Episode Summary
I’m still amazed by this community and how it’s supporting musicians and callers, through partial pay from cancelled events, buying albums, virtual tip jars, and other ways. And I am loving the little tiny moments too, sharing with each other from our gardens now that it’s midsummer and everything is coming ripe, or bringing dinner to someone who is home in quarantine. It’s frustrating that our leaders are not doing a better job of protecting or inspiring us in this pandemic. But we can do what we can to look out for each other, and as things get harder, let’s try to reach out to people who might fall through the cracks. This week, we have music from Alex Sturbaum, Anadama, Eleanor Lincoln and Ben Williams, Tristan Henderson, and Amanda Witman and Everest Witman. I read a poem by Susan Reid, Margaret Youngberg reads a poem by William Wordsworth, and Aaron Marcus and Sam Sanders present original music and poetry. I’m so grateful for all of you who keeps sending your beautiful music and words to the podcast. Anyone is welcome to submit things! You can reach out to me at starsintherafters.com. Take care, everyone.
Episode Notes
1. End Road Work – Alex Sturbaum (Olympia, WA). Alex wrote this song while on their first tour with their contra dance band Gallimaufry. It’s on their first solo album, River Run Wide and features vocals from the members of Gallimaufry. www.alexsturbaum.com
2. Finding joy, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. We can see a future now, by Aaron Marcus (Montpelier, VT) with Ollie Cultrara. Read by Sam Sanders (Montpelier, VT). Aaron says, “I started writing this in late 2019, but I wasn’t entirely sure what some of the phrasing really meant until the pandemics of our times reared their ugly heads.” https://aaronmarcus.bandcamp.com/releases
4. The Dream Waltz – Anadama (Portland, ME). Anadama is Amelia Mason (fiddle), Bethany Waickman (guitar), and Emily Troll (accordion). This waltz by Cliff Stapleton is a favorite of theirs and can be found on their new CD, Way Back When, available for purchase on Bandcamp and their website. www.anadamamusic.comhttp://anadama.bandcamp.com
5. What Will We Do When We Have No Money? – Eleanor Lincoln and Ben Williams (Northampton, MA). Ben and Eleanor describe this as “a beautiful song we learned from the singing of Lankum, whose almost dirge-like rendition really makes you feel like these are honest questions with real weight behind them.”
6. Livermore Chill – Tristan Henderson (Burlington, VT). Tristan says, “Livermore Chill was for some lovely hosts in Livermore, California… remembering chilling on their porch in the Cali sun eating an avocado.” www.petesposse.com
7. Glad sight wherever new with old, by William Wordsworth. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
8. So Will We Yet – Amanda Witman and Everest Witman (Brattleboro, VT). Amanda says, “Everest came home unexpectedly during the first three months of the pandemic. We’d never before had a chance to work on song repertoire, so we took the opportunity to explore what we could create together. This song feels like a balm during these challenging times, especially as singing together is one of those things we can’t safely do for awhile. ‘We’ve sung together many a time, and so will we yet.’ Everest’s time at home came to an end, but before he left, we captured this as a memento. From Gordon Bok’s ‘And So Will We Yet’ from Tony Cuffe’s song ‘Sae Will We Yet’. Recorded 6/20/2020 in our dining room in Brattleboro with one mic and a single take.”
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, and Pinewoods Camp.