Bob Webb - Sea Shanties, Cape Horn

February 2012

Woody's a Hunnerd!

This year of 2012 marks the centennial of Woodrow Wilson -- Woody -- Guthrie's birthday. Come join Dave Peloquin and me in a celebration of the life and songs of the famous "Dustbowl Balladeer," who wrote the songbook for the "common man" during the 1930s and '40s.

Everyone knows a Woody song, if only "This Land is Your Land," which has been proposed as a replacement for The National Anthem. In our new program, "Woody's A' Hunnerd," Dave and I will tell some things you might not know about Woody's intent in writing that now-famous composition. Along the way, we'll sing other great songs by Woody, like "Pastures of Plenty," "Do-Re-Mi," and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh." And we'll sing few rare ones, too. Plus -- we'll feature some songs by others that describe his life and times, particularly the years when the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl combined to drive many Americans from their homes. You will be surprised to find out how much the 1930s sound like the 2010s! We can guarantee that Woody's songs still have hard-hitting relevance to us today.

We're booking right now. And we are going to be singing Woody's songs right here:

Friday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Phippsburg Congregational Church, 10 Church Lane (at Parker Head Road) in Phippsburg, Maine. Tickets will be available at the door; no advance reservation required. Tickets are $10; $6 for students and children. Great refreshments will be served at intermission. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. FMI please call 207-389-1770.

RED-DEVIL SPEEDWAY

Thanks to all who have purchased and enjoyed my newest CD, Red-Devil Speedway. It's a album of some of the great traditional American folk songs and banjo tunes, played on guitars and banjos, and all great fun. It's been called an "informal second volume" of my banjo CD, Full Circle: The Solo Banjo Sessions. But there's a lot more on it, including old-time and bluesy guitar picking, and vocals. You can purchase this album from cdBaby and Elderly Instruments, as well as directly from this website. Log onto http://cdbaby.com/cd/bobwebb or http://elderly.com/recordings/items/RWA-CD11707.htm. You can find my other CDs by entering "Bob Webb" in the sites' general search box.

SOUNDS LIKE OLD TIMES

Dave Peloquin and I hope to acquaint you with our CD, Sounds Like Old Times. We took a look back at the old-time, "hillbilly," mountain, country music that influenced all the major performers of the 1930s through early 1950s, and released some of our favorites. There are banjo and guitar pieces, with some mandolin for good measure, and harmony singing. We have included songs both famous and less well-known by the likes of Woody Guthrie, Alton and Rabon Delmore (the Delmore Brothers), the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. To their greatest hits, we’ve added some traditional tunes on banjo and guitars, and a more recent composition (about coal mining) by Billy Edd Wheeler. Fifteen tunes in all.

We do keep a mailing list. If you want to receive our occasional e-mailings about upcoming concerts and new album releases, please click on our "Contact Bob" tab, and send an e-mail with the simple words: "Mailing List." We’ll keep you informed!