Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – January 7, 2025: Remembering Josh White, Jr. , Alan Senauke and David Mallett

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU, 93.1 FM, in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

This episode of Stranger Songs was recorded and can be streamed on-demand, now or anytime, by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/68479.html

Theme: Remembering Josh White, Jr. (1940-2024), Alan Senauke (1947-2024) and David Mallett (1951-2024).

The theme on this edition of Stranger Songs is Remembering Josh White Jr., Alan Senauke and David Mallett, three old friends who passed away last month. I’d known all three of them since the 1970s and all of them had played at the Golem, the Montreal folk club I ran in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Josh White, Jr. died on December 28 at age 84. Josh – who was affectionately known as Donny off stage – began his career at age 4 when his father, Josh White, the legendary blues and folk singer and guitarist, began bringing the young boy up on stage to perform a song or two with him. Josh White Jr. had a remarkable career that literally spanned 80 years. Josh was a wonderful performer of folk and blues material and a masterful interpreter of his father’s repertoire.

Josh White, Jr.- Say a Prayer for a Stranger

Live at the Raven Gallery (Silverwolf)

Josh White, Jr.- The Dutchman

Live at the Raven Gallery (Silverwolf)

Josh White, Jr.- It’s Chilly Out Tonight

Live at the Raven Gallery (Silverwolf)

Josh White, Jr.- Cortelia Clark

Cortelia Clark (Silverwolf)

Josh White, Jr.- One Meatball

Live at the Raven Gallery (Silverwolf)

Josh White, Jr. & Robin Batteau- St. James Infirmary

Jazz, Ballads & Blues (Ryko)

I first met Alan Senauke – who died on December 22 at age 77 – in the late-1970s when he was the editor of Sing Out, the authoritative folk music magazine, and performing with Howie Tarnower as The Fiction Brothers. He was also a member of several other groups including The Blue Flame Stringband – with Kate Brislin and Suzy & Eric Thompson – and a solo artist.

Country Cooking with The Fiction Brothers- The Harder They Come

Country Cooking with The Fiction Brothers (Flying Fish)

Country Cooking with The Fiction Brothers- Joe Hill’s Will

Country Cooking with The Fiction Brothers (Flying Fish)

Alan Senauke- Wise County Jail

Wooden Man: Old Songs from the Southern School (Native and Fine)

Alan Senauke- Meeting is Over

Wooden Man: Old Songs from the Southern School (Native and Fine)

Blue Flame String Band- Blues Stay Away from Me

Blue Flame String Band (Flying Fish)

David Mallett was a gifted singer and songwriter from Maine who died on December 17 at age 73. In addition to his own recordings and performances, David’s songs were widely sung and recorded by many other artists.

David Mallett- Fire

Inches & Miles 1977-1980 (Flying Fish)

Peter, Paul & Mary- Garden Song

Around the Campfire (Warner Bros.)

Miscellaney of Folk- Moon Upon the Left

Atlantic Sounds (Miscellaney of Folk)

Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy- Ballad of St. Anne’s Reel

The Makem & Clancy Collection (Shanachie)

David Mallett- Dulcimer

Inches & Miles 1977-1980 (Flying Fish)

David Mallett- Open Doors & Windows

Open Doors & Windows (Flying Fish)

Kathy Mattea- Summer of My Dreams

Time Passes By (Mercury)

Priscilla Herdman- Thanks to Mother Mercy

Seasons of Change (Flying Fish)

David Mallett- Hope for One and All

…In the Falling Dark (Vanguard)

Next week: Remembering Peter Yarrow.

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday October 3, 2023: Conversation and Songs with Alan Bern of The Semer Ensemble; “I’ll sing you this October Song.”

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU, 93.1 FM, in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

This episode of Stranger Songs was recorded and can be streamed on-demand, now or anytime, by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/62102.html

Themes: Part 1 – Conversation and Songs with Alan Bern of The Semer Ensemble; Part 2 – “I’ll sing you this October Song.”

Part 1 – Conversation and Songs with Alan Bern of The Semer Ensemble.

The conversation with Alan Bern, artistic director of The Semer Ensemble, was recorded on September 14 via Zoom. 

The Semer Ensemble’s Ottawa concert – sponsored by the Embassy of Germany – takes place on Wednesday, October 4, 7 pm, at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre. Tickets are free of charge but must be reserved in advance at this link. https://sogerman.ca/events/the-semer-ensemble-live-in-concert-ottawa/

The conversation with Alan Bern was punctuated by these three songs.

Semer Ensemble featuring Lorin Sklamberg- Ich Tanz’ Und Mein Herz Weint

Rescued Treasure: Live at Gorki Berlin (Pirhana)

Semer Ensemble- Simchu Bi Jeruschalajm/E’ise Pele

Rescued Treasure: Live at Gorki Berlin (Pirhana)

Semer Ensemble featuring Sasha Lurje- Vorbei

Rescued Treasure: Live at Gorki Berlin (Pirhana)

Part 2 – “I’ll sing you this October Song.”

Gordon Bok & Cindy Kallet- October Song

Neighbors (Timberhead)

Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy- White Swans and Black/Grey October Clouds

Two for the Early Dew (Shanachie)

Nanci Griffith- October Reasons

Poet In My Window (Philo)

Mike Regenstreif & Bill Staines (1993)

Bill Staines- October Winds

The First Million Miles (Rounder)

Anne Hills- Rondi’s Birthday

October Child (Flying Fish)

Chris Rawlings & Mike Regenstreif (2007)

Chris Rawlings- The Wild Goose

Autumn Gold (Cookingfat Music)

Cindy Church- This October Day

Love on the Range (Stony Plain)

Malcolm Holcombe- October Mornin’

Come Hell or High Water (Gypsy Eyes)

Mama's Broke- October’s Lament

Narrow Line (Free Dirt)

Tom Russell- October in the Railroad Earth

October in the Railroad Earth (Frontera)

Amy Speace- There Used to Be Horses Here

There Used to Be Horses Here (Windbone)

Lucy Wainwright Roche & Suzzy Roche- Cold October Day

Mud & Apples (Lucy Wainwright Roche & Suzzy Roche)

Cindy Mangsen- October Roses

Songs of Experience (Redwing Music)

Short Sisters- Turning Toward the Morning

A Planet Dancing Slow (Black Socks Press)

Dave Clarke- October

GuitarSongs (Crossties)

Next week: Songs of Tom Waits.

--Mike Regenstreif

Playlist: Folk Roots/Folk Branches - March 15-21, 2014

Folk Roots/Folk Branches with Mike Regenstreif is a thematic program streamed on the radio service at Roots Music Canada. – http://www.rootsmusic.ca/

A new show debuts every Saturday and repeats daily through the rest of the week.

March 15-21, 2014

Theme: Irish and Irish-inspired Songs.

Aoife Clancy- Are You Sleepin’, Maggie

Silvery Moon (Appleseed)

The Fretless- Waving to Ryan: The Rolling Waves/The North Star/Sean Ryan's Jig

The Fretless (The Fretless)

Brendan Nolan w/Colin Farrell- Lanigan’s Ball/The Side Door Jig

Live at the Side Door (Ould Sagosha)

Laura Smith- Horses and Ploughs

Everything is Moving (Borealis)

Seán Tyrrell- Cry of the Dreamer

The Best of Seán Tyrrell (Arc)

Danny Doyle- Kilkelly, Ireland

Spirit of the Gael (Cracker Barrel)

Garnet Rogers- Farewell to Music

Garnet Rogers (Snow Goose)

James Keelaghan- McConnville’s

History: The First 25 Years (Borealis) or House of Cards (Borealis)

Tom Russell- Fields of Athenry

Museum of Memories Vol. 2: 1972-2013 (Frontera)

Dolores Keane- Mary Clare Malloy

The Man from God Knows Where (HighTone)

Dolores Keane & Iris DeMent- When Irish Girls Grow Up

The Man from God Knows Where (HighTone)

The Chieftains & Doc Watson- Fisherman’s Hornpipe/The Devil’s Dream

Further Down the Old Plank Road (RCA)

Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy- Town of Ballybay

The Makem & Clancy Collection (Shanachie)

Teresa Doyle- Jimmy’s Jig

Song Road (Bedlam)

The Wailin' Jennys- The Parting Glass

40 Days (Jericho Beach)

This show can be heard at http://www.rootsmusic.ca/ on:

Saturday, March 15 – 10-11 am

Sunday, March 16 – 10-11 am

Monday, March 17 – 9-10 pm

Tuesday, March 18 – 9-10 pm

Wednesday, March 19 – 11 pm-12 am

Thursday, March 20 – 11 pm-12 am

Friday, March 21 – 11 pm-12 am.

The times listed are Eastern Daylight Time. Please adjust the schedule for whatever time zone you’re in.

Next week: New Release Roundup.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Liam Clancy – the last of the Clancy Brothers passes away

“I never heard a singer as good as Liam ever. He was just the best ballad singer I’d ever heard in my life. Still is, probably.” –Bob Dylan, 1984

Liam Clancy, the last of the Clancy Brothers, in fact, the last of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, the Irish group that introduced me – and most folkies of my generation – to Irish folk music, passed away on Friday at age 74 after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

I still love the old Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem albums from the 1960s, but my favourites are the intimate and beautiful duo albums – Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy, Two for the Early Dew, and The Makem & Clancy Collection – that Liam and Tommy recorded in the 1970s.

And like so many others on hearing the news of Liam’s passing, I’m reminded of “The Parting Glass,” a traditional Irish folk song that Liam sang so beautifully (and which Dylan used as his template for “Restless Farewell”).

The Parting Glass (traditional)

Of all the money e'er I had,
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm I've ever done,
Alas! it was to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit
To mem'ry now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all

Oh, all the comrades e'er I had,
They're sorry for my going away,
And all the sweethearts e'er I had,
They'd wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot,
That I should go and you should not,
I gently rise and softly call,
Good night and joy be with you all.

If I had money enough to spend,
And leisure time to sit awhile,
There is a fair maid in this town,
That sorely has my heart beguiled.
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips,
I own she has my heart in thrall,
Then fill to me the parting glass,
Good night and joy be with you all.


--Mike Regenstreif