June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: GUEST,Paul Schurr
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 03:17 PM

I agree with Jeri and Linn that there are lots of reasons why pub singing is great fun. At our Albany sings there often happens a moment when someone gets overwhelmed by the feelings of the moment and bursts out with some words about loving the moment, everyone in the room, the sun, the moon, and the stars. It's pretty intense to join in song and feel kinship with a circle of friends. The small article I asked Linn to post - sorry, I mean Bat Goddess -- was inspired by Justine passing through the stages of grief at Barry's loss and coming alive again in snapshots at the Press Room sings when I've been there. She pretty much has carried all of us along. Blend that with the sparks of excitement set off by Danny's arrival and singing and you have one of the best days ever.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 08:44 PM

Now if only I could have got Janet and Danny to pick me up in RI on their way to Maine . . . .

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: ranger1
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 07:25 PM

And I may have interested my 19-year-old niece in joining us next month.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: ranger1
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 07:22 PM

Bingo, Linn. Although, I have been caught singing shanties while raking at work by park visitors. None of them seemed to be too freaked out by it, though.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 06:38 PM

At an open sing at the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival about, oh, 8 years ago, a reporter asked me, "Who ARE all these people? And how do they know all the words?!?" We had people hanging from the rafters for that sing, really jam packed in The Press Room that year.

I explained that a few were "regulars" at our sessions, but most hadn't even been to the festival before. Then I explained that, especially with shanties and going back to when they were "composed" to get the job done, the tune was usually somewhat familiar to the sailors -- either a hymn tune or something they'd heard before -- and the shanty man knew or made up the words and the choruses were simple and easy to pick up.

Then I got to thinking about the WHY part of what attracted all these people to sing in public. And what Jeri said is so true -- first of all, people ENJOY singing. Even if they don't have a "good" voice (and folk music cuts a lot of slack). But if you sing at work, you'll probably be told you're annoying someone or it makes the workplace "unprofessional". And if you walk down the street singing, people won't make eye contact and move to the other side of the street. It's okay to sing in church, of course. And I sort of got my start there (and in the car with my parents). I come from German Lutheran stock and we're singers. About the only other place it's okay to sing is at folk open sings or even at concerts as most trad performers encourage singing along.

Singing makes the body feel happy...and more and more people are discovering that. You don't need any fancy training to sing along with the choruses on shanties and other sea songs. And people enjoy it.

My two cents' worth...

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 05:37 PM

I'll investigate Creature Comforts (I've missed it for a few years), but I hope most of you have clothes on.

On the reason why: it's not just the people, although it's a great big part. It's one of the few places I can make that much noise and not get into some sort of trouble. Even if one sings in church (which I don't), people look at you funny if you sing that loudly and make up your own harmonies. Your head buzzes with "happy" when you get in the middle of that much harmony. I know the folks at P&SG know that. I personally caught it from the Fox Hollow campground and some of the P&SG people who could be found at someone's site, under the stars (or a tarp), head back, blowing the dust off the moon.

I got to sing John Dead with Danny, but more as the chorus "plant". He didn't know if anyone knew it, and the verse and chorus have to overlap a little. I've sung the song there sometimes, so I volunteered. Now, I'm thinking I might have learned it from one of his CDs.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 03:51 PM

Hey, Roy! You drove past the sign announcing Nottingham a few years ago -- you were sooooo close to our house!

Paul Schurr asked me to post the following to this thread -- as he explains in it, he wrote it for Albany's Pickin' Singin' Gatherin' newsletter. I made two minor corrections in paragraph 2 detailing the session history, but otherwise it's as Paul wrote it.

Linn

Here 'tis --

Danny Spooner (and 50 Friends) Naked

(An article written by Paul Schurr for Albany's Pickin' Singin' Gatherin' newsletter 6/18/23.)

I stood outside the Press Room with Barbara Benn, Jeff Warner's muse, on Saturday trying to figure out why we get hooked on Pub Sings. We started with the obvious: it's the people! Well I've thought about it more, and I've decided our conclusion was too easy and not a good enough explanation. I think it's because a cappella singing is about as intimate as you can get with your friends and fellow singers without stripping down to your birthday suit.

The Press Room is a small, noisy, well-used pub in beautiful downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It stands out for its over 30 year tradition of music and an intrepid musician and shanty man named Tom Hall, who began trad sessions when the pub got a liquor license requiring live music while open. About 10 years ago Tom and Linn Schulz, Tom's wife, began the Press Room monthly shanty sings. The June a cappella sing has become a celebration of a man who died young — Barry Finn — and who was loved by, well, almost anyone who met and sang with him. For this special sing people come from far and wide — even Australia — to experience an amazing time of intimacy in the form of songs, stories, renewed friendship, and cheer.

You can follow the entire sing thanks to Linn, who lists every song and every song leader (Mudcat url at the end of this article). This particular event aims at keeping Barry's songs and memory alive, and his widow, Justine, begins the sing with a voice so strong, alive, and beautiful that it sends a thrill up your spine. Justine has filled the emptiness Barry left behind in all of us by reinvigorated pub singing in the June shanty sing by urging us to replace sadness with celebration. You should hear her songs! And is there anything more intimate than grieving and then coming alive again in the Press Room song circle?

I count 21 different lead singers before one of the rock stars of shanty singing arrived. We heard rumors that Danny Spooner might show up as he was passing time between the Mystic Seaport festival and his Old Songs gig by staying with Janet Buck in Connecticut. I can hear the way a friend of mine with a good eye would describe Janet: an attractive woman with a huge smile and brimming with life. She lives and breathes a cappella music, and she guided Danny to the Press Room.

Because of traffic, they were running late and Danny fretted over maybe not getting a seat for the sing. Janet said not to worry, and she was right. We had joyfully romped through about 25 songs when Danny arrived in a packed pub with well over 20 lead singers and maybe another 15 there for the chorus. Add in another 40 patrons to get the crowded and noisy picture. Danny's smile beamed from the doorway, excitement raced through the pub, the space cleared, chairs appeared, and soon Danny led his first song.

Actually, Danny denied rock star status and became one of us right away. We enjoyed each other leading songs in the company of our friends, expressing ourselves, and showing our commitment to the magic we create when we come together. We are naked before our friends because we reveal who we are by the person we are in the song circle, the songs we choose to sing, our patience before taking our turn leading, our quick support for other song leaders through chorus singing and harmonies. We're not perfect, but we are at ease because we know a poorly chosen song or a fading voice or a forgotten word matters little to our friends in the song circle. Danny didn't look for adulation or celebrity, he was there for a damn good pub sing in the intimacy of a song circle.

For reasons I won't go into here, Barbara usually stands at the edge of the song circle, maybe even in the pub's shadows. I look at her and I imagine her holding her hands up to a glowing campfire. Like her, I can't resist the warmth and other feelings brought by the intimacy of a song circle.

If you aren't a Danny Spooner fan, you have another chance to become one. In my opinion, he had the best main stage performance at the Mystic Seaport festival. He'll be on stage at Old Songs in less than two weeks. I can only hope that he will join us in the late night sing at Creature Comforts on Saturday. He probably won't really be naked, but he'll help us create the intimacy that comes with our songs.

Mudcat thread with Linn Schulz's song list for the June 15th pub sing.
http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=151158&messages=27

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 19 Jun 13 - 03:40 PM

Justine, thank youfor singing London Julie. Sorry I forgot to mention you earlier.
Bat Godess "We'll get you to the Press Room yet" Yes PLease, yes please, and yes please again. That and a visit to Nottingham NH are long-held ambitions as yet unfulfilled.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jun 13 - 07:24 PM

Linn-

Thanks for your great listing!

It was a grand session.

I was particularly pleased to have Kevin attend again.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Jun 13 - 03:13 PM

AND Justine, Roy. Justine sang it through again.

Wish you could have been there, too. We'll get you to The Press Room yet!

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 18 Jun 13 - 04:41 AM

It looks like you all had a great session. I only wish I could have been there.I'm going to sing at the Press Room someday! Pete Souza, thank you for singing 'London Julie'

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: ranger1
Date: 17 Jun 13 - 07:28 PM

I'm going to try to make more of the Saturday sings. We actually nixed a date for our crew party because it fell on the third Saturday. I love my co-workers!

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jun 13 - 06:27 PM

Linn, I think (re the milling singing) there was an attempt to get even with whoever was playing stuff upstairs that it took the waitress to stop.
I think our savior was Hannah. The one with more melanin, anyway. The male waitperson said he'd ask her to go talk to them. He seemed to think she might scare them. I don't know if she did, but she sure was effective. The tips were pretty good, I think.

BTW, my voice was almost back to normal on Sunday. Too bad it was iffy on Saturday.

What a great session!

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Jun 13 - 02:53 PM

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Jun 13 - 03:04 PM

Open mike -- I think his daughter Natalie still maintains his Facebook page and posts things Barry's friends will find interesting (like the inclusion of his song "Good Old Brig" in the BBC radio's sea music program a few months ago).

Here's the rest --

26. London Julie - Pete Souza then Justine
27. The Whale Boat - Paul Schurr
28. Rolling Home (to Old New England) - Pamela, Liz, Martha, & Judy
29. Maggie May - Linn Schulz
30. Paradise Street - Danny Spooner
31. Paddy Lay Back - Alexander Thompson
32. Come Down You Roses - Marty, Pete Souza & Chorus
33. Mobile Bay (Roll the Cotton Down) - Charlie Ipcar
34. Northwest Passage - Bruce MacIntyre
35. Fathom the Bowl - Paul Schurr
36. Ida Lewis - Justine and the rest of London Julie (without Susan)
37. Old Fat Boat - Judy
38. Captain Swing - Danny Spooner
39. Laying On the Screw (Yakka Yakka Yakka) - Charlie
40. Shallow Brown - Ramona Connelly
41. Whup Jamboree - Peter Bixby
42. Dumiama - Danny Spooner
43. Roll the Old Chariot (Greg Clark's hungover version; brilliant) - Paul Schurr
44. Santiano - Ray Spiecker
45. (from a Thomas Moore poem) - Kevin McDermott
46. Farewell and Adieu/Spanish Ladies - Jeff Warner
47. Coal Black Rosie - Judy Barrows
48. Being a Pirate - Liz (& Alexander)
49. Willie Taylor - Carol Coronis
50. Black Bird Get Up - Jeri
51. Out On the Rolling Sea - Barry O'Brien
52. John Dead - Danny Spooner
53. Bye Bye My Rosianna - Pete Souza
54. Hey Rain - Danny Spooner
55. Outside Track - Charlie Ipcar
56. Flowers of Bermuda - Audi Souza
57. Life of the Sailor - Bruce MacIntyre
58. Talcahuano Girls - Danny Spooner
59. Shanty For Barry - Marty Stock (1st closer)
60. My Son Tim - Justine (2nd closer)
61. 'Tis Our Sailing Time - Danny Spooner (3rd closer)

(Well, there was still some singing going on as we milled around catching up with people before leaving. It's an incorrigible bunch…)

As usual, typos and errors are mine -- corrections welcomed.

Your scribe,
Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: open mike
Date: 16 Jun 13 - 01:15 PM

glad to hear you had a great memorial sing----strangely, i still get facebook posts that look to be from Barry---spooky!

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Jun 13 - 10:58 AM

Interspersed between the songs were some wonderful stories and reminiscences about Barry. I hope Steve Smith captured those as well as the songs.

The Crew (in no particular order but maybe order of appearance) -- Tom Hall (Curmudgeon) & Linn Schulz (Bat Goddess), Paul & Charlene Schurr from Albany, NY, Alexander Thompson & Liz Duff, Dave Hallowell, Don Hale, Steve Smith & Justine Donovan, Peter & Audi Souza, Kevin McDermott, Bob Eaton, Charlie Ipcar (Charley Noble), Martha Bowen, Steve from Gloucester and his wife, Ray Spiecker & Judy, Marty Stock, Jeri, Peter Bixby (our official folkie New Hampshuh state rep), Barry O'Brien, Tami Bill (Ranger1), Pete Hale (PeaderFormerlyofPortsmouth), CeltAddict, Danny Spooner (who won the prize of being from the furthest away – not sure whether that meant Australia or today's Connecticut with the traffic delays), Bruce MacIntyre, Barbara Benn, Bill Lehrman & Carol Pierson, Ramona Connelly, Carol Coronis, Fred Hoyt & Emily Force & Soren, Judy Barrows, Jeff Warner, plus Pamela and a few others whose names I don't know. Jackie was our harried and run-ragged server.

1. Good-bye My Riley-O - Justine Donovan
2. Venezuela To Trinidad - Paul Schurr
3. Yangtze River - Charlie Ipcar (Charley Noble)
4. Won't You Help Me To Raise 'Em Boys - Petr Souza
5. Feeney Brown - Don Hale
6. Hard Times In Old Virginia - Charlene Schurr
7. Lady Franklin's Lament - Kevin McDermott
8. Topman and the Afterguard - Alexander Thompson
9. Home, Dearie, Home - Linn Schulz
10. Ranzo Ray - Ray Spiecker
11. Sea People - Steve (from Gloucester)
12. Run Come See Jerusalem - Marty Stock
13. Sugar In the Hold - Dave Hallowell
14. Three Score and Ten - Bob Eaton
15. Isle au Haut Lullaby - Martha Bowen
16. Donkey Riding - Peter Bixby
17. Johnny Jump Up - Audi Souza
18. Wild Goose Nation - Pete Hale
19. Alabama John Cherokee - Barry O'Brien
20. [song about Barry Finn & Press Room] - Alexander
      (he just finished it about 20 minutes previous)
21. The Press Room's Extra Voice - Charlie
22. Good Old Brig - Don Hale
23. Roller Bowler - Bruce MacIntyre
24. Skipper Jan Rebek - Marty
25. Haul On the Bowline - Danny Spooner

More later. I really need to go out and cut some brush before it rains again.

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 16 Jun 13 - 09:51 AM

Was it Hannah or Lani, Jeri?

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Jeri
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 11:08 PM

I got to sing "John Dead" with him!

I went with a headache and a 75% voice. I didn't think I'd last for the whole thing, but the big pile of ibuprofen kicked in and the headache went away. The voice still needs the flora to stop trying to reproduce, but I think it's no worse.

Our waitperson got the drums to stop for a bit, then they started again. He asked the woman waitperson (can't remember her name) to talk to them, and she was successful. What the heck are they doing up there? In any case, they didn't stop any singing, only annoyed people, but I was having too much fun to think about it much.

Great session!

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: ranger1
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 09:54 PM

My highlight of the session was Danny Spooner singing Hey Rain.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 09:21 PM

What a singing there was!

I'll post the crew and songs tomorrow -- but there were lots of singers we don't see often enough...Kevin McDermott, CeltAddict, Danny Spooner, some of the Gloucester crew, Ranger1 who doesn't usually get Saturday time off during the season...

Our poor waitperson was run ragged...but he DID go upstairs and tell tonight's band to lay off (sound check? rehearsal? just feel like drum solos for no reason?) until we were finished.

Thank you to everyone! It was an absolutely glorious afternoon's singing!

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Micca
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 11:37 AM

I wish I was there !

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 10:55 AM

JWB-

"Charley, I came back from Mystic with a cold, too. Who might have been the carrier?"

If I only knew, I would sift through my memory files for appropriate curses. Maybe I'll compose a song in retribution for next year? I'm open to suggestions but my working title is "It's Snot Right."

Feeling a lot better this morning.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Jeri
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 10:41 AM

I'll be there. I have the remnants of a 4.5-week old cold myself, or maybe allergies took over when the cold quit. And a headache that started last night and will hopefully be gone, sufficiently medicated, or both later on.

I missed last year's Barry session and last month's shanty sing. Not THIS time!

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: stallion
Date: 15 Jun 13 - 04:55 AM

mmmm 4 years, miss you fella.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: JWB
Date: 14 Jun 13 - 10:01 PM

Charley, I came back from Mystic with a cold, too. Who might have been the carrier?

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Jun 13 - 09:56 PM

I'm feeling better but I probably won't do a lot of singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Jun 13 - 12:37 PM

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ Happy B.D., Roy! ♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Linn (Tom, too)

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 14 Jun 13 - 07:21 AM

June 15th is my 80th birthday and there is a family party. I will be expected to sing a few so I will include a shanty,and tell them it's in honour of a fine man from America whom I only met once but such was his impact I felt I'd known him all my life. Barry liked my singing of 'London Julie'. If someone at the Press Room could sing that as a respectful tribute from me I would be most grateful. Have a great time. Roy Harris.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 07:05 PM

It's a possibility, Marty. I heard from CeltAddict and they said it's a possibility. Won't know for sure until they walk in the door.

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: MMario
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 06:36 PM

check with celtaddict - I believe he was staying with her

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bupkes
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 06:26 PM

Anyone know if Danny Spooner might appear? He came to this event a couple of years ago.

Marty

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Trad Folkie
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 11:32 PM

Carol & I plan to be there.

See you all Saturday.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: MMario
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 02:42 PM

I heard quote a few people mention Barry over the last weekend at Mystic. He is truly missed.

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 02:08 PM

FIFTEENTH!!! It's June 15th!!! Ach, maybe I didn't have my contacts in when I looked at the calendar.

(That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.)

Linn

Subject: RE: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 11:10 AM

Judy and I are going to try to make it. I'm trying to shake off a cold I picked up last weekend in Mystic and it's not something I really want to share with people I like.

Paul Schurr and his wife are planning to attend again.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: June/BarryFinnMem.ShantySing@PressRoomNH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 10:56 AM

This coming Saturday, 18 June, will be both the regular monthly, and the Fourth Annual Barry Finn Memorial Shanty, Forebitter and Ballad Session at the Press Room, Daniel St. in Portsmouth, NH from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.

We're expecting a good turnout, including some of this year's Mysticians. Please come join us in lifting a song, a pint, a tot in remembrance of our old friend.

Linn (Bat Goddess) and Tom (Curmudgeon)