JOIN US at Uptown Bill’s
Happy New Year, friends! It’s time to get together for some singing.
Join us this Saturday, January 9, 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. Read more
Festival of Carols**Tuesday, December 8** 6:30 p.m.**Englert Theater
On Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. the Englert hosts the annual Festival of Carols. This fun, free event starts with a few songs by the Skipperlings (a trio of FFM girls), followed by a Family Folk Machine set. Read more
Community Folk Sing
Join us at Uptown Bill’s this Saturday from 3:00 to 4:30 for our monthly all-request sing-along. Bring instruments, friends, neighbors, and children. I’m hoping to bring copies of some of the FFM song arrangements from previous Festival of Carols performances, and we’ll have our usual Rise Up Singing books. Read more
Celebrate the holidays with the Family Folk Machine at the Englert’s annual Festival of Carols, hosted on Tuesday, December 8th at 6:30 p.m. Read more
“The Traveling Kind” on November 15th at the Senior Center and November 22nd at the Old Capitol building in the Senate chamber!
One of the purposes of our intergenerational, non-auditioned choir is to explore American culture and history through song, and this fall we will reflect on the joys of rambling around and the importance placed on transportation in American life.
Our set list this time around:
Erie Canal
City of New Orleans
Urge for Going
I Am a Wanderer
Dixie
Skunk
Airplane
Wait for the Wagon
–Intermission–
Long Time Traveler
Wabash Cannonball
Hobo’s Lullaby
Hard Travelin’
Ramblin’ Boy
500 Miles
Rock Island
The Traveling Kind
by Aprille Clark and Miles Crall
“The Wabash Cannonball,” originally published in 1882, is the oldest song in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Read more
by Ed Flaherty
“Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans, Illinois Central, Monday mornin’ rail… Good Mornin’ America How Are Ya?” Written by Steve Goodman (rip), famously performed by Arlo Guthrie, now to be wonderfully performed by the FAMILY FOLK MACHINE on Nov 15th and 22nd!
by Tammy Coverdale-Bauer
This song was written by Goebel Reeves and performed by many artists including Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, and The Kingston Trio. What’s interesting to me is that its music is nearly identical to popular Civil War Era composer George F. Root’s song, “Just Before The Battle, Mother” and is reminiscent of the Carter Family song, “Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes.”
Another version of the song was recorded by Sharon, Lois, and Bram in 1979, which appeared in their Elephant Show in 1985.
This isn’t just an American song either, Hobo’s Lullaby has been translated and sung in French by Graeme Allwright. Here’s a link to the French version: https://youtu.be/22u3k4RPtuw
And here’s an Arlo Guthrie version with some great images to go with this heartfelt song:
Tobin’s illustration depicts the North driving the South down and the people who felt the impact.
by Aprille Clarke and Tobin Crall
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” was written by Robbie Robertson of The Band and later covered by Joan Baez. Read more
Here’s the latest good press about the Family Folk Machine from the Cedar Rapids Gazette! Read more
