Music You've Likely Never Heard From Dave Hum

I regularly search the internet, intrigued to find anything about Dave Hum (1966-2012). That is how I found his backing tracks in 2024. I recently found an obscure YouTube channel called 'The Huckleberries,' which features four different albums and a total of 57 songs, all featuring Dave Hum on his majestic 5-string banjo. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Live In The Garden (1995)

The following 18 recordings are all LIVE PERFORMANCES...

1. Apples And Sloes
2. Blackberry Blossom
3. Castle Carey
4. Cathal Polka
5. Cherish The Lady (Monaghan's Jig)
6. Cumberland (Fire On The Mountain)
7. Duellin Banjos
8. Grandfather's Clock
9. Greengates
10. Haystack Rock
11. June Apple
12. Nuns For Nixon
13. Reggae Jig
14. Salt River
15. Silver Spear
16. Third Man
17. Turkey Knob
18. Whisnant's Rag

Reelgrass (1996)

1. Devil's Dream/Blackberry Blossom
2. Castle Carey
3. Gold Ring
4. Three Captain's/Fisher's Hornpipe
5. A Nonny Moose
6. The Wind That Shakes The Barley
7. Whiskey Before Breakfast
8. Farewell To Erin
9. Arkansas Traveller
10. Speed The Plough/Mason's Apron
11. Raggle-Taggle Gypsy/Drowsy Maggie
12. Greengates/Silver Spear
13. Huckleberry Express

Jigweed (1998)

1. Huckleberry Island
2. Timour The Tartar/Boys Of Malin
3. Lark In The Morning/Last Night's Fun
4. Apples And Sloes
5. Feargal O'Hara
6. Sphynx
7. The Maid Behind The Bar
8. Sailor's Return
9. Turkey Knob
10. Chicken Chaser
11. Farewell Erin/The Gravel Walk
12. The Pulse
13. Lost At Sea
14. Grandad In The Lift

Incahoots (2008)

1. Folly Jewels
2. Incahoots
3. Inman's Delight/Whittler's beard
4. Scotia Nova
5. Lark On The Strand
6. Audrey's Perfect Fleece
7. Little Ash
8. One After Ark
9. Hamlin's Gate
10. Tipsy Goblin
11. The Alchemist
12. Splaidamoose

I cherish all these albums! Humbly said, I am probably the biggest Dave Hum fan on the planet. I love the guy and feel like I've know him my whole life, although sadly I never had the privilege of knowing him. I didn't find his music until 2017. Instead of wallowing in depression while dying with Myeloma cancer, Dave made hundreds of precious banjo recordings to leave as his legacy. I thank God for Dave's good heart and amazing banjo skills, whose music is a constant source of inspiration for me. God is so good.

I used 'VIDEO 4K DOWNLOADER' to freely download all of Dave Hum's songs and albums from YouTube. For just a one-time $10 fee, you get a lifetime license, which is not bad at all! This enables you to download unlimited YouTube video as either audio (MP3, M4A, OGG) or video (MKV, MP4) formats. You never know when something will vanish from YouTube, so download your favorite videos while you still can!

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Irish Washerwoman”

I made this simple backing track for the popular tune, “Irish Washerwoman,” a traditional jig known to have been played throughout Britain, Ireland and North America. Dave Hum didn't record this song, but it is a fun song to play on the 5-string banjo. I found this performance on YouTube which gives you an idea of what to play. I've made backing tracks at various speeds in both keys of G and A for your preference. Enjoy!

• Irish Washerwoman (key of A, faster)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of A, normal)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of A, slower)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of A, slow)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of A, woodshed)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of G, faster)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of G, normal)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of G, slower)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of G, slow)
• Irish Washerwoman (key of G, woodshed)

I used MIDI for the bass, drums and piano, real audio for the tambourine and cymbal.

Dave Hum

(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

A New Backing Track For “Cluck Old Hen”

Dave Hum did a quick take of “Cluck Old Hen,” a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune; played on the 5-string banjo in standard tuning (gDGBD); capo 2nd fret, 5th string capo at 7th fret for the key of A. Original backing tracks are available from Dave Hum's family. I used Dave's YouTube performance as a template to make backing tracks in the keys of G and A for your preference. Enjoy!

• Cluck Old Hen Tablature (from Banjo Hangout)
• Cluck Old Hen (a video lesson by Mike Hedding)
• Cluck Old Hen (a video lesson by Bennett Sullivan)
• Cluck Old Hen (Jim Pankey teaches Clawhammer style in Double C tuning)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of A, faster)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of A, normal)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of A, slower)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of A, slow)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of A, woodshed)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of G, faster)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of G, normal)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of G, slower)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of G, slow)
• Cluck Old Hen (key of G, woodshed)

I used MIDI for the bass, drums and piano. I used real audio loops for the tambourine, train rhythm and Cajon.

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

New Improved Backing Track For “Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife”

This is one of my favorite songs—a traditional Irish slide played on the 5-string banjo (gDGBD); capo 2nd fret, 5th string capo 7th fret for key of A. Also known as: Kiss The Crater, Kiss The Quaker's Wife, Merrily Danced The Quaker's Wife, and Merrily Danced With The Quaker's Wife. I originally made this backing track in 2024 in which I played the bass, but I recently redid it using MIDI bass, and added some fine touches, which I humbly think sounds better. Here's backing tracks in the keys of G and A for your preference. Enjoy!

• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of A, normal)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of A, slower)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of A, slow)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of A, very slow)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of A, woodshed)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of G, normal)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of G, slower)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of G, slow)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of G, very slow)
• Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife (key of G, woodshed)

This is a cheerful song to learn and play. Dave Hum said he heard this tune played on the bagpipes and thought it would sound great on the banjo. Dave was right!

By the way, if you have a favorite song that you'd like for me to make a backing track for, just email me the original song and I'll see what I can do. I enjoy making backing tracks, for free, so I don't want nor would I accept any money.

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

Watch Dave Hum Play His Chinese-Made Banjo

I was studying Dave Hum's video for “Down The Road,” one of my favorite songs to play on the 5-string banjo. Then I noticed that he is playing his cheaper Chinese-made MB-250 Epiphone banjo. You can easily tell because his 1992 ESS Gibson and 1970's Baldwin ODE banjos both have inlay at the first fret position, but the Epiphone doesn't. Also, later in the video when the headstock is closer to the camera, you can read “Epiphone” on the headstock.

Dave Hum Playing His Chinese-made Epiphone Banjo

I've seen MB-250 Epiphone banjos sell between $450 to $900. A used Gibson ESS will cost you between $4,500 and $5,500. And if it was made during the 'Greg Rich Era' (1987-1994), it'll cost you upwards of $7,000. I don't know about you, but seeing Dave Hum play masterfully on a cheaper Chinese-made Epiphone encourages me. Like most players when I started learning the 5-string banjo, I had the wrong impression that you must spend several thousand dollars if you want to produce a great sound, but this is simply not the case at all, which Dave Hum proves in this video and others.

If you watch Dave play “Arkansas Traveller,” he is playing his Baldwin ODE banjo, which was made in Arkansas in the 1970s. I think it is pretty cool that he chose to use the Baldwin ODE to play 'Arkansas Traveller.'

By the way, I would AVOID purchasing the new Chinese-made Epiphone 'Earl Scruggs Deluxe' signature banjo model for $1,299. Watch the video review!

It has been my humble opinion for many years that most expensive banjos today are highly overpriced. Ultimately, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Dave said that he would regularly tinker with his banjos in pursuit of the ideal tone. I share his quest.

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

New 'Band-in-a-Box' Track For 'Mason's Apron'

I love playing this song the way Dave Hum does (albeit slower). Dave Hum's style backing track is my favorite, when the bass kicks in after several bars. I also I did the same thing with these new 'Band-in-a-Box' (BIAB) tracks that I made yesterday. I made a backing track in July of 2024 the same way, but I later improved the track in October of 2024, putting more punch into it. From listening to Dave's music, I can feel the punch in his tracks. To replicate this I increase the bass and drums about 25%. I have included the BIAB style used, if you use BIAB.

• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (75 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (90 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (105 bpm, key of A)

This backing track has a quality sounding dulcimer playing throughout, which I really like. ...

• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (85 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (100 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (115 bpm, key of A)

BIAB is so in-depth to use, if you want to really get the best results from it. I'm still learning. God willing, on occasion when I make something new and I enjoy playing along with it on BIAB, I'll share it with you.

By the way, the best way to learn to play Dave Hum's songs (apart from having his tabs) is to slow down the song in YouTube's settings to 50% or 25% to study each note (both audibly and visually). All of his songs are really simple once you understand what he's doing.

Also, after years of studying Dave's music, I have learned that he closely follows the original way songs are written in the tabs; he just adds his own improvisations. Dave developed his TECHNIQUE (the way something is done), making much use to pull-offs and hammer-ons in his playing. For example: Look at 1:00 time in the tune 'Merrily Kiss The Quaker's Wife' and you'll see him do two pull-offs. The first pull-off is on fret 4; the second is on fret 5, on the first string. It sounds great! That is technique. Two players can have the same banjo tabs in front of them, yet sound totally different when they play the tabs. The reason is TECHNIQUE!

I only mention this because when I first started to play Dave's music in 2018, I had the wrong impression that I could never play like him, but that is not the case at all. If he can do it, so can you and I. Dave learned to play all those songs the hard way, just like we have to do, one note at a time. None of the great banjo artists had it any easier than we do. They just buckled down and paid the price through countless hours of making music.

I've also noticed that Dave commands the banjo with authority, which you can only do if you know exactly what notes you intend to play next. This only comes with familiarizing yourself with the tune, until you know the song well enough to play it without thinking much what comes next.

And don't be afraid to manhandle the banjo! You control the instrument, don't let it control you. I love watching Dave play, he really drives the banjo. I don't think I'll ever play just like Dave. That is not possible. Nor could he play like me, or want too...lol. My goal is to learn as much as I can from watching and listening to his banjo playing, and then incorporate those things into my own music.

It's always MUCH easier to follow someone who has already done something, but Dave pioneered his style of music. It never ceases to be amazed when I hear him play 'Maid Behind The Bar' in Double C tuning. Beautifully done! I've never heard anybody play the banjo the way Dave does. But he learned with the SAME tabs that you and I use, and then he added his own personality to it. So, we first need to learn the basic songs as they were originally written, and then you can expand your repertoire from there.

Thanks for visiting my music blog. So many tunes, so little time!

Dave Hum
(April 11, 1966 - November 14, 2012)

More 'Band-in-a-Box' Backing Tracks

Here's a handful of songs I made this week with Band-in-a-Box (BIAB). They have a different vibe to them, which I enjoy playing along with. I left in the melody line for 'Mason's Apron,' because it sounds nice and goes well with the banjo. BIAB doesn't generate great intros for Bluegrass, they're all for Jazz or Pop, so I need to work at making better intros. I'm surprised that BIAB doesn't offer Country and Bluegrass intros. BIAB's intros work, they just don't always fit the songs. I think 'My Grandfather's Clock' came out nice. Enjoy! ...

• My Grandfather's Clock (80 bpm, key of A)
• My Grandfather's Clock (95 bpm, key of A)
• My Grandfather's Clock (110 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron (65 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron (80 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron (95 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron (110 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (75 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (90 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - DOCBG F Style (105 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (85 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (100 bpm, key of A)
• Mason's Apron - TONFRO Style (115 bpm, key of A)
• Devil's Dream (85 bpm, key of G)
• Devil's Dream (95 bpm, key of G)

I can't get enough of the 5-string banjo, which sure brightens every day in this crazy world. God made music for us to enjoy it. I've been watching Jim Pankey's video banjo lessons. Jim sure is a great teacher and a blessing. Music makes the world a better place.

Here's Dave Hum's three banjos. In his YouTube videos, I can always identify Dave's Epiphone MB-250 made in China, because there's no fret marker at the first fret position. He plays it just as brilliantly as his Gibson, which just goes to prove that the sound is mostly in the musician's hands. The headstocks are quite different between the Gibson and the Baldwin ODE.

Dave Hum's Banjo Collection