tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252574642011-04-21T12:01:58.568-07:00Featuring Folk Music and Traditional American River Songs, Shantys and Spiritualsgingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.comBlogger171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-4167295603485095632007-08-03T10:38:00.000-07:002007-08-03T10:45:45.209-07:00

John Hartford’s soul on the river goeswhere it runs wide and deep.And the catfish know, as the oriolethat life continues it’s steeprun from the cradle into the gravewith glimpses of green to be reaped,a dark muddy brown when rains come to town,and the Mississippi no longer sleeps.One fine august day when the river’s held swayand the rockin’ is gentle and fine,you may hear someone say a banjo’s

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-14736379325371188962007-08-03T10:13:00.001-07:002007-08-03T10:18:42.151-07:00

The summer can't pass without thinking of John Hartford. How sad I think he would have been over the bridge collapse in Minnesota. John was a river boat captain on the Mississippi. Below is one of my favorite songs by him. May he, and those lost, rest in peace.Old Time River ManWhere does an old time riverman goAfter he's passed away?Does his soul still keep watch on the deepFor the rest of the

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1164284330413232192006-11-23T04:17:00.000-08:002006-11-23T07:24:34.070-08:00

Walela's Cherokee River- Walela, the Cherokee word for Hummingbird and the symbol of inspiration for this family of women singers. They are Rita Coolidge, her sister Priscilla Coolidge, and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. Cherokee, you are a part of me You are my world Your water running still and deep even when you sleep Rocks and boulders, winding trails, Roots and trees won't stop

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1159177232354382382006-09-25T02:16:00.000-07:002006-09-25T03:22:45.270-07:00

In 1941 the Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, Oregon hired Woody Guthrie, age 28, to write songs promoting a public power project on the Columbia River. Album notes from The Colunbia River Collection help one understand the history behind many of the songs. In the '30s, Woody Guthrie spent an extended period in the Columbia River valley of the Pacific Northwest. It was here that he

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1154209261582916802006-07-29T14:25:00.000-07:002006-08-03T09:26:55.353-07:00

Whenever I find truly stellar music while researching river songs, I end up digressing. This is true of the Alan Lomax Colection. What an incredible effort by Lomax, an amazing compilation. I was searching for 'river song collections' and came across Lomax's life work. Deep River of Song: Alabama and Deep River Of Song: Georgia were two of the many recordings done by Lomax, who began his

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1154039274089335992006-07-27T15:27:00.000-07:002006-07-29T07:07:09.063-07:00

River shantys were songs sung by America's inland waterway sailors to help pass the drudgery of repetitive work. They added a cadence and rhythm to movement, concerted purpose and inspiration for rivermen when preforming the heavy tasks of loading or unloading cargo and working on board ships. American rivermen were called ditch hogs by their seafaring compatriots, who sometimes borrowed their

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Although this site features American folk music, while researching this morning I came across, quite by chance, the song All Souls Night. I saw it had a reference to a river in the lyrics and I remembered the melody from Loreena McKennitt’s The Visit CD. What strikes me about the recording is McKennitt's voice. I fell in love with it and these melodies at first listen, with All Souls Night, Bonny

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1152980293605306762006-07-15T09:17:00.000-07:002006-07-27T06:56:33.150-07:00

Old Time River Man(From the Down on the River album)Where does an old time riverman goAfter he's passed away?Does his soul still keep watch on the deepFor the rest of the river day?Does he then come back as a channel catOr the wasps that light on the wheel?,Or the birds that fly in the summer skyOr the fish swimming under the keel?Where does an old time pilot go After he's stood his last watch?

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In the process of researching river songs I came upon Lesley Nelson's folk music site. The folk songs and ballads are arranged with an aside that provides information about them and their history. "Within the folk music genre there is distinction between ballads and folk songs. Ballads were longer and related a story, usually one based in the past and carried down by oral tradition. Ballads could

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1151334700456131752006-06-26T08:08:00.000-07:002006-06-29T08:55:41.366-07:00

wrote quite a few river tunes. River Song is perhaps one of his best, its chorus well known and loved. River SongBill StainesI was born in the path of the winter wind,I was raised where the mountains are old.Their springtime waters came dancing down,And I remember the tales they told.The whistling ways of my younger daysToo quickly have faded on by,But all of their memories linger onLike the

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1151250621480916702006-06-25T08:46:00.000-07:002006-06-25T10:08:05.010-07:00

I'm in the process of archiving oldtime and traditional river songs, along with their notes. Let me know if you have a favorite, or one that I don't have listed.

gingerivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06324898573281421237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25257464.post-1151156403889182202006-06-24T06:38:00.000-07:002006-06-24T06:40:03.890-07:00

Shall we gather at the river, Where bright angel feet have trod, With its crystal tide forever Flowing by the throne of God? Yes, we’ll gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. On the margin of the river, Washing up its silver spray, We will talk and worship ever, All the happy golden day. Yes, we’ll gather at

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Old Man RiverHere we all work, on the Mississippi,Here we all work, while the white man plays,Towin' that barge, from dawn 'til sunset, Gettin' no rest, 'til judgement day.Take me away from the Mississippi,Take me away from the white man, boss.Show me the way to the River Jordan,There's an old stream, that I long to cross,yeah....Ol' man river, that ol' man river,He must know sumpin', but don't

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This site will begin archiving old river songs, with the notes to accompany them soon. Here are a few of the first up on Google:"River, take me along,In your sunshine sing me your song.Ever moving and winding and free,You rolling old river,You changing old river,Let's you and me, river,Run down to the sea."Bill Staines"So with our hopes, we raise the sailsTo face the winds once more,And with our

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C Am Fmaj7 CMoon River, wider than a mileFmaj7 C Bm7-5 E7I'm crossing you in style some day Am C7/GYou dream maker F FmYou heartbreaker Am7 D7Wherever you're going Dm7 G7I'm going your wayTwo drifters off to see the worldThere's such a lot of world to see Am Am7/G D7/F# Fm CWe're after the same rainbow's

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In a once rural and now developed area of Pennsylvania, a small building juts out from the surrounding hillside. Inside are all sorts of treasures, housed in a dusty museum and about anything one could hope to find or buy that relates to the gemstone and mineral industry. Lost River Cavern was discovered in 1883. The CD notes state that" limestone quarry workers discovered a mysterious crevice in

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"Moon river, wider than a mile,I'm crossing you in style someday,Oh, dream maker, you heartbreaker,Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way Two drifters, off to see the world,There's such a lot of world to see,We're after the same rainbow's endWaitin' round the bendMy Huckleberry friend,Moon river and me." Lyrics by Johnny MercerMusic composed by Henry Mancini Interesting Tidbits: After the very

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