Solo cover: Dry River by Dave Alvin

Music Makers Singers and Songwriters
#1

Here’s a rendition of “Dry River” by Dave Alvin, which I have covered twice before (once in studio, bashed by this group; the other live-solo a couple months into the pandemic), but in natural tuning and based around a 6-string guitar. Here, Betty Jumbo the Guild 12 is tuned to double drop D, DADGBD, and I’ve adopted an entirely new approach in terms of tempo and sort of overall rhythm. Ever since seeing James McMurtry perform it in this tuning on a couple of his livestreams, I have been working on this version. It’s kinda my own thang, not like either the Dave Alvin original or any of the other covers, working on a flatpick-driven attack on this guitar.

Thanks for listening!

3 Likes
#2

:clap: :clap: :clap: Awesome Dave - A big sound, and a fine performance - thoroughly enjoyable! :beerbanger: :beerbanger: :beerbanger:

#3

Hey Dave,
I like what you did with the song. Your guitar sounds fantastic! I am one of you regular you tube channel subscribers so I’d already seen it :grin:
That double D thing sound good, I think I’ll try it. May inspire a new song. New chord sequences or tunings often do! Last day before the holidays today. I’ll have all the time I want cruising through Europe in our Camper van in the next couple of weeks. Yeah!

#4

Big sound from the Guild with a pick, I like it!

#5

sweeeeeeeet…again

1 Like
#6

The guitar sounds really nice. Enjoyable song.

Are those gold tuning pegs?

#7

I’m sure they’re brass or whatever the normal gold-colored plating is… surely not actual gold!

Thanks for the kind words folks!

1 Like
#8

Yeah, that guitar and that tuning sounds ‘big’… and still bright. That’s a great arrangement as well. Nicely done.

#9

Nice job, Dave. It’s a blast when you get your hands around an alternate tuning, and you sound nice and comfortable.
Great job syncing everything up with the voice and the picking, I haven’t heard the original but you’re doing fine on your own. Very nice.

1 Like