The Stillwater Hobos

Every once in while (okay, much more often than that), I wish I could drop everything and be a folk musician. Sadly, my hands are too small to manage a guitar properly, and though I've made some progress on the mandolin, my skills are elementary at best. I've played a banjo a little here and there, but don't feel justified in buying one till I make more progress with the instruments I have. And that, I believe, is unlikely to happen.

Why do I love it? It's the kind of music that moves you with the pathos that nothing else can, and gets your blood pumping and spirit laughing in a thoroughly excellent manner. Like I said in my very first blog post, much as I obviously love writing, music is the most unstoppable art form. And hell, it's so much fun.

Art credit: Nick Klein

Born out of the tradition of Friday Nights at the University of Dallas (the "let's have a fire in the woods and sing till the wee hours, recite poetry, imbibe and occasionally do some Irish step dancing" weekly occurrence), which itself was born out of folk traditions from Ireland, England, Australia and Appalachian America, a new folk group is just getting on it's feet. The Stillwater Hobos are really doing a great thing, writing some of their own music and lyrics, and covering great traditional pieces, with a combination of rich voices, cello, banjos, bodhrans, mandolins, guitars, fiddles and harmonicas. Take a look at their website, listen to some of their music, and consider supporting them. Help the tradition live on!

Their digital EP album is here.
Their website is here.

And, if you want to get in on their first full-length album, My Love, She's in America, being released this summer, go here.