The Centennial Of Pete Seeger’s Birthday (1919-2014)- *In Pete Seeger's House- "Rainbow Quest"-The Greenbriar Boys-An Encore

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Pete Seeger's now famous 1960s (black and white, that's the give-away)"Rainbow Quest" for the performer in this entry's headline.

Markin comment:

This series, featuring Pete Seeger and virtually most of the key performers in the 1960s folk scene is a worthy entry into the folk archival traditions for future revivalists to seek out. There were thirty plus episodes (some contained more than one performer of note, as well as Pete solo performances). I have placed the YouTube film clips here one spot over four days, November 10-13, 2009 for the reader's convenience.

*In Honor Of The Late Ralph Stanley-The Root Of The Matter-Putting Bluegrass and Gospel Together For Real- “We Are Family”

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of The Easter Family performing "Roses Will Bloom Again".

DVD Review

We Are Family, various artists from the Easter and Lewis families, Daywind Records, 2008



Sometimes when reviewing roots music CDs and DVDs you come across material that you are both somewhat unfamiliar with and that does not fit easily in the various known categories of roots music. That is the case here with the combination of bluegrass and white gospel presented by the Easter Brothers and their family, very extended family as its turns out. A regular reader of this space might be somewhat puzzled by this remark. Of course, particularly over the last few months, I have reviewed reams of bluegrass music from the old days with the likes of Roscoe Holcombe, Ralph Stanley and the like.



Certainly the bluegrass folk revivalists of the 1960s, like the New Lost City Ramblers and The Greenbriar Boys, have gotten plenty of space. Moreover, one cannot really review Harry Smith’s “Anthology Of American Folk Music”, as I have in this space without running into plenty of bluegrass and gospel music. What is rather startling in this presentation these days is that combination, present here, of true believers in the gospel who bring their message through their bluegrass concerts for the folks. Frankly, I am much more comfortable with a secular group like The Bluegrass Gospel Project, who belt out the old tunes with fervor but not fever. .



Nevertheless, despite my befuddlement and a natural inclination to write this stuff off, this group, or rather real life extended family (I never did really get all the relationships down), knows how to sing this white gospel bluegrass music. Not enough to make me jump up and run out and get their albums but enough to appreciate that this Georgia -based group had something to say. That certainly is the case with a couple of songs, “Roses Will Bloom Again” and “I Need You”.



Roses Will Boom Again

Written by Marsha Henry
performed by Jeff and Sheri Easter
From the album, “By Request”

Verse 1


I planted a little rose bush
I tended it with care
It’s buds began to blossom
Their fragrance filled the air
But when winter came it withered,
The petals drooped and fell to the ground
My heart sank as it faded
But I’d forgotten who had made it


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again


Verse 2
Rose was his only sweetheart
A loving wife for forty years
Cherished every day they had
And held memories oh so dear
He never dreamed he’s bury love
And go to live alone
But he lay his Rose to rest
Looked up to heaven and tried his best
To believe that


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again


Verse 3
The precious Rose of Sharon
Broken and bruised in cruel shame
Stained on the cross of Calvary
So that men might be saved
Oh, satan cheered as He died
While Mary and the others cried
Then God raised Him up from that sleep
And kept a promise only He could keep


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been

***In The Time Of The Second Mountain Music Revival- The Greenbriar Boys In Their Prime

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip pf The Greenbriar Boys performing "Danville Girl" On Pete Seeger's "Rainbow Quest".

CD Review

The Greenbriar Boys: Best Of The Vanguard Years, The Greenbriar Boys, Joan Baez, 2 CD set, Vanguard Records, 2002

I have know about the group under review, The Greenbriar Boys, since at least the mid-1960s although at that time my folk interests did not center, as they are increasingly doing now, on the mountain music aspect of the genre. As the headline indicates this group formed part of the second mountain revival, the first being back in the 1920s and led by, most famously, the Carter Family, and third and somewhat current revival being led by, oh well, let’s say George Clooney in his “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou”. This second revival, as I am finding out by additional research was something of a “golden age” for the revitalizing of several musical careers of mountain musicians like Clarence Ashley, Buell Ezell and, my favorite, Roscoe Holcomb. The reason that I have noted that fact here is because one of the members of the Greenbriar Boys, Ralph Rinzler, was a key “talent-spotting” for the Newport Folk Festival. This was the event where many of these performers remake their marks
.
But enough of the anecdotal background. What got me focused on the boys now was a performance that they did on Pete Seeger’s black and white mid-1960s television show,” Rainbow Quest” that I have previously reviewed extensively in this space. Here is part of what I had to say about them there:

“Also included on this DVD is a performance by the legendary Greenbriar Boys, a group that combined urban folk aficionados and real mountain music men to take advantage of the early interest in the mountain music roots of a lot of what the 1960s folk scene was searching for, authenticity …..”

What I have omitted from this comment was one that related to the New Lost City Ramblers who formed the other episode in that two episode DVD format. There Pete really played with gusto along with the Ramblers, unless other performers where he was rather passive or saw in awe of a performer like Reverend Gary Davis. That same gusto was apparent in accompanying the Greenbriar Boys. And why not with virtuoso banjo, mandolin and fiddle players who excelled at instrumentals like “Sleepy-Eyed John”, or crooned away of “Different Drum” or got whimsical with the classic “Stewball”. A couple of nice efforts with vocals by Joan Baez are also included here. But, here is the “skinny”. When future mountain music revivalists start ambling back into the archives to find the “roots” one of their stops will be here.

“Different Drum” Lyrics

You and I travel to the beat of a different drum
Oh can't you tell by the way I run
Every time you make eyes at me
Wo-oh

You cry and moan and say it will work out
But honey child I've got my doubts
You can't see the forest for the trees

Oh don't get me wrong
It's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me

Yes, and I ain't saying you ain't pretty
All I'm saying is I'm not ready
For any person place or thing
To try and pull the reins in on me

So good-bye I'll be leaving
I see no sense in this crying and grieving
We'll both live a lot longer
If you live without me

Oh don't get me wrong
It's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me

Yes, and I ain't saying you ain't pretty
All I'm saying is I'm not ready
For any person place or thing
To try and pull the reins in on me

So good-bye I'll be leaving
I see no sense in this crying and grieving
We'll both live a lot longer
If you live without me