12/27/09 Playlist

1. Elizabeth Cotten: New Year's Eve (When I'm Gone), Folkways LP, 1979

2. Adrienne Young & Tim O'Brien: (Why Can't Every Day Be) Just Like Christmas (single), Addie Belle www.adrienneyoung.com
3. Albert and Gage: Christmas Everyday (One More Christmas), Moon House www.albertandgage.com
4. Tamarack: Christmas All Year (Blankets of Snow), SGB Productions
I read William Dean Howells's "Christmas Every Day" (published by Pocket Books, 1996)

Did you spend time with your family over the holidays?
5. Beth Nielsen Chapman: Years (Greatest Hits), Reprise
6. Lou and Peter Berryman: Big Dead Bird (House Concert), Cornbelt http://louandpeter.com
7. Loudon Wainwright III: Christmas Morning (Bah Humbug), Greentrax www.greentrax.com
8. Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison: Oklahoma Christmas (Happy Holidays), self www.kellywillis.com 9. Dar Williams: The Christians and the Pagans (The Christians and The Pagans -- EP), Razor & Tie
10. Tim O'Brien: Bah Humbug (Christmas on The Mountain), Universal South

Post-Christmas:
11. Ilene Weiss: Tree (Weiss Christmas), Gadfly www.gadflyrecords.com
12. Michael Dunkley & Suzanne Ives: Take the Tree Out to The Curb (A Holiday Feast Vol. VII), Hungry for Music www.hungryformusic.com
13. Misty River: Don't Take Down the Mistletoe (Mid Winter), self www.mistyriverband.com

New Year's Eve:
14. Geoff Bartley: Blue Moon on New Year's Eve (Put the Big Stone Down), Magic Crow www.geoffbartley.com
15. Bruce Pratt: First Night (Living above The Ground), West River Cassette 1994
16. Eliza Gilkyson: Riverside (Lost and Found), Red House www.redhouserecords.com
17. Gretchen Peters: New Year's Eve 1999 (download), self www.gretchenpeters.com

18. Bob Zentz: The End of Another Year (download), self www.bobzentz.com
19. Nowell Sing We Clear: An Orkney New Year's Carol (The Best of Sing We Clear), Front Hall 20. Jay Ansill with John Gorka: Song for New Year's Eve (A Lost World), BCN www.jayansill.com
21. Wil Maring: Things Will Be Better Next Year (An Ocean from Home), Bear Family
22. Slaid Cleaves: One Good Year (Broke Down), Philo www.rounder.com
23. Ian Robb: Song for The New Year (Rose & Crown), Folk-Legacy
24. Loreena McKennitt: The Old Ways (A Christmas Radio Sampler 1999), Quinlan Road www.quinlanroad.com
25. Sean Tyrrell: The Rising of The Moon (The Orchard), Longwalk Music

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Adam Rafferty's "A Christmas Guitar Celebration," self www.adamrafferty.com

Resolutions: I read Nadine Stair's "If I Had My Life to Live Over...."
26. Mary Chapin Carpenter: Late for Your Life (Time * Sex * Love), Columbia
27. Out Behind the Barn: New Year's Resolution (A Holiday Feast), Hungry for Music www.hungryformusic.com
28. Kitty Donohoe: Do What You Love (This Road Tonight), Roheen www.kittydonohoe.com
29. Colum Sands: One of These Days (All My Winding Journeys), Spring
30. Christine Lavin: The Moment Slipped Away (Beau Woes and Other Problems of Modern Life), Philo LP
31. Claire Lynch: Who Knows What Tomorrow Will Bring (Silver and Gold), Rounder www.rounder.com
32. Michael Smith: Last Day of Pompeii (Michael Smith Love Stories), Flying Fish

33. Carla Sciaky: There Are Many Roads (Awakening), Green Linnet
34. James Taylor: That Lonesome Road (Live), Columbia
35. Eliza Gilkyson: Mama's Little Baby (Misfits), Realiza www.elizagilkyson.com

I read a Quaker Benediction:
36. Dixie Chicks: I Hope (Taking the Long Way), Open Wide/Columbia
37. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House www.redhouserecords.com

12/20/09 Playlist

1. Jay Ungar, Molly Mason et al: The Solstice Set (The Pleasures of Winter), Fiddle & Dance www.jayandmolly.com
2. Heritage: Newgrange (A Christmas Heritage), Six Degrees
3. Herdman / Hills / Mangsen: At The Turning of The Year (At the Turning of The Year), Hand and Heart Music www.compassrosemusic.com
4. Mary Chapin Carpenter: The Longest Night of The Year (Come Darkness, Come Light), Zoe Rounder www.rounder.com
5. Cris Williamson: Winter Hearts (Winter Hearts), Wolf Moon www.criswilliamson.com
6. Herdman / Hills / Mangsen: Voices of Winter / Red & Green (Voices of Winter), Gadfly www.gadflyrecords.com

For Jean Ritchie:
7. Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum: Wintergrace (Winter's Grace), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com

8. Christmas Revels Chorus: The Kentucky Wassail Carol (Wassail! Wassail!), Revels LP 1982
9. Jean Ritchie: The Christmas Tree (Wassail! Wassail!)
10. Ensemble: Chicken Foot (Wassail! Wassail!)
11. Jean Ritchie: Mountain Christmas Carolling (Wassail! Wassail!)
12. Chorus: Wondrous Love (Wassail! Wassail!)
I read "The Year of The Perfect Christmas Tree," written by Gloria Houston and published by Dial, 1988

Non-standard tellings of the Christmas story:
13. Richard Shindell: Before You Go (Wonderland), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com 14. Tommy Sands: The Bushes of Jerusalem (To Shorten the Winter), Green Linnet
15. The Chieftains / Jackson Browne: The Rebel Jesus (The Bells of Dublin), RCA Victor / BMG Classics
16. Hugh Blumenfeld: Longhaired Radical Socialist Jew (Rocket Science), Prime CD www.hughblumenfeld.com
17. Tish Hinojosa: Building #9 (From Texas for A Christmas Night), Texas Music Group www.txmusicgroup.com
18. Chris MacLean: The Promise of Peace (Feet Be Still), self www.chrismaclean.com
19. Collin Raye: What If Jesus Came Back Like That (I Think about You), Epic / Sony

"The holidays are here and we're still at war:"
20. John Gorka: Temporary Road (Temporary Road), High Street
21. Brett Dennen: The Holidays Are Here and We're Still at War (single), Dualtone
22. Roy Zimmerman: I Won't Be Home for Christmas (Peacenick), Metaphor www.royzimmerman.com
23. Jefferson Pepper: Christmas in Fallujah (Christmas in Fallujah), American Fallout www.americanfallout.com
24. Cris Williamson: Also, Abraham (Winter Hearts), Wolf Moon www.criswilliamson.com
25. Arlon Bennett: The Christmas Tree on Salem Street (Hudson Harding Sampler Volume 2), self www.hudsonharding.com
26. Jeff Talmadge: A Soldier's Christmas (EP), Bozart www.jefftalmadge.com
27. George Enslee: Christmas Truce of 1914 (download)

A little silly stuff:
28. Lou and Peter Berryman: Christmas Letter (Some Days), Cornbelt http://louandpeter.com 29. Carla Ulbrich: Let It Go (Live from Outer Space), Romantic Devil www.carlau.com
30. Roy Zimmerman: Give It All Back (download), Metaphor www.royzimmerman.com
31. Salamander Crossing: Dona Nobis Pacem (Homegrown Holidays), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com
32. Nancy White: Tellin' The Christmas Lies (download), self www.myspace.com/nancywhitemusic
I read "The Lump of Coal" by Lemony Snicket, published by Harper Collins.

33. Merle Haggard: If We Make It Through December (A Christmas Present), Curb Records
34. The New St. George: Time to Remember the Poor (A Holiday Feast), Hungry for Music
35. Anais Mitchell: Song of The Magi (Born into The Whisper), Waterbug anthology www.waterbug.com

Maya Angelou read "Amazing Peace," a recording included in the book-version of the poem, published by Schwartz & Wade
36. Elvis Costello: What's So Funny ('bout Peace Love and Understanding), download
37. Maria Dunn: God Bless Us Everyone (Let It Snow!), GoGetm www.gogetm.ca
38. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House www.redhouserecords.com

Phyllis Boyens Has Died

This from Ken Irwin of Rounder Records:

Phyllis Boyens Liptak passed away on Wednesday December 9th. The daughter of old-time singer and songwriter Nimrod Workman, Phyllis Boyens was a soulful mountain singer who recorded her only solo album, "I Really Care," for Rounder in 1983.

Half the album was country, the other half bluegrass backed up by the Johnson Mountain Boys. The following year she recorded a number of songs as part of the album "They'll Never Keep Her Down," a compilation of songs by women about coal mining. On this album, she was backed up by the short lived bluegrass band The Dreadful Snakes which included Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas.

In 1980, she played Loretta Lynn's mother in the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" and in 1984 she appeared in the TV movie, "The Doll Maker."

The folks at "Root Hog or Die" (http://roothogordie.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/r-i-p-phyllis-workman-boyens-liptak/) posted this video of Boyens and Workman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwuvDfc51mM

12/13/09 Playlist

1. The Klezmatics: Dybbuk Shers (Festival of Light), Six Degrees
2. Heather Masse: Hollywood (Bird Song), Red House www.redhouserecords.com
3. Southpaw Jones: Wheat Threshers (Cruelty), Freshly Picked www.southpawjones.com
4. Heather Styka: The Sun Also Rises (Travel and Teacups), self http://heatherstyka.com

5. John Gorka: Where No Monuments Stand (So Dark You See), Red House www.redhouserecords.com
6. Caroline Herring: Song of The Wandering Aengus (Golden Apples of The Sun), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com
7. Steve Earle: Marie (Townes), New West www.newwestrecords.com
8. Anne Hills: Holy Now (Points of View), Appleseed www.appleseedmusic.com

9. MiraMar Klezmers: Al Hanissim / Adir Hu (A Chanukah Feast), Hungry for Music www.hungryformusic.com
10. Robin Greenstein: Celebrate Chanukah (single download)
11 & 12. The Klezmatics: Happy Joyous Hanuka & The Many and The Few (Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah), Jewish Music Group
I read "Sixth Night, Sixth Light" from "The Stone Lamp," written by Karen Hesse and published by Hyperion, 2003

13. Jay Ungar & Molly Mason & Friends: Lights of Chanukah (The Pleasures of Winter), Fiddle & Dance www.jayandmolly.com
14. Peter, Paul & Mary: Light One Candle (A Holiday Celebration), Gold Castle LP 1988
15. Emily Kurn: Light the Lamp (Happy Holidays: Volume 2) Hudson Harding Sampler www.hudsonharding.com
16. Shelley Posen: Will Their Children Light the Candles (Menorah: Songs from A Jewish Life), Well Done Music www.shelleyposen.com

17. Hugh Blumenfeld: This Mountain (Mozart's Money), Prime CD www.hughblumenfeld.com
18. Tish Hinojosa: Hanukia (From Texas for a Christmas Night), Texas Music Group www.txmusicgroup.com
19. Leeyla: Haneros Lalallu (Festival of Light 2), Six Degrees
20. Voice of The Turtle: Ocho Kandelikas (Circle of Fire: Songs of the Sephardim, Volume V), Titanic Records
I read "Chanukah on The Prairie," written by Burt E. Schuman and published by UAHC Press

21. Klezcentricity: Ballad of Chanukah (A Chanukah Feast, Vol. II), Hungry for Music www.hungryformusic.com
22. Magpie: Chanukah Chase (Last Month of The Year), Sliced Bread www.magpiemusic.com
23. The Alexandria Kleztet: Eight Days of Peace (A Chanukah Feast Volume II), Hungry for Music

24. Roy Zimmerman: Christma-Hanu-Rama-Ka-Dona-Kwaanza (Peacenick), Metaphor www.royzimmerman.com
25 & 26. Christine Lavin & The Mistletones: A Christmas / Kwanzaa / Solstice / Chanukah / Ramadan / Boxing Day Song & The All Purpose Carol (TheRunaway Christmas Tree), Appleseed www.appleseedmusic.com

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over Edward Gerhard's "Christmas Guitar," Virtue Records

Upcoming concerts:
27. Heather Maloney (PACE, 12/18): Rectangles of Dawn (Cozy Razor's Edge), self www.heathermaloney.com
28. Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams (Infinity Hall, 12/29): Suddenly It's Christmas (single), self www.slambovia.com
29. Judy Collins (Infinity Hall, 12/20): Song for Sarajevo (Come Rejoice!), Wildflower
30. Harvey Reid & Joyce Andersen (Green Rooster, 12/19): Merry Christmas Baby (Christmas Morning), Woodpecker www.woodpecker.com
31. The Electric Trains (open mic St Paul’s 12/16): Ghost Train (The Electric Trains), self http://theelectrictrains.com
32. Atwater-Donnelly (Vanilla Bean 12/19): Two Crows (The Weaver's Bonny), Rabbit Island www.atwater-donnelly.com
33. Fred Eaglesmith (Hungry Frog 12/15; Iron Horse 12/16 & 17): John Deere (Ralph's Last Show), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com

It's the 46th anniversary of the murder of Medgar Evers:
34. Judy Collins: Medgar Evers Lullaby (The Judy Collins Concert), Elektra LP
35. Phil Ochs: Too Many Martyrs (Farewells & Fantasies), Rhino Elektra

36. Ensemble Galilei: Winter Blanket (Notes from Across The Sea: With Love, Ann Mayo Muir), self www.AnnMayoMuir.com or www.timberheadmusic.com
37. Claudia Schmidt & Paul Cebar: Baby, It's Cold Outside (45 single)
38. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House www.redhousemusic.com

YouTube tribute to Utah Phillips

The Utah tribute album "Singing Through the Hard Times" (Righteous Babe Records) has been nominated for a Grammy. Rik put this interview and montage together, starting with Utah talking about white male privilege and being a pacifist, and then moving into photos of many other singers in the struggle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQs8XXIvogk

12/6//09 Playlist

1. Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem: They All Asked for You (Ranky Tanky), Mayhem Music www.raniarbo.com
2. Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family: Go Waggaloo (Go Waggaloo), Smithsonian Folkways www.folkways.si.edu
3. Alastair Moock: Twins Are Twice As Fun (A Cow Says Moock), Moockshake Music www.moockmusic.com
4. Chris Smither: I Don't Know (Time Stands Still), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com

5. Harlem Parlour Music Club: Christmas Time's A-Coming (A Harlem Parlour Christmas), self www.harlemparlourmusicclub.com
6. Sierra: Helpless (Rocks), self www.sierrarocks.com
7. Southpaw Jones: The Cruelty of Teenage Girls (Cruelty), Freshly Picked Music www.southpawjones.com
8. Loreena McKennitt: Beneath A Phrygian Sky (From Istanbul to Athens / A Mediterranean Odyssey), Quinlan Road www.quinlanroad.com

Upcoming concerts:
9. Mark Rust (ECSU 12/7): Hard Times (Home Fires), Catskill Mountain www.markrust.com
10. Priscilla Herdman (Stone Soup 12/12): Ideas Are Like Stars (Into the Stars), Stardreamer www.priscillaherdman.com
11. David Mallett (Iron Horse 12/13): Ten Men (Alright Now), North Road www.davidmallett.com
12. Lui Collins (Milton Hall 12/12): Won't Miss You Darlin' (Leaving Fort Knox), Molly Gamblin www.luicollins.com

13. Jay Linden: One Vessel (Under the Radar), self www.jaylinden.com
14. Avi & Celia: Rollin' & Tumblin' (Let It Rise), self www.aviandcelia.com
15. Leonard Cohen: Diamonds in The Mine (Live at The Isle of Wight 1970), Columbia/Legacy
16. Bettysoo: Never The Pretty Girl (Heat Sin Water Skin), self www.bettysoo.com

Debra Cowan, guest, will appear at the U'n'I Coffeehouse in Springfield with Jeff Davis 12/12:
17. Debra: The Snow Is on The Ground (Fond Desire Farewell), Falling Mountain www.debracowan.com
18. Jeff Davis: Beulah Land (Some Fabulous Yonder), self www.jeffdavisoldmusic.com
19. Debra: Old Oxford Town (live)
20. Debra: Alcohol (Fond Desire Farewell), Falling Mountain
21. Debra: Cruel Was My Father (live)

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Pat Donohue's "Freewayman," Bluesky Records www.patdonohue.com

Concerts:
22. Margot Leverett and The Klezmer Mountain Boys (Branford Folk 12/12): Boreasca (2nd Avenue Square Dance), Traditional Crossroads www.traditionalcrossroads.com
23. Winterbloom (Institute of Musical Arts 12/13): Of the Magi (Winterbloom), self www.winterbloom.com
24. Girl Howdy (P.A.C.E. 12/11): My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You (Girl Howdy at Rhythm & Roots), FestivaLink.net
25. River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs (Maple Tree 12/12): Johnnie Billy Goat (It's Hot in Here), self www.zydecohogs.com

Victor Jara was reburied in Santiago yesterday, after an investigation into his torture and murder.
26. Arlo Guthrie: Victor Jara (Amigo, Warner Bros. / Reprise LP
27 Chuck Brodsky: The Hands of Victor Jara (Letters in The Dirt), Waterbug www.chuckbrodsky.com
28. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House www.redhouserecords.com

Liam Clancy Has Died

The last remaining member of The Clancy Brothers has died at age 74.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/obituaries/2009/1205/1224260145986.html