Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)

Subject: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada
From: black walnut
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 10:19 AM

Merrick Jarrett was well known to many of us folk music lovers in North America. I pass along to you the posting that went out to Maplepost yesterday, from Jack Cole, who is a close friend of the Jarrett family....


Hello everyone,

It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing to tell you that we have lost Merrick Jarrett, at 81, following a serious fall a week ago. Most of you will not know the name, but Merrick has many connections to this community.

Merrick was a fixture in the Toronto folk music scene of the 50s and 60s, playing clubs and hosting radio programs. He was a perfomer at the first Mariposa Folk Festival, and at several festivals since, until "retirng" a few years ago. For 17 years he taught two folk music courses at the University of Waterloo, introducing hundreds of students to traditional and contemporary folk. His early recordings of children's and cowboy songs are still popping up from time to time on compilations.

Merrick helped get our Old Chestnuts Song Circle (in Kitchener) off the ground and was a regular contributor of old (and mostly forgotten) chestnuts. But much more than that, he was a great friend and mentor, and a great believer and supporter of all people and their music. His loss will be felt deeply here; it seems like the end of an era.

There will be a gathering in Waterloo on Friday afternoon to remember Merrick. As yet I am not sure of the format or space available, but if you would like to know more please email [e-mail] .

Regards,
Jack Cole

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: cool hand Tom
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 04:55 PM

Sounds like a great guy. RIP

                      Regards Tom

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 04:59 PM

I'd love to hear some of those "early recordings" of childrens and cowboy songs. He sounds like he had a life well-lived.


Fare thee well, good Sir,

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: black walnut
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:21 PM

He was adorable. A sweeter man you couldn't imagine. He loved to play his dulcimer, to sing partner songs, to sing with family and friends. He 'sparkled', and I'll bet he's sparkling even more now!

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Jack
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 10:04 PM

Hi,

Kat asked about the early recordings. There are a couple of Merrick's old songs on the compilation CD at

http://www.musicoutfitter.com/store/item/025218991124/singingthenewtraditionsongssingersand.html

(Singing the New Tradition) where he's in the company of Osar Brand and Jean Ritchie. Not bad company.

Merrick had a lot of stories about good company. Like the night after a Mariposa show when Joan Baez tuned his guitar for him, because he just couldn't get it tuned himself. And the time he was asked by Ed McCurdy (in his kitchen) what he thought of this song he'd just written - "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream". (Merrick didn't think too much of it. Oops.) And the night that the Weavers showed up at an open stage he was hosting one night, after their big gig in Toronto, and how awestruck he was. Merrick was quick with the self-deprecating story.

A couple of years ago, at the urging of a friend, Merrick recorded a new album of old cowboy songs. I had lots of people asking me to get them CDs, but Merrick would only sell the 50 or so he'd printed. The reason - he'd obtained the cover photo from the local newspaper on the condition that he would only make a few copies, and he was sticking to it no matter how many copies he COULD sell, just by making a new cover photo. He was satisified.

How many old folk and cowboy songs did we lose on Tuesday morning? I hate to think, and I hate to think that those of us who knew him just let it happen. A lesson there.

Thanks for listening,
Jack

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 11:08 PM

I remember an old LP with Merrick doing cowboy songs on one side and something else on the other side--possibly Tony Kraber doing cowboy songs, including his off-the-wall and very over-the-top version of "Blood On The Saddle". It was a less expensive album than was the norm at the time---possibly sold in a chain grocery store like National Tea Co. here in the U.S. Merrick Jarrett had a fine voice and always did the songs straight ahead so that the story was the thing that got transmitted over and above his personality. I always think of Yodelin' Slim Clark in the same way as I do Mr. Jarrett. I seem to remember Rick Fielding, or maybe another Canadian Mudcatter, telling me to get in touch with Merrick by e-mail.--- Whoever it was thought we'd both enjoy the communication. But the e-mail address I got either didn't work or was deleted or...   Then I forgot about it. I'm very sad I never made contact with him. And I am so sorry to hear of his passing!

My condolences to his family and fans!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 02:32 AM

Thank you, Jack! You might be interested in this project of mine in transferring old 78's, recorded to reel-to-reel in the 50's, to CDs of some of the old cowboy songs.

Thanks, too, to black walnut and Art for telling us more about this man. I am always interested in good renditions of the old cowboy songs. He sounds a bit like my dad was.

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: black walnut
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 01:33 PM

There's going to be a gathering in Kitchener this Friday, and an Old Chestuts Song Circle (Kitchener) dedication to Merrick in January.   Not sure about funeral plans yet.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: Duke
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 04:38 PM

I saw him perform with his family and friends a few years ago and what surprised me was how much his family loved folk music. Sometimes it is hard to pass on the love of folk music to the kids of today.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 05:24 PM

Fare thee well, good old friend- farewell for awhile...   Jean Ritchie

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: gnu
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 08:42 PM

I recall hearing him on CBC Radio years ago. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Brian
Date: 09 Dec 05 - 02:15 PM

I didn't take his course at Waterloo (wish I had, but it didn't mesh well with the course load) but many of my friends did. He left a lasting impression on all of us from the music he exposed everyone to and that filtered down all around.
He done good.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 05:13 AM

Merrick's Riverside LP, to my knowledge his only solo album in the States, was RLP-12-631, THE OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL AND OTHER TRADITIONAL SONGS OF THE OLD WEST, vcl/gtr, rec. by Kenneth Goldstein in Toronto, May 1956. The songlist was as follows:

The Old Chisholm Trail
When The Work's All Done This Fall
The Cowboy's Dream
The Railroad Corral
High Chin Bob
I'm A Poor Lonesome Cowboy
The Cowboys' Dance Song
Cowboy Jack

The Gal I Left Behind Me
Roy Bean
Little Joe the Wrangler
The Lone Star Trail
The Strawberry Roan
Arizona Boys and Girl
Utah Carroll
All Day On the Prairie

Merrick was but one in a long line of distinguished Canadian cowboy singers, from Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) to Ian Tyson. His LP was one of the few of its day to feature real traditional cowboy songs done plain, vocal and guitar, no fuss, no feathers.

You may be interested in his brief bio from the LP:

MERRICK JARRETT is a young Toronto folk-singer who has specialized in cowboy songs. His singing career started in 1941 while he was serving as an airman in Newfoundland. After winning an amateur show, he was featured on a weekly radio program from VORG, Gander. Returning to Toronto after the war, he had his own folk-song program on a local station for three years. In 1952, he made his debut on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation network in a folksong series called "A Man and A Maid" with Joyce Sullivan. In 1956, he acted as both narrator and singer in "Cowboy Songs of the Old West," a 14 week series prepared by Edith Fowke for the CBC. These programs proved very popular and from them were chosen the songs for this recording.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: JohnB
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 09:45 AM

He was a true gentleman, and will be missed.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 12:53 PM

Hi,

Merrick wrote an autobiography in 1997 - fascinating reading, but only a few copies around. There's a short section on recordings that lists these (which includes some reissues and compilations):

The Old Chisholm Trail (Riverside)
Songs of the Old West (Washington)
Singalong! Folk Songs for CHildren (with daughter Kate) (Birchmount)
A Child's Introduction to Folk Music (Wonderland)
An Introduction to Folk Music and Folklore (Wonderland)
Ontario Lumberjack Songa (CBC)
Australian Bush Songs (private)
Cowboy Songs of the Canadian West (CBC)
Cowboy Songs for Little Cowboys (Golden)

Recently Merrick made private recordings "Old Time Religion" and "A Man and a Maid" with Jean Mills, and his new album of cowboy songs, which I am going to try to encourage the family to make available, if any of you are interested.

All of these were out for viewing at his memorial yesterday - quite an amazing bot of history.

Kat - Merrick's Old Chisholm Trail was kind of his theme song, and his friends called him "Muk". I wonder if by any chance he is the "Mac" that you have on tape?

Jack

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Bob B.
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 01:06 PM

I had heard him perform, including at the first Mariposa Festival, but regret that I never really knew Merrick. We did connect at some event or another a few years ago, exchanged anecdotes, and found that we had a number of friends in common. I was struck then by what a gentle and likable man he seemed to be.

We agreed that we would get together again and share our mutual love for the music and the folk community in southern Ontario, but Merrick lived in Kitchener/Waterloo and I am in Toronto. The get-together never happened. I'm very sorry to hear that he is gone.

Bob B.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: black walnut
Date: 10 Dec 05 - 08:44 PM

Too bad he never made it to The Woods, Bob. He was that kind of guy.

Hugs,
~b.w.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 02:46 PM

I too have fond memories of that old Riverside LP album by Merrick Jarrett.

But all of Riverside Records is now owned by Fantasy Records. Fantasy also bought MANY other labels whole hog. As a jazz label mostly, Fantasy shows little interest in issuing the folk records on CD. My two albums for Kicking Mule Records are in that netherworld. Still, some albums from Kicking Mule's large catalogue of acoustic finger-picking geniuses are s-l-o-w-l-y seeing the light of day.

Art

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: black walnut
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 03:56 PM

A while back there was a big gathering in Waterloo in honour of Merrick. I remember Sharon, Lois and Bram singing, and many others, whose lives and careers were shaped by Merrick. What an influence he had on so many!

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Jim Yates
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 07:22 PM

The first time I saw Merrick was at the 1961 Mariposa festival at the Oval park in Orillia. He must have made an impression on me, because I remembered him the next time Isaw him, at the school where I was teaching in 1985 when he entertained us as a part of Mariposa In The Schools. Our next meeting was when we both played at the Unusual Musical Instruments workshop circa 1996? at the Mariposa Folk Festival. I was playing the long neck mandolin and my wife was playing the hammered dulcimer and the bowed psaltry. Merrick's daughter Kate and her husband John also had a bowed psaltry and we heard a psaltry duet. I told Merrick what an honour it was to play on the same stage with him and we vowed to keep in touch. This was the beginning of some wonderful nights at Kate and John's with Merrick and other friends. I had a chance to visit with Merrick, Kate and John a few months before his passing at my friend and musical partner Al Kirby's. It was a wonderful musical night, and although Merrick didn't feel up to playing, he shared his wonderful stories with us.
It was a pleasure to know you Merrick.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,francoamerican
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 06:38 PM

I just got the LP "songs of the old west" by Jarrett for Christmas. I love it. Its the no-bullshit type of cowboy songs that were not composed for hollywood by a man in Italy. Thanks, Merrick Jarrett.
RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: black walnut
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 04:38 PM

Beautiful that Merrick is still being remembered in this thread, and deservedly so.
~b.w.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Paul Lazenby
Date: 05 Aug 08 - 03:18 AM

Merrick was the head librarian at the Kitchener Public Library during the late 70's and early 80's, and I used to see him there during my frequent visits.

One day I asked for his help in photocopying a short story that I'd written for my Grade Five English class, and as he did so he read a little of what I'd written and immediately told me of a literary contest that I should enter my story into.

I ended up winning third place in the contest, and have never really lost my passion for writing since then. While life took me off track for some time, I recently completed my first novel and I owe Merrick many thanks for encouraging me to continue putting pen to paper so many years ago.

He was a pivotal figure in my childhood and he'll be very fondly remembered.

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 05 Aug 08 - 04:58 AM

The Jarrett Family did a lecture/concert in my hall of residence (Conrad Grebel) at U Waterloo in the early '70s. They traced the evolution of the "Gypsy Lady" song throughout the UK then the cross-over to Canada, the USA and, if memory serves, I think they ended up in New Mexico or somesuch place.

See - I remember it still, and I think it was the first time that I realized how traditional music 'works'. Stuck with me, and now that's my job.

I owe the Jarrets. What are the rest of them doing now?

sian

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: GUEST,Kate Jarrett
Date: 07 Sep 08 - 11:35 PM

I am Merrick's youngest daughter, and just wanted to say how lovely it is to hear about my father, from people I've never met - how his music and his stories continue to live on, even though he's been gone 2 1/2 years now. My father instilled a love of folk music not only in each of his three children,but also enthused that love to hundreds of University of Waterloo Students in the 70's and 80's through two courses he taught: Folk Songs of the English Speaking World and Folk Songs of Canada. He kept so many songs alive by singing and sharing them any chance he got. As a family we don't perform any more, but his musical legacy remains. Folk music and folks songs continue to connect and create community for me and in that way help keep his memory alive. I couldn't ask for anything more.
Thanks for all your sharings,
Kate Jarrett

Subject: RE: Obit: Merrick Jarrett / Canada (Dec 2005)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 01:16 AM

Kate,
It's good to have you pop in here. This whole folkie thing has always been about sharing the music with others and passing the lore around. It will keep on keeping on. Your father, as a keeper of the flame, influenced many of us who were learning his songs and making them our own. I'm thinking of one in particular--- I think it was called "High Chin Bob" --- a fellow ropes a mountain lion and an epic battle ensues if I'm remembering correctly. I used that song--actually your father's recording of it --- in a Tall Tale Workshop I did for about 30 years in various locations.

All the best to you!

Art Thieme (Peru, Illinois)