Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion

Subject: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: JedMarum
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:24 PM

This September, I had the good fortune of spending a few days in Scotland with the lovely and delightful, Jean Redpath. Since returning home, we've exchanged a few letters and I was excited to hear that she will be featured on this week's show, A Prairie Home Companion, with Garrison Keillor.

I know the Folk lovers around the world will want to catch the show and it is widely syndicated - around the world. The US runs it on the NPR network. I am not sure where it runs elsewhere - but THIS LINK to the Prairie Home website has a LISTEN button at the top that provides you with the tools to find a station near you - or a webcast.

Here are a couple of my favorite Jean Redpath videos

Westerln Wind.

Sonny's Dream.

Barbarry Allan.

So - this week's show is This Week's Show // January 16, 2010.

It may be archived at the link above if you miss it - and you can always write and ask them to repeat it - when they do their "best of" shows.

I hope y'll will listen in. It's a great show anyway - but it's even better when Jean visits!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:34 PM

She's been a regular guest on PHC for years and is always her typically good self. Nice to hear you got to know her some Jed.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:48 PM

Didn't she get her start in the US on Frae My Ain Countrie, Folk-Legacy Record #049 (1973)? Could it be that our Sandy Paton "discovered" her?

A Prairie Home Companion has certainly been a big help to Jean Redpath's career, but I like to think it was Sandy who got her started.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:56 PM

PHC is where I first heard her in 1999 while driving in WY. Remember my thread about the poem/song I heard her do and no one here knew of it? I wrote to her and got a personal reply which I posted in THIS THREAD. I will definitely be listening for her this weekend. Thanks, Jed!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Cuilionn
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:56 PM

Perhaps my favourite PHC moment of all time: an exchange between Jean Redpath & Garrison, when he tried (and failed) to imitate her accent. Jean's immediate response was to say the following (or something very much like it), "I think you should try to master English before you tackle Scots."

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: pdq
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 07:01 PM

I believe that Jean Redpath was part of the Newport Folk Festival in 1963 or 1964. Maybe both.

Probably not a "find" by Sandy Paton.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: kendall
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 07:38 PM

Certainly one of the very best in the world.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: mousethief
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:13 PM

We have several of her CD's although we've never seen her in concert. What a voice, like gold wrapped in fine velvet.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:51 PM

mousethief! Nice to *see* you!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:19 PM

I think I've heard Jean on PHC for at least the last 20 years, probably much longer. She is a welcome regular on the program. Jed, that sounds like a great trip. Next we want to hear YOU on Prairie Home Companion. See if Jean will put in a good word for you! :)

SRS

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: KathWestra
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 10:32 PM

Joe, Jean wasn't "discovered" by Sandy Paton--she had some recordings before her Folk-Legacy album. But "Frae My Ain Countrie" is, in my opinion, Jean's very finest recording. And we definitely can thank Sandy and Folk-Legacy for that.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: mousethief
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 12:55 AM

Thanks kat! And yourself! I'm happy to be seen!

O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: GUEST,Elmore
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 11:51 AM

I hadn't seen jean perform for a number of years until a couple of years ago in Lexington, Ma. To my delight, the years had been kind to her voice and personality.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: DonMeixner
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 11:56 AM

I have an Electra recording of Jean Redpath from 1963. It was her second for Electra. Exceptional bit of vinyl.

Don

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 11:48 PM

When we were in Scotland this September we visited one of the old churches - a place where Robert the Bruce is buried. I was wandering around the building quietly, looking at this and that. Jean had taken a pew in the cathedral ... and in a few moments I heard her just begin to sing a verse and chorus of a hymn she apparently thought appropriate for the moment. Within moments all of the tourists and church visitors stopped in their tracks to just listen. A few whispered among themselves, when someone recognized and her and passed the word on ... and when she was done, she stood up and we walked on. Everyone went back about their business - but they all marked the moment.

It was magic.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: GUEST,Jed Marum
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 11:49 PM

Oops - that was me again above. I keep loosing my cookie and forgetting to set it!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 11:52 PM

Sounds magical, indeed! Thanks, Jed!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: JedMarum
Date: 16 Jan 10 - 11:30 AM

Refresh:

Today's the day! It repeats tomorrow on most NPR stations is archived from the website above too.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 11:28 AM

I heard it last night. They're replaying right now on KERA, and I switched over just this minute. Jean is singing. (I usually listen to the Dirt Doctor for my organic gardening news on Sunday mornings.)

SRS

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 11:54 AM

She still sings like I remember...maybe better. (It was 1961 when I first found her "Skippin' Barefoot Through the Heather" in my local library)

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 05:00 PM

I love her singing and her personality is so kewl. She sounded wonderful.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: kendall
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 05:35 PM

Great sense of humor too. Plus, she's a Taurus!
First time I saw/heard her was at Gotta get gone at Fox Hollow in 1973. I thought, where did she come from? I was gobsmacked.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 08:21 PM

The first time I heard Jean Redpath was at the 1961 Berkeley Folk Festival. She wasn't one of the official line-up of singers.

I was attending one of the afternoon workshops on ballad singing, moderated by Sam Hinton. A young woman with a distinct Scots burr asked the panel several very cogent questions. Finally, Sam Hinton said, "You know, judging from the nature of your questions, I can't help but think that you know more about ballad singing than most of us on this panel. Could I ask you to come up and join us?"

She did. And, indeed, she was a mine of good information. It turned out that the other members of the panel pelted her with questions while we sat there fascinated, listening to the discussion.

A very knowledgeable young lady.

I understand that she had arrived in the Bay Area two months before and was working both as an au pair and as an usher at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House, from which the "Prairie Home Companion" show was broadcast this weekend.

I had a chance to meet her at the home of Judy Flenniken, a Seattle folk singer, where we had a song fest one evening. Jean was staying with Judy while she was passing through town. I believe this was in 1964, but I could be off a year or two.

A marvelous singer and a very nice person.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:45 AM

More importantly in the UK, when will it be broadcast?

BBC7 17:30 23:00 Saturdays, repeated 7:30 Sundays. But currently not listed, we get them in spurts. Maybe 20 a year maybe slightly more.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 09:17 PM

She was wonderful as she usually is. I have seen her in concert twice in Portland and was lucky enough to speak to her in the interval -- such a gracious person. Jed, I envy you knowing her!

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 10:26 PM

Mr. Red, can't you access the archived show on THIS PAGE?. It's on the righthand side with the whole show broken up into segments.

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 06:09 AM

Er yes and no. I am on dial-up so I generally limit my connection to e-mail.
I could listen at the Library but it is not ideal.

I stay on dial-up to maintain my websites, & keep faith with others on dial-up (you can't imagine how many websites I see that don't work on dial-up).

Subject: RE: Jean Redpath on A Prairie Home Companion
From: GUEST,Vicki Kelsey
Date: 19 Jan 10 - 05:57 PM

I'm so glad to hear that her glorious voice is still being heard. I still get goosebumps remembering the "Seal Song" soaring through the natural amipitheater at Fox Hollow.