When Curtis and Loretta played our Friday at the Ford concert at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library in spring 2003, the crowd was very entertained by their mixture of songs and humor. Before some songs they told stories about the songs or themselves. I saw them again at another location later that year and the show was completely fresh. They repeated some songs but the telling of their stories was all new. They are no canned act. They are really friendly people who happen to have a lot of musical talent.
I have been listening to their 1994 CD It's Where You Hang Your Hat. On this CD they play a mix of American folk songs and original compositions. Highlights include the title song, their rendition of Woody Guthrie's "Deportee: Plane Wreck at Los Gatos," and Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire." Loretta's "Dance in the Hallways" tells her story of working at candy counter, where she was charged by the boss to keep children from smudging the glass; of course, she sided with the children. Curtis' "What is the Name of This Town?" is a tuneful drifter-wants-to-find-a-home song. I have been humming these songs for days.
Their 2001 CD Sit Down Beside Me focused strictly on traditional songs from the British Isles. I particularly like their haunting "Maid in Bedlam" and the lively sea song "Greenland Whale Fisheries." On this CD they include some instrumentals that feature their guitars, mandolin, and Irish harp.
The duo returns to Thomas Ford on Friday, March 18 at 8:00 p.m. The next chance to see them in a library setting is November 19 when they play at the Virginia Beach Central Library. To see their schedule, find lyrics, hear sample songs, and read their biographies, go to their website www.curtisandloretta.com.
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2 comments:
Sounds great. I'll have to check them out. I love the Deportee Song...
We had a great concert on March 18. 56 people attended, the most we have had for one of our Friday at the Ford Concerts in two years. There were many compliments at the end. One highlight was "Angel of Bergen-Belsen," Loretta's song about Luba, who saved over 50 children from death in a Nazi concentration camp. We also learned that Curtis wears a hat because he is a slave to fashion. I was please to learn that they will play the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia, Missouri. Attend!
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