Introduction Our first post this week dealt with the lyrics and the provenance, as well as we can know it, of the ballad âWillie Moore.â Â If youâre looking for information and discussion along those lines, I encourage you to click … Continue reading →
Leonard Rutherford (fiddle) and Dick Burnett (banjo) â Theirs is the earliest known recording of âWillie Mooreâ 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 →
Dave Van Ronk, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, and Chad Mitchell(this photo looks a little off to me, I canât vouch for its authenticity) As I mentioned in the first post this week, my friend, Cayce, put me up … Continue reading →
Morning Sun by Edward Hopper (1952) When I meet new people, itâs just a matter of timeâsometimes more, sometimes lessâbefore I mention this murder ballad hobby of mine. I recently started a new job. (You may have inferred as much from … Continue reading →
Jerry Garcia I first remember hearing Merle Haggardâs song âSing Me Back Home,â which we introduced in the previous post, in a cover version performed by Richard Shindell. Itâs possible I heard a taped Grateful Dead version before then, but … Continue reading →
This is Part 1 of a three part series.  See also Part 2, and Part 3. Introduction â âTwas on the high, high holy dayâŚâ This week we go back to Britain, to the old ballads.  Yes, itâs one of … Continue reading →
Hi folks, Thanks to everyone who attended last weekendâs concert with Lou & Peter Berryman. It was a another outstanding evening and we enjoyed seeing so many new and old friends! Our next concert features Cheryl Wheeler and special guest … Continue reading →
Iâd like to share a few thoughts about the Pete Seeger 90th Birthday Celebration at Madison Square Garden. If you were there, or even if you couldnât make it, I would love to hear your thoughts as well. Please feel … Continue reading →
RON OLESKOâS FAVORITE CDâS OF 2008 Okay, it is extremely difficult to put together a âbest ofâ list, and I hesitate to call my selections that. These are however, CDs that I will be listening to and playing on the … Continue reading →
Greetings! I donât know if the hustle and bustle of this holiday season has you as frazzled as I have been the past few weeks, but I do hope that you have some to sit down and relax. Spend time … Continue reading →
