Illinois banjo picker Doug Knecht has released a banjo tab book for music he has recorded over the years, including both his original banjo music and songs he had cut as a member of Chris Jones’ band.
Doug worked with Chris for six years in the mid-to-late 1990s, and appeared on his 1997 album, No One But You, as Douglas Knecht. As a young man, he also worked with regional groups like Bluegrass Cracker Jaks, and Missouri bluegrass hero Don Brown and the Ozark Mountain Trio. These days he plays and records with Ashley Lewis & Legacy, as his current health allows.
The book, Doug’s Banjo Tab Book, Volume 1, includes tab transcriptions of 12 songs and tunes, plus a dozen banjo licks each in the keys of G, C, and D. It is offered as a digital product, and the download contains the tab book as a pdf, plus MIDI files for all the licks and solos, plus MP3 audio of full band recordings for Knecht’s original tunes.
Doug shared a few details about this project.
“The book has three songs I recorded with Chris Jones, and the others are ones I recorded more recently, ones I’ve written over the years.
I had a great experience traveling with Chris and The Night Drivers. It was something I never would have thought that I would have done.
I’ve seen a lot of people making digital tab books, and decided that I just wanted to try it… wanted to have the playing archived. To be honest, I’m not working – I’m disabled – so I wanted to find something to keep myself busy. It’s hard, because I love the idea of music and playing, but I just can’t do it like I used to.”
Here’s a listen to one of Doug’s original tunes from the book, Mainline Runner.
Doug’s Banjo Tab Book is offered online for only $15, a bargain for any banjo pickers out there looking for a new challenge. All of the tabs are professionally typeset, and very clear and easy to read, with chords and fingerings for tricky passages. All the MIDI and MP3 files are included with the $15 purchase.
You can see more information about the book, and make an online purchase, at Doug’s web site.