Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 1: Melody

This lesson is part of the course Old-Time Fiddle with Bruce Molsky.

Get immediate access to this lesson and all of the lessons in this course when you subscribe.

Start Course
Browse Courses

About This Course

Get deep into the roots of Southern Appalachian old-time fiddling. Bruce breaks down the melody, bowing patterns, rhythms, and embellishments of each tune he teaches so you can really learn to play like Bruce and the old masters he learned from.

Try a Sample Lesson

GREASY COAT

West Virginia fiddler Edden Hammons was recorded in 1947 by a collector named Louis Chappell. Hammons’s playing has a Scottish influence, with strongly detailed phrases and an old-fashioned style of intonation. You’ll learn his version of “Greasy Coat” in this lesson. “Greasy Coat” is in A E A E tuning, and Bruce starts by playing the tune through a couple of times, before breaking the melody down for you phrase by phrase. He also shows you how Hammons often played thirds and sevenths slightly flat, and trilled the third. You’ll learn the melody of both the A and B parts in this video.

Try a sample lesson

The Old-Time Fiddle Subscription Includes:

In-depth lessons in a variety of Southern old-time fiddle styles
More than 100 complete tunes and songs
Lessons on singing with the fiddle
Notation, with bowing, for all lessons
New lessons added every month
Play-along tracks, with downloadable MP3s, so you can practice what you’re learning with Bruce
High-quality video with multiple camera angles so you can see closeups of both hands in action

$20/Month For One Course

Additional courses only $10/month each! • Save 20% with an annual subscription

Start Course

Get started now!
Use promo code BruceLand at checkout

and get your first month free or $20 off an annual subscription.

STREAK O’ LEAN, STREAK O’ FAT

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 1: Melody

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 2: Bowing and Double Stops

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 3: Play-Along Track

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 1: Melody

“Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat” was recorded in the late 1920s by Seven-Foot Dilly and His Dill Pickles, led by guitarist John Dilleshaw. The fiddler in the band when the recording of “Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat” was made was most likely Harry Kiker, who was the earliest fiddler in his band. “Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat” is similar to a tune by Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers called “Hell Broke Loose in Georgia,” but “Streak o’ Lean” has some extra parts, four in all. Bruce walks you through the basic melody of all four parts in this video.

"Streak o' Lean, Streak o' Fat" (Available to subscribers)

Previous Lesson

← Kennedy Rag, Part 3: Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 2: Bowing and Double Stops →

Previous Lesson

← Kennedy Rag, Part 3: Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 2: Bowing and Double Stops →

Previous Lesson

← Kennedy Rag, Part 3: Play-Along Track

Next Lesson

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 2: Bowing and Double Stops →

Fiddle Articles

New Lessons, October 2023

Peghead Nation instructors release great new lessons and tunes.

Bruce Molsky: “Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom”

Peghead Nation fiddle teacher plays a popular old-time tune, which is different from the tune of a similar name that is often played in bluegrass circles.

Streak o’ Lean, Streak o’ Fat, Part 1: Melody

About This Course

Fiddle Articles

Fiddle Videos