Mike Compton has transcribed over 400 of Bill Monroe’s tunes and solos, and he teaches a lot of those in his popular Monroe-Style Mandolin course on Peghead Nation. While Mike was in the studio recording lessons in 2019, Peghead Nation co-founder and guitar instructor Scott Nygaard joined him to play Monroe’s “Tall Timber.”

According to The Music of Bill Monroe (Neil Rosenberg and Charles Wolfe), Monroe recorded the tune in September 1955, with Bobby Hicks and Gordon Terry playing twin fiddles on the track (this reference claims that Vassar Clements, who was also on the session, sat out on this tune). It wasn’t released until Ralph Rinzler discovered the recording in 1963 and issued it as part of the Bluegrass Instrumentals album (1965).

For more traditional bluegrass information and instruction, join Mike’s Monroe-Style Mandolin course.

Learn guitar with Scott in his Advanced Flatpicking Guitar,  Intermediate Flatpicking Guitar, Roots and Blues Rhythm Guitar, and Weekly Guitar Workout courses.

Mike Compton and Scott Nygaard: “Bluegrass Special” Peghead Nation mandolin and guitar instructors play classic Bill Monroe boogie-woogie tune. Read More

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Mike Compton: “Rawhide” Peghead Nation mandolin instructor plays a blistering fast Bill Monroe tune. Read More

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Noctambule: “Murmuration” Peghead Nation’s Irish Mandolin instructor and her duo partner play an original tune from their recently released album. Read More

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry: “Singing As We Rise” The old-time duo plays the Joe Newberry original that won IBMA’s Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for 2012, live in the Peghead Nation studio. Read More

John Reischman and Scott Nygaard: “Sarafina” Mandolin master plays a new original tune that he recorded for his new album "New Time and Old Acoustic." Read More

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry: “Last Chance” Peghead Nation’s Monroe-Style Mandolin instructor and his duo partner play a classic banjo tune from Virginia old-time musician Hobart Smith. Read More