Tin Pan Alley songwriter Kerry Mills published the song “Red Wing” in 1907, and it quickly became a hit with musicians of all stripes. There have been many recordings by bluegrass bands, including the Osborne Brothers, Raymond Fairchild, and Eddie and Martha Adcock. It can be heard in a few different keys, but fiddlers usually play it in the key of G, which is where Bill teaches the song. As in previous lessons, you’ll learn the bare-bones melody and then Bill will show you how to add a variety of rolls and some left-hand ornaments to give it a real bluegrass feel. If you are not already familiar with the chord changes for “Red Wing,” Bill suggests listening to Scott Nygaard play through the progression on the guitar in the Peghead Nation play-along track for “Red Wing” before digging into this lesson. In this video, Bill helps you pick out the melody line.
