Legends luncheon

Hi,

My old-time country band Crossroads played Legends Luncheon on Wed. July 16, and we got a clip on WHAS TV. We will be playing the next show July 21 from 11:00 to 1:00 Jefferson Park, Downtown Louisville [park is at the corner of Jefferson and 6th downtown]. Come on out.

Please check out my new gospel research: http://bluegrassmessengers.com/traditional-and-public-domain-gospel-d-e.aspx

I'm 3/4 way through the D songs. Great songs!

Richard

Gospel Song Research

Hi,

Here's my new song research project: http://bluegrassmessengers.com/traditional-and-public-domain-gospel--c.aspx

Here's my C song list and I've added about ten more songs today:

Traditional and Public Domain Gospel -C

Cain and Abel- Spiritual (Different Versions)
Call Him by His Name- Spiritual- Lucille Barbee
Call on Me- Gospel song- Pilgrim Travelers 1949
Called to Foreign Fields- Sarah Gunning 1974
Calling Jesus- Christ Memorial Singers 1963
Calling The Prodigal- Charles Gabriel 1889
Calling Thee- Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Lacy 1925
Calvary- Dock Boggs 1968 Calvary- Sacred Harp (Two Versions)
Calvary- Spiritual- John Work; Modern versions
Camp A Little While in the Wilderness- Cas Wallin
Camp Meeting Jubilee- Little Wonder Records 1916
Can I Count On You?- Spiritual 1957
Can The Circle Be Unbroken? Carter Family
Can The World See Jesus in You? Leila Morris 1917
Can You Tell- Starlight Spiritual Singers 1951
Canaan- Hymn "Bound For the Land of Canaan"
Canaan Land- Spiritual- Gospel Songbirds
Canaan's Happy Shore- Revival Hymn 1860
Canaan's Land- Golden "Where The Soul Never Dies"
Canaan's Land- Shaped note "Oh for a Breeze"
Can't Cross Jordan- Brown Collection 1922
Can't Do Without the Lord- Spiritual
Can't Do Wrong and Get By- Jackson Gospel Singers
Can't Feel At Home- Carter Family 1931
Can't Feel at Home- Marie Knight 1956
Can't Hear Nobody Pray- W.P. Detherow 1952
Can't Hide Sinner- Spiritualaires of Columbia, S.C
Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus- Spiritual
Can't You Live Humble?- Spiritual- Work 1907
Careless Soul- James H. Stan­ley 1909
Carry Me- Spiritual- Ensley Jubilee Singers
Carry Me Down To The Burying Ground- 1952
Carry Me, Good Lord- Spiritual- Lomax
Carry Me Home- Shape Note- Jackson "Penick"
Carry Me Safely Home- Spiritual- Tartt Collection
Carry Me To The Burying Ground- Spiritual 1859
Carry Your Cross With A Smile- Ogdon 1916
Cast Thy Bread upon the Water- Red Sovine 1978
Certainly Lord- Spiritual
Changed Mah Name- Spiritual- Jennifer Bynum
Charge To Keep I Have- W.P. Detherow 1952
Chased Old Satan Through The Door
Chatter With the Angels- Spiritual- John Work
Cheer the Weary Traveler- Heavenly Gospel Singers
Cheer the Weary Traveler- Spiritual- Bryant
Cherokee Hymn- Brown Collection
Cherry Tree Carol- Traditional Folk Ballad
Child of the King- Buell & Sumner 1877
Children, Did You Hear When Jesus Rose?
Children Do Linger- Spiritual 1867
Children Go Where I Send Thee- Spiritual
Children of the Heavenly King- Wisdom Sisters 1926
Children of the Lord- Traditional Praise Song
Children Wade in the Water- Blue Jay Singers 1932
Children, We All Shall Be Free- Jubilee Singers
Children, You'll Be Called On- Jubilee Singers
Child's Desire- Bela Lam and his Singers 1927
Chillun Ob Duh Wilduhness Moan Fuh Bread
Chilly Water- Spiritual- Jubilee Singers 1883
Choose You A Seat 'N' Set Down- Spiritual
Christ Arose- Robert Lowry 1874
Christ Child's Lullaby- Ranald Rankin 1855
Christ Is Coming On The Cloud- Spiritual- Lomax
Christ Returneth- Turner 1878
Christ Was A Wayworn Traveler- Sarah Ogan Gunning
Christ Was a Weary Traveler- Brown Collection
Christ was Born in Bethlehem- Folk Hymn
Christ Was Born on Christmas Morn- Spiritual
Christian Home In Glory- W.P. Detherow 1959
Christian Band- Millennial Harp 1843
Christian Hold Out Your Light- Max Hunter Coll.
Christian Race- Revival hymn- C. G. Wells 1870
Christian Soldier- Sacred Harp
Christians Hold Out Your Light- R. E. Winsett
Christians, Hold Up your Heads- John Work 1907
Christian's Hope- Folk Hymn- William Walker
Christmas Anthem- James Denson, 1844
Christmas Holiday- Pug Allen
Christmas Is Coming- Traditional- Kingston Trio
Christmas Time Is Near- Stanley Brothers
Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over- Carson
Church Across the Way- W. B. Gray- 1894
Church At The Foot Of The Hill- Dixon Brothers
Church Bells- Spiritual- Kid Prince Moore
Church, I'm Fully Saved Today- Willie Johnson
Church in the Wildwood- Carter Family 1932
Church of God- Spiritual- Fenner 1874
Church of God is Right- Otis and Tom Mote
Circle Be Unbroken- Bluegrass Messengers -Matteson
City Called Heaven- Marian Anderson
City Called Heaven- Jessye Norman
City Four Square- Horton Barker
City of Refuge- Spiritual- Brown Collection
City of Refuge- Spiritual- Nick Cave
City of Refuge- Spiritual- Willie Johnson 1928
City of Refuge- Spiritual- Rev. C.J. Johnson
City On the Hill- Wade Mainer
Clear The Line Before You Call- Spiritual- Tartt
Clear Title to a Mansion- Mainer's Mountaineers
Climbing High Mountains- Spiritual
Climbing Jacob's Ladder- Vocal-Aires of Birmingham
Climbing Up All Day- Capitol City Four
Climbing Up the Hill O' Mt. Zion- Spiritual- Lomax
Climbing Up The Golden Stairs- Versions- 1800s
Climbing Up The Golden Stairs- Happy Four
Climbing Up The Golden Stairs- Hawker
Climbing Up The Mountain
Climbing Up To Glory- Putnam & Sawyer 1883
Climbing Up Zion's Hill- Wellborn Waters
Climbing Up Zion's Hill- Carter Family 1952
Clim'in' Up De Hills- Spiritual- Tartt Collection
Cloud and Fire- Ernest Phipps 1928
Clouds Gwine Roll Away- Jubilee Song
Coffin To Bind Me Down- Spiritual 1899
Cold Icy Hand- Spiritual- 1898
Come- Mrs. James Gibson Johnson
Come All Dear Brethren- Sacred Harp 1928
Come, All of God's Children- Jubilee Singers 1874
Come All You Friends and Neighbors- Brown
Come Along- Spiritual- Barton 1898
Come Along and Shout Along- Jackson 1933
Come Along Moses- Spiritual 1867
Come Along Sinners- M.H. Rosenfeld 1881
Come Along You Prayin' Father- Max Hunter
Come And Dine- Grandpa Jones 1975
Come and Go with Me to My Father's House
Come and Go with Me to That Land- Spiritual
Come and Jine- Also "Come and Join"
Come, Angel Band- W.P. Detherow 1952
Come By Here- Spiritual 1931 "Come By Yuh"
Come By Here- Spiritual- Blind Wonders 1953
Come, Come Ye Saints- William Clayton
Come Down- Spiritual- John Work 1907
Come Down, Angel, And Trouble The Water- Perkins
Come Down, Angels- Jubilee Singers 1874
Come Down, Sinners- Spiritual- Southern Workman
Come En Go Wid Me- Gullah Spiritual
Come Friends Go with Me- Shape Note Folk Hymn
Come Go With Me- Spiritual 1867
Come Here Jesus If You Please- Work 1940
Come Here, Lord!- Spiritual- Work- 1907
Come Home- Spiritual- John Lomax 1911
Come, Humble Sinners
Come In The Room- Hightower and Massey 1967
Come, Let Us All Go Down- Jubilee Singers 1874
Come Let Us Sing- Folk Hymn "Twelve Apostles"
Come, My Heart- Primitive Baptist hymn
Come Now My Dear Brethren I Bid You Farewell
Come On And Bow Down- James "Iron Head" Baker
Come on Board The Ship Of Glory- Clyde Maness
Come On Children, Let's Sing- Jackson 1960
Come On, Come On- Straight Street Holiness Group
Come On in This House- Spiritual- Fairfield Four
Come Out of the Wilderness- The Cathedral Quartet
Come On See About Me- Swanee Quintet
Come Over Here- Spiritual Singers for Christ 1951
Come Over Here- Mello-aires of Rochester, NY
Come Over Here- Starlight Gospel Singers 1954
Come Sinner, Come- Spiritual- Odum
Come, Sinner, Come- Witter and Palmer 1887
Come Tell Me Of Your Ship- Shape Note- Davis
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing- Brown 1924
Come to Jesus Just Now
Come Trembleing Down- Krehbiel 1914
Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy
Come Ye That Fear the Lord- James Montgomery
Come, Ye that Love the Lord- Watts & Lowry
Come, Ye that Love the Lord- Starlight Singers
Comfort In Heaven- Spiritual- Barton 1898
Comforter Has Come- Bottome & Kirkpatrick 1890
Coming Day, The- Spiritual 1867 Higginson
Companions Draw Nigh- W.P. Detherow 1952
Companions Draw Nigh- Randolph 1921
Condescension- Southern Harmony
Constantly Abiding- Anne S. Murphy 1908
Conversation with Death- "Oh Death"
Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray- Spiritual
Count Your Blessings- Oatman and Excell 1897
Coventry Carol- Traditional Folk Carol
Cross Me Over- Odum & Johnson 1925
Crossed Old Jordan's Stream- Bird's KCC
Cry from the Cross- Stanley Brothers
Cry Holy- Spiritual- Higginson 1867
Cryin' Holy Unto My Lord- Bill Monroe 1940

Update June

Hi,



On the left (standing) is Sleepy Marlin. (Click to enlarge)
On the right stand is Merle Travis with the Brown Brothers in between. My article came out in the Old-Time Herald

It's been busy. The Sleepy Marlin concert on May 8 was a success. We made a Sleepy Marlin DVD with him playing the fiddle and I narrated it. Bod Rucker did a great job on it. There was a good crowd and good music.

Special thanks to Whistlin' Rufus, John Harrod, Jase Marlin and most of all Sleepy. Sleepy really enjoyed it even though he wasn't feeling great.

Here my band playing Louisville Two Step in honor of Sleepy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EONKwilrm_0

I put up several clips of our segment of the concert plus and interview with Sleepy himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suf-9rTZd5k

I did a show with some of my students where I played everything from the White Stripes to Cage the Elephant. Here's me and Wil playing "Ain't no Rest for the Wicked."
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=393606493563

I did several performances with my paise band, Stand on the Rock and we recorded a CD this weekend- it was a "live" CD- no overdubs.

I'll give

Sleepy Marlin Honorary Concert May 8

Hi,

On the left is a pic of me and Sleepy Marlin. We're playing a concert this Saturday in his honor and he'll be there. Come on out and meet Sleepy- one of all-time best fiddlers!

SLEEPY MARLIN HONORARY CONCERT

Featuring Whistlin' Rufus; Bluegrass Messengers; John Harrod; Jase Marlin and other special guests. Sleepy Marlin will be attending!

DATE: Sat. May 8, 7:00 PM

LOCATION: Highland United Methodist Church 1140 Cherokee Rd. Louisville, KY 40204

ADMISSION: Donation at the door; **part of the proceeds with go Highland Community Ministries

RECEPTION: Meet Sleepy Marlin, one of the all-time great fiddlers, at the reception following the concert.




SLEEPY MARLIN: Born in 1915, Sleepy Marlin was one of the top contest fiddlers in the United Sates and Canada from the 1930s until the 1970s. His band from the 1930s and 40s, The Drifting Pioneers featured guitarist and Country Music Hall-of-famer Merle Travis. They were featured on John Lair's Renfro Valley radio show. Around 1948 he moved to Louisville and joined the WHAS house band featuring Randy Atcher. He was featured on one of WHAS-TV's most popular shows "the Hayloft Hoedown" in the 1950s and 60s. Marlin regularly won the Kentucky State Fair contest in Louisville and began entering the Canadian National contests in the 1950s winning the top prize in the novelty division 6 years in a row. He performed and worked with some of the top old-time musicians including Clayton McMichen, John Lair, Mills Brothers, Curley Fox, Tex Atchison, Carl Cotner, Lily May Ledford and the Coon Creek Girls, Charlie Linville, Wesley Tuttle, Hank Penny, Cowboy Copas, Merle Travis, Red Foley, Slim Miller, Whitey Ford, Aunt Idy and Little Clifford; Sugh Fisher and Hugh Cross; Pa and Ma McCormick, Ranger Riders (Guy Blakeman and Roland Gaines) and toured for a year with Bradley Kincaid. In 1969 Sleepy even played with Fiddlin' Arthur Smith in what was one of Arthur's last informal performances.

Close-Ups Pretty Little Widder

Hi,

Here are close-ups of Pretty Little Widder (Click to enlarge)




The first is the pretty little widow herself!

Below is Clayton McMichen who learned the song from his father in 1908.

The last pic is "Black my boots and I'm goin to git 'er!"

Pretty Little Widder

Hi,

My painting of Pretty Little Widder is done (Click to enlarge). It's a tribute to Clayton McMichen, the leader of the Skillet Lickers band. My article on Clayton will be coming out soon in The Old-Time Herald. For a few years he owned and operated the Spring St. Bar and Grill in Louisville which is less than a block from my house.

Hopefully we can get the Skillet Lickers in the Country Music Hall-of-Fame this year. We're planning a tribute May 8, to another Louisville fiddler, Sleepy Marlin, who played with Merle Travis in the Drifting Pioneers. Sleepy is another championship fiddler from this area.

More news on the concert soon- plus I'll have more pics of Pretty Little Widder!

Thanks all for now,

Richard

John Henry- Dying

This is a close-up (click to enlarge). This is a touching powerful final scene. John's wife cradles his head as he lays dying with an onlooker kneeling behind.

CC Spencer an eyewitness described this scene and I painted it. The tunnel with a faint light leads John to the afterlife.