1. Tunefox.com
    2. ›
  2. Mandolin songs
    3. ›
  3. Banks of the Ohio

Banks of the Ohio mandolin tabs

Back
  • Tablatures

    Simple

    Bill Monroe

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      F
    • Tempo
      70 bpm
    • Tuning
      GDAE

    Banks of the Ohio is a classic murder ballad. This one is in the infamous key of F and it’s not incredibly fast so it’s a great starting tune for learning how to play in this key.

    Learn

  • Jam

    Bill Monroe

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      F
    • Tempo
      85 bpm
    • Tuning
      GDAE

    This arrangement of Banks of the Ohio has a bit more flourishes in it to create a fuller sound. Check out the 4th measure for a cool C7 lick!

    Learn

More about Banks of the Ohio

"Banks of the Ohio" is a 19th-century murder ballad about a murder at a riverbank committed by a young man named "Willie." The first recording of this song was in 1927 by Red Patterson's Piedmont Log Rollers. The Monroe Brothers recorded this song in 1936 and it's been covered by countless others such as Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, Joan Baez, Olivia Newton-John, and more. It's become a bluegrass standard and has set the tone for many other murder ballads in the genre.