Here’s a slightly less common Bill Monroe gospel number from 1962, with lyrics exploring the metaphor of Jesus as an architect and builder. Monroe’s solo in the key of E is very bluesy, and is possibly influenced by the harmonica playing of early Grand Ole Opry star DeFord Bailey. Monroe released the song on Decca 2792 (@ 8:16), an Extended Play (EP) 45, and later as the flip side of the single “Going Home.” You can also find it on several anthologies. Mike takes you through Monroe’s solo phrase-by-phrase and explains that while the notes are easy enough, your focus for this piece should be on emulating the clear, ringing tones of the original. Look for embellishments including hammer-ons, slides, double-stops, and tremolo.
