Not War
Click on the button to listen. “Not War” ranked #67 on rock legend Neil Young’s Living With War page in November 2007.
Both Sides Now
I have always admired this great song, written by Joni Mitchell, and have frequently used it to close my shows. Recorded in Mt. Morris, WI, March, 2007. Click on the clouds to listen.
Don’t Let the Blues Make You Bad
I recorded this take on a pocket digital voice recorder in January, 2005 a day after it was written. Later that year “Don’t Let the Blues’ was recorded with Keith Baumann on resonator guitar and Al Ehrich on stand up bass for Waterbug Records’ Every Step of the Way. Click on the setting sun to listen.
Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me
I’ve long been a fan and a student of the music of the great Mississippi John Hurt. This song (which he wrote) was included on his final record, Mississippi John Hurt Last Sessions. I recorded it in 1988 for my first, No Lonesome Tune, on Depot. Click on the picture of John Hurt to listen.
My Rose of Jericho
Townes Van Zandt used to talk about “sky songs,” the kind that seem to fall out of the sky and write themselves down. It took an hour to write the first verse to “My Rose” and twenty minutesd later the song was finished. This test take was recorded on a digital voice recorder later that night. Click on the Lone Star State to listen.
God Bless the Open Road and You
Written at the Super 8 hotel in Burlington, IA. This live take was recorded at the Old Time Pickin’ Party, Pryor Hollow, TN, in June 2007. 17 year old Gracie Wallace on fiddle. Click on the highway to listen.
Happy Birthday Studs Terkel
The Old Town School of Folk Music faculty and students wishing Studs Terkel a happy 95th birthday in May, 2007. The moment was captured on a hand held digital recorder by Sam Rodgers and played on WFMT radio, Chicago, as part of the city-wide celebration. Click on the photo of Studs to listen.
In the Shadow of the Mountain
A deeply personal song about addiction and recovery. Written while on tour in the summer of 2005. Recorded live in Mt. Morris, WI in March, 2007. Click on the scene below to listen.
Riding on the Peace Train
Written just before Christmas, 2006. The tune is “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain. Weavermania! included this song in their 2007 concerts and it is being taught in a summer camp in Green Bay, WI. Click on the peace dove to listen.
The Saddest Town in Illinois
A tough song. Written in March, 2006 after a visit to Paris, IL and reading a news article with the same title. “The Saddest Town” ranked #16 on rock legend Neil Young’s Living With War page in December 2007. Click on the memorial below to listen.
Won’t Get Around Much Anymore
In the spring of 2005, the Chicago CTA was in the news again. This parody of Duke Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” spilled off the pages of the Chicago Tribune in one sitting. Written and recorded during the Every Step of the Way sessions with Keith Baumann on mandolin, Al Ehrich on bass. Click on the Chicago el train to listen.
Folsom Prison Blues
Recorded live at Charlie’s Coffee House in Wilmette, IL the winter of 2007. I was trying to answer a request from an audience member. Click on the Man in Black to listen.
Tuning up before the show at Pike Lake, WI, September, 2005.
Playing fretless banjo at the Big Top Chautauqua, Jacksonville, IL, August, 2006.
Photo by Marquita Welch.
Leading the sing along at the annual Family Night in the Park, Losant, IL, July, 2005. Photo by Katie Kennell.
This young feller poses for an early publicity photo around 1990.
Posing with members of the Plank Road Folk Music Society Barn Dance Band winter of 2000.. Emily, Jennifer & Anne Jones.
This publicity shot of Weavermania! was taken after Chris Walz joined the group in 2004. L to R are yours truly, Michael Smith, Barbara Barrow and Chris.
Under the stars at Pike Lake, WI, September, 2005.
The great Fleming Brown performs at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 333 W. North Avenue. This picture was given to me by program director Jimmy Tomasello. It was taken sometime in the late 50’s or early 60’s. Fleming is frailing an early Pete Seeger model Vega banjo. Click on the picture of Fleming to hear Studs Terkel interview him in the 1960’s.
Pete and me after the live WFMT concert broadcast from the Chicago Historical Society 4/21/02.
At the World’s Largest Guitar Lesson, Welles Park Chicago, 8/7/07. We smashed the Guinness Book of World Records with over 1,350 guitar students assembled. Photo by Alvin McGovern.
Scenes from the Homeplace Pickin’ Party, June 9 & 10, 2007. Click on the photgraph to view a brief slide show.
Leading the Woody Guthrie Folk Jam at the Chicago Folk and Roots Festival in Welles Park, July 15, 2007. Photo by Hal Wigoda.
New Songs & Rare Tracks
Time Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Me
The tune fell out of the sky on the Friday before Christmas 2007 after listening to Linda Draper of Queens, NY sing a very lovely version of Ricky Nelson’s “How Long.” The lyrics came the next day in a twenty minute burst. I wanted to record it in my home studio, borrowing the cool slide guitar sound from Linda’s cover, and stayed up all Saturday night monkeying with open tunings and an old bar slide I had laying around. This recording was made on Sunday afternoon during the second half of the Chicago Bears victory over Green Bay. Click on the window light to listen.
Photographs & Slide Shows
This photograph was taken by Jay Lapp of the Goldmine Pickers in Goshen, IN. I was honored to be invited to play clawhammer banjo on two new songs from their excellent new CD, “Lonesome Gone,” released November 2007. Click on the photograph to view a few more shots from the session. Order “Lonesome Gone” from www.goldminepickers.com.
This photograph of the finale - “Down By the Riverside” - from the historic Old Town School of Folk Music 50th Anniversary Concert appeared in the Chicago Tribune, December 4, 2007. Pictured L to R are Yours Truly, Skip Landt (with bowler), Bonnie Koloc (hidden), the great Frank Hamilton, Michael Miles, Reggio the Hoofer & Bill Brickey. Click on the image for a slide show of a memorable weekend.
I was pleased to join Bau Graves, Executive Director of the Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL, Doug Miller, from Folklore Village Farm, Dodgeville, WI and Juel Ulven from the Fox Valley Folklore Society, Aurora, IL for a panel discussion titled, “Grassroots Music: Community Building and Social Change.” The panel met in Northbrook, IL at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest annual gathering September 29, 2007. Click on the photograph to listen to a podcast of the discussion.
