RESOURCES
• Download my free Clawhammer PDF at http://www.musicalmama.com/how-to-play-clawhammer-ukulele
• Watch my clawhammer tutorial with a 1-chord song at https://youtu.be/1QQmkFONmkg
• Learn how to use the Nashville Number System at https://youtu.be/X6kDClOv8BA
• Get The Best Ukulele Chord Chart for Beginners at http://www.musicalmama.com/chordchart
• Find more of my play-alongs and video tutorials at http://www.musicalmama.com/videos
• Sign up for my newsletter at http://www.musicalmama.com/subscribe
• Learn to play the ukulele with my book, Let's Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners, available in paperback and as a digital download, at http://www.musicalmama.com/letsplay
SONGS THAT PAIR WELL WITH CLAWHAMMER STRUMMING:
I'll Fly Away — https://youtu.be/VcQNs16J5K4
There Ain't No Bugs on Me — https://youtu.be/t7WHubilU3Q
When the Saints Go Marching In — https://youtu.be/vnxg19i8Fa0
Peace Like a River — https://youtu.be/A2emZVhjI2A
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When I share these American folk songs, I'm frequently conflicted as to how much history to share. I want to properly give credit when I can, but I'm not a music historian and worry about spreading incorrect information. So here's a little of what I do know:
Clawhammer strumming is typically associated with the banjo, and both the instrument and this form of strumming originated in Africa. Enslaved African Americans were the first to play the instrument and strum this way in the American South and, in so doing, they created most of the catchiest American folk songs. "Cindy" is one of those songs, and when I sing it I'm overwhelmed by its simple genius and its modern feel. By sharing these songs, I hope to extend their life and honor their authors, whose names and stories we'll never truly know.