my favourite recording of any artist. I keep a spare copy in a fireproof box - LOL

[PGrizzy]

I agree the spacing of time between notes makes it really special. Stefan Grossman had a quote for that he would say from Rev Gary Davis.

[holzhausholz]

Please keep the innovator lessons coming! This, and the Julian Lage Freight Train video, are two of my favorites. Thanks!

[CJasonThwaites]

I've always loved how Bill kinda "shows" his work so to speak. I feel like I can see the wheel turning inside him. That takes a certain special kind of courage

[sword]

Some of the energy and melody reminds me of the Deer Hunter theme
which is darker, but meanders along & takes you on a journey of happy sadness & longing.

A champion guitar picker is Mr Bill!
Thank ya thanks very much!

[brucedow]

Very nicely done. Sure I’m going to watch many times. Please interpret more of Mr. Frisell.

[rogertinker]

Two words - just beautiful, thank you.

[nilspeereboom]

Yes, love him. Will see him live soon!

[firecrackerheart]

love bill's sweet playing so your passion for the guitar makes me smile .. .

[MikeM-Colorado]

Well done. You have a great ear, as has already been demonstrated in your other videos. It takes some courage to wade in with Frisell!

[Stephen-zxuf]

Nice analysis. Simplicity is a beautiful container..

[kamilrekosz]

Amazing. Subscribed! It was my first transcription of Frisell that I „learned”. The stuff he does, those little things, damn… sometimes I hear people say that he is boring, I think that they don’t listen carefully. Cheers.

[runrin_]

turned on all notifications. great video. thanks.

[supercool]

I've liked his version of Shanenadoah on Good Dog, Happy Man for awhile but I had never seen that video. Loved the commentary, you highlighted tons of things I wouldn't have noticed. Wish I had just a fraction of Bill's understanding of the fretboard, it's really awesome what he comes up with

[skyemoz]

This was on my list to learn thanks for the great lesson

[dantebronte]

Check out Bill playing Shanendoah with Charles Lloyd and the Marvels. Amazing.

[Earthstein]

It is always amazing to me how a true artist can make great art from so little. (Tony Rice's solo rendition of Shenandoah (late in his career) is a masterpiece on a very large canvas) Thank you for sharing your thoughts and posting this video.

[PastaPatate]

Cool Bill Frisell playing on Lucinda Williams Death Came

[samuelhatman]

I need about a thousand words of space to answer here. Or maybe just drive up one weekend and go for coffee or lunch and talk. This is right up my alley, and what I am preparing to do as the memory goes. Think about the classical "Claire de Lune" by Debussy. It unravels me emotionally and I usually listen fully alone for embarrassingly obvious reasons. Bill is the "Great" Artist. I spent the first several years with guitar... age 9-11 with my ear down on the upper bout of my 64 J45. I lived "in there... in the music." Yeah this was a great episode Kyle... more!!! The Gibson Bill is playing, and the room presence and production ambiance are reminiscent of all the classical recordings by the greats. Yeah... we should talk. There is so much power in this song, rendition and episode. It elevates the genre. Quite the spiritual deal.