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Headin' South

DavisJames » Audio » Headin' South

Headin' South

style or instrument: 2teardrop dulcimers,Dadd,capo 4,fiddle and guitar

musician/member name: Jamie Snider.

streams: 163

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Description:

Made this tune quite a few years ago in anticipation of my first trip driving south to Florida.The "ooh wah,ooh wah" effect is gotten by playing the same note consecutively on alternate strings.

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08/01/26 01:00:17PM @davisjames:

Hey,Dusty,That's a great idea in a Chaplinesque,silent movie kind of way.20 years later I bumped into my friend at a folk festival in Ontario.He was visiting from Austin,Texas,apparently a Mecca for musicians at the time.His second wife on his arm(a lovely long tall Texan) and very happy.One of those people who always seem to land on their feet,laugh.

07/27/26 07:51:53PM @dusty:

Richard Streib:

DavisJames:

Does a dulcimer ever sound like a mandolin when you slap a capo on it!Especially the doubled melody strings.

Ron Ewing (deceased) would build a short scale dulcimetter he called it, with 3 pairs of doubled strings which he reported as having a voice similar to a mandolin.

It was actually the 6-string "baritone dulcimette" that Ron described as having the punch of a mandolin. It is tuned an octave above a baritone dulcimer to G or A above a standard dulcimer. I am lucky enough to have one, although I have only had 3 strings on it for the last year or two.

07/27/26 07:10:11PM @richard-streib:

DavisJames:

Does a dulcimer ever sound like a mandolin when you slap a capo on it!Especially the doubled melody strings.

Ron Ewing (deceased) would build a short scale dulcimetter he called it, with 3 pairs of doubled strings which he reported as having a voice similar to a mandolin.

07/27/26 05:32:13PM @dusty:

I can picture a film short, Jamie, with no dialogue. Your friend shows a picture of his wife and touches his heart, pointing to Jacksonville on a map. The music starts as you two get in the car and start driving, all happy and energetic. Then you hit the snow and the deer and shiver wrapped up with teeth chattering in the campgrounds. You finally get to the wife, who throws to the ground the bouquet your friend gave her, shakes her head, and points for you to leave. You get back in the car, both looking sad and weary, and the same tune is played, but in a minor key and much slower, as you make your way back north. The last image would be the rear bumper--with a "Don't Worry Be Happy" sticker on it--falling off as you hit a pot hole and a burst of black smoke comes out of the tailpipe.

07/27/26 02:46:07PM @davisjames:

Does a dulcimer ever sound like a mandolin when you slap a capo on it!Especially the doubled melody strings.

07/27/25 04:08:19AM @beth-t:

Great tune and great story Jamie!

07/19/25 02:52:43PM @robin-thompson:

Oh, my, that was quite a memorable journey, Jamie! Yup, you got a tale out of it.

07/19/25 02:05:41PM @davisjames:

Thanks guys.It was an epic journey(early February).My friend wanted to get back with his estranged wife in Jacksonville.I packed my swimming trunks,looking forward to lollygagging on a beach.. on the way we hit a snowstorm in the mountains and stalled(many thanks to the fellows who stopped and got us going again).Then we hit a deer.We limped into Jacksonville covered in salt,mud and coal dust and the hood tied down with guitar strings.We camped in a state park and it went down below zero every night.The reconciliation failed.After 3 days we turned tail and re-traced our steps back to Canada.At least I got this tune out of it,laugh.

07/18/25 09:52:28AM @strumelia:

Very nicely played!

07/18/25 06:58:58AM @robin-thompson:

Your tune has the on-the-move traveling feel to it, Jamie, and also seems to evoke a simpler time. Nice.