Kelley McRae

Here's to artists that you don't meet, but almost did.  I believe it was the night I had to finish my annual plan for work when I saw some one had a rare Sunday gig at my favorite La Crosse coffeehouse, The Root Note.  That's when I decided why not listen to her music, and quickly fell in love with her writing and voice, I highly recommend and introduce you to Kelley McRae.  I did find this article when I was researching her (yes while I was simultaneously working on a great annual plan), by CMT and as Johnny would tell you, that you can always trust Nashville.  HA.  So I went to iTunes and feasted on a few songs; and you should too.



and Her Johnny Cash tribute song:



Who knows maybe we'll book her to the fest or my house concert, but I'd be happy if she makes her way back to the Root Note.

SHEL interview

A great ten minutes with SHEL.. watch out guys they are ready to slap you... always be a gentlemen, they know they are pretty and you are looking at them.  HA.



http://eldonthacker.com/ Eldon Thacker sounds like a hoot too; I'll have to listen to a few more interviews with him.

10 songs for Kim...

Kim Niemi Davidson
 is a witty, talented woman with a glorious voice. She is fighting uterine cancer and while she is undergoing chemotherapy she is unable to work during this time. I want to help her because she gave me an incredible gift one night... she took a lyric of mine "Opposite Destiny" and turned it into a kick butt song... it was a dark set of words never meant to see the light of day except in my blog release, and she made it darker and wonderful. We traded files until it became a reality. I want you to tip heavily when you go here http://noisetrade.com/luckydog/help-kim and download the ten song, or at least throw a buck or two toward a fine soul that needs help, or just pick Lucky 7 because we all know that's what it will be....

In return I risk Bob Dylan's people coming after me for posting a few covers, but the rest are originals and traditional pieces. Some of them are some of my favorite unreleased projects; including a personal favorite of Ghosts of St. Augustine.

Bass arrangement to SHEL's "Lost at Sea"

"Song written by SHEL. I just enjoy playing bass over epic songs."  Indeed!


Maybe he's auditioning to travel with them since they don't have a bass player... good move.

Wood Nymph and SHEL

SHEL has a goal of recording an official video for every song on their CD.  Like Minded Fool, was up next.  Sarah is the producer of this... and it's so wonderfully rich in beauty.  Believe me she has a lot to work with, but it still needs to be put into the right format.

The video reminded me of a piece I wrote a few years back...

Wood Nymph

Today on the road to the old grind

I spied a wood nymph I was hoping to find

Among the trees smiling warm and kind.

She had me play hooky, controlling my mind.

She radiated in the temped spring air

Wearing green silk and flowers in her hair.

In her spell, I would follow anywhere.

‘Neath an oak, we petted her black hare.

Buds sprang from the new warmth

I was filled with the virility of youth

While the air was with sweet vermouth

Blindly I was led down her silent path.

To call it love would be pallid prose.

A mortal man, a Goddess juxtapose

Then intertwined as the blood flows

Blossoming a rare mountain rose.

Transfixed by blue eyes and brown hair

We found ourselves as a motionless pair

The wind shifted to cold blowing sudden tear

And I woke up in my office chair.

DZ © 2008 Rose Riversongs

Introducing Erin Ivey

Sometimes running a house concert & writing a blog I get people who reach out to me, and I go wow... what a talented soul and nice person too.  Recently Erin Ivey out of the blue emailed me in April,

"Hi, Dave!  I've been enjoying your sites, sharing a love of all things Downton Abbey while sharing the stage recently with many folks about whom you've written (namely, Drew Nelson, Carrie Elkin, Red Horse - Gorka, Gilkyson, Kaplansky).  Well, now I'm on a bill with SHEL next weekend AND just landed a gig at this year's Summerfest (my set is Sunday, July 7).  So, I can't help but introduce myself! 

I'd love to share my forthcoming album with you (it's called Dreamy Weather and opens with a cover of Tom Waits' song "Alice") "

And we've kept in touch, She has a soft voice and Dreamy Weather has some dreamlike songs, including a Rest your Head with harmonies from Betty Soo.  That Wait's cover opens and sets the mood & pace for the CD that includes some choice songs including my favorites, Canyon, Amelia, and yes a live version of her Chocolate song.  It's a cd with mostly sparce electric guitar with enough reverb for depth.  Here's what others have said:

"Erin Ivey achieves near perfection." -Austin Chronicle

"A truly remarkable performance" - The Daily News

"Top to bottom, this is beautiful music, sung and played beautifully." -Texas Music Magazine

"A modern day Patsy Cline" -Republic of Austin

"A tour de force" -Earache! 

Go like her at https://www.facebook.com/ErinIveyMusicPage

Here's one of my favorite songs: 

Though I loved her stripped down Springsteen cover... just had to post it too.... it's just a little more sexy than the Pointer Sisters to me....

Dave's in love again..

I can say that I've fallen in love with Barbara Jean, and it won't threaten my 30+ year marriage, because my wife agrees... she's a talented and beautiful young lady.

Don't just take my word, listen to her live on MN NPR, and see how they describe her:

http://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2013/04/02/barbara-jean

"Blend one banjo, one fiddle, ten years in Grand Marais, a lifetime of classical music...toss together thoughtfully in the studio, simmer with very talented musicians, add boots and you get "The Great Escape".

Barbara Jean's first album is full of original music, mostly written surrounded by the beauty of Grand Marais, Minnesota. After several years there, she's moved back to Minneapolis and has teamed up with some great local musicians to gig in the Twin Cities.

Barbara Jean stopped by the studio with two of her friends, Dave Olson and Erik Koskinen, to play a few songs from her latest album on Radio Heartland."

She's also has a great dark song on the free mix from the Great River Folk Fest :

Guante

Not exactly sure again how I ran into this great poet while looking for how to do a Poetry Slam during the 2013 Great River Folk Fest.  http://www.guante.info/ Check out
 

Guante

, he's outstanding!

Introducing Amanda Shires

Well she does have 3 CDs in iTunes, but I just discovered her because Lightning Rods sent me a free song in my inbox this week.  Thanks to a nice rainy day finally, I had time to listen to new music.  I've already feasted on a few songs and videos. This cover of "I'm your Man" of Leonard Cohen song stopped me and said I had to share it.



And dang she's cute and any blog reader knows I'm a sucker for a cute fiddle player (Lissa & Kendel won't be jealous.)





Such a clean sound...



This song was the first one I watched and I was hooked.

Free Fest Mix

Sorry I haven't been as diligent posting to this blog; caught up in the pace of summer and add to that work has kept me hopping and being on the Great River Folk Fest committee has been a hoot and of course another time demand.  Let's bring you up to speed quick.

Worked on getting all of our artist (except Dar and I don't blame her, it's her agents that have been silent) into contributing to a FREE Mix of music available in Noisetrade.com  My blog readers know I find many new artists there including SHEL.  Now here's the link to the free mix.

All the things I wrote about it:

The 38th Annual Great River Folk Fest has an outstanding line up, and we change as we grow, like sharing our first Mix before the fest. Dar Williams starts our fest on Friday, and as of the first post of this mix her people haven't talked to our people, but oh feast on the fest of the rest. Willy Porter an outstanding instrumentalist who will leave your eyes tearing from envy and laughter. Claudia Schmidt, proving a folky person can be dragged into social media with her tremendous wit and energy. Barbara Jean the winner of the Big Top Songwriter Contest and such a charmer with a banjo and fiddle. SHEL an incredible 4 pc sister group from Fort Collins who have their own Noisetrade site. Our mix includes a rare unreleased track of Moonshine Hill. Don Harvey of Ultrasonics and his great songwriting... love his Technology Blues. Finally the wonderful groove of the gypsy band Harmonious Wail. They too have an unique Noisetrade page; look them up.

August 23-25 in La Crosse Wisconsin on the UW L campus... all tips go to the fest which is a non-profit, and the artists will be passed your emails. This mix includes some rare songs like the unreleased SHEL "Moonshine Hill" to Claudia Schmidt's 1979 first cut on her vinyl "Drinking Buddy". Please feel generous to tip the fest, our volunteers are working hard to bring cool acoustic music to the lovers of music everywhere. La Crosse used to be advertised by a famous beer company as "God's Country", and it truly is... everyone who gets a chance to visit us is impressed and leaves with comments like "it's as beautiful as the Rhine river valley in Germany" or "wow cheese curds... incredible". Add to the list one of the friendliest festivals you will run into for all your travels; and now you can preview the artists.

Thanks to all the artists and agents who allowed this to happen. The 38th Annual Great River Folk Fest has an outstanding line up, and we change as we grow, like sharing our first Mix before the fest. Dar Williams starts our fest on Friday, and as of the first post of this mix her people haven't talked to our people, but oh feast on the fest of the rest. Willy Porter an outstanding instrumentalist who will leave your eyes tearing from envy and laughter. Claudia Schmidt, proving a folky person can be dragged into social media with her tremendous wit and energy. Barbara Jean the winner of the Big Top Songwriter Contest and such a charmer with a banjo and fiddle. SHEL an incredible 4 pc sister group from Fort Collins who have their own Noisetrade site. Our mix includes a rare unreleased track of Moonshine Hill. Don Harvey of Ultrasonics and his great songwriting... love his Technology Blues. Finally the wonderful groove of the gypsy band Harmonious Wail. They too have an unique Noisetrade page; look them up. Ok one more... Mike Munson is playing a Blues workshop during the day and has contributed a great original blues song to the mix.

And finally... Lori and I have gotten out on dates a few times this year.  We went to Lanesbero MN to bike ride, and we were lucky to get SHEL into LaCrosse when they had an open date on a trip to BlissFest in upper Michigan.  I took a lousy picture, but someone got some great videos when the hit the imfamous Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson.  Here they are playing "Moonshine Hil" which will be on their next cd, but it is FREE on the Mix above because of the generosity of these fine women.  My goodness, my wife Lori was sure I liked them only because they are pretty.  She was impressed, talented and most importantly to her... friendly both during the show and after.

End of Day mix...

Well it isn't right now as I'm writing this, but this is one of my favorite mixes.  It starts and ends with J.D. Souther's recent release "I'll be here at closing time"... God that song gets to me because I so easily fall in love with waitresses and barristas.   Each CD version has unique character to it... horns on one, and acoustic on the other.  In between there is a Baez cover Dangling Conversation which is almost more a morning song, but just longs to put in bed with the other person.  Easy from now on is Becky Schlegel is written by Susanna Clark & Carlene Carter Routh and originally put out by Emmy Lou Harris.  If that isn't easy enough for you, then Give yourself to Love... here in the mix by the author the late Kate Wolf.  Originally written for a wedding, but it always brings me back to a mantra in life... "Give yourself to love, if love is what you are after"

Next a surreal "Hearts and Bones" by The Pines, sung by Benson Ramsey who has a great youthful Dylan sounding voice... again it's all about waking up, but you have to go to sleep before you can wake up.  Hideaway Girl just picks it up a little, without getting you too stirred up.  Home... a Karla Bonoff song but I bet you only think Bonnie Raitt when you hear it.  Those trains come and go, especially in the distance with the window open.

Holy Now... what's the end of the day without a story... brought to you by Peter Mayer about his youth.  

There are three songs that tie the theme together and "I hope that I don't fall in love with you" by the master Tom Waits is one of them along with "It's too late to call it a night" by Amy Speace and the JD Souther pieces.    Of course I put a favorite Midnight and Mississippi song in there for fun too.

Want my cup of Java

HARD Wired by Dave Schipper © 2005 Rose Riversongs

Want my cup of java,

It’s like brain Viagra

Turns the soft and tired 

Into hard wired.   (2x)

It’s Eight O’Clock, come to my House

And let’s enjoy some Columbian ground

Wake the Hills brothers and hear them grouse.

Till they smell of the aroma abound  Chorus

A Java High to just laugh about.

And it’s not a café latte for me

Boil it in a pot then and pour it out

Some rich hearty black co-off- ee Chorus

Break

Caffiene inspired

A jolt of fire

Can’t stop this needless talking

Or the urge for walkin

Just need a cup of joe

Oh please help me sooooo

Calexico & Roger McQuinn - One more cup of Coffee

I need some coffee....

Company of Friends

Danny Schmidt is one of the best songwriters I personally know, which I can say now since we hosted him and his lovely fiancee Carrie Elkin for a house concert. Danny writes secular hymns at times, and this is one of the best. Carrie is that good Lutheran girl in his life, maybe he'll start writing Christian hymns, but if God is listening to this one... I bet He/She approves. (well maybe the lyrics... He's got to appreciate my voice She blessed me with it... HA)

Mix tape

I was invited to a mix tape community today... here's a favorite... pretty obvious theme, but pretty rare songs.

Music Lineup - Great River Folk Fest 2013

The Great River Folk Fest will be held in La Crosse on August 23-25, on the UWL campus, this year with Dar Williams as the Friday night concert, Willy Porter as the Saturday headliner, and Claudia Schmidt as the closer on Sunday, Harmonious Wail that gypsy swing band, Barbara Jean the Big Top songwriter winner from the Twin Cities, The May North eclectic new grass sound, The Ultrasonics a new bluegrass group, and introducing SHEL a four sister act that has a fast rise in the Folk/Pop scene. It is their "On My Way" played in the background.

Happy Anniversary

This is cover the young couple who got engaged at the Elmaro Vineyard when I was playing out there. They are precious. After I covered Jolene by Ray, she came up and asked for this song... I couldn't do it then... you can make your opinion if I can do it now, but it's such a wonderful song. I hope I bring them luck recording this on mine and Lori's 31st wedding anniversary.

A muse visit

Frustrated songwriters out there, take heed... American Songwriter is offering a May Muse Mix...

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/04/the-muse-may-2013-sampler/

Am I a twit to tweet?

I've avoided it long enough... I have a couple of sites I'm working now with twitter so I reactivated davezeman@davezeman  The Lucky Dog tweets rather than howls.

Speaking of the band, first we have a Facebook page... any one is welcome to like us.

And recently Sue in a moment of excitement screamed, we're Lucky Dog and the Bitches.  Oh well I doubt if we'll bill ourselves as that, and occasionally I do get a guy like Tim, Jim or Kevin to help me out.  Though usually I am the Lucky Dog and surrounded by beautiful women.

Great River Folk Fest 2013 Line up

Dar Williams, Willy Porter, Claudia Schmidt, The May North, Barbara Jean, Harmonious Wail, and of course my favorite SHEL!

Oh my this will be a great weekend.

Follow us at Facebook 

And we are now on Twitter  @GRFolkfest