BETWEEN THE BREAKS . . . LIVE! - Stan Rogers

YEAR: 1979

LABEL: Fogarty's Cove Music

TRACK LISTING: The Witch of the Westmoreland, Barrett's Privateers, First Christmas, The Mary Ellen Carter, The White Collar Holler, The Flowers of Bermuda, Rolling Down to Old Maui, Harris and the Mare, Delivery Delayed

IMPRESSIONS: The first time I ever heard Stan Rogers was on Gene Shay's public radio folk show back in the mid-1980s -- and the songs I first heard were from this live album. Just by dumb luck I happened to tune in to the show on the anniversary of Stan Rogers' tragic death a couple years before and Gene Shay played the entire album in tribute. Stan's rich, rafter-shaking baritone and his superb way of singing a lyric immediately captured my attention and when I first heard "FIRST CHRISTMAS" I was floored -- that song is my nominee for the saddest song ever written! Stan was always good on his recordings but this live album really captures his command of the stage and rapport with an audience which brings an extra electricity to these songs. One of my favourite live albums ever.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Witch of the Westmoreland, Barrett's Privateers, First Christmas, The Mary Ellen Carter, Rolling Down to Old Maui, Delivery Delayed

FACT SHEET: BETWEEN THE BREAKS . . . LIVE! is Stan Rogers third album and his first live album. Along with Stan on acoustic guitar and vocals is Garnet Rogers (violin, flute, vocals), David Alan Eadie (electric bass, pennywhistle, vocals), Grit Laskin (long-necked mandolin, concertina, Northumbrian smallpipes, vocals) and Curly Boy Stubbs (acoustic guitar, vocals).