Wendigo

Subject: Wendigo
From:
Date: 08 Jan 97 - 09:15 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics (and key !!) of a song I believe is titled The Wendigo. It was written sometime in the 60's by a fellow I heard perform at an open mike in a coffeehouse (remember those!) in Orange Calif called the Paradox. The performer's name was Dwain Story, but I'm not sure if he is the author. The first line has some words like " My home's way up to the North they say where the hunter may die all alone ..." That's all I remember !! Can anyone help ?? Thanks !!

Les Blank [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: Alex
Date: 08 Jan 97 - 11:36 PM

You are right. Dwain Story wrote the song and is still performing it in and around Chicago these days. I don't have his phone # but I see he will be playing at Shuba's on Monday evenings in Chicago this month. (312) 525-2505.

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: Les Blank
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 10:31 AM

Alex Thanks for the speedy reply. It's good to know Dwain is still going strong. Now, if I could just hear him one more time !!

Les Blank

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,j pendur
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 09:35 PM

I used to play with dwain in chicago. i have a tape somewhere. he was getting his stuff recorded by tod kelly but he died. i have been trying to get in contact with dwain, and would love it if anyone could hook me up with a phone number. Also, there is a recording by Jim Post that is probably our of print, you could also get the lyrics off of that. He has written many remarkable songs, not the least of which is "Valhalla". Now There's a thing to hear!
j

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 10:05 PM

Just read a book set in Lake Superior which mentioned something called a "Windigo". Perhaps that alternate spelling would help with a search.

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: Mooh
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 10:54 PM

Wendigo is what we used to call a lake trout/speckled trout hybrid when they occurred naturally in Georgian Bay. The Ontaio government called them Splake (speckled/lake) when they bred them and stocked them in various Great Lakes. They were very rare when I was a boy in the '60s, and I caught only one incidental to Perch fishing, but that was before the stocking programs. It was great eating, so family lore says. The stocked variety, later morphed to lake trout backcross, and they weren't as good on the line or in the pan, though better than fishfarmed fish. They also didn't breed well on their own. I've heard the word applied to spirits also, though I'm no expert on the matter.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,Ravenheart
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 10:58 PM

Mary McCaslin did a nice cover version way back when, but she used the spelling "Wendigo."

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,Elwyn Maxon
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 12:54 AM

Jim Post did a great version of this years ago on Old Town School of Music. He held the note for about a week and half.

EM

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: Joe_F
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 07:57 PM

The wendigo, the wendigo,
Its eyes are ice and indigo. -- Ogden Nash

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 01:57 AM

The version I learned was spelled Windigo and was taught to me by Dwain Storey himself. Dwain was/is a quiet unassuming man w/a very unique guitar style of playing down near the saddle at certain points in a given song to great effect. His 'styling' affected an entire generation of singer/songwriters that came after him not the least of which was Tom Dundee. If you listen/watch the version of 'A Delicate Balance' Tom does on 'youtube' you'll hear the definate echos of Dwain's guitar style. Dwain was caught in the netherland of songsters of the Steve Goodman/John Prine/Bonnie Kolc/Jim Post era of the post 1975 Earl of Old Town/Lincoln Ave scene and was beset by emotional/mental difficulties at the time. He didn't seem to have the 'internal rocks' to be able to withstand the realities of the ruthlessness of the music business. I found him to always treat me w/kindness and generosity as few of my peers did in those days. Dwain will always have a place in my heart as a genuinely kind and generous man to whom he owed nothing. Character is largely defined by the way one treats those from whom he/she has nothing to gain. Dwain had great character and wrote GREAT songs. I hope he's well.

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST,winterbright
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 10:05 PM

Eileen McGann has another "Windigo" (I think is the spelling she uses) on one of her albums and it's awesome!

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: Mark Ross
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 10:50 PM

Jeff,

I learned WENDIGO from Dwayne some 40 years ago in Greenwich Village. Your assessment of him is right on, a quiet unassuming fellow and about the best picker around. I remember a jam session at the Au-Go-Go where Dwayne playd FOUR RODE BY playing the hell out of the instrumental break. Ian Tyson was sitting there watching Dwayne in absolute awe!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 02:10 AM

so i play a lot with dwain now...
dwain spells it wendigo. he's 66 now!
if someone wants to get ahold of him
email me at [e-mail]

dwain was originally in the knob lick upper 10,000
w/ pete childs and erik jacobsen.
he has many great songs, although he has not written one
in ages-- some of my fav's other than wendigo and vallhalla
are 'a little lovin', 'thomas e. dewey high speed highway blues'
'don't waste your time and mine", "sing a song of peace", "love of a clown", and "hard luck hard working man."

he's a very complex man, and a victim of
some tough circumstances. But, he is a dear friend and i'm
honored to have him in my life.

Subject: RE: Wendigo
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 08:40 PM

Dwain Story Live in 2001(?) is available at risingstarmusic.com