Gene B sings (American) Trad

Subject: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: Gene Burton
Date: 17 Aug 08 - 02:15 PM

(Er, and some other stuff, too. Sorry...)

Just got round to putting the results of yesterday's session up on the site, here.

Again, I'd really appreciate it if people are up for giving these ones a listen. I'd be particularly interested in hearing from, or even just hearing, anybody who sings Brazos River or Lone Pilgrim, because I've never heard anybody else sing these "in the flesh".

Enjoy your (collective) evening/s, anyway...

Best,
Gene.

Subject: RE: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: GUEST,pete b
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 08:21 AM

Pretty good...

Subject: RE: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: Gene Burton
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 02:33 PM

Should say, I just fixed it so's Lone Pilrim and Brazos River play first, which wa my original intention.

Subject: RE: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 03:10 PM

I know I digress, but you did a great gig at Redditch Folk Club on the 9th August and we really appreciated the fact that you did a mixture of traditional and self/penned songs. You mentioned the fact that you might not continue to write your own songs. We would like to say that we think this would be a great pity, as we all enjoyed these. One of the audience particularly enjoyed 'The Most Honest Girl'(was this the title?). I also enjoyed your oiwn songs. but particularly enjoyed 'The Lily of the West' and the song about the girl from Swansea (I don't know what this was called either.)

See you at The Black Diamond in September


Amber

Subject: RE: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: Barry Finn
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 03:49 PM

Hi Gene
Your Brazos River is pretty much the way I learned it from Rob Joel in the mid 70's, not as slow though. My Favorite ever of eveyone that I've ever heard do this is from Skip Gorman (he also does my favorite versions of "Colorado Trail", "Blue Mountain" Yellow Rose of Texas", "Maid of Argenta", "Mexicali Rose" & mostly "Border Affair"). "Brazos River Song " (a link to MP3 of the song by Skip, don't know if it's a working link anymore), also known as the "Rivers of East Texas" is on his "Lonesome Prairie Love" out on Rounder CD#0359. If you like that type & style of American Trad you may want to give Skip a listen.
Nice job, you don't sound like an Englishman when sing American, not much anyway, good on you, you don't sound like a westerner either but but who cares when you sound good.

Barry

Subject: RE: Gene B sings (American) Trad
From: Gene Burton
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 01:48 PM

Thanks for the warm words, Barry & Amber. I did try to give the Skip Gorman MP3 a listen, but my computer wouldn't let me unfortunately; as it's infected with spyware & probably on its last legs...

I've not really taken a conscious decision not to write any more; just that having written as prolifically as I did between my late teens and mid twenties, I seem rather to have run out of language...probably because I've pretty much written my share. If it ever comes back, fine; if not, also fine. For the foreseeable future, though, singing trad folk is likely to remain my priority...and I'm actually really exited about the potential to improve at doing it, from what I hope is already a pretty decent base. It almost feels like starting from scratch again, which is fantastic for me because I was in need of something to reinvigorate the desire to sing.

Thanks to all for continuing to listen, BTW.