Monthly Archives: February 2024

“Not a Lost Cause” – Good Lovelies (2023)

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Richard Barry

As noted yesterday, the Toronto-based folk/country harmony trio The Good Lovelies have been nominated for a Juno Award in the Contemporary Roots Album category for their 2023 release We Will Never Be the Same. The group consists of Caroline Brooks, … Continue reading →

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Roots/Blues 2004 Juno Nominees

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Richard Barry

Congratulations to all. Contemporary roots album of the year Traditional roots album of the year Blues album of the year

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“Pancho and Lefty” – Townes Van Zandt (1972)

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Richard Barry

If people know anything from the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), it’s this song. Van Zandt first recorded “Pancho and Lefty” for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. It’s been widely covered including in a duet by … Continue reading →

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“That’s How I Got to Memphis” – Tom T. Hall (1969)

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Richard Barry

The final scene of the series finale of “The Newsroom”  includes Jeff Daniels and a few others singing the Tom T. Hall classic “That’s How I Got to Memphis.” I was not familiar with it, which isn’t surprising because I … Continue reading →

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“A World Without Love”- Peter and Gordon (1964)

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Richard Barry

Is “A World Without Love” a roots/folk tune? I don’t know, but if some duo got up at a folk festival and sang it, no one would blink. Sixty years later it sounds pretty folkie to me, certainly folk-rock, or … Continue reading →

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“Potter’s Field” – Jack Hardy (1978)

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Richard Barry

The wonderfully serendipitous nature of the Internet never ceases to amaze. I was thinking of one of my favourite singer-songwriters John Gorka and clicked around to find a video of him singing a beautiful song called “Potter’s Field” by Jack Hardy (left). I … Continue reading →

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“We’ll Fight for Uncle Abe” – Bobby Horton (1987)

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Richard Barry

I’ve got a book on my shelf that I have rarely considered. It’s called “Singing Soldiers: A History of the Civil War in Song.” Selections and historical commentary are by Paul Glass. Musical arrangements for piano and guitar are by … Continue reading →

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Bones at Rest

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Richard Barry

A picture I took several years ago at an outdoor gig in Aurora, Ontario with the Borealis Big Band. This is the way trombones look when they’re not being used, which I call “Bones at Rest.”

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“The Lonesome Valley” – Richard Dyer-Bennet (1949)

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Richard Barry

I’m about half-way through Ronald D. Cohen‘s excellent book on folk music in the mid-20th century entitled “Rainbow Quest: The Folk Revival & American Society, 1040-1970.” It’s well-written, well-organized, and well-researched and an excellent introduction to these important years in … Continue reading →

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“Canadian Railroad Trilogy” – Gordon Lightfoot (1967)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Richard Barry

In September, Billboard magazine ran a piece announcing that Gordon Lightfoot will be among the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame (FARHOF) inaugural class of inductees – an obvious though fantastic choice for the first class. This original group will … Continue reading →

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