If I Could Be The Rain I Would Be Rosalie Sorrels-The
Legendary Folksinger-Songwriter Has Her Last Go Round At 83
By Music Critic Bart
Webber
Back the day, back in the emerging folk minute of the 1960s
that guys like Sam Lowell, Si Lannon, the late Peter Paul Markin and others
were deeply immersed in (and the former two never got over since they will
still tell a tale or two about the times if you go anywhere within ten miles of
the subject-I will take my chances here because this notice is important) all
roads seemed to lead to Harvard Square, the Village down in NYC, North Beach
out in San Francisco, and maybe Old Town in Chicago. That is where names like
Baez, Dylan, Paxton, Ochs, and a whole crew of younger folksingers who sat at
the feet of guys like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
But there was another
important strand that hovered around Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, up
around Skidmore and some other colleges. That was Caffe Lena’s where some of
those names played but also where some upstarts from the West got a chance to
play the small crowds who gathered at that famed (and still existing)
coffeehouse. Upstarts like Bruce “Utah” Phillips (although he could call
several places home Utah was key to what he would sing about). And out of Idaho
one Rosalie Sorrels who just joined her long-time friend Utah in that last go-round
at the age of 83.
The last time I saw Rosalie perform in person was back in
2002 when she performed at what was billed as her last go-round, her hanging up
her shoes from the dusty travel road. She was on fire that night except the
then recent death of another folk legend, Dave Von Ronk, who was supposed to be
on the bill (and who was replaced by David Bromberg who did a great job) cast a
pall over the proceedings. I will always remember her cover of Old Devil Time that night -yeah, give me one more chance, one
more breathe. But I will always think of If
I Could Be The Rain whenever I hear her name. RIP Rosalie Sorrels
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