Help: Ian and Sylvia collaborations

Subject: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: John Hardly
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:33 AM

Can anyone here point me to artists with whom Ian and Sylvia may have collaborated in record or on stage?

Thanks for the help,

JH

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: mkebenn
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:12 AM

I believe a Feller named Marty Dunn played lead guitar for them in the sixties, but I lost alot of brain cells back then. Mike

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: mkebenn
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:16 AM

ER, make that Monte Dunn..Mike.. And Russ Savakus on bass.

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Midchuck upstairs f/k/a Evil Mystery Guest
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 02:06 PM

For my money, what there is of it, the best stuff they ever did was on the first 3 or so albums where John Herald did guitar leads. Guy I used to room with Cambridge when I was in law school in the mid-60s had the lead to "Four Rode By" nailed pretty well. I've only seen him a handful of times since then, but we got together in Saratoga, WY at their arts festival in summer '99. We did that song spontaneously - in front of a live audience, with no practice in decades - with me doing Ian and Mizchuck doing Sylvia and it came out real good. The good stuff stays with you.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: beachcomber
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 02:48 PM

Was'nt Bill Keith (of so many more associations, too numerous to count) with Ian and Sylvia at some stage, playing Pedal Steel Guitar ? I believe I had a casette copy given to me by a "New Englander" American friend once that credited him as being there. What about Jim Rooney also ?

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: raredance
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:06 PM

If you are considering their solo careers, the list get pretty long. Both Ian and Sylvia have done things with tom Russell. Sylvia of course has recorded with 4 others as part of the Quartette group. Cindy Church, one of the Quartette singers has also recorded with Ian. Ian sings a Tom Russell song with Nanci Griffith on her "Other Voices, Too" recording. Sylvia has done some things with Clay Tyson (Hmm, wonder how she hooked up with him). Too many instrumentalists to name, David Rea prominant on several albums, Eric Weissberg a couple songs. Anyone know if the guitar player "David Rae" listed on "So Much For Dreaming" is the same person as "Dvid Rea" on all those other albums, or was that something that excaped the proofreaders?

rich r

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:49 PM

Beachcomber,

Bill Keith played pedal steel in Great Speckled Bird, the country-rock band that Ian & Slyvia organized, circa 1970. Jim Rooney was not a part of that. However, about 25 years later, Jim produced one of Ian's solo albums.

Rich R,

"David Rae" is indeed David Rea, Ian & Sylvia's longtime guitarist. It must have been a typo. I spent some time with David last month for the first time in about 25 years. He's still a great guitar player.

I heard from Tom Russell a few days ago. He was on his way to play some concerts in BC and Alberta and do some songwriting with Ian right after.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: John Hardly
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:54 PM

Thanks all,

I think either Russell or Griffith give me what I needed. I appreciate the help!

JH

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Meadow Muskrat
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:55 PM

Does anyone know if a song entitled Regine written By Sylvia was ever recorded? I saw her perform it as a solo at an Ian & Sylvia concert at the Fillmore East of all places.Ian called it a pshycedelic Grand Ol Opry. The song is told from the point of view of one sister"poor ellen the plain one" about another sister Regine , who "lived in a dream" Ellen goes on to lament her mundane life, envious of her beautiful but irresponsible sister."She had children by two different men, and I was mother to both of them." I'm not 100% sure of the lyrics, its been over 30 years, but I never heard it again and never saw it listed on any of Ian and Sylvia"s albums.Any info would be greatly appreciated

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: raredance
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 12:13 AM

"Regine" is on Sylvia's 1975 album "Woman's World" (Capitol ST 11434)

rich r

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Meadow Muskrat
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 12:51 AM

To Rich R-Thanks very much for the info. I hope I can find the album.

Subject: Ian and Sylvia collaborations
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 01:59 AM

I was listening to Sylvia's "Gypsy Cadillac" yesterday, and I though it was Ian's voice singing with her. Turned out to be Tom Russell, but Tom's voice certainly sounded a lot like Ian's.

Is Sylvia still using the name "Tyson," or is it Fricker again? Sounds like it's still Tyson. I found an interesting little biography here (click):

Tyson, Sylvia
b. Sylvia Fricker, 19 September 1940, Chatham, Ontario, Canada. 'I didn't feel particularly bitter,' says Sylvia Tyson, looking back on the break-up of her marriage and musical partnership with Ian Tyson. 'I wanted to get on with my own life and make sure that people knew what I did.' Woman's World was regarded as a feminist album, but she continues, 'It may have been a feminist album for its day, but it's very tame in terms of what's coming out now. The title song talks about having babies and keeping house.' Based in Toronto, Sylvia Tyson has continued to make her mark, often as a television host. She was featured on the Canadian equivalent of Band Aid, singing the track 'Tears Are Not Enough' by Northern Lights. With the help of Tom Russell she revived her musical career with You Were On My Mind. She chronicles small-town Canadian life in such songs as 'The Night The Chinese Restaurant Burned Down' and wrote a sensitive song about Edith Piaf, 'Chocolate Cigarettes'. They also compiled a book of quotes and anecdotes about songwriting, And Then I Wrote. Tyson has subsequently recorded with the acoustic-based Quartette alongside Colleen Peterson (d. 9 October 1996), Cindy Church and Caitlin Hanford.

Click here for another biography, one that's maybe too long to copy.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: raredance
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 07:40 AM

Gwen Swick who recorded may albums with the group Tammarack replaced Colleen Peterson in Quartette. Sylvia Tysons's most recent album is the 2000 release "River Road and Other Stories" (Quartette 23339-4004) which is mostly new takes on songs she has written over her career. Could be hard to find outside of Canada. Her son, Clay Tyson (yes, the one and only Mr. Spoons, which he likely hates to be reminded of), has a solo album of his own that I think also came out last year.

Joe you are right about Russell & Ian sounding alike. On the Nanci Griffith album, Tyson sings a Russell song with Nanci and Russell sings a Tyson song with her. Tyson and Russell have also collaborated on writing a number of songs "The Banks of the Musselshell", "Claude Dallas" and "Navajo Rug" come to mind and I'm sure there are more.

rich r

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: John Hardly
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 08:43 AM

Here's the project folks. Thanks for the help so far.

I thought I could figure this out on my own but you all have a vastly superior knowledge in this area of recorded music.

I am trying to make a musical link from Stevie Wonder to Ian and Sylvia via recorded music.

I thought I had it licked because I could go from Wonder to Carly Simon (Wonder plays harmonica on her "Torch" album). From there I can link Simon to the Simon Sisters and their recording of "Winken Blinken and Nod" a song that links them to the Mugwumps who, as the Mamas and Papas made a recording with Barry Mcguire doing a background vocal.

I figured--no brainer--you have McGuire and Tyson from the same era/same genre and there's bound to be a link (other than just something they both recorded). I don't even like the fact that I linked the Simon Sisters to the Mugwumps merely by a shared song rather than a shared recording.

Any ideas? Do you understand the project? Don't knock yourselves out, this ain't life or death or anything, just a little harmless fun for a too active mind.

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 10:13 AM

Meadow Muskrat,

Sylvia re-recorded "Regine" on her latest album, "River Road & Other Stories." You can find it through the Quartette website. I don't have the URL handy, but look on the artists links at the Folk Roots/Folk Branches site and you can click your way there.

Joe,

Sylvia has not used the name "Fricker" since she married Ian back around 1965 or so. They split up in the 1970s and she remained Sylvia Tyson.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: John Hardly
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 10:23 AM

Here's the project folks. Thanks for the help so far.

I thought I could figure this out on my own but you all have a vastly superior knowledge in this area of recorded music.

I am trying to make a musical link from Stevie Wonder to Ian and Sylvia via recorded music.

I thought I had it licked because I could go from Wonder to Carly Simon (Wonder plays harmonica on her "Torch" album). From there I can link Simon to the Simon Sisters and their recording of "Winken Blinken and Nod" a song that links them to the Mugwumps who, as the Mamas and Papas made a recording with Barry Mcguire doing a background vocal.

I figured--no brainer--you have McGuire and Tyson from the same era/same genre and there's bound to be a link (other than just something they both recorded). I don't even like the fact that I linked the Simon Sisters to the Mugwumps merely by a shared song rather than a shared recording.

Any ideas? Do you understand the project? Don't knock yourselves out, this ain't life or death or anything, just a little harmless fun for a too active mind.

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 10:52 AM

The Canadian Rocker David Wilcox (not the American David Wilcox) got his professional start playing guitar with Ian & Sylvia. Apparently he had never played an electric guitar until he joined them.

Mr. Wilcox also played in a Bluegrass band with a notable Mudcatter. Any guesses?

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: John Hardly
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 02:18 PM

I got my link.

Wonder-Simon-Kate Taylor-Liv Taylor-Jimmy Buffett-Mac McAnally-Griffith-Tyson

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Meadow Muskrat
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 12:29 AM

Thanks Mike Regenstreif for the heads up on the re-recording of Regine.I probably have a much better chance of finding the new album.Thanks everyone for all the discography, I hadn't realized how many solo and group recordings there are.

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Laura Campbell
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 05:07 PM

I`m am looking for the lyrics to the song river road by slyvia tyson anyone who knows this please reply.thanks

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Slyvia collaborations
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 04:58 PM

The lyrics are in the liner notes to Sylvia's "You Were On My Mind" CD (1989, Stoney Plain), but I can't get to them right now. Have you tried any Crystal Gale searches since she had a modest hit with it in the US

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Sylvia collaborations
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 01:57 PM

I've been listening to my box set of Ian & Sylvia's Vanguard recordings. It's a wonderful collection, but one question keeps floating in my head:

Does Sylvia have a lisp?

On almost all of these recordings, I can't hear Sylvia pronounce any sibilants. Did she have a speech defect, or were the Vanguard recordings defective?

I've noticed poor sound quality on Vanguard recordings before, so I think maybe it's Vanguard's fault.

But how does Sylvia sound on other recordings? Can she pronounce her own name?


-Joe-

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Sylvia collaborations
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 03:11 PM

Joe,

I used to listen to Sylvia on CBC when I lived in Buffalo.
Mid 70s.

I don't recall a lisp.

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Sylvia collaborations
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 08:38 PM

I just checked the vinyl of "Someday Soon" ("Northern Journey" on Vanguard) You can hear Sylvia very clearly by cranking the balance all the way to her side, and her esses sound normal. Could they have disappeared during digitisation, I wonder?

Subject: RE: Help: Ian and Sylvia collaborations
From: pdq
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 10:39 PM

She came back from having her son (aka Mr.Spoons) too soon. Her body had depleted itself in support to the baby. I hear a problem on "Catfish Blues" to give one example. I do not know when Claton D. Tyson was born, but the record in question is 1967.