Shady Grove

From Vol. 1
Traditional Treasures

SUGGESTED KEY: Bm

CAPO: Fret 2

CHORD FAMILY: C

TIME SIGNATURE: 4/4

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate

A Little About This Song…

Shady Grove surfaced in the late 18th Century in the Appalachian Mountains. It may seem to have a Celtic influence but the song was not heard in Irish music circles until more recent times. The tune is widely played as an instrumental as well as with a wide variety of lyrics. Singer Jean Ritchie was among the first to introduce the song to the public during the 1960’s folk era. Over 100 people have recorded Shady Grove; some say there are as many as 300 different verses.

Two contemporary arrangements currently dominate the stack, one best illustrated by Doc Watson, the other by Bill Monroe and Patty Loveless; our arrangement shares lyrics similar to Watson’s.