Level: 2
Tuning: Standard

Probably one of the most played and recorded pieces of Reverend Gary Davis, and is what I would consider "the gateway tune" for first timers learning Gary Davis's repertoire. Gary Davis had multiple versions of this song - vocal, waltz, two step, and other versions that I still stumble across that I had never heard before. Davis had a few different stories about where the piece came from, the common thread being that it came from his childhood in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

I remind my students that harmonically the tune is very simple - three chords: C, G, and F. If you keep this in mind, you'll find that each variation sticks to the same structure and explores different right-hand techniques and will open up your eyes to movable chord shapes and inversions. Hopefully it will give you a good foundation to invent your own variations.