Chords for Levon Helm: A Lesson from Paul Butterfield

[A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ In May of 1988, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Woodstock to meet Levon Elm and
his band and to interview them in relation [Bm] to promoting their 10th [E] album, Jubilation.
It was incredible.
_ [Em] This clip is an [A] outtake from those sessions where [N] Levon takes a moment to teach me something
that Paul Butterfield taught him, a harp technique.
It was great.
This right here with your tongue so you can get that one hole, right?
You want [G] that one?
Of course. _
_ [Eb] Oh, over here?
Just one at a time, right?
Okay.
Two is your tonic if [Gm] you come back with it.
Now don't bend it, just back with it. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ That's what Butterfield showed me, remember?
Just that.
Yeah, don't bend it.
Don't ever bend it until you need to and then _ _ _ _ _ _ _ just_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [N] You _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ get one at a time?
One at a time. _ _
Just one note at a time.
Yeah, [Bb] it's hard.
_ [B] _ [Bbm] _ [N] _
Flipping it.
As I get your tongue, I got to train your tongue, right?
[G] That's what I can show you. _
_ _ [Bb] _ _ [Ab] [Bb] So, as you get that one, then you add another one to [G] it like your two hole.
Here's your two hole and your three hole together.
That's your tonic.
_ _ Now, if you go up to your three hole and add the four hole to it, _ _ _ _ _
[B] you know, like that much of the three and that much of the four, right?
Wow.
Like stick your tongue into the hole if you [Gb] have to.
You know, when you bend _ _ _ [G] _
_ [E] _ [C] _ [Bbm] it_ What?
I'm going to [Bb] Mississippi now. _
_ _ [Bm] _ _ [N] _ _ _ _
_ _ [Bbm] _ [C] _ _ [Bm] _ _ [Gm]
That's the best thing.
That's what Paul said.
That's what Butter said, yeah.
Just do that. _ _
_ _ _ _ [N] Just that one note.
He said, Dad, after you get where you can do that, that'll bring the other one.
Right.
That's all you tell me.
I like that.
I like that.
I like that.
That's all he'd say.
I got something working for the next 10 years.
That's all he'd say, I tell you.
Boy, he could blow the whole thing.
Listen, there's a record by Muddy Waters, Muddy Waters and Woodstock.
You got to get it, man.
Go near Butterfield, bro.
It's out on CD now on MCHS. _
And it was an album Muddy did up here in about 77 or 76 or something like that.
Muddy Waters and Woodstock album.
Hey, no problem.
No problem.
_ _ With a great guy.
Yes.
With a great guy. _ _
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