Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday March 7, 2023: Songs of Kris Kristofferson

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and https://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.

This episode of Stranger Songs was recorded and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/59628.html

Theme: Songs of Kris Kristofferson.

Kris Kristofferson performs at The International Folk Music Awards (2017)

Kris Kristofferson – who recently retired from performing and recording – had tremendous success as a singer and songwriter, and, as an actor. 

I met Kris a couple of times. In 2007, we spent an hour together onstage, and a few minutes chatting beforehand, when I moderated a panel discussion at the Ottawa Folk Festival on the enduring legacy of Woody Guthrie and Kris, along with Nora Guthrie and Jimmy LaFave, was one of the panelists. Then, in 2017, I was an award recipient at the International Folk Music Awards in Kansas City during the Folk Alliance International conference, and Kris was one of the artists who performed at the ceremony, and we had a nice chat at the reception. In both of my encounters with him, Kris couldn’t have been nicer or more humble.

Kris Kristofferson- To Beat the Devil

Me and Bobby McGee (Monument)

Gordon Lightfoot- Me and Bobby McGee

If You Could Read My Mind (Reprise)

Katie Moore- Sunday Morning Coming Down

Only Thing Worse (Borealis)

Johnny Cash- Just the Other Side of Nowhere

Cash Unearthed Volume 1: Who’s Gonna Cry (American)

The Little Willies- For the Good Times

For the Good Times (Milking Bull)

Kris Kristofferson- The Silver Tongued Devil and I

The Silver Tongued Devil and I (Monument)

I noted that Kris Kristofferson was a panelist in a discussion on the enduring influence of Woody Guthrie that I moderated at the Ottawa Folk Festival in 2007. At one point, we were talking about Woody Guthrie’s song, “Tom Joad,” which was essentially a synopsis of John Steinbeck’s book, The Grapes of Wrath, and I mentioned to Kris that one of the few parts of the book that Woody left out of his song was the scene that Kris described in his song, “Here Comes That Rainbow Again.”

Mike Regenstreif, Nora Guthrie, Kris Kristofferson & Jimmy LaFave (2007)

Anne Hills- Here Comes That Rainbow Again

Woman of a Calm Heart (Flying Fish)

Willie Nelson- The Legend

The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots Publishing)

Marta Gómez- The Circle

The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots Publishing)

Kris Kristofferson- Duvalier’s Dream

Me and Bobby McGee (Monument)

Jessica Chastain- Help Me Make It Through the Night

George & Tammy soundtrack (Sony Masterworks)

Roy Orbison- Something They Can’t Take Away from Me

For the Good Times: The Songs of Kris Kristofferson (Ace)

Joan Osborne- Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends

Pretty Little Stranger (Vanguard)

Chris Hillman- The Taker

Morning Sky (Sugar Hill)

Kris Kristofferson- Jody and the Kid

The Silver Tongued Devil and I (Monument)

Kris Kristofferson- Broken Freedom Song

The Cedar Creek Sessions (KK)

Johnny Cash- Casey’s Last Ride

Cash Unearthed Volume 1: Who’s Gonna Cry (American)

Rosanne Cash- Lovin’ Him was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)

The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots Publishing)

Russell Crowe & The Ordinary Fear of God- Darby’s Castle

The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots Publishing)

Kris Kristofferson- The Pilgrim: Chapter 33

The Silver Tongued Devil and I (Monument)

Janis Joplin- Me and Bobby McGee

Pearl (Columbia)

Next week: Gamblers.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday April 19, 2022: Part 1 – “Ukrainian Now,” More Songs in Solidarity with the People of Ukraine; Part 2 – Remembering Paul Siebel (1937-2022)

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and https://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.

This episode of Stranger Songs was prerecorded at home and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/55937.html

Themes: Part 1 – “Ukrainian Now,” More Songs in Solidarity with the People of Ukraine; Part 2 – Remembering Paul Siebel (1937-2022)

Part 1 – “Ukrainian Now,” More Songs in Solidarity with the People of Ukraine. An earlier set of songs in solidarity with the people of Ukraine was heard on the March 1, 2022 edition of Stranger Songs.

John McCutcheon- Ukrainian Now
Ukrainian Now – single (Appalsongs)
Hudaki Village Band- Dorule
Vandruj! (Extra Estrada)
Odetta- Masters of War
Odetta Sings Dylan (RCA)

Pushkin Klezmer Band- Kyiv Bulgar
Klezmer Uber Alles! (Oriente Musik)
Lemon Bucket Orkestra- Odessa Bulgarish
Lume, Lume (Fedora Upside-Down)
Eliza Gilkyson, Patty Griffin, Mary Chapin Carpenter & Iris DeMent- Peace Call
Land of Milk and Honey (Red House)

Part 2 – Remembering Paul Siebel (1937-2022). Paul Siebel was a great singer and songwriter who made just two studio albums, Woodsmoke and Oranges, released in 1970, and Jack-Knife Gypsy, released in 1971. He performed intermittently in the 1970s and then walked away from the music business. Paul died on April 5th, at age 84, from pulmonary fibrosis.

Marley's Ghost- She Made Me Lose My Blues
Jubilee (Sage Arts)
Paul Siebel- Miss Cherry Lane
Woodsmoke and Oranges (Elektra)
Suzy & Eric Thompson- Nashville Again
Unreleased home recording – used with permission
The Flatlanders- The Ballad of Honest Sam
Treasure of Life (Rack ‘Em)
Kate Wolf- Then Came the Children
Carry It On (Flat Rock)

The Village Dudes- Tomorrow’s Train
Another Time and Place (Blue Flute Music)
Staber & Chasnoff- Spanish Johnny
Free To Dream (Bubkes)
Bill Garrett- You Don’t Need a Gun
Bill Garrett (Borealis)
Paul Siebel- Jeremiah’s Song
Jack-Knife Gypsy (Elektra)

Dave Fry- Louise
Troubadour (Dave Fry)
Rosalie Sorrels- Bride 1945
Then Came the Children – Live (Green Linnet)
Paul Siebel- My Town
Woodsmoke and Oranges (Elektra)
Katie Moore- Any Day Woman
Only Thing Worse (Borealis)
Jerry Jeff Walker- Long Afternoons
A Man Must Carry On (MCA)

Happy Traum- Pinto Pony
I Walk the Road Again (Roaring Stream)
Paul Siebel- Legend of the Captain’s Daughter
Jack-Knife Gypsy (Elektra)

Paul Siebel- Prayer Song
Jack-Knife Gypsy (Elektra)

Next week: Inspired by Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Katie Moore & Andrew Horton – Six More Miles

KATIE MOORE & ANDREW HORTON

Six More Miles

katiemoore.ca

After several solo albums, Montreal-based country and folk singer-songwriter Katie Moore is joined by Andrew Horton for Six More Miles, a lovely set of (mostly) sad duets of eight country and folk classics and four original songs – two each by Katie and Andrew.

Katie and Andrew have a musical history together. Andrew played in Yonder Hill, a bluegrass band from about a decade ago that was fronted by Katie, Dara Weiss and Angela Desveaux, and has since played and sung in Katie’s bands. He also plays bass and sings harmony and occasional lead vocals in Notre Dame de Grass. They have developed a seemingly natural ease at singing together as lead and harmony vocalists.

They lead off the album with the title track. A lesser known Hank Williams composition, “Six More Miles (to the Graveyard)” sets the sad tone for the album as the narrator – Katie and Andrew singing in harmony – prepares to say a last farewell to his (her) “darling.”

A couple of my other favorites include a gorgeously haunting version of Bill Monroe’s “The One I Love is Gone,” that seems to come from deep in the well, and Shel Silverstein’s older but wiser song “A Couple More Years.”

Although there is a slow pace to most of these songs (they are, after all, sad songs), the pace does pick up on the traditional murder ballad (and sad story) “Wild Bill Jones” and the Carter Family classic “Lover’s Return.”

As mentioned, Katie and Andrew each contribute a couple of original pieces and these blend seamlessly with the classics. Katie’s “When We Reach the Valley” could easily be mistaken for an old-time country song while her “Blue Days” is an achingly beautiful song of lost love. Andrew’s “Since My Baby Been Gone” could be a companion song to “Blue Days,” while his “Owen’s Lullaby” is a gentle guitar composition – the album’s only instrumental – presumably written to send a baby off to sleep.

Katie and Andrew on vocals and guitars are ably and unobtrusively supported by Joe Grass on Dobro, mandolin and guitar; Alex Kehler on nyckelharpa (a bowed Swedish instrument) and fiddle; and Sage Reynolds on bass.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Montreal Folk Fest on the Canal – June 15-19, 2016

Folk Fest Sur le Canal, by now my favorite summertime event in Montreal, returns for its ninth year with lineup that includes several interesting indoor concerts in venues near the Lachine Canal and three days of outdoor concerts along its banks featuring many performers I’ve enjoyed for years and others I’ve not heard before.

For a second year the outdoor events are taking place at Lachine Canal Park’s Centennial Esplanade near the corner of Saint Patrick and Pitt Streets.

The festival traditionally opens with a gala concert featuring a legendary folk artist. This year it will be John McEuen, a mainstay for a half-century with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and a solo performer and collaborator-extraordinaire known for his virtuosity on banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar. John performs Wednesday, June 15, 8:00 pm, at the George Vanier Cultural Centre (2450 Workman).

John McEuen

On Thursday, June 16, 8:00 pm, the festival presents a concert called The Future is Bright: A Glimpse in the Next Era of Montreal Folk featuring three young performers – Stefanie Parnell, Alexander Brown and Tamara Weber-Fillion – the festival says “are poised to achieve great things.” The concert takes place at Maison de la culture Marie-Uguay (6052 Monk).

On Friday, June 17, 9:00 pm, the festival is presenting A Long Strange Trip: The Songs of the Grateful Dead, a one-time-only event featuring Joe Grass, Andrew Barr, Brad Barr, Steve Hill, Katie Moore, Li’l Andy, Peter Mika, Colin Perry, Notre Dame de Grass and others. With so much great material to draw on this should be a great evening at the Paradoxe Theatre (5959 Monk).

Also on Friday, June 17, from 5:00 pm and again Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19, the festival shifts to Centennial Esplanade (corner of St. Patrick and Pitt) for lots of concerts and other activities – all free of charge – featuring a diverse selection of artists.

Sheesham and Lotus and Son

Highlights of the Friday schedule at Centennial Esplanade includes concerts by Sussex, a terrific new Montreal band fronted by Rob Lutes that combines roots and jazz influences and instrumentation, and Sheesham and Lotus and Son, whose music is rooted in old-time folk, blues, country and traditional jazz.

Among the Saturday highlights are concerts with children’s music legends Sharon and Bram; Montreal’s Notre Dame de Grass, one of the best bluegrass bands in Canada; and Joel Plaskett, who moves easily and naturally between roots and pop music.

Lizzy Hoyt

Sunday’s highlights includes concerts with Shtreiml, perhaps Canada’s most creative klezmer ensemble; acclaimed Montreal songwriter Katie Moore; Calgary-based Lizzy Hoyt, who moves easily between traditional folksongs and her own contemporary material; Richard Shindell, a superb American singer-songwriter (now living in Argentina), whose recordings I often featured on the Folk Roots/Folk Branches radio show; and a collaboration between Socalled, who has creatively combined hip hop and Jewish music, and Yves Lambert, a legend of Quebec traditional music and the former front man of La Bottine Souriante.

Ticket information for the indoor concerts and VIP section in the park, the complete schedule and all the other information you might need are on the festival website.

Congratulations again to Matt Large and Rebecca Anderson of Hello Darlin’ Productions and Carl Comeau of Hyperbole Music for founding the Montreal Folk Fest on the Canal and developing it into the great event it has become.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif