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American Landscapes
The 13th Album Released

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 "American Landscapes" is the band's 13th album to be released. Available at most Tuolumne County specialty shops such as Beat Music & Sonora Music (Sonora), Railtown 1897 (Jamestown), Village Tunes (Twain Harte), Millers Carpenter Shop (Columbia), Ironstone Vineyards (Murphys), Sierra Railroad (Oakdale). 

 

The title reflects the message of this project.  Americana Music is not new to this folk band.  For over 15 years the band has been performing and recording American Roots Music with the core of it in Celtic, Jazz, Bluegrass, and ballad folk.   Themes have also included Maritime, Railroad, and Mining History.  The previous band album, "Into the Arms of the Sea", was based on West Coast Maritime History. 

The concept of this album is telling history while being entertaining.   Most of the works on the project are original and pay tribute to interesting people and stories.  Songs include ballads about Buster Keaton, Teddy Roosevelt, Davy Crockett, Dennis & Carl Wilson (Beach Boys), and even Smokey Bear.  Story songs include, "The Lady Be Good", the famous B-24 bomber that was lost in the desert in 1943.  Also featured is "The Alabama", a maritime classic about the Civil War Raider and a song called, "Promontory", about the location of the latest spike on the Transcontinental Railroad.

Every song on American Landscape tells a little piece of history.  Over two hundreds years of music styles and instrument  types were featured in the making of this project.  Traditional and known songs featured are "Summertime", "Dixie", "O Susannah", "New York Gals", and "Devils Dream".

To hear a song sample, click on any song title below that is followed by

1. New York Girls (3:36)(
Traditional American Sea Chantey -1850's.  When the Polka was first introduced to America, it was considered quite scandalous by many!
MP3 Audio

2.  Teddy (4:18)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ  - Lead Vocal & Accordion Solo Steve McArthur Theodore Roosevelt was one of America's great visionaries.  Full of strength and heart.  He lead his country into a new age with guts and glory!  

3.  I Was Davey Crockett  (When I was eight years old)(3:05)
Words & Music: Richard RestivoŠ - Lead Vocal: Richard Restivo - Fiddle Solo: Dave Rainwater       A rememberance of a boyhood hero.

4. Kansas Farewell (4:29)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ  - Melodion Solo: Patrick Karnahan - String Arrangements & Orchestration: Leroy Bumgarner.    Inspired by the countless generations of families that worked the Kansas Wheat Harvest.

5. Buster Keaton(4:15)

BusterKeaton.jpg (38841 bytes)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan - Lead Vocal: Jim Nelson - Pipe Organ & Piano Solos: Leroy Bumgarner - French Horn Solo: John Baker.  A famous silent film actor that created some of the most creative motion pictures.  With the coming of sound pictures he was forgotten by many!

 

6.  OH Susanah! (2:51)
(Traditional written by Stephen Foster) - Lead Vocal: Richard Restivo - Fiddle Solos: David Rainwater - Banjo Solos: Jim Nelson - Melodion Solo: Patrick Karnahan.    One of the most popular songs of the 19th Century.  A favorite of the California Gold Miners who added their own verses.

7.  Alaska (The Northern Starlight) (3:28)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ - Lead Vocal: Jim Nelson - French Horn: John Baker     The Great 49th State, the last frontier and land of big dreams.  "Nothing like it anywhere on earth!".

8.  Promontory ( 3:25)
Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ - Trumpet Solo 1st: Patrick Karnahan - Trumpet Solo 2nd: Richard Restivo - Marimba Solo: Leroy Bumgarner.  North of the Great Salt Lake, Promontory Summit became the site of one of  America's greatest achievements "The Transcontinental Railroad".

9.  Carl, Dennis, George, & John ( 3:13)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ  - Lead Vocals: Steve McArthur, Richard Restivo, & Patrick Karnahan - Harmonica Solo: Patrick Karnahan.  The Wilson Brothers from Hawthorne, California and two friends from Liverpool, England named Lennon & Harrison, would change music history.

10.  Dixie Land (3:03)
Traditional written by Dan Emmett. - Lead Vocal: Richard Restivo - Fiddle: David Rainwater - Banjo: Jim Nelson. Composed by an Irish American in New York City in 1859.  Dan Emmett was quite surprised to find out his song became the anthem of the South.

11.The Alabama (2:55)
Traditional Maritime Sea Chantey. -Lead Vocal: Jim Nelson. The story of the famous Confederate Raider, Alabama and how she met her doom in 1864.

12. Summertime (6:18)
Writers: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward   WB MUSIC CORP. - Lead Vocal & Piano: Steve McArthur - Sax Solo: Rod Harris - Trumpet Intro & Solo: Patrick Karnahan.  

13.The Lady Be Good (5:09)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ   - Lead Vocal: Jim Nelson - French Horn Solo: John Baker.  In 1943, the B-24 Bomber, the "Lady Be Good" took off on a mission to Naples.  In 1959, the plane was found in the Libyan Desert. Years would pass and all but one of the crewman's bodies would be found.  In memory of Vernon Moore, still lost!  

Click on the Music Sheet Button below to view the music sheet created by Patrick Karnahan.

Lady_Be_Good_Song_small.jpg (6334 bytes)

14.Smokey (Requiem for a Bear) (2:14)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ   - Lead Vocal: Patrick Karnahan - Piano Solo: Leroy Bumgarner. The most celebrated symbol of the United States Forest Service and one of the msot famous Black Bears of New Mexico History.

Click on the Music Sheet Button below to view the music sheet created by Patrick Karnahan.

smokey_song_small.jpg (6750 bytes)  

15. Summer  Weather (3:36)
Words & Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ   - Lead Vocal: Patrick Karnahan - Guitar & Backing Vocals: Greg E Noll - Drums & Backing Vocals: Jim Anderson - Bass: Bob Hufman* - Organ: Leroy Bumgarner ("Crazy Ivan appears courtes of AXS Records")  Inspired by the California Surf Sound of the 60's.


16. Once We We Were Young  (In Memory of Ken Darby and Lloyd Jones Jr.) (2:41)
Music: Patrick Karnahan ASCAPŠ   - Piano Arrangement & Solo: Leroy Bumgarner.  

 

Latest Release!!   From The Forest

The Long Way to Tipperary
American Landscapes
Into The Arms Of The Sea
Hear That Lonesome Whistle Blow
The Forgotten West
The Day The Earth Shook
California Story

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