Banjo Medley
Recorded on a restored steam train headed up to Fir, Colorado, elevation 9,500 feet. I believe that is “The Road to Boston,” “Over the Waterfall” and “the Soldier’s Joy.” Tuning gCGCD
Catch the Twain: The Musical
Recorded at Governors State University, University Park IL on July 28, 2023.
Down By the Embarrass
Recorded before a sold-out house at the Old Town School of Folk Music Pete Seeger Celebration concert April 24, 2016, Chicago IL. With The Power of Song Singers.
El-a-noy
Recorded as part of the Old Town School of Folk Music 50th Anniversary. It fun harmonizing with Win Stracke on one of his signature songs.
FARM Showcase
Was lucky enough to be selected as a Showcase Artist at the October 2017 FARM Conference in Iowa City IA.
God Bless the Open Road and You
Recorded by Marquita Welch at the Hickory Ridge Coffee House located in the Dickson Mounds Auditorium. August 31, 2011.
I Hate to See the Summer go
Meet Hera Menard from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Hera was in Chicago for a few weeks the summer of 2012 and heard me perform “I Hate to See the Summer Go” at a club on Lincoln Avenue. I sent her home with a couple of CDs and loved what she and her band did with the song.
I Hate to See the Summer go 2
Recorded by Marquita Welch in Golden IL August 2011. Golden is in the very west of Illinois, just north of Quincy. I sang on a boat the night before at Navy Pier right downtown Chicago. Got out of there about 10:30 pm and drove almost all night to get to Golden in time for the lunchtime show.
If I Had a Hammer
Recorded before a sold-out house at the Old Town School of Folk Music Pete Seeger Celebration concert April 24, 2016, Chicago IL. With The Power of Song Singers.
I'll Be Seeing You
Joe Arden is an Old Town School of Folk Music Guitar 4Ever student. We were studying the beautiful WWII era, “I’ll Be Seeing You” in class. Joe recorded this arrangement. Get the tab to the A part here. Get the tab to the B part here.
I'm the 99
I read an article about The Occupy Movement in the Chicago Tribune on Saturday, October 15, 2011. The verses are right from the stories told by some of the people interviewed for the piece. Recorded the song and created the video a few days later. Was happy that more than a few people asked for the chords so they could sing it in their town. Get the chord chart here.
It's a Sin to Tell a Lie
Recorded August 5, 2006 at the Ellisville Opera House in Spoon River country, Illinois.
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
A very wonderful song first written around 1950 by Lee Hays & Pete Seeger. It was a hit a couple of different times, and the story here is pretty true. Recorded at Bob’s Barn Jamboree, Lake Odessa, MI. Mr. Sid Rogers on banjer bass.
Little Boxes
When scheduled to perform for a recent live stream event, December 2020, I overheard one of the other performers commenting on the grid of “little boxes” that appeared on the screen saying, “I feel like I ought to play 'Little Boxes' tonight.”
The parody is of course based upon Malvina Reynolds’ classic “Little Boxes.” See if you can add more verses and pass it on!
LIVE from the Heartland
An interview by Michael James and Katie Hogan at the legendary Heartland Cafe in the heart of Rogers Park on the far north side of Chicago.
Lucky in Love
This was my encore at the historic Ellisville Opera House in Spoon River country, Illinois, August 5, 2006. By then I was beginning to sneak in a few originals to my set.
Midnight Special
Sadly this one of the very few videos of WeaverMania LIVE! from left to right, Christopher Walz, the late Michael Smith, the late Barbara Barrow, and me on banjo. That’s bassist Al Ehrich on the back line. Recorded March 20, 2011.
My D-18
A true song about my first Martin guitar, purchased in new in the spring of 1979. Still have it and it still sounds great.
My Love Grows
I got to play and sing with Donna Adler in Nashville when she recorded “My Love Grows.” In February 2012, we recreated her arrangement when she was scheduled for a set at Uncommon Ground, Chicago IL.
Old Devil Time
Recorded before a sold-out house at the Old Town School of Folk Music Pete Seeger Celebration concert April 24, 2016, Chicago IL. With The Power of Song Singers.
Ruben You Can Play Your Banjo
“Ruben You Can Play Your Banjo” was written by Missourian Bartholomew Bean and first learned from Lee Ruth in January 1989. “Ruben” has been with me all this time. Nice video recorded Bob Whiteside on the historic Ripson Bridge, Sorento IL in July 2006.
Summertime
In 2005 I began a ten-year arts-in-education residency based in the greater Cincinnati OH area. In the autumn of 2007 I gave a couple presentations at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights KY. Toward the end of the program Tara Sturgill requested the Gershwin classic “Summertime.” My usual deal with those sorts of requests is, “I’ll play it if you’ll sing it.” Tara has a very amazing voice.
True, Beautiful & Stong
August 2012, I sat down with artist Peggy Lipschutz to talk about the famous paintings she created for the Old Town School of Folk Music in 1970.
Peggy’s career in art spanned more than eighty years and her portfolio includes works in every medium from pencil cartoon to oil portraiture. Her work is recognized nationwide and abroad, as uniquely personal and socially important. Peggy passed away September 24, 2019.
Turn, Turn, Turn
Closing song at the Old Town School of Folk Music’s Pete Seeger Celebration April 24, 2016. With The Power of Song Singers, Chicago IL.
Two Little Boys
A very talented and funny fellow, James “Gamble” Rogers used to wander up from his home in St. Augustine FL to Chicago every now and again. First saw him at the Earl of Old Town in 1980 when he was scheduled on a co-bill with Michael Smith. Smith simply blew me away with. His words and music and presence appeared to me like a lone, country dirt road I might want to travel down on another day. On the other hand I was quickly smitten by Gamble’s picking, storytelling and command of the stage. My arrangement here is as close as I’ll ever to Gamble’s. He died summer of 1992 at age 52 after jumping into to the water to try and save a drowning man whose boat had capsized in the wind and the waves. “Do you think I could leave you dying?"
Walking In the Air
From the very wonderful animated feature “The Snowman.” Howard Blake wrote the song. I stayed up all night to work it out on guitar. Wound up that Dm tuning worked best. Get the tablature here.
Wanderin'
Carl Sandburg’s poems and collection, “The American Song Bag” have been part of my regular diet for some time now. Was honored to present “The People, Yes” at the Sandburg Historic Site, Galena IL in 2009. Carl’s poem “Happiness” is from his first published work, Chicago Poems, around 1910. “Wanderin’” is a depression-era re-working of an old Civil War era song.
We Become
I heard an interview with Bob Dylan on the radio while driving through Wisconsin on an autumn afternoon. I have forgotten the exact question the interview asked, but I pulled over to write down his response: “We are always in a state of becoming.” I was lucky enough to land “We Become” on the same day as “The Middle Years."
We Become2
Ellen Shepard, Chris Walz and me toured for a short time together, mostly doing a lot of my songs and having a lot of musical fun. Here we are rehearsing at the Swedish American Heritage Center, Chicago IL. August 24, 2009.
What a Wonderful World
These chalk drawings were created for me in 2003 by the remarkable Peggy Lipschutz who passed away December 2019 at age 101. They have been stepped on, spilled on and cared for by children, and adults, across the country. From the CD What a Wonderful World. Check out the short film made by Jason McInnes and me about the famous Old Town School paintings she created for the Old Town School in 1970.
White Freight Liner
Had the chance to tour with buddies Colby Maddox, John Abbey and Dr. Paul Tyler in Finland in 2009. The coldest summer on record over there. We closed our pub show with Colby leading Townes Van Zandt’s great “White Freightliner.” I loved how all the people danced to close the show.
It was thirty-eight degrees and I was wearing everything in my duffle bag that I could reasonably put on. During sound check I saw the seat in the middle with the light on it, and it was way warmer.
Woody Knows Nothin
Ellen Shepard, Chris Walz and me rehearsing again on a bunch of the arrangements that would turn up on Time Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Me. I guess I wished this song, learned straightaway from Erik Darling of Chappel Hill, NC, had made the cut. Promise to record it another time. Swedish American Heritage Center, Chicago IL. August 24, 2009.