Hicks Wagon Wheel Special is evidently a favorite with which to start a set and get warmed up. I figure we can start the New Year and get warmed up.

Great background on this song by Aldus Roger can be found here:
http://earlycajunmusic.blogspot.com/2014/11/hix-wagon-wheel-special-aldus-roger.html

Take time to go through the site. It is a great resource.

There seem to be many versions of the song, but Brett Thibodeaux put up a great lesson that breaks it down very nicely and gets you going with the song.


Jim Pettijohn has a version up from 2011 that I particularly like.


Naturally Wayne Toups and Courtboullion tear it up.


If you don't know the song, start with Bretts breakdown of it and go from there. It isn't complex though it may sound so. If you know the song - lets hear it!!

Happy New Year to all

John in Oregon

Man.. how did I miss this version with Aldus Roger??



John in Oregon

Surely there has to be someone on the list who knows this song and can post. Come on!!!

John in Oregon

I'm working on it John but not finding it easy, I'm not sure if that lesson threw me a red herring, Aldous roger is way to fast and edgy to follow. There is a Nathan Abshire version that seems to make sense to me and I like how Wayne Toups does it, so trying my best to pick bits out of those two. When you said its easier than it looks I think its other way round! Happy New year to ya.

Hi john,

I just figured out the notes, It's a bit fresh and it still work on it , but here is my attempt (link#1).

Greg

Excellent take Greg, drum machines a good idea- I've been using one too. Seems like a simple tune but its a job to give it that "lift", you've done good on that and well done for breaking the ice in what seems like the dark ages!

hi AJ,

Thank you! Now I am waiting for your take ;) I hope you'll post it soon!
Yeah, I like using drum loops when I learn or play a tune, it help me to fix rhythm lags and it make me ready to play with other guys!
I am agree with you when you say this tune is not an easy one to learn. This kind of tunes "poor" in melody are expected to be easy but they are all about rhythm and variations, and this is a job to make it sound great, that's why I said I still have work on it...
Like you, I had difficulties to found good samples for this tunes on the web and I haven't any recording for this one at home. So, I also picked fragments from everywhere I was able to in order to learn this tune!
That make a little challenge and make this tune a good choice for the SOTM ;)

we can also mentioned Jamey Hall who ever posted a take a long time ago (link#2)

Greg

links are bad.

My wagon wheel came loose, rolled into a ditch and caught fire.
Experimental beat!

Very good job AJ This drum backing track is really powerfull ! Do you make it?
I always like the way you play a tune, you have your own recognizable style!
We have 4 takes from 4 braves (AJ, Jim, Jamey, Greg) and 4 completely different versions.This liberty in the way of playing a tune is what make the cajun music interesting to me!

@Nedro : Yeah, you're right, links doesn't work anymore and I don't know why. So I try to post the link by an other way

My attempt for Hicks wagon wheel special:

Jamey Hall's attempt (2011):

Does it work now?

Greg

Four different versions of what? I closed my eyes just in case Hicks Wagon Wheel rolled into town.

GREAT versions, guys! AJ, I'm jealous of your drum beat, your groove, AND your star-spangled drawers - what a jumpsuit that would make! Greg, great version, as usual; tell me again, please where you are from?

I'll try to get around to posting a version, though it'll probably be a whole lot like the 2011 one. I'm trying hard to get ready for mid-winter planting . . .

Keep on keepin' on!

Thanks Jamey, I was beginning to think we'd all stuffed it up after reading the critique from grumpy 'ol gruesome!
The drum machine is a toy I picked up at a jumble sale, bought a proper one following that but found the beats weren't half as interesting.
The drawers were a christmas present, very warm and yes would make an excellent jumpsuit, I'll send a sample for you're tailor.

Mid-winter planting, are you in forestry then?

Great versions guys!! I've been way up to my ears in work and so haven't been able to do hardly any playing in a couple of weeks.

I like the various versions. If not for variety, it would be just the same boring songs played the same way over and over.

Thanks for breaking us out of the dark silent ages. Now I need to get hot on this.

John in Oregon

A bit rough, but the best I can do so far.

Different name, but pretty much the same tune, by Cajunfid. Link #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8su3gfqdbF8

Running out of time and running low on vodka, I'm posting up, ready or not. Any glitches you might detect are not of my doing, but the actions of demons within.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrexSIpMt28 or link #2.

Well.. a bunch of last minute submissions. I was starting to think that nobody was interested in the SOTM.

I didn't have time or energy this month to spend on this song, unfortunately - although I finally got to work on it a little today.

Guess I'll have to double up this next week.

John in Oregon

Ned, I can actually see where you are going with that. Good effort.