Description

Gospel Songs That Sound Right on Banjo.

There’s a reason gospel music and bluegrass banjo go together. These songs were written to be sung by real people in real rooms, and the banjo’s bright, ringing tone cuts through and carries the melody in a way that nothing else does. If you’ve ever wanted to play hymns and gospel standards on your banjo — at church, at a sing-along, or just for yourself — this is the book that gets you there.

The Easy Banjo Gospel Songbook gives you beginner-level arrangements of nine of the most beloved gospel songs in the bluegrass tradition. Every arrangement is written so the melody is clear and recognizable, which means people can sing along while you play. That’s the whole point of gospel music, and Geoff built every arrangement around it.

The 9 Songs You’ll Learn

• Amazing Grace — the most recognized hymn in the English language
• Precious Memories — a bluegrass gospel standard since the 1920s
• Will the Circle Be Unbroken — wait, isn’t this in the Easy Banjo Songbook too? Yes, but this is a different arrangement written specifically for gospel settings
• Do Lord — an upbeat, hand-clapping gospel favorite
• Crying Holy — a traditional gospel song heard at bluegrass festivals everywhere
• Uncloudy Day — a classic that’s been covered by everyone from the Staple Singers to Willie Nelson
• What a Friend We Have in Jesus — one of the most-played hymns in any church
• I Am a Pilgrim — a bluegrass gospel staple made famous by the Byrds and Merle Travis
• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot — the spiritual that everybody knows

How the Course Works

Every song follows the same proven format:

• 1. Read the tab. Full banjo tablature with a clear, recognizable melody line.
• 2. Watch Geoff teach it. 166 minutes of video instruction — nearly three hours of Geoff walking you through each song measure by measure.
• 3. Practice with the jam tracks. Audio rhythm tracks at several speeds so you can start slow and build up to performance tempo.

The multi-speed practice tracks are especially useful here. Gospel songs are often played at a relaxed tempo, so getting the timing and feel right matters more than playing fast. The tracks help you lock in that groove.

Who This Book Is For

If you’ve worked through the Banjo Primer or the Easy Banjo Songbook, you’re ready for this. The arrangements are at the same beginner-friendly level — if you can read tab and play basic rolls, you can play these songs.

This is also a great standalone purchase if you’re specifically interested in gospel music. The songs are well-known enough that you don’t need a bluegrass background to enjoy playing them.

Who Geoff Is, and Why That Matters

Geoff Hohwald has been playing banjo since 1964 — back when Columbus, Ohio was a genuine bluegrass hot spot — and studied under John Hickman. He’s performed with two of Bill Monroe’s guitar players, shared stages with Red Allen, Frank Wakefield, and Hylo Brown, played with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and co-founded the Greater Atlanta Bluegrass Band. He’s been teaching beginners the whole time, which means he knows exactly where new players get stuck — and how to get them unstuck.

Geoff also runs Banjo Warehouse, our sister shop in Yellow Springs, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia, where he’s been buying, selling, and setting up banjos since 1980.

Buy Direct. Skip the Warehouse.

When you order from GeoffHohwald.com, you’re buying directly from us — a small family business in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Your book is packed and shipped by people who actually play banjo, and if you have a question about a lesson, Geoff is the one who answers the email.

• ✔ Signed by Geoff on request — just ask in the order notes
• ✔ Direct access to the author if you get stuck on a lesson
• ✔ Your purchase supports a small family business, not a warehouse
• ✔ Ships from Yellow Springs, Ohio, usually within one business day

Product Details

• Format: Paperback, 35 pages
• Includes: Free online video and audio access (166 minutes of video, plus jam tracks at multiple speeds)
• Songs: 9 classic bluegrass gospel favorites with full tabs
• Level: Beginner — ideal after the Banjo Primer
• Style: 5-string Scruggs-style bluegrass banjo
• ISBN: 978-1980819677
• Ships from: Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA

Where This Fits in Geoff’s Beginner Series

• Beginning Banjo Warm-Up Series — build your right-hand foundation first.
• Banjo Primer for Beginners — learn rolls, tabs, fretting, and your first songs.
• Easy Banjo Songbook — 19 classic bluegrass songs with jam tracks.
• → You are here: Easy Banjo Gospel Songbook — 9 gospel favorites with sing-along melodies.
• Intro to Banjo Rhythm & Backup — learn to play behind other musicians.