detail from Twa Sisters – quilt by Dan Willig So, as I introduced in my first post this week, I’m trying to add some depth and variety to my first series of entries from six months ago on the ballad known as Child … Continue reading →
CECILIA In Bad Appel 1331 www.tsmiske.be/stek8/appel/appelstart.aspx The debut from Belgian trio Cecilia positively hums with energy and invention. Originally a duo of flute/cornet and hurdy-gurdy/cittern, they were joined by diatonic accordion player Greet Wuyts, a … Continue reading →
detail from Twa Sisters – quilt by Dan Willig Six months ago, my first post for this blog dealt with the ancient murder ballad “Two Sisters“, also known as “Wind and Rain” as well as several other names. I’m happy with the … Continue reading →
James Chaney’s mother, Fannie Lee Chaney, and his brother, Ben Now, having moved through a discussion of a number of musical responses to the Freedom Summer murders, I’d like to go back to “ThoseThree Are On My Mind,” and think … Continue reading →
“Those Three Are On My Mind” was one of several songs born out of the tragic killings in Neshoba County, Mississippi in the summer of 1964. It’s hard for me to say whether it’s the best known, but was the … Continue reading →
Pete’s Seeger’s musical memoir, The Incompleat Folk Singer, includes the following entry for August 5, 1964. I hope he’ll pardon me for quoting it in its entirety, but I think it informs our conversation here about music, tragedy, and political … Continue reading →
“Southern Justice (Murder in Mississippi)” by Norman Rockwell Freedom Summer Next week, June 21st to be exact, will mark the 48th anniversary of the day that civil rights activists Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman were murdered in Mississippi, … Continue reading →
“Red Hair and Black Leather” One of the things that Pat explored with “Matty Groves” is how such a brutal song managed to endure as a folk favorite down through the ages, partly through it’s ability to provide a compelling … Continue reading →
Richard Thompson. Esq., OBE A Songwriter’s Songwriter You’ll likely note that I’ve been reluctant to dive too deeply into a close reading or textual analysis of RT’s four-verse wonder (I’m still a little intrigued that in the video I linked … Continue reading →
Red Molly and Tenbrooks So, how does a late 20th century English-style ballad about death and motorcycles become the 2002 International Bluegrass Music Association Song of the Year? This is how. Dick Bowden, a friend of Del McCoury and his … Continue reading →
