Learn Some Essential Flatpicking Licks via “Carroll County Blues”

Kenny Baker and Josh Graves’ duo albums from the early 1970s are hidden gems for acoustic guitarists and bluegrass fans alike. Baker is known for his 25-year tenure with Bill Monroe and is perhaps the most influential bluegrass fiddler of all time, while Graves was an innovative dobro player and an integral member of Flatt and Scruggs. Their aptly named 1972 release Something Different—a collection of bluesy tunes with fiddler Baker primarily on guitar—stunned many at the time. The support encouraged them to record Buck Time! a year later, and both collections were compiled in The Puritan Sessions. The casual tracks showcase Baker’s hidden flatpicking and fingerstyle skills, including guitar arrangements of several of his previously recorded fiddle compositions.

Regarded as a virtuosic and lyrical fiddler, Baker started out on guitar in his Kentucky hometown, taught by a blind musician who sold peanuts. He took up the fiddle to play square dances while in the Navy during World War II, became a professional fiddler upon returning home, and a decade later joined Bill Monroe’s band. Few knew this world-class musician could even play guitar, but his recordings with Graves illustrate his command of the instrument. Unfortunately, Baker’s guitar-playing career was cut short in 1978 after an accident with a hunting knife that left permanent nerve damage in his left hand.

Like many old-time fiddle tunes, “Carroll County Blues” has an ambiguous history that is a bit too detailed and unreliable to recount with much accuracy. That said, its bluesy melody and tricky timing make it a favorite among fiddlers. Baker and Graves modernized the timing so the sections are more streamlined and predictable than the traditional approach. Be aware of this as you learn it, and understand that if this tune is called in a jam, it may be played much differently than it’s presented here. For reference, one fine example of an old-time version is by fiddler Fred Price, backed up by Doc Watson on guitar, available on The Original Folkways Recordings of Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley 1960–1962.

Baker’s arrangement of “Carroll County Blues” is an excellent study for budding
flatpickers, as it introduces some essential language, licks, and techniques that are foundational to the approach. The lines run across almost all the strings of the guitar, fully utilizing the open position. Alternating picking drives the melody, with downstrokes on the beats giving an intrinsic rhythmic pulse (see the pick directions in the notation), and a constant string of eighth notes makes the few instances of syncopation pop (like the upbeat accents in measures 3 and 4). 

And of course, the classic G-run has prominent appearances throughout. It’s a really fun tune to play, and after learning it be sure to check out the rest of the Baker and Graves recordings for some further inspiration.