I should be able to figure this out but can't. What instument is playing the melody in Living In the Country? It sounds like a muted high capoed guitar or maybe a hammer dulcimer simulating a steel drum melody.

It's one of those really mellow instrumentals that no one plays anymore.

Also, has anyone ever published a track by track listing of who plays what on the early Arlo records? I see the musicians and what they played, such as Ry Cooder (!!!), Clarence White (!!!!) and so forth, but not what they were doing per track so it's tough to figure out what is Arlo except the voice... and maybe he likes it that way.

And Sonny Terry and brownie Mcghee...

I used a 12 string guitar with a piece of paper woven thru the strings near the bridge ... I'm fine telling ya, but now we gotta kill ya

... jumping up and down and yelling "kill... kill... kill"

Zig-zags or easy widers?

Ahso. That was the trick my Dad used with the piano at home to make it sound honky-tonk.

In college we had a visiting composer name Drugosluska(?) who would 'treat' pianos with paper, thumbnail tacks, and other acoutrement. After the gig, our piano tech cursed her name for two or three years.

Your secret is safe with me. I dunno about the other yahoos. Beautiful instrumental though. Thanks Folkslinger!

len: I had the splendid, opportunity to hear Arlo & Xavier (the OLD Xavier 1992) play this live. front row cnt... what a treat.... it's an ausome song.

You'd be stabbing in the dark here, and you probly allready have this info, but in case you don't..

I apologize in advance for the crudeness of my foot notes

Piano: AG
Guitars:Arlo, John Pilla, Clarence White, James Burton
Drums: James Gordon, Gene Parsons
Bass: Ry Cooder, Jerry Scheff, Chris Etheridge
Mandolin: Ry Cooder ( one of my many fav musicians)
Harmonica/Gene Parsons/
Percussion: Milt Holland

As previously mentioned, this info, is obtuse, and probly nuthin you don't allready have at your subposel...

* I'm actually just practicing my typing, but it's the thought that counts. Right?

Kind Regards/RB

Another thought? Ask Pete Seeger. I had forgotten, that Pete Penned the thing. This takes allot of speculation, but I'll bet Pete could tell you.

Glad you're doing fine Arlo! We love ya!

Thanks rbrown. Typing is fine. Type casting is dicey.

I'm not sure how I would ask Pete and the 'slinger gave the answer to how he got that sound. That explains the buzzing in the track. I guess it is capoed as well. I'll have to experiment and find out if he is telling all he knows. Twust but werify. Appreciated!

Yanno, they made the Johnny and June thing with T-Bone producing. A love story sells. Wouldn't it be great if they made the Pete Seeger biopic. He knew and played with all the greats and marched for the cause when it was a dangerous job and not well paid. As my blues friends say, "He cleared the way." Those guys really started it and paid the dues to get it done. That would be a heckuva movie.

I'm not sure if the banjo could be cast but type casting is always a problem. Not sure who the love interest is or if Seth Green is interested in the main role. One can always ask.

my friend len. no i thought that a joke, about the playin card place in the guitar neck? J. Cash, used to tell a story, that drums wern't readily accepted in county music, but he did that card trick, to get that sound.

and if this is repetive, I'll do some more reading...

yours truly /Rb

If t'is a joke, it's clever, Rb. J.R had all kinds of tricks. A friend of mine was his technical manager on the road.

My assumption for years was that it is a muted double-course instrument pitched high (so possibly capoed) but how that was done escaped me because the tone is metallic yet I can hear fret noise. Weaving paper near the bridge could make that work. In my teens before we had copying or money, a friend loaned me his copy of the album. I learned the tunes that I could learn, eg, Stealin', Lightnin Bar, and of course, Coming Into Los Angeles and played those in my sets for most of my early soloist days. But Living In The Country and Oh In The Morning stayed in the back of my ear as pieces to come back to when I had the proper exploitation, as Brother Jake would say.

Anyway I don't have a 12-string acoustic these days and the effect on the Rick wouldn't be the same. My mandolin maniac brother is visiting today. I ordered an extra copy of Hobo's Lullabye for him so we'll discuss it over a beastly bowl of brotherly balderdash. If the 'slinger is a Trickster, we'll catch him at it.

it'll work on a six string too... just place piece of 1" wide paper under the 6th string over the 5th, under the 4th etc... for a 12 do the same thing - adjust to tone Don't make it too tight you want it to buzz

Arlo would you recommend Zig-Zag's or Easy Widers.... ???

Just a lil razz, you certainly set me up.

Kind Regards/RB

Thanks 'slinger. I'm fighting with Adobe Audition and Motu UltraLite right now.

It is a pain to build a new system.

It will be a delight to try your trick.

Brother just left with his copy of Hobo. We jammed on your tunes at YouTube. "In Times Like These" shines, Arlo. Thanks to joe cookbook for sending it.