News

Bound for Glory – 1975

8 Comments

Last week I found a vintage 1975 quarter inch reel tape recording of the Folk Song Society of Greater Boston performance of “Bound for Glory”, a musical tribute to Woody Guthrie, which took place at the Unitarian Church in West Newton, MA.

Thanks to my good friend Maria, I now also have a reel-to-reel machine. So rather than clean my office, I spent the day digitizing this old tape.

Thanks to the FSSGB. Since 1959, they have actively provided opportunities for everyone to make, enjoy, and support folk music.

I have noted the names of all the participants I can remember, but the list is not complete and I am sure there are mistakes. Please e-mail me with corrections to this list, and to fill in names of the unknown… or scroll to the bottom to leave a public comment. I will update this page as I receive feedback from folks with better memories than mine. If any one has a photo or a copy of the program, I’d love those too!

I think these selections display a wonderful spirit and are a real slice of history, especially since the “Bound for Glory” presentations are still being presented from time to time.
🙂

Click titles to play.

01 Introduction
Ellen Schmidt

02 I’ve Been Doin’ Some Hard Traveling
Singers: Jim McDade, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, Lisa Neustadt
Instruments: Neil Downey (banjo), UNKNOWN (guitar)

03 Oklahoma Hills
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: UNKNOWN, with the children’s chorus
Instruments: UNKNOWN

04 Belle Star
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Ellen Schmidt, with others
Instruments: Ellen (guitar), UNKNOWN (banjo)

05 Curly Headed Baby
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Alice Aranow (with guitar)

06 Philadelphia Lawyer
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: Paul Beck, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN,
Rich Korn, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN
Instruments: Paul & Rich (guitars), UNKNOWN (harmonica)

07 Gypsie Davy
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: Niel Downey, Jan Downey Greene
Instruments: Niel (banjo), Jan (dulcimer)

08 Woody’s Rag
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Cheer leader: Niel Downey
Instruments: Niel Downey (banjo), Jan Downey Greene (spoons),
Tom Smith (mandolin), UNKNOWN (guitar), Sarah Smith (bass)
Clogger: Michael Hoefler

09 Pretty Boy Floyd
Reading: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Jim McDade (with autoharp)

10 Jolly Banker
Intro & Singer: Jim McDade (with autoharp)

11 Goin’ Down That Road Feelin’ Bad
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: UNKNOWN, with the ensemble
Instruments: Sarah Smith? (bass), Paul Beck (guitar)

12 Talkin’ Dust Bowl
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Paul Beck with guitar

13 Dust Pneumonia
Singer: Rich Korn (with guitar)
Twelve string guitar: Paul Beck

14 Ramblin’ Round Your City
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: Shari Ajemian(?), Lisa Neustadt, Jim McDade(?)
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo), UNKNOWN (guitar)

15 I Ain’t Got No Home
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Lisa Neustadt with others
Instruments: Sarah Smith? (bass),
UNKNOWN (guitar), T. William Smith(?) (banjo)

16 Do Re Mi
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: UNKNOWN (with guitar), with the ensemble

17 Deportees
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: Rob Joel (with guitar), with UNKNOWN

18 Pastures of Plenty
Singer: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN
Instruments: UNKNOWN (guitar)

19 New York Town
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singer: Alice Aranow, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN
Instruments: UNKNOWN (guitar), all (kazoo)

20 Bound For Glory
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: Jan Downey Greene, Neil Downey (with ensemble)
Instruments: Neil (banjo), Jan (spoons),
Sarah Smith? (bass), UNKNOWN (guitar)

21 Roll on Columbia, and Grand Coulee Dam
By the ensemble. Grand Coulee Dam lined out by UNKNOWN

22 The World has Seven Wonders
Reader: Allan Schmidt
Singers: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, Lisa Neustadt
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo), UNKNOWN (guitar)

23 Union Maid
Reader: Saul Aranow
Singers: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN
Instruments: UNKNOWN (guitar)

24 Ladies Auxiliary
Singers: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN

25 U.A.W C.I.O
Reader: Saul Aranow
Singers: Alice Aranow, UNKNOWN, with the ensemble
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo), UNKNOWN (guitar)

26 Reuben James
Reader: Saul Aranow
Singers: Rob Joel (with guitar), with the ensemble

27 Sally Don’t You Grieve
Singers: Lisa Neustadt, UNKNOWN, Jim McDade
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo)

28 Why Oh Why
Reader: Saul Aranow
Singers: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo)

29 Ride in the Car Car
Singers: UNKNOWN (children’s chorus)

30 Wild Animule
Singers: UNKNOWN, with the children’s chorus
Instruments: Paul Beck (guitar)

31 Little Sack of Sugar
Singer: UNKNOWN
Instruments: Paul Beck (guitar)

32 Dry Bed
Singers: Kelly (?) and Kerry Ryer (?), with the children’s chorus

33 Finger in the Air
Singers: UNKNOWN with the children’s chorus
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo)

34 Don’t You Push Me Down
Singers: UNKNOWN with the children’s chorus
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo)

35 Mail Myself to You
Singers: UNKNOWN with the children’s chorus
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo)

36 This Land is Your Land
Reader: Saul Aranow
Singers: the ensemble
Instruments: UNKNOWN (banjo), Sarah Smith (?) (bass), others?

37 So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You
Singers: Job Joel, Ellen Schmidt, Paul Beck,
Jan Downey Greene, UNKNOWN, with the ensemble
Instruments: Sarah Smith (bass), Paul Beck (guitar),
UNKNOWN (banjo), others?

Participants (listed alphabetically):Recordinig engineer: UNKNOWN

Shari Ajemian(?)
Alice Aranow
Saul Aranow
Paul Beck
Nat Berg
Sandy Davis(?)
Neil Downey
Annabelle Graetz
Jan Downey Greene
Michael Hoefler
Rob Joel
Rich Korn
Jim McDade
Lisa Neustadt
Kelly Ryer (?)
Kerry Ryer (?)
Wendy Santis
Allan Schmidt
Ellen Schmidt
Sarah Smith (?)
T. William Smith (?)
Tom Smith
… and a multitude of unknowns.

Bound for Glory – 1975

previously

Acoustic Music TV
Bound for Glory – 1975

up next

Newsletter May 2008 – The Kitchen Musician

What do you think?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

8 Comments
  • Carrie Lamont
    April 9, 2008

    Hi Tom, my MOTHER (Sarah Newcomb) told me to come take a peek at your site. Nice job, but I DON’T think that is I on “Ladies Auxiliary”. I did sing it with Mom (and Helen?) one year, but OUR version had “Oh the Folk Song Society, it’s a good society, etc.” for one verse, and this version is straight. How’s everything and everybody? Love to all, Carrie

    Reply
  • Tom
    April 9, 2008

    Thank you Carrie,
    How wonderful to hear from you! I do recall you singing that, so at least I wasn’t too far off. I have corrected the listing. Love to you, Sarah et al.
    -Tom

    Reply
  • Liz McGandy
    July 17, 2009

    Hi Tom,
    Thank you so much for doing all this! I hope other people can do the same thing with other years. I was in one of the early productions, but I don’t know what year it was. Somewhere around 1975. Am I wrong, or was Michael Cooney in one of productions?

    Reply
    • Paul Beck
      June 5, 2019

      Michael Cooney was narrator for the 1974 version, which was produced by the inimitable Robert J. Lurtsema.

      Reply
  • Tom
    July 18, 2009

    Hello Liz,
    My very first “Bound for Glory” was 1975. If Michael Cooney was involved, it must have been before that. Thank you for visiting. I am pleased it brought back some memories.
    – Tom

    Reply
    • Paul Beck
      June 5, 2019

      Michael Cooney narrated the 1974 version, which was produced by the inimitable Robert J. Lurtsema.

      Reply
  • Woody from Oz
    February 24, 2018

    OK, so I’m 10 years late, but still I would like to add my thanks to you for making this available. It must have been a wonderful night. I have the studio recordings of the Angel Band with Lisa Neustadt and Jean Redpath, and it’s so interesting to hear some of those folk here in a live concert. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Tom
      February 26, 2018

      Hello,
      Glad you found my “home on the web”. I have fond memories of the Angel Band folks. Please come back from time to time. – Tom

      Reply