Jon Langford (Photo by Barry Phipps, courtesy the artist and Bloodshot Records) Today we continue our conversation with transplanted Chicagoan and jack-of-all-trades (music, art, comic interludes, storytelling) Jon Langford. You can read Part One here; Part Three appears Friday. Today … Continue reading →
Without A Doubt, Jon Langford (2007) Introduction When I was just a baby, my Mama told me, “Son Always be a good boy, don’t ever play with guns,” But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die. … Continue reading →
Toshi-Aline Ohta Seeger, wife of folk music icon Pete Seeger, passed away overnight on Tuesday, July 9th. She was a mother, an organizer, an activist and filmmaker … and an essential part of all of her husband’s work. She was … Continue reading →
For SORM #13-28: New Tunes for Summer, Pt. 5, airing the week starting 07-10-13 For SORM #13-27: Gettysburg and the Civil War, airing the week starting 07-03-13 For SORM #13-26: New Tunes for Summer, Pt. 4, airing the week starting … Continue reading →
“David ‘Stringbean’ Akeman” (image from Dirk aka Dave Kelly, via myspace) Murder in Music City Although the story behind this week’s song, “The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle,” is forty years old, it’s in the minority of songs among our … Continue reading →
Introduction Our first post this week dealt with the lyrics and the provenance, as well as we can know it, of the ballad “Willie Moore.” If you’re looking for information and discussion along those lines, I encourage you to click … Continue reading →
Sing Out! provides an international listing of folk music festivals and camps, which can be found at www.singout.org/fests.html. Our listing is currently updated to feature festivals throughout the summer. Before making summer road trips, camping excursions, etc., be sure to … Continue reading →
Leonard Rutherford (fiddle) and Dick Burnett (banjo) – Theirs is the earliest known recording of “Willie Moore” Introduction One thing I find about murder ballads in my own life is that I often remember the first time and place I … Continue reading →
Bluegrass singer and banjo player Ralph Stanley has announced that he plans to retire in December of 2014. Now age 86, “Dr. Ralph Stanley” has had a storied career with tremendous achievements, including inventing his own banjo playing style, winning … Continue reading →
Before most people blow out the candles on their birthday cake, they usually sing “Happy Birthday to You.” You know the song well. It’s sung at almost every birthday party. Variations exist in nearly every language. We’ve heard “The Happy … Continue reading →
