Level: 2
Tuning: Open D

Columbia Records came to Atlanta in November 1926 and recorded a variety of spiritual acts and blues guitarist Peg Leg Howell. Born in 1888 in Eatonton, Georgia, Joshua Barnes Howell was a generation older than most of the prewar Atlanta bluesmen. Like Lead Belly and old Henry Thomas in Texas, his repertoire extended to country reels, field hollers, ballads, and other pre-blues styles. He recorded several times for Columbia and his records sold well. In 1927 he recorded "Skin Game Blues," a song about work camps and card games.

The melody is unique in the history of the blues. Peg Leg used a slide when playing on his recording. The arrangement taught in this lesson instead tries to capture a stringband feel by playing octaves and using an alternating bass. A very special song and lots of fun tune to play and sing.