Mystery and Memories
Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont Volume III
Vermont Songbag (VSB 106) 2006

-AVAILABLE- (See Ordering Info)
Who Killed Orville Gibson?: Orville Gibson was a poor boy from the hills who surprised the whole town when he managed to purchase the finest farm in the valley. But he must have made some enemies along the way. His murder in 1957, which drew national media coverage, remains unsolved to this day. Fiddle: Phil.

Phineas Gage: In the fall of 1848 a freak accident on the Rutland and Burlington Railroad sent a three-and-a-half foot iron rod blasting through the skull of Phineas Gage, foreman of a track-laying crew. Though Gage somehow survived the event, losing part of his frontal cortex changed his personality forever. But his case was a boon to those laboring to understand the workings of the brain, and remains a classic in neuroscience to this day.

John and Tom: John Messier was living with his folks in Brookfield and logging the family woodlot with his friend Tom when an accident nearly claimed his life. Willem Lange has recounted this true Vermont tale in a wonderful book published by the Vermont Folklife Center. I'm grateful to him for allowing me to adapt it to a musical setting and for delivering the story as only he can. Fiddle: David

Trackless Train: Vermont was a stronghold for abolitionism, but a runaway slave still remained in peril until clearing the Canadian border. One branch of the Underground Railroad ran along the western edge of the state, through Bennington, Manchester, Ferrisburgh and St. Albans. Vocals: Deanna and Jaye. The Russian Duo adds a beautiful accompaniment, with bayan and domra scored by Anatoliy and mandolin improvised by Tamara.

The Phantom: For a half-dozen years around the turn of the last century the peaceful town of Chester was plagued by a series of inexplicable burglaries. The perpetrator seemed a phantom, able to enter buildings by impossible means and make off with all manner of merchandise. The crimes appeared pointless - almost as if the burglar were stealing just to prove he could get away with it. When he was finally caught the townspeople were aghast to learn his identity and motive. Lead guitar: Andy.

Clark's Delivery Wagon: As a young man my father-in-law Merritt Clark delivered groceries around St. Albans in a horse-drawn wagon. As an old guy he never tired of telling us about those bygone days. Fiddle: David.

One White Paw: This song honors the memory of a true Vermonter - strong-willed, stubborn, a bit of an anarchist. He loved maple syrup and snacked on radishes, and had a heart as big as the sky. Fiddles: David.

Black Cemetery: On a back road above Berlin Pond stands a small cemetery named for the Black family whose ancestors are among those interred. It's a classic old New England graveyard, its lichen-covered stones carved with urns and weeping willows. Several of its memorable epitaphs comprise the verses of this song. Vocals: members of The Social Band

The Witch of Lake Champlain: On the night of September 4, 1819 the steamboat Phoenix burned and sank off Colchester Point. Was it a tragic accident? Was it arson? Or was it, as some believed, the result of a witch's curse? Lead vocal: Jim. Strings scored and conducted by Troy Peters, musical director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association.

Jeezum Crow: Hey, it's a Banjo Dan CD - gotta have a kickin' banjo tune, right? I mean, like, Jeezum Crow! Fiddle: Phil.

Pontiac Yodel: For the past thirty years Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys have plied the highways and byways of New England in a series of rusty old station wagons, each one known as "the boat." It ain't glamorous, but it gives a feller something to sing about.

Barnyard Waltz: Fall on the farm, the day's chores are done. Grab your sweetheart and waltz around the barn. Vocals: Al (lead) and Jon Henry (tenor). Fiddles: David.

Smuggler's Notch: The eastern sky shows the first hint of light, and daybreak reveals a lone horseman ascending the rugged mountain pass, his packs laden with goods of every description. In the early days of the 19th century many in the new state of Vermont were still unsure where their loyalties lay, and some ignored the Embargo Act of 1808, realizing a tidy profit by smuggling goods up to the British territory of Canada. Cello: Erich.

All songs by Dan Lindner (Double Shovel- BMI) except "Barnyard Waltz" by Alan Davis, David Gusakov and Dan Lindner. Conceived and produced by Dan Lindner. Recorded January to March 2006 at Charles Eller Studios, Charlotte, Vermont, Lane Gibson, engineer. Tamara and Anatoliy recorded at Viscount Records, Cranston, RI by Russ Martin. Cover art by Jean Cannon. Photography by Jaye Lindner. Design and layout by Tim Newcomb.

This recording was made possible in part by grants from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, and by the Vermont Community Foundation.

Special thanks to Peter Mix, Josh Bell, Chuck Eller, Russ Martin, Amity Baker, Don Jamison, Troy Peters, Rob Ostrander, Pat Palmer, and Sharon Fradette. To Jaye for all her support and encouragement. To my right-hand man and brother Willy. To Lane for his terrific engineering, patience and guidance. And to all the wonderful musicians whose artistry and imagination brought this project to life.

For bookings and a complete listing of Banjo Dan recordings contact banjodan@pshift.com, or visit www.banjodan.com.

Next album in discography: Like a River: A Bluegrass Journey