Sheryl, you're welcome. Here ia a fake book that I use occasionally, but like. http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Fake-Book-Instruments/dp/0793529395  I use it occasionally because I don't own it, but my son does. So when I visit him in California I dig it out and play some tunes. If you like fiddle tunes, the Fiddlers' Fake Book is excellent. Many of those songs need to be transposed. Many fiddle tunes are in "A" but quite a few are in "D." Again, I don't own, but my son does. You can get fake books for many genres of music.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

updated by @ken-longfield: 08/31/15 06:20:12PM

Interesting, thanks for explaining, Ken.

A fake book usually contains the words to a song and a simple melody accompaniment. Chords may be inserted above the music staff as names "E," "A," "D," etc. It is up to you to figure out any chordal or harmony accompaniment. In other words, it gives you the bones to the song and it is up to you to put flesh on them. I like fake books in the key of C because they easily can be played in DAA.

Ken

"The dulcmer sings a sweet song."

Good ideas. He already knows I'll Follow You...he sings it too. I play Chords, flatpicking and fingerpicking. Thanks for the great suggestions. What is a "fake book"? Thanks

The whippersnappers in the local ukulele club taught me a couple of Death Cab songs that I think would sound wonderful on MD and guitar:  I'll Follow You Into the Dark and Stay Young, Go Dancing. 

In return, I teach them Bob Dylan songs.  You Ain't Going Nowhere.  Wagon Wheel (not entirely Dylan, but hey).  Mr. Tambourine Man. 

What about those '70s folk groups like Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention?  All those versions of Matty Groves and John Barleycorn aren't "modern songs" but they do seem to split the difference between indie rock and 17th century ;-)   Also Paul Simon in his Scarborough Fair and April Come She Will period. 

Are you playing chords, playing melody, or both?  The chords for all these songs are easy to find on the internet.  Sheet music for the melody can be purchased in a fake book (be sure it includes the melody lines and not just chords). Dulcimer tab will be hard to find.  If you need tab, then Matty Groves and john Barleycorn are looking better than ever!

My son plays folk guitar, I play MD. He is 19, and he has agreed to learn songs we can play together. I like 17th century, and early American tunes, he likes Indie Rock (Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Benjamin Gibbard, and the like. I am willing to learn modern pieces so that he will actually play his guitar with me, and we can spend some time together playing. I am looking for suggestions for some modern pieces we can learn. Doesn’t have to be Indie Rock, maybe some 70’s tunes. He likes American Pie, and some other songs from the 70’s. Any suggestions?

updated by @sheryl-st-clare: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM