In the Murder Ballad Monday board room over the last several months, conversations about the sinking of the Titanic resulted directly in two things. First, weâve started a playlist on the topic and weâre planning to curate it in a future post … Continue reading →
Disaster and Tragedy Among the small number of conversations among friends that initially inspired this blog back in 2011/2012 was a discussion about a shipwreck. It was about the RMS Titanic specifically, and why the disaster of its sinking led to so much music … Continue reading →
This week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine we begin a two part feature Ballads Ancient & New. Weâll listen to ballads in many different settings and styles. Narrative songs have always been an important part of folk music whether … Continue reading →
There is a long standing tradition of family performers in folk music. Many of the classic old-time country bands such as the Carter Family were comprised of family members. Many traditional musicians learned by osmosis through attending dances and being … Continue reading →
The purity of the unaccompanied human voice is one of the most beautiful sounds. Songs sung without accompaniment or a capella have a long history in folk music. You donât need an instrument to make beautiful music whether youâre working … Continue reading →
Today is Labor Day in the U.S. and Canada. Our song this week is not a murder ballad proper, but I felt drawn to write about it because it portrays the sacrifices and risks of working. Just as my friend, Maureen, mentioned a few … Continue reading →
As weâve noted all along, our âmissionâ at Murder Ballad Monday is to explore both the interior and the periphery of the murder ballad.  We discuss how music helps interpret intense, often violent and/or deadly experience.  Having started out the … Continue reading →
Canadian Soldiers (date unknown) In the song, âHarris and the Mare,â our protagonist reminds Harris that he was a âconshie in the War.â Â In all the years I have listened to the song, I took that mention merely to be … Continue reading →
With Pancho having met his match in the deserts down in Mexico, this week we turn to the north country, and an Ontario mill town, and a song inspired by a story overheard in a bar. Â Stan Rogers, penned âHarris … Continue reading →
  [Notes: Thanks to Pat for the title. Iâm going to add some songs in here that are not murder ballads, but they fire some of the same synapses, and their relevance to the story I tell below should … Continue reading →
