Favorite Art Thieme Songs

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: frogprince
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 10:28 PM

Haven't had a good chance to catch up with this for awhile. Somehow I got this far in life without ever hearing The Santa Fe Trail, or hearing Art sing it. Add it to my list of songs, and performances that strike me as just abolutely melt-down sweet.
Those Youtubes of Art "At the No Exit, Circa 1982" ? There's a real good chance they're from a night that I was in the audience. I was in an apartment less than two blocks away at the time.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: BK Lick
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 09:54 PM

Here's a link to another recording of Art talking about and singing Diamond Joe on a radio interview with Studs Terkel.
(BTW, the link to Art's Place in that post contains a typo.)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 10:11 AM

Billy Venero
Billy Venero
Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 10:04 AM

The big combine (casey jones)
Big Combine

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 09:23 AM

Thanks for putting up Diamond Joe, Dan. Art, that's a master class in how to sing a folk song!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 06:34 PM

That ought to read John ROOS (not Roost.)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 06:31 PM

Have a listen to Art doing Diamond Joe while you are searching
one of my favorites
diamond Joe

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 06:28 PM

arry, Back when that album came out there was a TABLATURE book with all the songs done in tab. I believe Marsha Boardwell and John Roost worked it out from the album. But there was no sheet music done for those songs---only tablature.

That said, the label, Kicking Mule, was sold by Stephan Grossman and ED Denson to Fantasy Records. It was never issued on a CD. And those tab booklets are long gone.

Fantasy Records sold all of it's thousands of holdings to a whole other outfit.

I was never able to read tablature, or play from seeing it. I was told that Marsha and John did a good job.

Hoe this helps.
Sincerely,
Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,Larry
Date: 05 Mar 11 - 09:57 PM

If I remember correctly, there is a statement on the cover of "outright, Bold-Faced Lies" that the written-out music was available - does anyone know if it still is ?

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: BK Lick
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 11:29 PM

There's also this thread which I mentioned upthread -- prolly should be a link to it on the Art's Place page too.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 09:30 PM

Joe, I grew up in Chicago, but then I moved to Illinois.
Thanks.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 02:20 AM

I guess I'd say "State of Illinois" is my favorite Art Thieme song, maybe because that't the one I'm listening to now.
Over the years, Bruce Kallick has been developing a Website called Art's Place. There are all sorts of Art Thieme treasures to explore there.
I just discovered a new one today - Art Thieme interviewed by Studs Terkel in 1990, a program that was never aired. Click here and then enter mudcat for both user name and password.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 05:35 PM

Manfred,
I'm glad what I sent got there without being broken. It was my pleasure to do it.

Anita Best,
I will be in touch.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,Anita Best
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 02:44 PM

Thanks for the great story.
I was looking at an earlier thread of yours about Mrs. Annie Walters performing at Newport in 1965 and your correspondence with her daughter.If you get a moment, could you e-mail me. I'd love to chat with you about Mrs. Walters and the CDs you sent to her daughter, and the tapes she sent to you. I am working on a project about the (now mostly deceased) singers from this area of Newfoundland. [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 03:12 PM

That's exactly what I felt, Don, when listening to a lot of songs for the first time in my long life and some follow-ups recently. I cannot qoute for an absolute favorite because all of them are so good and some of them are really fascinating.
Many thanks again, Art,

Manfred from Germany

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: DonMeixner
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 12:45 PM

I can't think of one I don't like.

Don

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 03 Aug 09 - 11:13 PM

I'm amazed that you keep finding this thread and bringing it back. Thanks again for your support, and for favoring some of the songs that were the most transporting for me whenever I sang them. In my head I would see the action in vivid technicolor. In "The Big Combine" I think I got to know those fellows pretty well over the years. And the horses: Limp, and Dude, and Dolly---and Buster. Those were huge hitches of thirty or fifty horses pulling the combine through the wheat. It's a huge wonder that they didn't trample the grain all to hell. And the song was just filled with pride these fellows had in being good at what they did. There was a pride in doing a job well that isn't very evident in modern workplaces at all.
It is grand to know. Thanks again for telling me.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 03 Aug 09 - 04:06 PM

Pokegama Bear, and Is Your Lights Gone Out. And the Robin Hood one.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Amos
Date: 03 Aug 09 - 03:48 PM

Elijah, thanks for a great guffaw!! I can imagine what you felt like!!!


Art, I join in the fgeneral cacophony of gratitude and celebration, but I ain't naming no favorites because it is too long a list.


A

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Rex
Date: 03 Aug 09 - 03:32 PM

I missed this the first time around. And yet no one has mentioned
"The Big Combine". I sure like that one and it is pure Art Thieme. Some of us make an effort to know a song's place in time. Art takes this idea further to know its actual place as well. I will always be grateful for Art introducing us all to "Cowboy's Barbara Allen". Were it not for him, that song would have vanished and no one would have known. Keep singing them Art!

Rex

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Elijah Browning
Date: 03 Aug 09 - 02:49 PM

I was in a room filled with Jehovah's Witnesses. They were talking about the recent funeral for Mayor Richard J. Daley. I was five-years-old at the time, and thought that I might take a stab at being both witty and topical.

"It's a good thing they laid him out face down so everyone could kiss him goodbye," I said. I had no idea what that meant. I just knew everybody laughed when Art said it.

I remember that heat creep up the back of my neck as the gray suited men stared down at me, slack-jawed in disbelief. That was the first bump on a very rocky road out of that religion.

One of his most controversial jokes and one of my favorites.

As for songs, I'd say "Hot Buttered Rum" sung in the winter of '79 at the No Exit, freezing or boiling deepending on whether or not the industrial heater hanging from the cieling had kicked in, sharing hot chocolate with Mom, the only Jehovah's Witness I knew who got his jokes.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 08:24 AM

My beautiful daughters range in the ages of 26-31. They like most young people listen to modern music, rap and pretty much everything else. I sent them my version of "blue mountain" Katie wrote me and said "I love it daddy, but I still like the way Art Thieme does it better" LOL.   They listen to their music but on their Ipod lives, Art, and Frank, Jerry, and Kendall, and the list goes on and on. Because they grew up with the music and love it. You see you guys , this was your work, but more than that you left a legacy. One that will live on for generations. Ron Bankley told me once that you can never underestimate the power that music has on a person's life. All of you guys get a little embarrassed when we praise you too much, but you cannot know how many people you reached. In High School I was a rocker, that was the "cool" music. I grew up with country but rock was the thing. Then I heard a song that a neighbor was playing on his record player that was sung by a guy named "Frank Hamilton". Afterwords, I started listening to folk that was my music. You see you guys influenced me, you influenced my kids, when my grandson is born he will know the music and the generations go on. Jerry nailed it with his "handful of songs" that is what you Art and the other masters left us for our kids, grand kids and so on.

Your work was far more than work, you influenced new songwriters, taught new people the old songs, taught other musicians how to play them, showed us the correct way to pick or flail a banjo, how to phrase the old songs. This is what you and others have done. It left behind a legacy that others will follow for generations.

Thank you

Dan

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Mark Clark
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 12:29 AM

Don't know why I popped in here just now but I'm sure glad I did. I had never seen this thread either.

I was extremely fortunate in that I got to see Art on stage often enough that I was well aware how many times he told the same jokes and stories. But the great thing was, I never got tired of them even when I knew what the next line was going to be.

Art had a way with an audience and a way of presenting a song or story that let you know you were in the presence of the real deal. I've never given any thought to choosing a “favorite” song that Art did and if I did choose, I'm guessing my answer would be different every time I thought about it.

But I admire Art not only for his musicianship and stage manner (which he worked very hard to perfect) but also for his scholarship. Art always knows where a song comes from, how many ways it's been performed, the conditions under which it was written or simply evolved and values the song---in all it's permutations---far more than the accolades. It's that love of the song and of the story that has shone through Art's work all these many years.

Thank you Mr. Thieme.


      - Mark

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 11:41 PM

Me, too!! I love Craig's songs that you did, Art and, of course the WAY YOU did them!

olddude, there is more about Billy Venero HERE. Also, if you want copies of THESE, please let me know. Lots of old treasures on there!

I never could choose just one song by Art. I love them all.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 11:27 PM

If that's true, I couldn't be more elated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us posted.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 11:25 PM

Billy Vanero was a poem written by Eban Rexford---the same fellow who wrote "Silver Threads Among The Gold." Originally called "The Epic Ride Of Paul Venerez" it was printed, first, in Boys Life magazine. As a recitation of sorts, it moved west to the cattle trails and cow camps where the cowboys put it's tune to it. There were a few 78rpm records of it issued. My favorite recording of it was Arkansan, Glenn Ohrlin's---which gave me the idea of singing it. I put the A minor chord in it---and I feel it adds a nostalgia to it that fairly makes the song.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,George Stephens
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 11:22 PM

Its my understanding Craig Johnson has a solo album nearly ready to go from Five String Productions. Hope I'm not spreading outright, boldfaced lies!

George

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 09:53 PM

sorry - i am a groupie -- i love all his stuf.......

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 08:04 PM

Art
where did Billy Vernero (sp) come from? that is one of my all time favorite cowboy songs thanks to you ... who wrote that one or is it trad?

Dan

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 07:04 PM

George Stephens,
Thanks for the memories of those Washington D.C. times. I think that might've been the trip to the East Coast on which I met Craig Johnson and heard some of his unbelievably nearly perfect song creations. But, as you sort of said, the "panjo" (bedpan banjo) I made, and played in schools for a few years is the very same one I eventually gave to Cathy Fink. --- The line I often used was, "Make sure when you play the saw that the teeth are away from your crotch a few inches or else you could perform a cut-rate vasectomy on yourself. And, yes, there is a "vas deferens" between playing the saw right and doing it wrong."

And Sandra, that 'poodle song'/"North Country Tragedy" was written by Craig Johnson.

Burl, "The Soo Line" is one of Craig's too---as is "The Keweenaw Light" and "Way Down The Road" -- I do wish Mr. Johnson had made a recording of his thaumaturgic songs himself; but no! So I'm just glad I put those 4 songs on my records.--------------- Love to you and Elaine!

Again, thanks good people. I miss hanging with you at festivals and gigs.

Onward,

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 02:23 PM

I like Santa Fe Trail, Shake Sugaree, East Texas Red, Belle Starr, Cowboys Barbara Allen, That's the Ticket, Billy Venero, Sioux Indians,Wilderness Road, Bibble-a-la-doo, Master of the Sheepfold, The Soo Line, Walkie in the Parlour. Shanty boy on the Big Eau Claire, Getting in the Cows, etc, etc, etc, etc,etc. Art is the master folk singer. We should all try to let the song sing to us, just like Art. Burl

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 04:21 AM

I think the poodle song, "North Country Tragedy' has to be my all-time favourite.

Or maybe the "Cowboy's Barbara Allen'

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 02:19 AM

I dunno' how I missed this thread the first time around but I almost missed it this time as well.

Its hard to pick just one song for Art, but I think I'd say it would be one which Art has expressed great passsion about on many occasions here at Mudcat. Art stated the song was a signal event on the timeline of the serious folk revival and that song was, of course, Waltzing with Bears.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,George Stephens
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 12:58 AM

Art,

I'm sure you don't remember me; we met some 25 years ago before a Folklore Society of Greater Washington concert -- on the occasion when Kathy Fink presented you with the "pango" (or vice versa; scholars bicker...).

I say almost every time I perform that "Art Thieme taught me to sing" (in the sense of learning to let a song speak for itself)... not to mention providing about half my repertoire...

I've gotten lots of mileage out of "The Pinery Boy" and "The Shanty Boy From the Big Eau Claire".

Is it conceivable that in the above mentioned concert, while playing the musical saw, you said "There's a vas deferens between playing the saw and not playing it" (or words to that effect)? Or was it my fevered imagination?

George

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 11:58 PM

Mudcatter, Sian In Wales, P.M.'d me a year or two ago and said that he'd told the "Nesters" line to a friend near the real Loch Ness. Later, he was in a pub there, and heard it retold--more than once.

So, I guess one o' my lines has gone back where the original tale began --- and into the oral tradition to boot. I've felt honored by that ever since I heard about it.---Besides it's just really very cool I thought.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Ron Davies
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 10:35 PM

Love Art's version of "Bye and Bye". You can almost hear and smell the cauldrons boiling in the crisp autumn. And "Master of the Sheepfold".   And I can't count the people I've told about the Nesters. And never forgotten to give Art credit. (Well, hardly ever.)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 10:21 PM

Naw Charles, I think the old guy may have had one or two that was OK
LOL ... Seriously though I can't think of one he ever did that was not great

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 10:13 PM

Well, now you've let the secret out. Yep, I'm two people at the same time. Schizoid as all hell! I'm here to tell you that being two-faced isn't as bad as you might think. And schizophrenia sure does beat dining alone all the time!

Thanks, too, for the nice things said about my music, folks. But personally, I have no favorite Art Thieme song. All of my favorites are by many of you!!!!!!!

Love to all,

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 02:37 PM

I just got a new favorite Art Thieme tune, and a revelation about one of the things that makes Art so great. The tune--or rather medley--is "What Does the Deep Sea Know--Cairo--The Lakes of Ponchartrain" and the revelation is that at his best--which is most of the time--Art is two fine artists at the same time, a wonderful singer/storyteller (one of the best) and a great instrumentalist. In this medley he is not so much accompanying himself with the banjo but doing duets, his banjo far more than a background for his singing. Since I first bought "The Older I Get the Better I Was" ten years ago I've been blown away by both his singing and his playing, but it was just this morning as I was listening to him that I realized that there is as much personality and expression in his playing as his singing. Art, thanks so much for the treasure that is your entire ouvre.

Charles

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Bob Hitchcock
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 05:36 PM

I think it's very hard for me to come up with one favorite as everything Art seems to do is just wonderful. "The State of Illinois" has always been one of those songs that pops into my head every now and then, maybe it's because my mother-in-law is from there.

I really enjoyed the stories and the jokes too, even though he stole one of mine years ago (but that was ok), the Cottage Cheese story always made me laugh.

Bob

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 05:21 PM

Admirer's of Art Thieme might want to have a look at my update http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119111&messages=1 of the song, Chevrolet, in which I manage to get references to four of Art's albums into the last two verses.

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: BK Lick
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 01:34 AM

Guess my favorite's gotta be "Down By The Embarras."
You can listen to it here -- hi la-lie lee la-lee!

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 07:35 PM

"Always be sincere, whether you mean it or not!" ---- Art

"Some people have tact. Others tell the truth!" ---Art

"Having 2 faces beats dining alone!" -- Art

Kendall I just put my choice over on your thread, of my favorite of all the songs I heard you sing over the many years. It's been a pleasure to know you and to hear you!


Art (again)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: kendall
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 07:22 PM

"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you learn to fake that, you have it made." (George Burns)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 06:47 PM

Seed,

You got it! PM me with your mailing address and if my computer is burning CDs well enough, I'll send you a CD I put together of my favorites off those first two Kicking Mule Records LPs---------------long out o' print and never out on a CD. 'Billy Venero' is there too along with 'Night R. L.

Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: GUEST,Charles Kratz
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 05:17 PM

I love this romantic medly, particularly the second tune.

"Molly Darling/Mary Charlotte Anne McGhee"

And "Shake Sugaree" And "Cotton-eyed Joe"--just jaw harping and a capella vocal.

And dozens of others--Art's picking is wonderful, both on guitar and banjo; his storytelling is nonpariel, and he has the warmest, most expressive singing voice I've ever heard.

Oh, and I'm one of the lucky ones--I have a tape he gave me with "The Great Turtle Drive" on it, so as wonderful it is to read the tale (particularly with his recent twists), it's better to hear him tell it.

One song mentioned above I don't think I've heard him sing despite my owning four CDs and a tape is "The Night Rider's Lament," a song I truly love and wish I could do justice to, but lacking any falsetto, I can't do the yodel.

Charles (seed)

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 04:36 PM

You have that in common with Utah. That man spent hours and days familiarizing himself with the local goings on, and the jokes and humour, just so's he could sound unrehearsed and off the cuff...... It is the mark of the great storyteller,....... just like the Captain. There is much to learn from you good folks.

Mick

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 04:22 PM

Kendall, the fun of it was making folks think these were off the top o' my head. The hours I spent making it seem spontaneous---no matter how many times you might've heard it before. Thanks. Coming from you, it's a real compliment.
Art

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: kendall
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 02:58 PM

No way could I pick a favorite.I've always loved his puns that he sprinkles here and there. Lock moss nesters indeed!

Subject: RE: Favorite Art Thieme Song
From: olddude
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 01:57 PM

Art
if I were sitting in that barn listening and had to pick the ticks and fleas off of me afterwords,

I would have considered myself blessed cause I heard you do "Tennesse stud" it would have been worth it and a small price for me to pay

God Bless you