An Archiving Treasure

Subject: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 05:03 PM

50 years ago I was in the control room of a local TV station watching a live broadcast of "Ballads And Books." This was a series of 6 shows, featuring Patti McLaughlin and Don Firth as host for each show. This particular show had Ivar Haglund and James (Jim) Stevens as guests. Jim was the author of the Paul Bunyan tales, and the composer of "The Frozen Logger." Ivar was responsible for the popularizing of "The Old Settler." I brough a blank audio tape with me and the show's producer made me a copy of the show. I have carefully kept this tape secure for all these years. I'm now deep into my archiving project and I have successfully digitized it. Stew Hendrickson, the other half of The Pacific Northwest Folklore Society just posted the audio on our website. Open up http://pnwfolklore.org and listen to Ivar and Jim talk about the old days of radio and how some of these songs and ballads came about. As I discover more treasures, I'll post them here. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 05:07 PM

http://pnwfolklore.org/

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: gnu
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 05:13 PM

Golly!

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 06:20 PM

By the way, that show was recorded on January 20, 1959. And yes ... I do believe that's 50 years ago. As I dimly recall, it was Tuesday night, and it was darned cold outside. Bob

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 06:39 PM

Kewl!! Thanks, Roope!

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: frogprince
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:01 PM

This kinda makes my head spin. I had heard long ago that Paul Bunyan was invented for publicity by a lumber company; is that consistent with Haglunds story, or did I hear wrong? But what really throws me, is that the Bunyan stories were so ubigitious and so commonly taken for folklore when I was a kid (The statue of ol' Paul in Bemidji, Minnesota was known to everyone from my earliest memory) that I never dreamt anyone alive could have known the author.

By the way, Bob: I understand that the creation museums show humans existing along with dinosaurs. Other folks say that couldn't be true. Do you remember, back then, which way it was?

(If you can forgive me that, thanks for the fascinatin' stuff)
                                  Dean

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: olddude
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:03 PM

wow wondrful

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:04 PM

Tuesday, it was....and that's 18,315 days ago..how time flies when you're having fun.

Amazing how fresh they sound....

Thanks for the delightful sounds and for the effort to save them.

(saved 'em myself to listen to again..)

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Stewart
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:14 PM

Here is what I wrote several years ago in the Victory Review about James Stevens and the Paul Bunyan stories.

James Stevens (1892 – 1971) was born on a rented farm in Iowa. His "gypsy father" decided to roam, and his mother worked as a hired girl for $12 per month, so he was raised by his grandmother. At age 10 he was sent to live with relatives in Idaho where he learned to handle horses and cattle. He left home at age 15 to work with horses and mules on construction projects. He also worked in logging camps where late at night around the bunkhouse stove he listened to the lore of the woods and tall tales of Paul Bunyan.

He served in World War I in France and later developed an interest in books. He characterized himself as "a hobo laborer with wishful literary yearning," and became self-educated at public libraries, which he called "the poor man's universities." He settled in Portland, Oregon and began writing for H. L. Mencken's American Mercury magazine. One of his stories was about the mythical giant Paul Bunyan, which later evolved into a best-selling book.

According to Stevens, "The Paul legend has its origin in the Papineau Rebellion in 1837." This was a revolt by French-Canadians against their young English queen. Among them was a bearded mighty-muscled rebellious giant named Paul Bunyon (note the French spelling). His slaughters became legend. He later operated a logging camp where he became the most famous camp chief in Canada. At nights around the fire in logging camp cookhouses, songs and tall tales abounded.

By 1860 Paul Bunyan became a genuine legendary folk hero. Lumber companies used these legends in their promotional literature. But it was Stevens who, in his book Paul Bunyan (published by Alfred Knopf in 1925) and in later writings, established Paul Bunyan stories as a significant part of American literature.

By the end of his literary career Stevens had produced nine books and more than 250 stories and magazine articles. Among his works were "Brawny Man" (1926), "Mattock" (1927), "Homer in the Sagebrush" (1928), "The Saginaw Paul Bunyan" (1932), "Paul Bunyan Bears" (1947), "Big Jim Turner" (1948), and "Tree Treasure" (1950). He became the dean of Northwest writers. He was also a protector of the Northwest forest industries and worked to preserve the rich heritage of the woods.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Stewart
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:24 PM

And I never imagined that 4 years after writing this I would be listening to his voice so clearly talking about his writing. And listening also to Ivar. It's quite amazing.

Thanks Bob.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:34 PM

I remember Jim Stevens as a tall, rather lanky fellow. He was getting along in his years when I met him in 59, but he was very friendly and open. I'd known Ivar Haglund since I was twelve, so I was quite comfortable with him. I reminded him of when my parents used to take me into his dockside aquarium in Seattle. He'd charge us a nickle to enter. While we gazed at goofy swimming things in a dozen small tanks, he would sit on a stool and sing goofy songs.

The night that this show was taped, a really funny thing happened. Don Firth sang "The Frozen Logger" to Jim, in Ballard (Swede) dialect. Jim completly cracked up and said he rather liked it that way. I'll see if I can get Don to record his "Ballard" version and maybe we can post it on the website. Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: frogprince
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 08:00 PM

Sounds like my question got answered along the way. (Yea, I know, I crossed up Stevens and Haglund when I asked it.)

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 09:12 PM

Just had a chance to listen. These are TREASURES!! Thanks so much, Bob. And, you, too, Stewart for the further info. WOW and I get to *hear* Don Firth! How kewl!!

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 08:21 AM

Kat ... you can hear and see live videos of Don Firth (and yours truly) RIGHT NOW. Open the website and scroll down the menu on the left side. Open up "audio/video". There's the menu of several performers and performances. Bob

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 08:33 AM

Can't open this at work - they frown on that. But tonight I will listen.

I always thought that the Brawny Towel man looked like Paul Bunyan. What a rip-off.

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 02:20 PM

Just sat, enthralled, through the broadcast, the reunion concert, the videos of Don and Bob, and a song each by Walt and Mary Garvey.
Didn't run Bob's CD just now; I'll put my "hard copy" in the player again soon, though.
                         Dean

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 02:28 PM

Great resources, great job of documenting them, great presentation visually, just superb from top to toe.

THANK You,

~Susan

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 04:01 PM

Deckman:

Seeing the "Ballard" reference reminds me of a day back in 1962 when Nancy Quense explained Ballard to me as only a Norwegian could. Thanks for saving this. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ivar, though I downed a lot of his clams. It is great to put a face and a voice to these folks. And.....who were those good lookin' young fellas, again?

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 04:01 PM

I'm looking forward to listening that and exploring the other audio & video!

~ Becky in Tucson
(who wasn't always a desert rat...)

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Art Thieme
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 04:50 PM

Bob,
Simply incandescent! As Phillips said, "The past didn't go anywhere."

As Walt Whitman said concerning his own ending,

"I depart as air.
(and) I stop somewhere
waiting for you."

Thanks for that! I've always felt that the folkloristic artifacts we have saved are truly as close to a time machine as we'll ever get.

With real appreciation,

Art

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 05:06 PM

Well Art ... I have to say ... You have made my day. The successful saving of this tape and the successful posting of it here has been a 30 year dream of mine. As well YOU know, we are small by ourselves, but when the songs and stories and love others have installed in us comes out, we all are giants. And I guess that's as it should be.

I'm only into my collection by one dozen tapes. I've got at least 200 more to go.

I want to give a very special thank you to STEW HENDRICKSON. He's the other half of the "Pacific Northwest Folklore Society." He's got the techinical skills, equipment, and patience to do the engineering that is way beyond me. Heck ... I can't even spell very guud in Inglish!

Art, I suspect that you, as I, have always felt an serious obligation to those who taught you, shared their songs and time. What I'm doing now is my payback! CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 06:56 PM

Oh, man, Bob! Thank you. I totally missed the video link! Wow! It's great to *see* you and Don and to hear you both, of course!

This is incredible and I will be watching, eagerly, for more.

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Deckman
Date: 14 Mar 09 - 04:10 PM

Subject: RE: An Archiving Treasure
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 Mar 09 - 04:37 PM

excellent stuff, and in particular I thoroughly enjoyed the video of Reggie Miles' virtuoso performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on the musical saw.