Wayne Erbsen's newest book takes a deep look at bluegrass music to uncover its true roots: ballads of early pioneers, Scots-Irish fiddle tunes, black spirituals, plantations melodies, blues, murder ballads, sentimental parlor songs from Tin Pan Alley, North Carolina banjo styles and gospel songs. The book is richly illustrated with over 100 vintage photos and includes lyrics, musical notation, chords, history and playing tips to 94 songs. There are also nearly 80 pages of history and profiles portraying important musicians including the Monroe Brothers, Carter Family, Bradley Kincaid, Riley Puckett, Charlie Poole, Wade & J.E. Mainer, Vernon Dalhart, Carolina Tar Heels, G.B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, Ernest V. Stoneman, Blue Sky Boys, Fiddlin' John Carson, Coon Creek Girls, Earl Scruggs, Eck Robertson, Callahan Brothers, Samantha Bumgarner, Bill Monroe Zeke & Wiley Morris, Jimmie Rodgers and Stringbean.

A Beautiful Life      
All the Good Times Are Past and Gone      
Amazing Grace      
Angel Band      
Are You Tired of Me, Darling?      
Banjo Pickin' Girl      
Banks of the Ohio      
Blue Ridge Mountain Blues      
Bury Me Beneath the Willow      
Careless Love      
Columbus Stockade Blues      
Cotton-Eyed Joe      
Cripple Creek      
Cumberland Gap      
Darling Cory      
Dig a Hole in the Meadow      
Don't Go Out Tonight, My Darling      
Don't Let Your Deal Go Down      
Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky      
Down in the Willow Garden      
Dream of the Miner's Child      
Drifting Too Far From the Shore      
East Virginia      
Footmarks in the Snow      
Girl I Loved in Sunny Tennessee      
Give Me the Roses      
Going to Georgia      
Handsome Molly      
He Will Set Your Fields on Fire      
I Wonder How the Old Folks are at Home      
I'll Be All Smiles Tonight      
I'll Remember You in My Prayers      
In the Pines      
Jealous Lover      
Jesse James      
Jimmie Brown the Paper Boy      
John Hardy      
Johnson Boys      
Just Over in the Gloryland      
Karl & Harty      
Katie Cline      
Katie Dear      
Knoxville Girl      
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms      
Leather Britches      
Life's Railway to Heaven      
Little Bessie      
Little Log Cabin in the Lane      
Little Maggie      
Little Rosewood Casket      
Little Whitewashed Chimney      
Lonesome Road Blues      
Long Journey Home      
Lord, I'm Coming Home      
Man of Constant Sorrow      
Maple on the Hill      
Mary of the Wild Moor      
Midnight on the Stormy Deep      
My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains      
My Old Cottage Home      
New River Train      
Nine Pound Hammer      
Oh Those Tombs      
Old Joe Clark      
Poor Ellen Smith      
Precious Memories      
Pretty Polly      
Put My Little Shoes Away      
Rabbit in the Log      
Red Rocking Chair      
Red Wing      
Reuben's Train      
Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms      
Roll on Buddy      
Roving Gambler      
Sally Goodin'      
Seeing Nelly Home      
Shady Grove      
Shake Hands With Mother Again      
Short Life of Trouble      
Sweet Sunny South      
The Unclouded Day      
They're at Rest Together      
Turkey in the Straw      
Wabash Cannonball      
Wait till the Clouds Roll By      
Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John      
What Would You Give in Exchange?      
When the Bees are in the Hive      
When You and I Were Young, Maggie      
Where the Soul of Man Never Dies      
White House Blues      
Whoa Mule      
Wild Bill Jones      
Wildwood Flower