Hawkins Rag — Mandolin Tab

Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Ted Hawkins · Key of C · 120 BPM · 4/4 time · Old-timey · Intermediate

Chords used in this arrangement: C, D, G, F, A7, A.

Hawkins Rag was written by a mandolin player, not a fiddler, which is a little unusual for an old-timey tune. Ted Hawkins was a north Georgia mandolinist who ran with the Skillet Lickers, one of the most celebrated string bands of the 1920s and '30s, and when the band cut this rag in March 1934, the lineup included the legendary Gid Tanner and guitarist Riley Puckett. The fact that a mandolin tune went on to become a fiddle staple is a nice full-circle moment for you learning it back on the instrument it was born on. It sits in C and has that bouncy, syncopated rag feel throughout.

This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart — printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise.