Current Song List
Last Updated: 10-2020
16 TONS... arranged in two forms. One is a somewhat swampy, rock song retaining the original lyrics and little else. The other arrangement is unplugged and a variation of the folk song in the 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford hit.
COLUMBUS STOCKADE BLUES... may derive from the English folk song "Go On and Leave Me" aka "Dear Companion" but usually credited to Carlton and Derby. I use the lyrics over a blues vibe.
(can't take my) DIGNITY... from the "Some 1 I Used To B" album. It usually opens with words from the iconic "I'll Twine Mid My Ringlets" which some call "Wild Wood Flower". It is reflections of a marriage gone bad and questions the potential of life with a sociopath. It's a mid tempo tune with edgy guitar and electronic shaker.
DON'T TELL YOUR MAMA... tells about a date in Johnson City, Tennessee where a teenage boy engages in just enough petting to create anxiety. It's an Americana feel.
DRINKIN' WINE... the songwriter was African-American, jump blues man "Stick" McGhee who was born in Knoxville but moved to Kingsport, Tennessee. My approach is a tip of the hat to "Stick" and his brother Brownie.
FROG WENT A COURTIN'... is derived from a 1579 Scottish song. It's a stable of American music and has been performed by: Bob Dylan, Blind Willie McTell, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, Elvis Presley et al. I do it unplugged as a sing-a-long
I AM A MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW... first published in the early 1900s as "The Farewell Song". I do it with a Latin twist incorporating a bass loop and percussion.
I'LL TWINE MID THE RINGLETS... My effort to bring proper credit to Irving and Webster which wrote the song which many think of as "Wild Wood Flower".
KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE... written in the late 1800s. One of the co-writer's nephews was handicapped and requested that his wheel chair be pushed on the sunny side of the street. The lyrics have been retained but music has a reggae feeling via electronics.
MATCH BOX BLUES... revisits the iconic Ma Rainey composition opening with banter regarding blues in the Appalachian mountains. It's often employed to close the show with a call and response ending.
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT... an original song which deals with depression, divorce and thoughts concerning aging. The lyrics are sometimes blatant and other times images make suggestions to cause thoughts. Under the story is a mid tempo guitar and electronic percussion.
ODE TO BILLY JOE... a bit outside the mantra of hillwilliam music but the theme of tragedy is not. Johnny Cash suggested it is one of the most important American songs. It's usually presented unplugged. Note that Cash's last performance was at the Carter Fold not far from Bristol.
OH DEATH... was written by Dock Boggs from Norton, VA. I give it a pocket and treat the voice of death as spoken word with a megaphone effect. Still the lyrics have been retained.
ROSE CONNELLY... is an Irish song also known as "Down In The Willow Garden". It was popularized in 1941 by Charlie Monroe. Although it is traditionally performed as a ballad, I retained the original lyrics (plus a spoken word section) and made the music a bit edgy.
THAT'S THE WAY IT WILL BE... also from the "Some 1 I Used To B" album. The song is about desire of forbidden fruit... the longing for a sensual encounter which cannot be and would be self destructive. It's performed with guitar and percussion.
UNCLE DADDY BREAKDOWN... a guitar instrumental with soft jazz overtones. Electronic looping is used for bass, drums and percussion.
WAYFARING STRANGER... is a folk song popularized by Burl Ives in '44. My treatment takes the song from a traditional A Capella at the introduction to a hit of jazz then returns to the mournful feeling of loss.
WHAT THE CLUCK... grows from the classic "Cluck Old Hen" into a call and response interaction piece.
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN... played in an un-plugged fashion with the audience singing along on each chorus.
COLUMBUS STOCKADE BLUES... may derive from the English folk song "Go On and Leave Me" aka "Dear Companion" but usually credited to Carlton and Derby. I use the lyrics over a blues vibe.
(can't take my) DIGNITY... from the "Some 1 I Used To B" album. It usually opens with words from the iconic "I'll Twine Mid My Ringlets" which some call "Wild Wood Flower". It is reflections of a marriage gone bad and questions the potential of life with a sociopath. It's a mid tempo tune with edgy guitar and electronic shaker.
DON'T TELL YOUR MAMA... tells about a date in Johnson City, Tennessee where a teenage boy engages in just enough petting to create anxiety. It's an Americana feel.
DRINKIN' WINE... the songwriter was African-American, jump blues man "Stick" McGhee who was born in Knoxville but moved to Kingsport, Tennessee. My approach is a tip of the hat to "Stick" and his brother Brownie.
FROG WENT A COURTIN'... is derived from a 1579 Scottish song. It's a stable of American music and has been performed by: Bob Dylan, Blind Willie McTell, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, Elvis Presley et al. I do it unplugged as a sing-a-long
I AM A MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW... first published in the early 1900s as "The Farewell Song". I do it with a Latin twist incorporating a bass loop and percussion.
I'LL TWINE MID THE RINGLETS... My effort to bring proper credit to Irving and Webster which wrote the song which many think of as "Wild Wood Flower".
KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE... written in the late 1800s. One of the co-writer's nephews was handicapped and requested that his wheel chair be pushed on the sunny side of the street. The lyrics have been retained but music has a reggae feeling via electronics.
MATCH BOX BLUES... revisits the iconic Ma Rainey composition opening with banter regarding blues in the Appalachian mountains. It's often employed to close the show with a call and response ending.
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT... an original song which deals with depression, divorce and thoughts concerning aging. The lyrics are sometimes blatant and other times images make suggestions to cause thoughts. Under the story is a mid tempo guitar and electronic percussion.
ODE TO BILLY JOE... a bit outside the mantra of hillwilliam music but the theme of tragedy is not. Johnny Cash suggested it is one of the most important American songs. It's usually presented unplugged. Note that Cash's last performance was at the Carter Fold not far from Bristol.
OH DEATH... was written by Dock Boggs from Norton, VA. I give it a pocket and treat the voice of death as spoken word with a megaphone effect. Still the lyrics have been retained.
ROSE CONNELLY... is an Irish song also known as "Down In The Willow Garden". It was popularized in 1941 by Charlie Monroe. Although it is traditionally performed as a ballad, I retained the original lyrics (plus a spoken word section) and made the music a bit edgy.
THAT'S THE WAY IT WILL BE... also from the "Some 1 I Used To B" album. The song is about desire of forbidden fruit... the longing for a sensual encounter which cannot be and would be self destructive. It's performed with guitar and percussion.
UNCLE DADDY BREAKDOWN... a guitar instrumental with soft jazz overtones. Electronic looping is used for bass, drums and percussion.
WAYFARING STRANGER... is a folk song popularized by Burl Ives in '44. My treatment takes the song from a traditional A Capella at the introduction to a hit of jazz then returns to the mournful feeling of loss.
WHAT THE CLUCK... grows from the classic "Cluck Old Hen" into a call and response interaction piece.
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN... played in an un-plugged fashion with the audience singing along on each chorus.
