New Songs

Lynn and I are taking a short break from performing since our son Alex is getting married in May.  Our first CD "Blue-Eyed Boatman" is finished and we've been selling/giving it away to folks, but really haven't had any gigs to promote it.  (Probably later this summer).  I've been working on a few new songs and Lynn and I are in process working out arrangements.

All I've Got Is Gone:  Uncle Dave Macon recorded this first, but the version(s) we're learning are based on Ernest Stoneman's recordings.  From one site I found this:  According to Don Kent, this tune refers to a 1907 flood in central Tennessee and the resulting comment of a friend of Uncle Dave Macon: "All I got's gone."  In the original, there are a couple of problematic verses.  We have a recording from the Bluff Country Gathering with a version by Bill Dillof - he simply skips the problematic verses so that has been our approach as well.  At last year's Bluff Country Gathering we also heard an updated version by Mac and Jenny Traynham with references to current day events; however, we're sticking with the original.  Of course either version seem to have a comptempary relevance.  

Over the Mountain:   while listening to my ipod on 'shuffle' I was struck with Kenny Jackson's version on his CD titled Over the Mountain. Reviewing the liner notes, I found that his source was Uncle Dave Macon so I promptly purchased some Dave Macon CDs.  Lynn was listening to these and then told me about this Dave Macon song we should learn: Over the Mountain.  She also did some research and found the original sheet music from 1882.  So we learning from lyrics which are an amalgamation of Dave Macon's and this sheet music.  (We're keeping the Yodelling).

Across the Plains of Illinois: At MBOTMA's Winter Weekend, we heard The New Mules and both of us liked this song a lot.  It is on there CD and the 'source' (from Ollie Barnard) is in the book Dear Old Illinois.  Although the book indicates there is an original recording from the 1950's, we have only listened to The New Mules do it.  The song is related to other songs - the Folk Music Index indicates it is related to Maggie Wallker Blues.  The song relates what can happen to the 'Girl I left Behind'.   We're doing it in G with me on Mandolin and Lynn on Guitar (capoed to the 5th fret).  It is our 'New Favorite'.