Dobro expert Andy Hall tells us what he thinks the best Dobro songs are out there. Some of these you may be familar with while others you may not have heard before. Either way, they're all great Dobro songs that come highly reccommended by a great Dobro player. These are in no particular order and we've included Andy's notes on each one above the videos. There's also some great Dobro playing from Andy on the new Infamous Stringdusters album Let It Go, which is now available.

We Hide and Seek - Jerry Douglas

"To me this song really defines the creative approach to modern Dobro music. Most Dobro music tends to be heavily blues based, but this embodies a more melodic, more adventurous sound." 

Foggy Mountain Rock - Josh Graves

"This may be the most well-known Josh Graves song. It has a very cool, almost chicken pickin right hand pattern. The trade with the banjo on the B part also make this song unique." 

House Of The Rising Sun - in the style of Mike Auldridge

"This was made popular by The Animals but was later adapted by Mike Auldridge to become a quintessential Dobro piece. Mike and the Seldom Scene were known for taking popular music, and adapting it for their progressive bluegrass sound." 

Dobro Chimes - Bashful Brother Oswald

"An early example of Dobro based music. Although this song goes back a long way, the melody has a timeless quality to it. You can really hear the hawaiian influence. It’s also a little tougher to play than you’d think, as the rhythm of the melody is a little unusual."

Poison Love - Gene Wooten

"I included this one because I really wanted to include Gene Wooten in this, and the mastery of slants here is pretty amazing. That slant sound is something few Dobro player are able to do well. Gene was without a doubt the best." 

Panhandle Rag - Leon McAuliffe

"This is one I learned from jams. I always played it in D, but Leon McAuliffe's original version was in E. It’s a nice example of the western swing sound. A mix of Jazz and country. This song made it to #6 on the charts in 1949."

Maiden’s Prayer - Greg Booth 

"There’s a good entry on Wikipedia for this song that has a lot of info. This is another one I learned from other Dobro players at jams. The Josh Graves version seems to be the original Dobro version." 

Great Season Waltz - Sally Van Meter

"A song by Czech musician Slavek Hanzlik. It was played and recorded by Sally Van Meter on The Great Dobro Sessions. This was a personal choice for me. I learned this from her version when I first started playing, and have always loved the melody, and Sally’s performance."

Fireball - Josh Graves

"I love this tune. It could be my favorite Dobro song. It’s a fast, short melody, but just a great little ripper. It was written by, you guessed it, Josh Graves. It really showcases how the banjo influenced bluegrass Dobro technique. It’s packed with banjo type licks. Key of G bluegrass Dobro at it’s best!" 

Bonus Pick: Route 2 To Amherst - Roger Williams (couldn't find a video for this)

"This is another personal favorite of mine written and played by Roger Williams. Roger was one of my big early influences. He had all the technique, and a lovely blend of modern Jerry Douglas style playing, but with a very unique New England type sound. His playing almost reminds me a a hammered dulcimer. He's also a fantastic writer." 

Related Blogs:

• Talking Dobro with Andy Hall
• Dobro Tuning with Andy Hall
• How to Play Dobro: Wearing the Picks
• How to Play Dobro: Hammer-Ons

Study Dobro online with Andy Hall, find out more at www.andyhalldobro.com