Blue River Waltz

Blue River Waltz
This is a result of idle playing. I had tuned the banjo to an alternate D tuning, and, Too lazy to tune the fifth string back down a note, I left the banjo in that key for about three weeks. I came up with the first half of the melody but couldn’t realize another section. I was sitting in my living room with Tony Trischka, who has so generously contributed to this album not only as a player, but as a welcome spirit, and I was playing the tune, complaining that I couldn’t find a second part. Tony was like a parent urging a child onward. He nodded his head, indicating for me to go down the neck, indicating yes and no while I fingered around, the visual equivalent of “hot, cold, and warmer” until I finally found a second half.