As I sit here in my warm home the day after Thanksgiving, the wind is blowing a gale from out of the northwest, making the windows give an occasional soft moan or shudder in disgust at such treatment as they are receiving today. This cold front that passed through early this morning harkens back to 100 years ago at this hour, when the schooner Rouse Simmons settled on Lake Michigan's floor laden with 5500 balsam and spruce trees, taking the lives of as many as seventeen of her crew. We do not know exactly who was aboard the ill-fated Christmas Ship on this, her last, voyage. Because this was a special trip every year, and not part of a regular schedule kept by the vessel, records are scarce if not actually missing. But it is at times of reflection like today, an accounting of those lost so long ago seems most appropriate.
After consulting Fred Neushel's excellent book, Lives and Legends of the Christmas Tree Ships (Copyright 2007, University of Michigan Press), we do have information on most of those aboard. Certainly, Captain Herman Schuenemann was aboard and lost as was Captain Charles Nelson, a longtime friend of the Schuenemann family and most likely in command of the last voyage, having much more sailing experience than Captain Herman. Also, confirmed aboard was the first mate, Steven Nelson, sailors Charles Nelson, Frank Carlson, Engwald Newhouse, Philip Larson, Gilbert Swanson, the cook, Albert Curta and Philip Bausewein, steward. These names were reported in the German-language newspaper Die Illinois Staats-Zeitung on December 6th. Others who may have been aboard, (actually probably were aboard) were day laborers and woodcutters not mentioned in the newspapers. Theodore Charrney, a historian who interviewed family and friends of those lost that day, recorded that William Oberg, Jacob Johnson, Sven Inglehart and Andrew Danielson were, also, on that ill-fated trip. That still leaves three unaccounted for if the crew numbered seventeen. It was not uncommon for children in those days not to be included in the ship's manifest. Perhaps some extended family of the crew members were lost in that storm. I guess we will never know.
Other mysteries surround this foundering. A surviving member of the crew, Hogan Hogansen, was quoted as saying he didn't make the trip because he felt the Simmons unsafe and overloaded. He returned to Chicago by train from up north. There may have been a heated discussion between the two Captains before departing from Thompson's Pier on November 22nd. Also, why did they not find a safe harbor in the coves and anchorages around St. Martin or Washington Islands or even Sturgeon Bay when the weather turned grim. Maybe, as Fred Neushel mentioned in his book, they were not thinking about not making it, they were focused only on succeeding. Again, we will never know.
What we do know is the sinking feeling that encompasses everyone who comes into contact, one way or another, with the loss of a ship. That feeling many of us had at the news of the Bounty sinking off of the Carolina coast in Hurricane Sandy late last month with the loss of two hands. It is a grim reality check, things will forever be different. It is our responsibility to remember and grieve, but then move on with a purpose and a renewed spirit that we can do more for others with our own time that we have left on this earth. To me, that is the true message of the story about Captain Schuenemann and the Rouse Simmons. After all, it is what his wife, Barbara, did for the rest of her life, as well as his daughters, Hazel, Pearl and Elsie. Their continuing the family business long after this tragedy is a wonderful example to us all, and something to be very thankful for this weekend.
Fair Winds!
Lee
http://www.amazon.com/Lives-Legends-Christmas-Tree-Ships/dp/0472033662
Copyright November 23, 2012 by Lee Murdock
Lee Murdock Ships Blog
Click on this image to go to Lee Murdock's web site
Friday, November 23, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Radio playlist press release
Press Release: Here We’ll Stand, The War of 1812 and the Struggle that Forged Two Nations
Lee Murdock, Depot Recordings, PO Box 11, Kaneville, IL 60144 www.leemurdock.com
Internationally acclaimed folksinger and historian, Lee Murdock, from Kaneville, Illinois, has released a new CD titled: Here We’ll Stand, his 18th. The songs on this recording are centered on the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, a struggle between the young United States and Great Britain for the riches of North America. Caught in the middle were native peoples, whose land and culture were forever changing with the influx of settlers from the cities of the east coast. Also, American land speculators looked longingly north of the border to the fertile lands of Upper Canada, now the province of Ontario, to continue the “American experiment of democracy.”
The stage is set with Jefferson and Liberty, which is a traditional American song from the campaign and election of 1800 and followed quickly by Loyal She Remains (Alex Sinclair), giving the Canadian or loyalist perspective. Then Rebecca’s Lament (James Keeleghan) speaks about the American frontier and the intermingling of pioneer and native peoples.
The war starts with The Constitution and Guerriere, written by the victorious American sailors who fought on “Old Ironsides” in the mid-Atlantic in August of 1812. In The Shannon and Chesapeake, the British returned the favor the following May off of Boston Harbor. The Gullible Americans chronicles the loss of Michigan territory in the first two months of the war from the perspective of a British officer. The tales continue in Lee’s own song, The Ballad of Ned Meyers, about surviving the loss of the USS Scourge in Lake Ontario in a sudden storm in August of 1813. The rollicking tune, Perry’s Victory on Lake Erie, describes the major sea battle and American victory on Lake Erie on September 10, 1813 between the British fleet and the Americans under Commodore Oliver H. Perry.
Our Vanquished Hero is a life song about the great Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, who commanded Indian warriors allied with the British forces. It was written to a melody derived from a Winnebago warrior song. In this piece, we hear the sequence of events that marked the life and death of this amazing political and military mind and those who followed him. The Burlington Races follows and describes the last major encounter between the American and British fleets on Lake Ontario, which ended in neither side able to claim victory. This indecision proved decisive after the war, leaving the border unchanged.
Then we move to the east coast in 1814, where the full power of the British war machine is unleashed on North American ports after the defeat of Napoleon in Europe the previous year. Here We’ll Stand, is a riveting account of the defense of Baltimore in the wake of the burning of Washington D.C. Then the full version of Francis Scott Key’s The Star Spangled Banner, is performed unaccompanied and reminiscent of what could have been heard in some Chesapeake Bay tavern. The war ends with a fiddle tune, Jackson’s Victory, composed shortly after the Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. (Jimmy Driftwood used this tune for his hit song, The Battle of New Orleans.)
This album closes with an original song by Lee, Why Do They Have To Burn, about the power of words and a call for a return to civil discourse, certainly a worthy pursuit after a conflict of any type, military or political. It is a fitting end that is a celebration of 200 years of peace between two countries with the longest unfortified border on Earth.
Lee Murdock is available for in-studio or phone interviews schedule permitting. Please contact Joann at jmurdock@artistsofnote.com or call (630) 557-2742 for more info.
Lee Murdock, Depot Recordings, PO Box 11, Kaneville, IL 60144 www.leemurdock.com
Internationally acclaimed folksinger and historian, Lee Murdock, from Kaneville, Illinois, has released a new CD titled: Here We’ll Stand, his 18th. The songs on this recording are centered on the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, a struggle between the young United States and Great Britain for the riches of North America. Caught in the middle were native peoples, whose land and culture were forever changing with the influx of settlers from the cities of the east coast. Also, American land speculators looked longingly north of the border to the fertile lands of Upper Canada, now the province of Ontario, to continue the “American experiment of democracy.”
The stage is set with Jefferson and Liberty, which is a traditional American song from the campaign and election of 1800 and followed quickly by Loyal She Remains (Alex Sinclair), giving the Canadian or loyalist perspective. Then Rebecca’s Lament (James Keeleghan) speaks about the American frontier and the intermingling of pioneer and native peoples.
The war starts with The Constitution and Guerriere, written by the victorious American sailors who fought on “Old Ironsides” in the mid-Atlantic in August of 1812. In The Shannon and Chesapeake, the British returned the favor the following May off of Boston Harbor. The Gullible Americans chronicles the loss of Michigan territory in the first two months of the war from the perspective of a British officer. The tales continue in Lee’s own song, The Ballad of Ned Meyers, about surviving the loss of the USS Scourge in Lake Ontario in a sudden storm in August of 1813. The rollicking tune, Perry’s Victory on Lake Erie, describes the major sea battle and American victory on Lake Erie on September 10, 1813 between the British fleet and the Americans under Commodore Oliver H. Perry.
Our Vanquished Hero is a life song about the great Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, who commanded Indian warriors allied with the British forces. It was written to a melody derived from a Winnebago warrior song. In this piece, we hear the sequence of events that marked the life and death of this amazing political and military mind and those who followed him. The Burlington Races follows and describes the last major encounter between the American and British fleets on Lake Ontario, which ended in neither side able to claim victory. This indecision proved decisive after the war, leaving the border unchanged.
Then we move to the east coast in 1814, where the full power of the British war machine is unleashed on North American ports after the defeat of Napoleon in Europe the previous year. Here We’ll Stand, is a riveting account of the defense of Baltimore in the wake of the burning of Washington D.C. Then the full version of Francis Scott Key’s The Star Spangled Banner, is performed unaccompanied and reminiscent of what could have been heard in some Chesapeake Bay tavern. The war ends with a fiddle tune, Jackson’s Victory, composed shortly after the Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. (Jimmy Driftwood used this tune for his hit song, The Battle of New Orleans.)
This album closes with an original song by Lee, Why Do They Have To Burn, about the power of words and a call for a return to civil discourse, certainly a worthy pursuit after a conflict of any type, military or political. It is a fitting end that is a celebration of 200 years of peace between two countries with the longest unfortified border on Earth.
Lee Murdock is available for in-studio or phone interviews schedule permitting. Please contact Joann at jmurdock@artistsofnote.com or call (630) 557-2742 for more info.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Sad and Dismal is the Story
Greetings,
A very sad day on Monday, October 29th, when the Tall ship Bounty foundered about ninety miles off of the North Carolina coast while in the clutches of Hurricane Sandy. It is a very great relief that there were fourteen survivors from the crew with one crewman lost, Claudette Christian and Captain Robin Walbridge still missing. There is very little comfort for the Christian and Walbridge families, though, as well as those who live in the Bounty's home port of Greenport, New York.
The worldwide maritime community will morn the loss of the Bounty for many years to come. The sense of shock to me, a folksinger living on the prairies of Illinois, is still profound, three days later. Though I've sailed on many a tall ship over the years, I did not have that opportunity on her. Yet, the feeling I got from many of these vessels while underway, was a sense of them being alive, surging from wave to wave and reveling in a brisk gale of wind. I've heard many a sailor shouting above the wind in the rigging, "She's shaking her tail!" or "She's got a bone in her teeth!" I was stunned when I saw the photo in Wednesday's Chicago Tribune of her last moments, her decks a-wash, her spars splintered, and listing to starboard. A truly profound sadness.
Unfortunately, this is a scene that has been played thousands of times over the thousands of years of commercial shipping. Yet each time, the emptiness is all encompassing. It is not unlike what happened 100 years ago in northern Lake Michigan, when the Rouse Simmons was lost with all hands off of Two Rivers, Wisconsin in a storm that took other vessels that day, November 23rd, 1912. Carrying Christmas trees for the Chicago holiday season from northern Michigan, the "Christmas Tree Schooner" went down and her loss was felt in the city for quite a while. The tradition of going downtown to the dockside to pick out a Christmas tree from Captain Herman Schuneman was gone in the blink of an eye. And in some households, that year became a bittersweet memory, even while purchasing trees from the Captain's wife, Barbara, and their daughters in succeeding Christmas holidays.
There were many questions surrounding that sinking so long ago, as there are with this shipwreck. Of course, now is not the time for them to be answered. Now is the time for reflection and memories, for condolences and thanksgiving for all of our blessings. Also, the courage and bravery exhibited by the U.S. Coast Guard in this rescue was a marvel. Those "Storm Warriors" can stand alongside any of the other great "Coasties" throughout history! They are truly the best in their field, and underpaid at that. And to the crew of the Bounty, whose lives have been changed forever, I hope that you can find solace as you enter into a new chapter in your life's novel, a second chance if you will. May you find peace in your endeavors and may it always be a fair wind that fills your sails, from now on.
Sincerely,
Lee
Copyright November 1, 2012 by Lee Murdoc
A very sad day on Monday, October 29th, when the Tall ship Bounty foundered about ninety miles off of the North Carolina coast while in the clutches of Hurricane Sandy. It is a very great relief that there were fourteen survivors from the crew with one crewman lost, Claudette Christian and Captain Robin Walbridge still missing. There is very little comfort for the Christian and Walbridge families, though, as well as those who live in the Bounty's home port of Greenport, New York.
The worldwide maritime community will morn the loss of the Bounty for many years to come. The sense of shock to me, a folksinger living on the prairies of Illinois, is still profound, three days later. Though I've sailed on many a tall ship over the years, I did not have that opportunity on her. Yet, the feeling I got from many of these vessels while underway, was a sense of them being alive, surging from wave to wave and reveling in a brisk gale of wind. I've heard many a sailor shouting above the wind in the rigging, "She's shaking her tail!" or "She's got a bone in her teeth!" I was stunned when I saw the photo in Wednesday's Chicago Tribune of her last moments, her decks a-wash, her spars splintered, and listing to starboard. A truly profound sadness.
Unfortunately, this is a scene that has been played thousands of times over the thousands of years of commercial shipping. Yet each time, the emptiness is all encompassing. It is not unlike what happened 100 years ago in northern Lake Michigan, when the Rouse Simmons was lost with all hands off of Two Rivers, Wisconsin in a storm that took other vessels that day, November 23rd, 1912. Carrying Christmas trees for the Chicago holiday season from northern Michigan, the "Christmas Tree Schooner" went down and her loss was felt in the city for quite a while. The tradition of going downtown to the dockside to pick out a Christmas tree from Captain Herman Schuneman was gone in the blink of an eye. And in some households, that year became a bittersweet memory, even while purchasing trees from the Captain's wife, Barbara, and their daughters in succeeding Christmas holidays.
There were many questions surrounding that sinking so long ago, as there are with this shipwreck. Of course, now is not the time for them to be answered. Now is the time for reflection and memories, for condolences and thanksgiving for all of our blessings. Also, the courage and bravery exhibited by the U.S. Coast Guard in this rescue was a marvel. Those "Storm Warriors" can stand alongside any of the other great "Coasties" throughout history! They are truly the best in their field, and underpaid at that. And to the crew of the Bounty, whose lives have been changed forever, I hope that you can find solace as you enter into a new chapter in your life's novel, a second chance if you will. May you find peace in your endeavors and may it always be a fair wind that fills your sails, from now on.
Sincerely,
Lee
Copyright November 1, 2012 by Lee Murdoc
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Back From Virtual Vacation
Greetings,
Well I'm back from my two week vacation from the web. I just had too much to do in the non-virtual world of folk music. I finished the new album titled, Here We'll Stand, and it is being manufactured as I am writing this to you, presently. I hope to have them back by the beginning of November. Secondly, many of you received my fall postcard with my schedule, etc. Thanks to all of those who helped get that mailing out, to Charlie and Janice of Creative Mailing in St. Charles for addressing them, as well as Joann, Bill Gramley, Bonnie Cooper, Linda Arndt and David MacTavish for engaging conversation that went alongside the interesting array of stamps we used for postage. Also, a busy concert schedule rounded out the "vacation" with trips to Grimsby, Ontario, Commerce Township, Michigan and Henry, Illinois.
I feel compelled to write about this new album of songs that commemorates the War of 1812. I start out with a short song from the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson vs Aaron Burr. Jefferson and Liberty talks about the American experience, not having to answer to the "King." And how Thomas Jefferson would be the only good choice to move our country forward. Loyal She Remains, written by Alex Sinclair of Toronto, Ontario, refers to those loyal to King George of England who left the USA after the Revolutionary War, many moving north of the border to Canada (then still a British colony) to start a new life. The third song on this CD, Rebecca's Lament, is one I recorded many years ago, and is still a favorite of many fans. Written by James Keelaghan, it chronicles the interaction in the early 19th century between a daughter of a missionary in the Ohio frontier with the a local Shawnee leader, Tecumseh. It is the perspective of these three songs that sets the stage for the rest of this recording.
The Constitution and Guerriere / The Shannon and Chesapeake is a medley of two traditional songs from the period. The Constitution... was written shortly after the American frigate known as "Old Ironsides" defeated the HMS Guerriere in the mid-Atlantic in August of 1812. Less than a year later, in May of 1813, the British returned the favor off of Boston Harbor when HMS Shannon captured the USS Chesapeake, and the second song was created. I figured, two hundred years later, why not have the songs fight it out amongst themselves. Then The Gullible Americans, follows and tells the loss of all of Michigan Territory within the first two months of the war. It is from the perspective of British officers shortly after the capture of Fort Mackinac, Fort Detroit and the surrender of Fort Dearborn (Chicago).
Perry's Victory on Lake Erie, is another song I previously recorded, written within weeks of the battle that took place in western Lake Erie on 10 September, 1813. The American victory gave the frontier settlers much relief from the fear of attack by the British and their Indian allies. In the wake of that defeat, the British decided to pull back east to Lake Ontario and the Naval stations in York (Toronto) and Kingston. This left their Indian allies, lead by Tecumseh, alone to defend their homeland and is chronicled in Our Vanquished Hero. On September 28th, 1813, the British fleet on Lake Ontario, commanded by Captain Sir James Yeo, engaged the American fleet 10 miles south of York, in dirty weather and building seas. The battle was called The Burlington Races, and considered a draw and thus preserved the status quo on the lake till the end of the war.
The title cut, Here We'll Stand, celebrates the defense of the port of Baltimore from the invading British fleet in September 1814. Just a few weeks before, the Americans sustained a severe blow to their morale when Washington D.C. was put to the torch. Francis Scott Key's famous poem, which later became our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, follows. This album is then rounded out with the fiddle tune Jackson's Victory, and my own homage to what happens when words become so inflamed that military action seems to be the only recourse. Why Do They Have to Burn calls for a reasoned approach to solving problems between nations, or states, or municipalities, or political parties. This last notion is the over-riding idea behind this album and the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Two hundred years of peace between two countries with the longest unfortified boundary between them on Earth, something to celebrate!
That's about it for now. In the coming weeks, look for more information about the Christmas Ship story as well as anything else that the winds or waves will bring our way. Until then,
Fair Winds!
Lee Murdock
tecumsehdrama.com
wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution
wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Spangled_Banner
copyright October 20, 2012 by Lee Murdock
Well I'm back from my two week vacation from the web. I just had too much to do in the non-virtual world of folk music. I finished the new album titled, Here We'll Stand, and it is being manufactured as I am writing this to you, presently. I hope to have them back by the beginning of November. Secondly, many of you received my fall postcard with my schedule, etc. Thanks to all of those who helped get that mailing out, to Charlie and Janice of Creative Mailing in St. Charles for addressing them, as well as Joann, Bill Gramley, Bonnie Cooper, Linda Arndt and David MacTavish for engaging conversation that went alongside the interesting array of stamps we used for postage. Also, a busy concert schedule rounded out the "vacation" with trips to Grimsby, Ontario, Commerce Township, Michigan and Henry, Illinois.
I feel compelled to write about this new album of songs that commemorates the War of 1812. I start out with a short song from the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson vs Aaron Burr. Jefferson and Liberty talks about the American experience, not having to answer to the "King." And how Thomas Jefferson would be the only good choice to move our country forward. Loyal She Remains, written by Alex Sinclair of Toronto, Ontario, refers to those loyal to King George of England who left the USA after the Revolutionary War, many moving north of the border to Canada (then still a British colony) to start a new life. The third song on this CD, Rebecca's Lament, is one I recorded many years ago, and is still a favorite of many fans. Written by James Keelaghan, it chronicles the interaction in the early 19th century between a daughter of a missionary in the Ohio frontier with the a local Shawnee leader, Tecumseh. It is the perspective of these three songs that sets the stage for the rest of this recording.
The Constitution and Guerriere / The Shannon and Chesapeake is a medley of two traditional songs from the period. The Constitution... was written shortly after the American frigate known as "Old Ironsides" defeated the HMS Guerriere in the mid-Atlantic in August of 1812. Less than a year later, in May of 1813, the British returned the favor off of Boston Harbor when HMS Shannon captured the USS Chesapeake, and the second song was created. I figured, two hundred years later, why not have the songs fight it out amongst themselves. Then The Gullible Americans, follows and tells the loss of all of Michigan Territory within the first two months of the war. It is from the perspective of British officers shortly after the capture of Fort Mackinac, Fort Detroit and the surrender of Fort Dearborn (Chicago).
Perry's Victory on Lake Erie, is another song I previously recorded, written within weeks of the battle that took place in western Lake Erie on 10 September, 1813. The American victory gave the frontier settlers much relief from the fear of attack by the British and their Indian allies. In the wake of that defeat, the British decided to pull back east to Lake Ontario and the Naval stations in York (Toronto) and Kingston. This left their Indian allies, lead by Tecumseh, alone to defend their homeland and is chronicled in Our Vanquished Hero. On September 28th, 1813, the British fleet on Lake Ontario, commanded by Captain Sir James Yeo, engaged the American fleet 10 miles south of York, in dirty weather and building seas. The battle was called The Burlington Races, and considered a draw and thus preserved the status quo on the lake till the end of the war.
The title cut, Here We'll Stand, celebrates the defense of the port of Baltimore from the invading British fleet in September 1814. Just a few weeks before, the Americans sustained a severe blow to their morale when Washington D.C. was put to the torch. Francis Scott Key's famous poem, which later became our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, follows. This album is then rounded out with the fiddle tune Jackson's Victory, and my own homage to what happens when words become so inflamed that military action seems to be the only recourse. Why Do They Have to Burn calls for a reasoned approach to solving problems between nations, or states, or municipalities, or political parties. This last notion is the over-riding idea behind this album and the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Two hundred years of peace between two countries with the longest unfortified boundary between them on Earth, something to celebrate!
That's about it for now. In the coming weeks, look for more information about the Christmas Ship story as well as anything else that the winds or waves will bring our way. Until then,
Fair Winds!
Lee Murdock
tecumsehdrama.com
wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution
wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Spangled_Banner
copyright October 20, 2012 by Lee Murdock
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Look Who's Talking
Greetings,
This week will mark the first of three debates between the presidential candidates of the Republican and Democratic parties. Is it here where Americans will finally be able to see, hear and judge these men, each who represent very different paths for the future of the United States? Maybe and maybe not. This is an exercise in public discourse, that has been part of the American landscape since before the Constitution. With the way the progressives and the conservatives have been talking at each other lately, I don't know what to expect. Will it be a definitive explanation of issues or a fireworks display? We shall see come Wednesday evening.
How does folk music interact with the political scene? Very well, actually. In the election of 1800, where Thomas Jefferson was in contention with Aaron Burr for the highest office, it was very similar to now. Jefferson represented the intelligentsia, the learned gentleman farmer, legal scholar, architect and the progressive ideal. In Burr, one witnessed the best of the business community and the growing real estate industry that was propelling a young nation. On my forthcoming CD, due to be released soon, I have included a song that Jefferson's political campaign used. It is titled "Jefferson and Liberty."
"Rejoice, Columbia's sons, rejoice. To tyrants never bend a knee.
But join with heart and soul and voice for Jefferson and liberty!"
In the election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln's campaign had a song that went:
"Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness.
Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness many long years ago.
Many long years ago, many long years ago.
Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness many long years ago."
This was sung to the tune of "Old Grey Mare, she ain't what she used to be."
And in more recent times, Democrats used "Happy Days are Here Again" to propel Franklin D. Roosevelt to the White House in 1932 over incumbent Herbert Hoover. Mr. Jimmy Davis of Louisiana, wrote his own theme song, "You are My Sunshine," named after his horse, Sunshine, that he rode all the way to the Governor's Mansion. Both of these songs are considered in the public domain, if not legally, at least in the minds and hearts of many.
And just twenty years ago, Bill Clinton basked in the glow of his supporters and the nation to the strains of Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" after defeating George H.W. Bush. Some might quarrel with the supposition of this song being in the folk idiom, myself included, but who knows what will be considered a folk song one hundred years from now. I wish I could ask Dan Emmet (Dance Boatman, Dance) or Stephen Foster (Oh, Susanna) if their "pop" songs of the mid-nineteenth century would survive well into the future. I'm sure they would have hoped.
This missive may be the only time that I expound on politics and folk music, mainly because I don't want to get in a shouting match with anyone out there about what constitutes a folk song. If you think political and religious discussions are a mine field, just listen into a heated debate between the "old school" conservatives (traditional music enthusiasts) and the "brave new world" liberals ( singer-songwriters) at some post-folk festival party. Come to think of it, that is an argument that I have with myself all the time, and one I can't win.
I guess, if this year's campaign for president had a theme song, I hope it would be an all inclusive tune, one that unites us as opposed to divide us. I did write one song a while ago that reflects my feelings about where we are now as a nation. This song, "Why Do They Have To Burn," will appear on my new album and the following is the second verse and refrain:
"There's a hunger inside everyone to be free. It's not always easy, you can't always see
The different perspectives as they ought to be, but divergent views can be shared equally.
We have more in common at this present time than what divides us and there is the crime.
Unseen forces bid us do their will while they cash in and send us the bill paid
By us all, each in turn, where we live, where we learn.
In the end, when those words are returned, why do they have to burn?"
There are issues with our present political campaigns. Where is the money coming from to finance them? Will my vote be counted? How will Democrats and Republicans work together for the greater good in such a toxic political environment after the election. Maybe, instead of some new composition, what about a song like "America the Beautiful?" What a great song! And you know the old adage, "Music can soothe the savage beast", whether elephants or donkeys.
All I really can say, is that I plan to vote. I hope you do, too! Just don't do it, too often.
Fair Winds!
Lee
Copyright September 30, 2012 by Lee Murdock
gop.gov
democrats.org
This week will mark the first of three debates between the presidential candidates of the Republican and Democratic parties. Is it here where Americans will finally be able to see, hear and judge these men, each who represent very different paths for the future of the United States? Maybe and maybe not. This is an exercise in public discourse, that has been part of the American landscape since before the Constitution. With the way the progressives and the conservatives have been talking at each other lately, I don't know what to expect. Will it be a definitive explanation of issues or a fireworks display? We shall see come Wednesday evening.
How does folk music interact with the political scene? Very well, actually. In the election of 1800, where Thomas Jefferson was in contention with Aaron Burr for the highest office, it was very similar to now. Jefferson represented the intelligentsia, the learned gentleman farmer, legal scholar, architect and the progressive ideal. In Burr, one witnessed the best of the business community and the growing real estate industry that was propelling a young nation. On my forthcoming CD, due to be released soon, I have included a song that Jefferson's political campaign used. It is titled "Jefferson and Liberty."
"Rejoice, Columbia's sons, rejoice. To tyrants never bend a knee.
But join with heart and soul and voice for Jefferson and liberty!"
In the election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln's campaign had a song that went:
"Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness, out of the wilderness.
Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness many long years ago.
Many long years ago, many long years ago.
Old Abe Lincoln came out of the wilderness many long years ago."
This was sung to the tune of "Old Grey Mare, she ain't what she used to be."
And in more recent times, Democrats used "Happy Days are Here Again" to propel Franklin D. Roosevelt to the White House in 1932 over incumbent Herbert Hoover. Mr. Jimmy Davis of Louisiana, wrote his own theme song, "You are My Sunshine," named after his horse, Sunshine, that he rode all the way to the Governor's Mansion. Both of these songs are considered in the public domain, if not legally, at least in the minds and hearts of many.
And just twenty years ago, Bill Clinton basked in the glow of his supporters and the nation to the strains of Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" after defeating George H.W. Bush. Some might quarrel with the supposition of this song being in the folk idiom, myself included, but who knows what will be considered a folk song one hundred years from now. I wish I could ask Dan Emmet (Dance Boatman, Dance) or Stephen Foster (Oh, Susanna) if their "pop" songs of the mid-nineteenth century would survive well into the future. I'm sure they would have hoped.
This missive may be the only time that I expound on politics and folk music, mainly because I don't want to get in a shouting match with anyone out there about what constitutes a folk song. If you think political and religious discussions are a mine field, just listen into a heated debate between the "old school" conservatives (traditional music enthusiasts) and the "brave new world" liberals ( singer-songwriters) at some post-folk festival party. Come to think of it, that is an argument that I have with myself all the time, and one I can't win.
I guess, if this year's campaign for president had a theme song, I hope it would be an all inclusive tune, one that unites us as opposed to divide us. I did write one song a while ago that reflects my feelings about where we are now as a nation. This song, "Why Do They Have To Burn," will appear on my new album and the following is the second verse and refrain:
"There's a hunger inside everyone to be free. It's not always easy, you can't always see
The different perspectives as they ought to be, but divergent views can be shared equally.
We have more in common at this present time than what divides us and there is the crime.
Unseen forces bid us do their will while they cash in and send us the bill paid
By us all, each in turn, where we live, where we learn.
In the end, when those words are returned, why do they have to burn?"
There are issues with our present political campaigns. Where is the money coming from to finance them? Will my vote be counted? How will Democrats and Republicans work together for the greater good in such a toxic political environment after the election. Maybe, instead of some new composition, what about a song like "America the Beautiful?" What a great song! And you know the old adage, "Music can soothe the savage beast", whether elephants or donkeys.
All I really can say, is that I plan to vote. I hope you do, too! Just don't do it, too often.
Fair Winds!
Lee
Copyright September 30, 2012 by Lee Murdock
gop.gov
democrats.org
Saturday, September 22, 2012
I Just Can't Decide, Which One Should I Choose
Greetings,
Just yesterday, I was in the Norwest Communications Studio in Barrington, Illinois with mandolin guru Drew Carson and a true master of the banjo, Mark Dvorak, working on the new 1812 recording to be released soon. Drew and Mark were adding their musical talents to a few of the cuts when we sat down together, mikes in place and recorded an old fiddle tune that goes by the name "The Eighth of January". It was very impromptu and fun, not planned out and rehearsed as most recording really requires. I had found out that this tune had another name, "Jackson's Victory", and it could be traced back to the weeks after The Battle of New Orleans where Andrew Jackson's forces defeated the British on January 8, 1815. It was a wonderful break in the recording routine.
Aside from the recording process of this new CD titled, Here We'll Stand, much still has to be completed with the CD cover art, liner notes and lyric sheet. Most of this work is fairly easy for me, typing out (hunt and peck style) the lyrics and relating some interesting info about the songs themselves, where they came from, who sang them, historical significance, etc. The cover art is much more difficult to choose. How to pick from so many great visual artists, and what should the cover convey? Is this image too light or not light enough? Both Joann and I have had to make these decisions over the years for our albums without much outside input.
Ah, with modern technology, we might be able to get some feedback from you, Readers, on some images for this new CD. First, I need to tell you about the artist we are working with on this project. Peter Rindlisbacher is a marine artist who has long been researching the War of 1812 and painting scenes from it. I have enjoyed his work in museum settings and magazine articles about Great Lakes ships and shipping during much of my own career. I first met him in Detroit, Michigan at the annual conference of Association of Great Lakes Marine Historians in September of 2001. Originally hailing from Amherstburg Ontario, Canada, he now resides in Katy, Texas, USA. Regardless of where he lives, the Great Lakes still have a profound impact on his art. As a matter of fact, I have used Peter's art images on three previous recordings, Between Two Worlds, Christmas goes to Sea, and The View From the Harbor.
Both Joann and I are torn between four of Rindlisbacher's paintings from this period in North American history, 1812. Therefore, which image do you think we should use?
After viewing these four images, you may want to see more of Peter's work. A small book was published by Linda Stanley of Canadian Art Cards of St. Chatherines, Ontario and titled Freshwater Fighting Sail.www.canadianartcards.com Also, a new book with be released very soon by Quarry Press of Kingston, Ontario with over 100 images of Peter's paintings. That book, War of 1812, Sea Battles on the Great Lakes is available for pre-release purchase from Amazon.com for $19.77. Just search under Peter Rindlisbacher. amazon.com I know I will place an order soon!
Also, if you wish to contact Peter, either for a painting commission or his own wonderful presentation on the War of 1812, performed in period Provincial Marine uniform, he can be reached through The Canadian Society of Marine Artists and talk to Paul Adamsle.www.ultrmarine.ca/artists/index.html
I look forward to hearing from you folks on this intriguing new cover art conundrum. Please post your choice and comments below on the blog and share this post with a friend.
Until then, Fair Winds!
Lee
Copyright 2012 by Lee Murdock
Just yesterday, I was in the Norwest Communications Studio in Barrington, Illinois with mandolin guru Drew Carson and a true master of the banjo, Mark Dvorak, working on the new 1812 recording to be released soon. Drew and Mark were adding their musical talents to a few of the cuts when we sat down together, mikes in place and recorded an old fiddle tune that goes by the name "The Eighth of January". It was very impromptu and fun, not planned out and rehearsed as most recording really requires. I had found out that this tune had another name, "Jackson's Victory", and it could be traced back to the weeks after The Battle of New Orleans where Andrew Jackson's forces defeated the British on January 8, 1815. It was a wonderful break in the recording routine.
Aside from the recording process of this new CD titled, Here We'll Stand, much still has to be completed with the CD cover art, liner notes and lyric sheet. Most of this work is fairly easy for me, typing out (hunt and peck style) the lyrics and relating some interesting info about the songs themselves, where they came from, who sang them, historical significance, etc. The cover art is much more difficult to choose. How to pick from so many great visual artists, and what should the cover convey? Is this image too light or not light enough? Both Joann and I have had to make these decisions over the years for our albums without much outside input.
Ah, with modern technology, we might be able to get some feedback from you, Readers, on some images for this new CD. First, I need to tell you about the artist we are working with on this project. Peter Rindlisbacher is a marine artist who has long been researching the War of 1812 and painting scenes from it. I have enjoyed his work in museum settings and magazine articles about Great Lakes ships and shipping during much of my own career. I first met him in Detroit, Michigan at the annual conference of Association of Great Lakes Marine Historians in September of 2001. Originally hailing from Amherstburg Ontario, Canada, he now resides in Katy, Texas, USA. Regardless of where he lives, the Great Lakes still have a profound impact on his art. As a matter of fact, I have used Peter's art images on three previous recordings, Between Two Worlds, Christmas goes to Sea, and The View From the Harbor.
Both Joann and I are torn between four of Rindlisbacher's paintings from this period in North American history, 1812. Therefore, which image do you think we should use?
"Prelude to Battle"
"Amherstburg Navy Yard"
"Farewell to the Fallen"
"Friends Good Will at Mackinac"
After viewing these four images, you may want to see more of Peter's work. A small book was published by Linda Stanley of Canadian Art Cards of St. Chatherines, Ontario and titled Freshwater Fighting Sail.www.canadianartcards.com Also, a new book with be released very soon by Quarry Press of Kingston, Ontario with over 100 images of Peter's paintings. That book, War of 1812, Sea Battles on the Great Lakes is available for pre-release purchase from Amazon.com for $19.77. Just search under Peter Rindlisbacher. amazon.com I know I will place an order soon!
Also, if you wish to contact Peter, either for a painting commission or his own wonderful presentation on the War of 1812, performed in period Provincial Marine uniform, he can be reached through The Canadian Society of Marine Artists and talk to Paul Adamsle.www.ultrmarine.ca/artists/index.html
I look forward to hearing from you folks on this intriguing new cover art conundrum. Please post your choice and comments below on the blog and share this post with a friend.
Until then, Fair Winds!
Lee
Copyright 2012 by Lee Murdock
Friday, September 14, 2012
It's Apple Pickin' Time
Greetings,
I just got back from the local apple orchard on this picture-postcard, perfect afternoon. The sunlight that cast its golden glow over the rows of Jonathan and McIntosh, as well as many other apple trees, reminded me of another time, when afternoons were spent in the branches of the trees of my youth.
Folk songs can give you a similar feeling, a window into a world of long ago or far away. Like a fragrance can help you remember where you were the last time you encountered it, an old ballad can transform your thoroughly modern existence into a smokey, dim lit campfire gathering. Songs like "Oh, Susanna," or "Sweet Betsey From Pike" give one a sense of crossing the Great Divide in the Rocky Mountains and traveling into California in 1849 in search of golden dreams. "The Greenland Whale Fisheries," and "New Bedford Whalers" takes us out on the high seas, harpoon in hand; you can almost smell the salt air!
It is, also, a lot of fun to try to recreate that sense of time and place through new songs. Stan Rogers was well known for his gift of language and melody that created new "old folk songs". My favorite is "Harris and the Mare", a dramatic barroom scene that erupts into the tragic story of the death of "young Clary" at the hands of a conscientious objector from World War II. No one expected that.
With those thoughts in mind, this weekend I will be performing on Saturday evening at The Foundry, in South Haven, Michigan and on Sunday afternoon at Blackberry Farm in Aurora, Illinois. The Foundry is a very intimate setting for a concert set in downtown South Haven, not far from where the topsail schooner Friends Good Will, a reproduction of an 1812-era naval vessel, is docked. It will be great fun to sing songs about that time, when Great Britain and the United States were engaged in a struggle that had a profound impact on the future of Canada and North America.
Consequently, Blackberry Farm is a wonderful stroll into yesteryear, where the family farm and midwestern values mingle amid the sun-dappled tree branches surrounding the town square. It's a perfect place for old folk songs to drift over the grounds and create new memories of the "good old days."
So get out and enjoy these wonderful September days and sing an old song, even if it is just to yourself.
Fair Winds!
Lee Murdock
www.michiganmartimemuseum.org
www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org
www.foundryhall.com
Copyright 2012 by Lee Murdock
I just got back from the local apple orchard on this picture-postcard, perfect afternoon. The sunlight that cast its golden glow over the rows of Jonathan and McIntosh, as well as many other apple trees, reminded me of another time, when afternoons were spent in the branches of the trees of my youth.
Folk songs can give you a similar feeling, a window into a world of long ago or far away. Like a fragrance can help you remember where you were the last time you encountered it, an old ballad can transform your thoroughly modern existence into a smokey, dim lit campfire gathering. Songs like "Oh, Susanna," or "Sweet Betsey From Pike" give one a sense of crossing the Great Divide in the Rocky Mountains and traveling into California in 1849 in search of golden dreams. "The Greenland Whale Fisheries," and "New Bedford Whalers" takes us out on the high seas, harpoon in hand; you can almost smell the salt air!
It is, also, a lot of fun to try to recreate that sense of time and place through new songs. Stan Rogers was well known for his gift of language and melody that created new "old folk songs". My favorite is "Harris and the Mare", a dramatic barroom scene that erupts into the tragic story of the death of "young Clary" at the hands of a conscientious objector from World War II. No one expected that.
With those thoughts in mind, this weekend I will be performing on Saturday evening at The Foundry, in South Haven, Michigan and on Sunday afternoon at Blackberry Farm in Aurora, Illinois. The Foundry is a very intimate setting for a concert set in downtown South Haven, not far from where the topsail schooner Friends Good Will, a reproduction of an 1812-era naval vessel, is docked. It will be great fun to sing songs about that time, when Great Britain and the United States were engaged in a struggle that had a profound impact on the future of Canada and North America.
Consequently, Blackberry Farm is a wonderful stroll into yesteryear, where the family farm and midwestern values mingle amid the sun-dappled tree branches surrounding the town square. It's a perfect place for old folk songs to drift over the grounds and create new memories of the "good old days."
So get out and enjoy these wonderful September days and sing an old song, even if it is just to yourself.
Fair Winds!
Lee Murdock
www.michiganmartimemuseum.org
www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org
www.foundryhall.com
Copyright 2012 by Lee Murdock
Thursday, September 6, 2012
War of 1812, 200 Years of Peace
Greetings,
On this beautiful Thursday morning, I am writing about a program that has been in development for over two years. I felt back in 2010 that this year, 2012, would be a very important anniversary for one of the most overlooked periods in United States history. The early 19th century was a pivotal time for our young country. Europe was still recovering from the shock of the French Revolution, and its aftermath, Napoleon and his quest for empire. World trade from America was being hampered by British Naval forces. (The British Navy was giving American sailors the opportunity to see the world, through impressment). The beginning of the collapse of colonialism was spreading across the globe. In essence, things were changing rapidly.
President Jefferson expanded the US territory profoundly with the purchase from France of lands west and north of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, The Louisiana Purchase. The population of the original 13 colonies was exploding, and therefore, people were beginning to settle in the fertile valleys west of the Appalachian Mountains. This put pressure on those who lived there originally, the First Nation peoples, to "adjust." England became more nervous about the expansionist sentiments south of the Canadian border in the western frontier of the US.
This set up a most fascinating scenario, conflicting interests that boiled into armed conflict in North America and on the high seas between the major world power at the time, England and the brash but naive United States. Caught in the middle were the Indian nations, upon whose lands battles would be fought, and the Canadian settlers, many who had fled the US after the American Revolution in the 1780's.
In the middle of June, war was declared by the US on Great Britain and it didn't go well for both sides early on. Within two months, all of Michigan territory was lost to the British, and on the other hand, the USS Constitution engaged and destroyed HMS Guerierre in the mid Atlantic. Both sides expected a very short conflict, but that was not to be the case.
I knew that there were some poems and ballads from the period that could illuminate the human side of that contentious time and, therefore, set out to find and hone into a musical lecture many of these songs and stories. And that brings me to today, where at 12:30 pm, I will perform at Lewis University my program, The War of 1812, the Conflict that Forged Two Nations. This weekend, I will also be at the fort in Fort Wayne, Indiana for a reenactment of the siege of Fort Wayne in September of 1812. See information at my website, leemurdock.com about these and other upcoming events.
Fair Winds!
Lee
info@oldfortwayne.org
On this beautiful Thursday morning, I am writing about a program that has been in development for over two years. I felt back in 2010 that this year, 2012, would be a very important anniversary for one of the most overlooked periods in United States history. The early 19th century was a pivotal time for our young country. Europe was still recovering from the shock of the French Revolution, and its aftermath, Napoleon and his quest for empire. World trade from America was being hampered by British Naval forces. (The British Navy was giving American sailors the opportunity to see the world, through impressment). The beginning of the collapse of colonialism was spreading across the globe. In essence, things were changing rapidly.
President Jefferson expanded the US territory profoundly with the purchase from France of lands west and north of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, The Louisiana Purchase. The population of the original 13 colonies was exploding, and therefore, people were beginning to settle in the fertile valleys west of the Appalachian Mountains. This put pressure on those who lived there originally, the First Nation peoples, to "adjust." England became more nervous about the expansionist sentiments south of the Canadian border in the western frontier of the US.
This set up a most fascinating scenario, conflicting interests that boiled into armed conflict in North America and on the high seas between the major world power at the time, England and the brash but naive United States. Caught in the middle were the Indian nations, upon whose lands battles would be fought, and the Canadian settlers, many who had fled the US after the American Revolution in the 1780's.
In the middle of June, war was declared by the US on Great Britain and it didn't go well for both sides early on. Within two months, all of Michigan territory was lost to the British, and on the other hand, the USS Constitution engaged and destroyed HMS Guerierre in the mid Atlantic. Both sides expected a very short conflict, but that was not to be the case.
I knew that there were some poems and ballads from the period that could illuminate the human side of that contentious time and, therefore, set out to find and hone into a musical lecture many of these songs and stories. And that brings me to today, where at 12:30 pm, I will perform at Lewis University my program, The War of 1812, the Conflict that Forged Two Nations. This weekend, I will also be at the fort in Fort Wayne, Indiana for a reenactment of the siege of Fort Wayne in September of 1812. See information at my website, leemurdock.com about these and other upcoming events.
Fair Winds!
Lee
info@oldfortwayne.org
Friday, August 31, 2012
Another Grand Departure
I am casting off into the digital sea of the internet on this blog-ship to talk about music and history, how they have intersected with each other over time and how that can relate to current events. I hope to make a weekly entry into this ships-blog and look forward to corresponding with anyone interested in these and any related subjects. This week's entry involves one of my favorite stories I discovered many years ago in a book titled, Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals, by William Ratigan.
November 23rd of this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the loss of the Schooner Rouse Simmons, the most famous of the "Christmas Ships." Her master, Captain Herman Schueunemann, along with her crew, totaling as many as sixteen, were lost in Lake Michigan's storm-tossed waters off of Two Rivers in Wisconsin (just a ninety minute drive north of Milwaukee).
Over fifty schooners (two and three masted sailing ships and as long as 150 feet) were chartered to travel north in October to harvest and then deliver small evergreen trees to the growing immigrant populations in southern Great Lakes ports like Milwaukee and Chicago, often arriving around the end of November. This was very risky business, as late autumn storms could explode often and without warning to put these vessels in peril.
Captain Scheunemann is most often singled out as the most legendary of these late season sailors for a number of reasons. Herman made more of these voyages than anyone else, nineteen in all. He, also, transformed this trip from just another mundane schooner passage into an exciting event that the public would participate in by stepping aboard the "Christmas Schooner" in downtown Chicago and selecting their Christmas tree, wreaths and garlands.
Herman's wife, Barbara, along with daughters Pearl, Hazel and Elsie, helped sell the trees, make those wreaths and garlands and added to the festive atmosphere aboard ship. With the loss of the Rouse Simmons that dark November in 1912, a shadow was cast on this tradition that season. And the main reason this event is remembered, is the commitment to this holiday business that Barbara and the girls maintained for many years, well into the depression, in the wake of such a tragedy. Also, remember that women could not vote in this country at that time. She was quite a role-model for young women of her age.
This is an amazing, true story that has touched many folks of all ages over the years. from those youngsters long ago hoping for a Christmas tree, to those of us remembering our own disappointments and glowing memories of holidays past. It is a story that has inspired artists of many different types, from the concert stage, to theater, or on canvas. So join me this year in remembering the story of the "Christmas Ship" at various ports o' call across the Great Lakes region this fall!
One of those events is my annual Christmas Ship Concert, to be held at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 24th at the Maple Street Chapel in Lombard, Illinois. This will be our 21st year performing this show and at the same place we started back in 1992. So check out my web page or this blog later in the coming weeks for more information and conversation on this majestic piece of maritime history.
http://folk.maplestreetchapel.org/
Lee Murdock
© August 31, 2012
November 23rd of this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the loss of the Schooner Rouse Simmons, the most famous of the "Christmas Ships." Her master, Captain Herman Schueunemann, along with her crew, totaling as many as sixteen, were lost in Lake Michigan's storm-tossed waters off of Two Rivers in Wisconsin (just a ninety minute drive north of Milwaukee).
Over fifty schooners (two and three masted sailing ships and as long as 150 feet) were chartered to travel north in October to harvest and then deliver small evergreen trees to the growing immigrant populations in southern Great Lakes ports like Milwaukee and Chicago, often arriving around the end of November. This was very risky business, as late autumn storms could explode often and without warning to put these vessels in peril.
Captain Scheunemann is most often singled out as the most legendary of these late season sailors for a number of reasons. Herman made more of these voyages than anyone else, nineteen in all. He, also, transformed this trip from just another mundane schooner passage into an exciting event that the public would participate in by stepping aboard the "Christmas Schooner" in downtown Chicago and selecting their Christmas tree, wreaths and garlands.
Herman's wife, Barbara, along with daughters Pearl, Hazel and Elsie, helped sell the trees, make those wreaths and garlands and added to the festive atmosphere aboard ship. With the loss of the Rouse Simmons that dark November in 1912, a shadow was cast on this tradition that season. And the main reason this event is remembered, is the commitment to this holiday business that Barbara and the girls maintained for many years, well into the depression, in the wake of such a tragedy. Also, remember that women could not vote in this country at that time. She was quite a role-model for young women of her age.
This is an amazing, true story that has touched many folks of all ages over the years. from those youngsters long ago hoping for a Christmas tree, to those of us remembering our own disappointments and glowing memories of holidays past. It is a story that has inspired artists of many different types, from the concert stage, to theater, or on canvas. So join me this year in remembering the story of the "Christmas Ship" at various ports o' call across the Great Lakes region this fall!
One of those events is my annual Christmas Ship Concert, to be held at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 24th at the Maple Street Chapel in Lombard, Illinois. This will be our 21st year performing this show and at the same place we started back in 1992. So check out my web page or this blog later in the coming weeks for more information and conversation on this majestic piece of maritime history.
http://folk.maplestreetchapel.org/
Lee Murdock
© August 31, 2012
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