One thing about taking up a new instrument, in my case, the banjo, and learning about bluegrass jams is that you are introduced to another world of music. Part of the new world of music for me includes the beautiful fiddle tune “Ashokan Farewell” It is played just about every week at our Tuesday night jam at the Australian Bakery.

I would have sworn it was 200 years old and migrated from Ireland or Scotland. However, it was written in the 1980′s by Jay Ungar. Read his story of the tune (and the place) here.

It is worthy of your time to read about the history of a tune from the composer’s point of view. When Ken Burns heard the music from a Fiddle Fever recording, he chose it for his epic Civil War series, the only “new” tune used in that project. It since became the signature song of the series and has become a standard around the world.

If you have not heard the tune, here you go…