Perseverance by Michele McLaughlin performed by Dustin Schipper

This might be the last summer our 22 year our hanged with us rather than his own rental unit in college. He had recaptured his love of playing the piano, and he played several songs over and over. This song my Michele McLaughlin was a favorite. I convinced him to allow me to record him so that I could share it with his Grandma and others who just don't see him that often. He made one slight flaw and it was all I could do to have him let me not delete it. Girls, he'll be a degreed Artist working his way to an Architect degree; and he's single up in Eau Claire yet. Doesn't know where graduate school will take him. The cool thing about YouTube is that the composer Michele McLaughlin commented from her site. She's a wonderful artist. Dustin has been playing piano off and on since he was four when he studied with Jack Wallace, the most patient piano teacher who is trained the Suzuki method. Thanks to Jack we also have a video of Dustin playing Two Worlds from a Disney movie when he was about 7.

Come on up to the house

So lately I've taken pause to find Sarah Jarosz to fill in voids. She does the ultimate best cover of Ring them Bells, one of my top 25 all time Bob Dylan songs. So when I bought her song Come on up the House, I did not know that it was a Tom Waits song. So I went on to YouTube for this adventure, and I might as well bring you along. First Sarah from when she was on Austin City Limits: Then Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow did a duet with it... This one by The Spring Standards is outstanding and it makes me want to get our little cover band to add it to our set list. Then there is the master song writer... I share a poor quality video of a live recording rather than like the Willie one above. I kind of despise when people steal the song from a music file and post it to YouTube with one picture. (stealing and lazy.)

Introducing Hannah Washington

Here's a great young singer out of Atlanta... watch for her, she'll be going places; There isn't anything thing in this world that an artist deserves more than a little love, so why be stinging with your likes... go to her page and LIKE her https://www.facebook.com/MsHannahElyse

Introducing Olivia Collins

Let me introduce you to a 21-year-old music graduate from Cardiff University. She studied classical singing, but love singing contemporary music as well. She is currently working in retail and trying to find a vaguely music related career; and has a lot to say about music so she's starting a blog: http://www.themusicalacidtest.blogspot.com/ Go ahead follow her, you know you want to. I think she has good tastes, I've seen her Facebook picture include Bob Dylan.. .HA.

I'm looking forward to hosting Beth Wood and David Stoddard March 15th at the Bluff View Concert series, so why not get a pump from YouTube. When she was her last time, my bandmate compared her favorably to Shawn Colvin. If you are in the area of La Crosse Wisconsin, you should think about coming.

Downton Arby's - great Scott, great spoof

There are so many spoofs of Downton Abbey out there; and this is one of my favorites.

Morning has broken / Baptized in Water Bunessan Hymn

I saw a little spike in views for my instrumental cover of a great hymn, but also a great Cat Stevens song... I guess it was the weekend celebrating Jesus' baptism... Congrats Jesus you started a whole new religion with mega influence down south.. ;-)

2013 Political harmony... come on now.

As 2012 political year comes to a closure, it would be fitting to see 2013 be marked for political harmony.  Heck if these two characters in Hayes Carll song "Another like you" can get along... why can't we all.

El Guincho

I've always loved world music; it challenges my sense of rhythm and gets me out of my box.  Well this song and VIDEO is definitely a challenge, and keeps you spell bound to watch.

Zemmy Awards are back!

Well sort of... I took my music newsletter recap from 2012 and turned it into my awards.  I still have my 2011... I'll get that posted some day too.  So hurry quick go over to The Zemmy Awards and read them.

Wine list?

Ha... it's been a while since we've had a sponsor.. how about some of these wines for you next great meal.

Just Give Me One Good Year.

Here's a song that I last year on New Years Day.. Today I found I wrote this blog entry and it was stuck in my drafts. It was in the featured portion of my YouTube's home page. I am a fan of Slaid Cleeves though I probably own enough of his music to just graze the surface. Then I went to find Russell Crowe had recorded it, likely giving Slaid a better year of income. In a way it's a prayer for grace and hope for those who need a pickup. I feel so blessed at times, and thankful for having great family, friends, and place to work & worship. For those who feel otherwise.... here's a prayer that you find Grace.


'One Good Year'

written by Slaid Cleaves and Steve Brooks.
recorded by Slaid Cleaves on the cd 'Broke Down'


It's New Year's Day
Just like the day before
Same old skies of grey
Same empty bottles on the floor
Another year gone by
And I'm thinking once again
How can I take this losing hand
And somehow win

Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year

I'm burning oil
Engine's running rough
I drive from job to job
But it's never enough
I can't find the will
To just up and get away
Some kind of chains holding me down
To make me stay.

Just give me one good year.....

It's a bitter wind
In your face every day
It's the little sins
That wear your soul away
When you start giving in
Where do the promises all go
Will your darkest hour
Write a blank cheque on your soul


Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
A good one can turn him around
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year


Russell's video :



Slaid's live version:



Now off to buy the song on iTunes, it is on a CD that I own the title cut... Broke Down...--- Happy New Year!

Grace gives mercy

Recently I've working again on a tune I wrote awhile back.  The video is a mix I made.  I have this habit of sometimes having too much time on my hands and layer many other instruments on the first vocal and guitar track... Hope you like it.  Thanks

Grace by Dave Schipper © 2005 Rose Riversongs

She was a zesty mix of latin princess and call girl

A spicy whiplash with long flowing black  hair

Courted by all the boys within a hundred miles

She ropes them all and then frees them with a smile.

She is Grace, (4x)

Her daddy was assumed killed in a gang fight

The street adopted her and raised her right.

Now the all grown up girl stands tall

A ghetto flower in a world of asphalt

The hands of Grace filled with mercy

A gentle place, nothing fancy

To be with her is a blessing

Come unsure,  leave rejoicing

She has a crucifix right next to the tv

She’s known to grab your hand and weep

On the hallway wall is a shrine to her father

Pictures of wasted man but no mother

Days she spends her time at the soup kitchen

Nights she brightens  up the street with passion

She has the cred of the silent and the deadly

She gives more than a hand out, she give mercy

Cute kitty video for our house concert

A great mix of spring time in Wisconsin, a brand new kitty, and live music from a real funky acoustic house concert where people actually come and hang in a room big enough to hold a few musicians and 40 people to watch them.. this video gives you a snip it of a song that David Stoddard shared when he visited the Bluff View House concert series. If you are a Face Booker out there, here's the site... I actually post there more frequently.. more of a wish I would host them kind of posts.

The Zemmy Show is an offshoot of my many wondering minds... but please support live music where ever or when ever you can... thanks

Paul Thorn should be in the folk music circuit, just him and his guitar. Nothing against his great band but this type of music up close and personal, he does as well as the best.

Downton Abbey Theme cover by John Lunn

Just a slight bit fast.. but it instantly has me transported to England around the turn of the century.

You Tube My Friend... Ha my library

As a musician who learns by listening, listening to myself is probably the easiest way to remember how to play a song... so it did last night when I forgot how to play "My Friend" by Jimi Hendrix. I'm not a huge Jimi fan, but a huge admirer of his talent, and I do love this song because it's his most Dylan like lyrics.  Enjoy

Graceful & Grand is Lady Mary Crawley... looking forward to season three

Waltz around my heart.... I'm looking for a good male voice to sing this for me... but until that waltz with my dreams, as Mary and Matthew tie the knot; and explore their happiness and their tensions of being a new couple.  My goal would be in season four they have an opportunity to waltz to this song in the background; so play the video over and over please.


Graceful and grand is your beauty
Tender and soft is your white skin
I gaze into your deep dark eyes
To lose myself once again.

There but a moment when we met
You fashioned my heart
In your alchemy

Casted a spell to tear me apart.
You fashioned my heart
In your alchemy

Graceful and grand is your beauty
Tender and soft is your white skin
I gaze into your deep dark eyes
To lose myself once again.

A season must pass until we meet
You stay in my mind
Each night and day

To renew a love more replete
You stay in my mind
Each night and day

Graceful and grand is your beauty
Tender and soft is your white skin
I gaze into your deep dark eyes
To lose myself once again.

By Dave Schipper © 2012 Rose Riversongs

Simply Goodell should overturn the last call... then dignity would be restored.

Flash Company

I love Norah Rendell's singing and today her European band released Flash Company... and I highly recommend it...  need a short cut to it? Click Here for iTunes quick purchase.