Blooming where you’re planted song highlights: Sweet Potato

Screenshot from 2015-03-22 14:16:28

Bill Staines is well known as a traditional folk singer and song-writer and has been performing for over 50 years. He has many children’s songs to his name, and if you listen closely to Sweet Potato, you will hear that it is the perfect song to sing to get a baby to fall asleep. One particularly interesting thing about Bill is that he is left-handed, but plays a right-handed guitar – upside down with the bass strings on the bottom – therefore he has developed his own fingerings and picking style. Here’s Bill singing Sweet Potato:

*featured photo is a screenshot of this YouTube video.

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Blooming where you’re planted song highlights: Greens

Screenshot from 2015-03-22 14:11:52

What could be more nutritious than a plate of greens? May Erlewine was asked to write a song about a local food and calls this “a different kind of love song.” When we started practicing this song, Jean wanted a show of hands on who actually did love greens. I can’t say I’m a fan, but this song could probably make almost anyone want to give greens another chance! Check out May as she shares her love for greens!

*featured photo is a screenshot of this YouTube video.

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Blooming where you’re planted song highlights: Ca’ The Ewes

I had to look up a translation of this song since it is written in a Scottish English dialect by Robert Burns (1759-1796): Ca the Yowes to the Knowes – but whether you understand the words or not, it’s a beautiful love song. What does this have to farming and gardening, you might ask? It’s about a shepherd lad herding his sheep, which is an important component to many types of traditional farming practices. Alastair McDonald brings Scottish flair to his version of the song:

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March Community Folk Sing + For Kids, By Kids Concert Announcement

Join us this Saturday from 3:00 to 4:30 for our monthly all-request sing-along. Bring instruments, friends, neighbors, and children. We’ll have Rise Up Singing books, and Uptown Bill’s will provide the warm and cozy atmosphere.
There’s free parking evenings and weekends in the UI lot across the street from Uptown Bill’s.

Community Folk Sings are hosted by the Family Folk Machine (a Senior Center group) and Uptown Bill’s on the second Saturday of each month.

For Kids, By Kids CD-Release Concert at the Englert

We’re excited to announce that the kids of the Family Folk Machine will sing in a special CD-release concert on Saturday, March 28, at 3 p.m. at the Englert Theater. The concert is free. Every family attending (including families of one) will receive a free copy of this children’s music album created by local musicians of all ages!

The Free CD Release Party Concert features:

Prairie Green Preschoolers
Katie Roche
Family Folk Machine
Ion and Romulan
Dave Moore
Girls Rock! Iowa City
Hosted by RoboProfessor

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/863640703682642

Englert announcement: http://www.englert.org/event/for-kids-by-kids/

Visit the Iowa City Public Library’s website (http://www.icpl.org/for-kids-and-by-kids) to download or stream it for free starting Tuesday, March 24, or listen to it on Spotify and other major music streaming services.

Save the dates:

The Family Folk Machine presents “Blooming Where You’re Planted: Songs from Farm to Table” in two concerts:
Sunday, April 12 at 2:30 p.m. at the Old Capitol
Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. at the Senior Center

Join us for fun songs about food, farming, gardening, and . . . compost!

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