Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Idlewild Duo at Draper Days
Join us or Draper Days in the Day Dairy Barn
1:00 to 2:00 pm
Idlewild is Dave and Carol Sharp
We will pay tunes, sing songs, tell whoppers, tales of the
Pioneer Utah and family stories.
Sponsored by Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts
 
Carol and I are honored to be asked to present our music of Pioneer Utah. We have ancestors that came from Europe to Utah in 1850. So this is both our cultural heritage and family background. Our ancestors were well known members of the community and instrumental to the history that unfolded in Utah. We would like to thank Clive Romney and the Pioneer Heritage Arts.
 

Our set
  1. Goin' across the Sea / Glenn's Ferry  - The first tune is an old time traditional American piece I learned from long time friends, Cory Webster and Mark Jardine. I've added a couple of verses to go with the first verse. Glenn's Ferry is a reel composed by me while camping at Glenn's Ferry along the Snake River in Idaho. Where the old crossing for the Oregon Trail had been. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and Vocals. Carol - Whistle and Tambourine.
  2. Appaloosa - Old time American Reel written by me within the tradition. Every day as I head to work I see four or five grey Appaloosa that were the inspiration for this tune. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo. Carol - Whistle.
  3. Old Jimmey Sutton / Goin' down to Cario - The first tune is an Appalachian play song meant to make children laugh and the second tune is a Midwest fiddle tune I learned from Cory Webster. I've added two of my own verses. Dave - Mountain Dulcimer and vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  4. On the Road to California - Old Time tune from the Mormon west sung to the tune of Old Dan Tucker. It was thought that the Mormons in their exile would head to California originally. The verses of the song talk about being driven from their homes, and the extermination order of Governor Boggs. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Whistle.
  5. Porter Rockwell - This song fragment was collected back in the early 50's. Porter Rockwell was one of the wests most notorious gun slingers, Marshalls, body guards, mountain men and saloon owners. Dave - Spoons and vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  6. Come thy Font of Every Blessing - Although originally a Shaker Hymn, this lovely tune was selected for the first Beehive Songster and was sung at many a Mormon meeting back in the day. Dave - Mountain Dulcimer and vocals. Carol - Bowed Psaltry.
  7. All are talking of Utah - This song was probably written sometime after the Utah war, since it was a tune by the title of Marching through Georgia. It was characterized by General Sherman and his march to the sea during the Civil War. The song vents the defiance the Mormons felt during their conflict with Johnson's Army and the Utah War. It was sung on Pioneer Day until around 1950, by many communities around the State of Utah. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and Vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  8. Lincoln and Liberty - This tune was used by Abraham Lincoln for his campaign prior to the out break of the Civil War. The words have been put to an old Irish air called Rosin the Beau. Dave - Mountain Dulcimer and vocals. Carol - Whistle.
  9. Spotted Pony - Old Time American Dance Reel - Dave - Clawhammer Banjo. Carol - Pony Limberjack.
  10. Promontory - I wrote this tune in honor of my ancestor John Sharp known as the Railroad Bishop. He was the senior partner in the firm Sharp and Young. He contracted the grading and tunneling work through Weber Canyon out to Promontory Pass Utah for the Union Pacific. Hard and difficult work, my ancestor had to later contest the Union Pacific in the New York courts for the balance owed to the Mormon Railroad workers. Dave - Mountain Dulcimer and vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  11. Banjo Poem - "Banjos are numero uno!" along with some of our favorite Banjo jokes.
  12. My Darlin' - I wrote this tune together with Carol one day as I would sing a part of the verse Carol would sing me another part of the verse from the kitchen and together we wrote our first song about a young couple making plans for a life together on the frontier. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  13. Tis a gift to be Simple - an old Shaker Hymn and favorite Hymn for many people of many faiths. Dave - Mountain Dulcimer. Carol - Bowed Psaltry.
  14. Snow in the Pass / Sharp and Young - Carol and I wrote this song about her Handcart Pioneer ancestor's journey to Salt Lake. The second tune is an instrumental piece in sawmill tuning titled after my Pioneer ancestor's contracting firm. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Bowd Psaltry.
  15. Wild Bill Hickock Poem - Poetry was often a part of many a gathering as it still is today for many Cowboy Poets. I wrote this piece about the famous Wild Bill shot in a card game holding what came to be know as a 'dead man's hand', of aces and eights.
  16. Old Aunt Jenny - I wrote this about  a women in a rest home that we met, but it has many elements of a belief in the afterlife that would have fit with the period. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Tambourine.
  17. Hunt the Buffalo - Carol and I wrote this piece about a bank robber turned Buffalo hunter turned married man and the vanishing Buffalo in the west. Many a Mormon girl married a scallywag, but this one turns out alright. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Whistle
  18. Blue Mountain - Written by Fred Keller in 1919 about the community in Monticello Utah around Blue Mountain. It gives a vivid description of times and is a real folkloric treasure. Dave - Mountain Dulcier and vocals. Carol - Whistle.
  19. Zack he Mormon Engineer - A satirical look at Zack Black a railroad engineer and Mormon Bishop, who had a wife in every town along the route his train took. It is sung to the tune of 'Oh Susannah' and is from the Cheney collection. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol -Tambourine.
  20. Crossed old Jordan's Stream / Buffalo Polka - Appalachian gospel tune, to which I've added extra verses along with a B part to the melody. Buffalo Polka is loosely based on Buffalo Gals and has some innovations in the melodic line. Dave - Clawhammer Banjo and vocals. Carol - Bowed Psaltry and Pony Limber-jack.
We hope that those interested can attend.
Dave and Carol Sharp

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