In this buisness one has to re-invent one's self regularly. Toward that end I have taken the plunge and become a record producer.
    My first effort in that direction is an anthology of performers based in the American Midwest (for the most part Madison, WI and Chicago in this volume, but in future we will expand the focus). It's called Tappin' Out A Rhythm. Pickin' Out A Tune. I'm kind of proud of it, but, then again, I'm the producer.

Songs:
Eleven Below - Sof Sof
Sos Sof (pronounced with the long "o" sound) are Miriam Brosseau and Alan Sufrin. Whereas most dous tend to bang out the exact same chords at the same time and sing only half-step harmonies, these two both play guitar well and write for vocal counterpoint.
Eleven Below is, believe it or not, a love song. They're from Wisconsin. It's cold up here.
What amazes me is the level of sophistication that they have achieved at such a young age (they both just got legal to buy beer). When they get to my age (50-ish) they are going to be genuine powerhouses as songwriters.

Tera's Tune - Bowen Marvik
There are few good guitar instrumentalists (remember I said "good"). Fewer still who compose thier own material. Bowen is both. This tune and Luck Of Lily J, later in the disc, prove that beyond a doubt.

Because We Can - Andina and Rich
Yes. I am the second half of this team. Sandy Andina and I have been sitting in on one another's sets for twenty years. We finally decided to make a formal act out of it. This is one of Sandy's originals. It will be the title track to the upcoming Andina and Rich CD. Be careful if you are sensitive about bad lnguage. This one has some English and Yiddish curse words in it. However, all of the incidents described in the song are true!

Black Is The Colour - Jeremy O'Sullivan
Note the British spelling. Jeremy is genuinely Irish (as opposed to being Irish-American or some other such hyphenate). As a singer I am always surprised, pleased and more than a bit surprised when someone has sufficient command of the gift to breathe new life into an old song (especially when it's one which has been as regularly brutalized as this one). Jeremy's version is a breath of fresh air.

Moj dilbere - Mazurka Wojciechowska
Maz collects and performs the songs of Eastern Europe. This one is from a CD she did with the Slavic Projection Folk Ensemble. The translation: My sweetheart, where did you go that you did not visit me this evening? Were you ill or did you fall in love with another? I'd rather find out that you were sick than courting someone else.

I've Had That Happen To Me - Stephen Lee Rich
You didn't think that I was going to do this whole thing without throwing one of my own song in here, did you? If you bought the Mudcat collection or my solo CD you've heard this one. If not, you need to, at least, get a copy of the Mudcat collection (six wonderful volumes, available from this site). This is a song about the world's worst hangover.

Old Wisconsin River - The Dustbunnies
I had the same reaction as you just did when I first heard the name. The Dustbunnies are Bill Fallon and Ben Doran. This nostalgic song was written by Bill, Ben, and Ben's grandfather, Ben Queen.

Fire On The Prairie - Aaron Nathans
Aaron is a working journalist by day and a fine songwriter and performer by night (don't ask about the full moon).This is a talent to watch. He'll be with us for a long time to come. BTW, as far as I know his song, I Remember Howard Dean, is still downloadable from the All Songs Considered website (I don't know the URL for that).

Spirit of Life - Ingrid Frances Stark
Ingrid is a songwriter, poet, artist, craftsmaker, and photographer based in Madison, WI. Given that she is also my life partner I risk a prepostoerous level of hyperbole if I say any more. It might call my objectivity into question.

Calling the Shamrock - Jeremy O'Sullivan
This is a homesickness song which could only have been written by an Irishman in Wisconsin.

You Called? - Ingrid Frances Stark
A bit of inspired silliness from Ingrid. It's the outbound message on her telephone answering machine.

Luck of Lily J - Bowen Marvik

Shira - Sandy Andina
Sandy's insightful and moving song told from the point of view of an Isreali border gaurd. It was recorded live at Wild Hog In The Woods Coffeehouse in Madison, Wisconsin in September of 2003.

Muck - Andina and Rich
Just for fun

    You may have noticed that the title (above) is a blue clicky. It links to the CD Baby.com page for this CD. You can hear portions of most of the songs on streaming audio on that page. This thing was a labor of love. While the above comments may seem like ad copy, I meant every word. Let me know what you think.

Be well.
Stephen Lee