New Claire Lynch CD in the fall
Claire Lynch fans have something to look forward to later this year. Rounder will be releasing a new project featuring ten tracks from previous Lynch albums, along with four newly re-recorded songs. It will be titled Crowd Favorites – a Claire Lynch Collection, and is projected for release in October.
Claire explained how the material was chosen:
“The songs were picked based upon several things – warm crowd response, frequent and repeated requests from fans, and even an informal poll I conducted with members of my mailing list. Then we have re-cut four other songs… old ones from Front Porch String Band days (Kennesaw Line, Wabash Cannonball and Hills of Alabam’) and another I wrote called The Day that Lester Died… from Mark Newton’s ‘girl project’ [Follow Me Back To The Fold - A Tribute To Women In Bluegrass] a few years ago.”
She produced these “new” tracks, and recorded them exclusively with the members of her band – Missy Raines, Jim Hurst and Jason Thomas.
I expressed my appreciation to Claire for revisiting Kennesaw Line, one of my favorite tracks from the Front Porch String Band days. It’s a Civil War ballad, based on a recounting by a Confederate soldier of events he witnessed as Sherman’s army engaged the southern forces near Marietta, GA.
I have no doubt that the Claire Lynch Band version will be superb as well.
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Our UK correspondent, Richard F. Thompson, shares this review.
Claire Lynch has recorded five CDs...
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I heard about this upcoming cd at a Claire Lynch Band show awhile back. I’m really looking forward to it. “Kennesaw Line” is one of my favorites too. If you are a Civil War buff like me, you must read “Company Aych”, the book the song is based on. It’s the actual memoir of Sam Watkins, a confederate soldier. The memoir recounts his years in the war and it is an incredible account. You can find it on Amazon.
A little more on the song’s origins. Written by Don Oja Dunaway, who lives in St. Augustine. He toured in the 70’s and 80’s in a duet with writer Charlie Robertson (also a great writer). Don wrote it from the memoir of Sam Watkins, a private in Company H (Co. “Aytch” of the First Tennessee Regiment CSA (the Maury Grays), titled “A Side Show of the Big Show. The song made its way on the folk circuit, with the David Russell & John Foster arrangement (repeating last chorus over a slowed down “Dixie” lyric harmony which brought the house down) being picked up by a lot of folks. I’ve not heard a song since that pictures better the hell and fear of the foot soldier in that war. Don’s words are “listen to the picture forever etched upon my mind” God Bless you, Claire, for bringing this song again.
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