Tab bookLone Soldier Tab Book
Reviewed by David J. McCarty
Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, Jan/Feb, 1997

Only a handful of flatpicking guitar albums ever truly reach a wide audience or draw the interest of many fans outside the cloistered realm of guitarists themselves. But David Grier's IBMA-winning "Lone Soldier" on Rounder Records certainly broke out of the pack and drew enormous attention to his brilliant guitar playing and impressive compositional skills.
Even before its release, guitarists were bringing Grier-penned tunes like "Wheelin'", "Bluegrass Itch", "Old Hotel Rag" and others into hot picking sessions at festivals around the country. Capturing the exact melodies and intricate changes of his newer, often more challenging work, required even greater perseverance. I'm sure I'm not the only guitarist out there who's puzzled over Grier's arrangements of "Porkchops & Applesauce" or "Eye of the Hurricane" by taping the songs and slowing them to half speed.
That learning process ought to accelerate with the release of this book including all the songs off "Lone Soldier". Superbly transcribed by Matt Flinner, a former Winfield champion on mandolin and member of Tony Furtado's blazing bluegrass ensemble, Sugarbeat, this book is a must-have for anyone seeking to unlock the mysteries of David Grier's musical genius.
Unlike other "personality" books that often only tab out one solo per song, Flinner has painstakingly notated the melody and every solo Grier plays on all 11 tunes from the CD. Presented in both tablature and standard notation, the music is printed in a very clear, easily readable format. The music also indicates some of Grier's trademark licks and tricks (many of which are documented in his new Homespun Video reviewed elsewhere in this issue), such as the G chord "rakes" he uses in the third solo on "Smith Chapel."
Other symbols indicate David's "pre-bends" where he bends the string first, then picks and releases it, as well as heavy vibrato and his "wiggle" technique where he slides rapidly up and down one fret. The notation for "Pockchops & Applesauce" looks like no tab you've ever read.
Having access to material like this is just a treasure for guitarists today. My only suggestion would be that David and Matt team up again quickly to provide another book like this for "Freewheelin'" and some of his other work. Well done, boys!