http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html The Band of Brothers: Blog Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Fri, 13 May 2011 06:40:46 -0700 http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/recording_sessions_day_two http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/recording_sessions_day_two Fri, 13 May 2011 06:27:21 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/obviously_our_plan_to_take_over_the_world_through_folk_music_is_working
Before I recount the good news of 2010 (and I will), it is important for me to note the departure this year of two of our long-time band members: Bruce Bailey & Henry Robin. Both - at different times - decided that it was time for them to move on to other musical interests. Henry released a CD of self-penned songs and is making the rounds of coffeehouses, etc. as member of a duet. Bruce continues his musical odyssey in partnership with his wife Judy, singing & playing his guitar at churches and nursing homes.

So.. what a great year! Highlights Galore! In January we began our association with Muddy Waters Coffeehouse in Geneseo, NY, performing every 2nd Friday of the month. In May we sang to a sold-out audience (hundreds turned away!) at the historic Star Theater in Dansville, NY to support a screening of a documentary film on the health care movement of the 19th & 20th centuries (for which we had composed a song.) In July we began our association with the Arcade & Attica Railroad - with appearances at 25 runs! We were featured at town festivals in Prattsburgh, Angelica, Rushford, Dansville & Wayland. In November we appeared at the Little Theatre in Rochester, NY - as part of a fund-raising effort for the Theatre. December brought us numerous Christmas shows - perhaps the best were the North Pole Express runs on the Arcade & Attica Railroad.

Cool Moment of the Year occurred in August when T. Sean Herbert, an ESPN producer, recorded me playing banjo - which was then used as background music for a feature on ESPN Radio. Sweet.

A bunch of new songs entered our repertoire in 2010 - my "We Used To Ride The Freight Trains" (another in my series of railroad/hobo songs), "We Were Dancing" (a song with a 1950's vibe to it, which became an audience favorite), "Piece Of Cake" (commemorating my father's favorite expression & some personal musings on patience & perseverance), "Little Green Devils" (my first song written on a mandolin - chronicling my determination to maintain a sense of balance in the midst of concern), and "Winter On The Hill" - my first Christmas song, written & performed on Christmas Eve. Jamie presented "Constant Season" (seeking growth in the midst of day-to-day living), "Nobody Likes The Income Tax" (that pretty much sums it up), and "Hugging & Kissing" (a song of courtship & marriage.) Alan brought us "Your Face Is Love" (a beautiful song of love & grace).

For 2011 we look forward to beginning monthly gigs at Debbie's Cafe in Wayland and Delightful's in Arcade, NY. As of this writing we have over 60 gigs scheduled for 2011 - with many more yet to be scheduled! And maybe we'll record that new CD we keep talking about. Thank you everyone for supporting us over the past 8 years - we hope to see all of you soon!

Peace & Harmony,
Michael Scott Smith]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/obviously_our_plan_to_take_over_the_world_through_folk_music_is_working Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:18:43 -0800 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/ive_been_working_on_the_railroad http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/ive_been_working_on_the_railroad Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:17:22 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_coolest_guitar_ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rppf0sX4APY

Peace & Harmony & May The Force Be With You,

Michael]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_coolest_guitar_ever Sun, 12 Sep 2010 07:21:49 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/its_only_roque_and_roll_but_i_like_it Down in Angelica, NY they play Roque - a variation of Croquet that is played on a hard-packed dirt field with curbed walls.

(In "The Shining" that's a Roque mallet Jack is swinging as he wends his maniacal way through the halls of the Overlook Hotel. But, I digress....)

So, back to Angelica, where they play Roque. Roque was once an Olympic sport! Yes sir: in 1904. Roque was once called the "game of the century!" Yet now Roque is limited to one last beautiful dirt court in Angelica, NY. Yep. That's right, folks. "The Last Bastion of Roque" is smack dab in the middle of a little town called Angelica.

Those of you who read my recent blog on the subject will be aware that I was then blissfully unaware of the difference between Croquet and Roque. Of course, blissful unawareness sort of comes with the territory of banjo playing, as you may well know.

Heck, I had never HEARD of Roque until Sean Herbert of ESPN alerted me to the sport. There I was, at the Angelica Heritage Festival, minding my own business, playing my banjo. (I know, some of you are thinking - "How can he POSSIBLY be minding his own business and playing a banjo at the same time?" You're right, I can't. And up comes Sean with the Smallest Microphone the World Has Ever Seen and asks me "Can I record your banjo?" Well, what am I to do? I can't refuse. Heck, I can't do anything and play my banjo at the same time!

So, I nodded my head in a sort-of-limited-way, and Sean stuck that tiny microphone near my banjo, and although I had no idea who Sean was or why he was waving that little microphone at me, I played him a tune of my own devise. Meaning, I kept on playing something I had made up on the spot. It wasn't much. (I know, some of you are thinking - "It's a banjo tune, how could it possibly be much?)

Anyway, I played for about a minute and a half, which is about all the average person can stand, and Sean thanked me and he went on his way. And, I would have forgotten all about it and never have learned the first or last thing about Roque.

But that was not to be, for later that very afternoon, following a brilliant performance by The Band of Brothers, Sean re-introduced himself, and told me of his desire to use my little banjo tune in an ESPN feature on the almost extinct sport of Roque.

So, there you have it. The whole kit and kaboodle, complete and unedited, the Director's Cut. I'll be sure to let you know when ESPN airs the feature. You'll get your chance to see Roque in action; and if there's some banjo picking in the background, yours truly is the culprit.

Peace & Harmony,
Michael Scott Smith]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/its_only_roque_and_roll_but_i_like_it Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:35:25 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/thats_what_i_get_for_standing_around_with_a_banjo http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/thats_what_i_get_for_standing_around_with_a_banjo Sat, 07 Aug 2010 06:20:47 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_line_stretched_around_the_corner
The film is a documentary about the "Castle On The Hill" in Dansville, NY. The home of the first commercial cold cereal, and the site of pioneering an understanding of the importance of fitness in maintaining health. Clara Barton's visit there to rest culminated in the formation of the American Red Cross.

The producers intent is to put the finishing touches on the film and gain an airing on PBS.

The Band of Brothers were commissioned to write a song for the film and "Castle On the Hill" was the song we delivered, in addition to some incidental music. Also, my son Sean was commissioned to compose the theme music for the film's beginning. A mighty exciting moment for the Smith Family, no doubt.

We performed four songs for this GREAT audience before the movie began: "Ain't Nobody's Doggone Business", "Car Radio," "This Land Is Your Land" and, of course, "Castle On The Hill."

Thanks to everyone who made this possible, especially the producers Al Jamison and Richard Derwald ("Mr. Fitness" himself). We had a great time.

Peace & Harmony,

Michael]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_line_stretched_around_the_corner Thu, 13 May 2010 18:57:45 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/cheap_date_tour_assists_irish_dancer Seriously, we had a great time - every once in a while the "Cheap Date Tour" gets to stop and help some folks out - this occasion was a fundraiser to assist a young Irish dancer (Rachael Prutsman) get to the North American Nationals Irish Dance Competition in Florida. We remember Rachael when she was much younger, dancing at a gig with us at Delightful's Restaurant in Arcade, NY and to see her dancing skills develop to her current level made us all feel like Proud Uncles.
We were honored to be a part of the fundraiser and thank all who participated to make it a success, especially all the dancers from the McMahon School of Irish Dance.
See you at the next gig!
Peace & Harmony,
Michael.]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/cheap_date_tour_assists_irish_dancer Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:01:38 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_story_behind_the_song_draper_the_pirate
Hi Michael,

Im not sure yet how my father found your song, but my kids and I did enjoy it. I am also a decendent of the Drapers. My grandma on my dad's side was born a Draper. We've heard some stories of Captain Draper, but your song and info sure makes it more real. If there is any other info you have on the Draper family I would appreciate if when you had time to send it to me.

Thank you very much and take care
Cindy W.
Vancouver, BC
Canada

Now, that's the kind of e-mail I like! Nothing like a total stranger from British Columbia telling you a song you wrote is enjoyed by 3 generations of a family!

For those of you who may not be as familiar with the tale as me, here goes: (Excerpt from "Drapers in America" published 1892)

The following information about Samuel Draper is largely conjectural. He is supposed to have been the wild son of a Church of England clergyman, one Thomas Draper, of Halifax, Yorkshire, England. The young man ran away to sea, and never there-after returned home. There is a vague tradition that he had a brother (uncle? James the Puritan?) in Roxbury, Mass.
In course of time Samuel Draper became a captain of a ship, which it is more than probable was on buccaneering intent. Whilst in some port of the kingdom of Spain he carried off a Spanish girl, and it is presumed made her his wife. She there-after always sailed with him.They had children, and it was the custom of the Captain to name his sons after the port in which they were born, or to which the ship was bound. We have, therefore, 1. Boston Draper, 2. Newburyport Draper, 3. New York Draper, and, an exception, 4. James Draper. Legend gives us the names of New York and Newburyport Draper, but we have only authenticated, through old documents which have been available to us, the names of Boston and James.
Until a few years ago there existed some few relics of Capt. Samuel Draper, amongst which was a coat, probably an officer's uniform, as with it was a sword or sabre, and a military hat of the Continental style, but importance seems to have been attached only to the coat. It was given by Capt. Samuel to his son Boston, with directions to preserve carefully, as evidence, in case a fortune should be left to him or his posterity. The silver buttons on this coat bore a device, which was a ship, at the stern of which was a man's arm holding a cutlass. This device was probably one of the Captain's own devising. Another description of these buttons says they had a stag's head on them. Still a third account says that the inscription on these said buttons was REx. A. D." and also the letters ,C. K. S." and perhaps "R. I." Later, these buttons were taken from the coat and strung upon a string, and have presumably been lost.

Well, not much, I suppose. Not exactly "Pirates of the Caribbean." No curse, just a bunch of missing buttons. But, it was enough to get me writing a song. And that little song has been very good to us. Our biggest seller on iTunes. By far. And our most played song on internet services like Rhapsody & Napster, etc. By far.

Thanks Cindy W from British Columbia. You made my day.]]> http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/the_story_behind_the_song_draper_the_pirate Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:31:23 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/living_in_the_country http://thebandofbrothers.net/blog.html/living_in_the_country Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:31:00 -0700 Making the World Safe For Folk Music! - The Band of Brothers - Blog