Today the music world mourns the loss of Magic Slim, a famed Chicago bluesman who held true to his rough and ready Mississippi roots. After a 58-year long career, Mr. Slim died February 21, 2013 following surgery concerning a bleeding … Continue reading →
The role Dave Van Ronk played in influencing and benefiting the folk music boom of the 1960s cannot be overstated. Slightly more than a decade after his passing, well-regarded directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, have announced they will be releasing … Continue reading →
This is the second post concerning the ballad Child 4. Â See also Part 1. Introduction In my first post this week, I looked briefly at the history of the ballad Francis Child cataloged as his #4, known by many names; … Continue reading →
Famed folk singer and Sing Out! co-founder Pete Seeger and his wife, Toshi Seeger, were honored by Beacon High School, New York, in a ceremony that named their school theater after the Seeger family. The newly named âSeeger Theaterâ was … Continue reading →
The artistry of Woody Guthrieâs voice has graced our ears for over 80 years, and for the first time, it is reaching us in narrative form. Written in 1947, House of Earth is Guthrieâs only full-length novel and has recently … Continue reading →
This is the first post concerning the ballad Child 4. Â See also Part 2. Introduction I love this image; itâs so evocative! Â What secret does this young gentle lady want her pretty parrot to keep? Well, you know the title … Continue reading →
Adam McCulloch (r) âA rip-roaring yarnâ Earlier this year, when researching my posts for âBabylonâ (Child 14), I came across a terrific Scottish recording of the tune, âThe Bonnie Banks of Airdrieâ by Adam McCulloch. Â McCullochâs album In These Times, … Continue reading →
Jeffrey Foucault and Mark Erelli This is the second post this week on Norman Blakeâs âBilly Gray.â  Read the first here. Outlaw Rhetoric That I havenât read Aristotleâs Poetics yet is a gap in my education.  Iâll need to get right … Continue reading →
Norman Blake (photo by Henry Horenstein) This is the first of three posts on âBilly Gray.â Read the second here, and the third here. Prelude:  But I regress⌠After last weekâs focus on re-thinking gender roles in both new murder … Continue reading →
Christine Stulik (photo by Logan Futej) This is part two of our interview with Eileen, and the third post of the week. Â You can read the first part of the interview here, and read our introduction to their song âIâll … Continue reading →
