Pete Morton
Pete is much more popular in England and Europe than he is in the good ole USofA. Personally, I think he should be a huge star here, but Folk music in general is not that popular. Why? I don’t know, it is one of my preferred genres. It has nice melodies and words that frequently cause you to think or tell a nice story.
Pete’s Website.
Troubadours Transcending
I have this new theory about musicians like Ellis Paul, Kevin Welch, Jimmie LaFave, Pete Morton, etc.
There are tons more. I just mention these folks because they are on my mind from seeing them concert recently or listening to their CDs.
These folks never make it super big like say a Garth Brooks or a Reba McIntyre. I would think having that much success and fame would be as much a burden as blessing. I’m sure the money and adulation are wonderful. But then you have everyone wanting a piece of you, wanting something from you. I personally would find it a huge pain to walk down the street and have folks continually coming up to me, snapping pictures etc. But then I value my privacy.
Musicians in the first category have a relative degree of success. They can make a living doing what they love to do. From having talked to a few of them, I know it is love for most of them. They get to enjoy the company of liked minded individuals. They get to travel as much or as little as they want in the support of their craft. At least the ones I have seen have mostly been in small often intimate venues with interaction between the musicians and the audience. Most of the musicians really seem to enjoy this. Of course, this is from the outside looking in, but they seem to be milking the most out of essential nature of life. Many that write their own lyrics seem have an amazing insight into the human condition, the human emotional state, a certain degree of wisdom beyond the norm.
My theory is this: They are old souls. This is probably their last go round in the physical plane. They are on a farewell tours of sorts. I really cannot think of many better ways to do such a tour.
Heck of a theory for an old agnostic.
Ellis Paul
I do not know why I even bother to think or talk about “it” anymore. The”it” being why folks like Ellis Paul never really make it big main stream, but someone like Brittany Spears is a “super” star. Ellis Paul is certainly very well know in folk and singer/songwriter circles, but you say his name beyond that audience and you get a blank stare.
Robin and I went to see him the other night at a small venue in St. Louis, Off Broadway. Check it out, they get a lot of fairly well know acts through their doors. They have a bar, but the chairs are arranged facing the stage without tables. It makes for an intimate listening experience. This is especially true with folk singers and singer/songwriter types.
Anyway we took an Italian friend who listens almost exclusive to opera. He was very impressed by Ellis Paul’s talent and vocal range. As always his lyrics just blow you away if you listen at all. Continue reading “Ellis Paul”
Our Song
Robin does not know it yet, but I have decided that this is “our song”.
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band
Okay I’ve never seen or heard this band. I did hear one of their gigs being advertised on the radio in St. Louis. The name just cracked me. Of course, what little bit of their music I heard on their website sounded pretty cool. I think that was a didgeridoo I heard someone getting down with…
Robin, One Hot…
We are all products of time, place and the Darwinian lottery that selects our parents. Robin is no different. Robin’s parents were not any different.
Robin spent much of youth practicing the piano. She loves music, but she has talked about how she sometimes longed to be outside with other kids. Robin has natural athletic ability, but in the 50s and 60s in the St. Louis enclave of Olivette young ladies were not encouraged in this arena. While her brothers were encouraged to participate in sports she was forgotten.
Robin is short, but very strong physically. She helped me move a while back, and it was all I could do to keep up with her. Continue reading “Robin, One Hot…”
Red Dirt Music Defined
I finally came across a good definition of this music style. The style orginated in Oklahoma, orginally from the Stillwater area.
Red Dirt music: An indigenous (read that as Oklahoman) mix of folk, bluegrass, and honky-tonk.
Ribbon of Highway Endless Skyway: Tribute to Woody Guthrie
I’ve had this CD a while, and I have listened to it a couple times. Those times had been when there were other distractions going on, so I was not really paying that much attention to it. I was definitely not paying attention to Bob Childers narration.
I recently took a road trip and listened to both CDs all the way through with out interruption. Most of the music I knew and was familiar to me. Woody’s prose that was narrated was new to me. I came away with a new and deeper appreciation of the music of Woody Guthrie and of Woody Guthrie as a man.
It did get me to wondering how Woody would be received in the Oklahoma of today. Would he have the same iconic stature Continue reading “Ribbon of Highway Endless Skyway: Tribute to Woody Guthrie”
YouTube link Dragonfly
Monica Taylor is the young lady I do the website for. I think she is just wonderful.
In this video are Ellis Paul, Monica Taylor, Sam Baker, Chris O’Brien and Don Conescenti. The song is Dragonfly.
Enjoy.