Bluegrass Breakdown: A Tab for Banjo
Arranged by Chris Athey

Chris and daughter Jessica Mae (8) playing
Bile 'em Cabbage Down

I recently had a renewed interest in Bluegrass Breakdown after hearing it on an old LP that I picked up for fifty-cents (US) at a junk shop. It was a no-name banjo player in a no-name band, but they were really driving the tune. Hence, my interest was rekindled.

The version you see here is basically the way I have played the tune at jam sessions for years. This is the first of three breaks that I take on stage and to my ear keeps pretty close to the melody. My second break (future edition?) [You bet! Ed.] tends to wander a bit from the melody, but that is the joy with a tune such as "Bluegrass Breakdown" -- once the melody is established you are free to wander. Take any 8 beats of "G" licks and any 4 beats of "F" licks, etc. and mix 'em all up and play around with this song. Really, anything goes at a jam session, right?

The song's structure is tad different from what we're typically used to seeing. Usually, an instrumental tune will have an 'A' partwhich is played twice and then a 'B' part which is also played twice. However, here you will play the 'A' part twice and the 'B' part once. I've heard folks call the 'B' part to this tune a 'bridge', or 'half a break', or 'play it once' and a myriad of other things. Just play the 'B' part one time and you'll have it - regardless of the technical term (hmm, 'technical' and 'banjo' - those two words don't go together anyway, do they?!)

You should recognize the 'B' part as sounding very similar (if not identical) to Lonesome Road Blues. In fact, your up-the-neck break for LRB will work just fine if you care to play that instead!

Happy pickin' and Happy Holidays.

Chris Athey, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.

3rd Dec 2000