Steve Goodman’s Debut Album Became a Soundtrack for My Life!
I first discovered the magical, funny, and poignant music of Steve Goodman back in 1971, when his self-titled debut album came out. At the time, I was a student at the University of Florida — so I don’t think I heard about him from Gene Shay’s folk show in Philly. I’m pretty sure it was the liner notes on the back of the album that pulled me in. That’s where I read this from John Prine:
I been listening to the radio since I was nine years old. I figured I could see songs better than most people listen to them. The first time I heard Steve Goodman on the radio, I knew I was listening to a tall skinny cat with a little beard singing the best damn train song I ever heard. Two months later, in the back room of The Earl of Oldtown, I met a short stout fellow with no beard who wrote and sang the best train song I ever heard. His name was Steve Goodman. The Lord works in mysterious ways. – John Prine, 1971
Since I had already discovered John Prine, that quote alone would’ve been enough to sell me on the album.
A Who’s Who of Folk and Country Greats
But wait — there was more. A who’s who of American folk and country players were listed on the back cover. The lineup included:
Bob Dylan – piano on “Election Year Rag”
Kris Kristofferson – backing vocals
John Prine – backing vocals
Vassar Clements – fiddle
Charlie McCoy – harmonica
David Briggs, Kenny Buttrey, Norbert Putnam – Nashville A-Team players
Also: Grady Martin, Ben Keith, Donnie Fritts, Martha McCrory, and a full brass section!
I already knew Dylan, Kristofferson, and Prine — and I recognized names like Vassar Clements and Charlie McCoy. I figured even if I didn’t love the songs, the music would be top-notch.
Spoiler: I loved the songs too.
🎶 My Favorite Tracks from Steve Goodman’s Debut
While I love all the songs on the album, Side Two was the one I played the most (yes, I think everyone always had a favorite side on an album). Here are six of my favorite songs from Steve Goodman (1971):
Side One
The I Don’t Know Where I’m Going But I’m Goin’ Nowhere in a Hurry Blues
This one pops up in the jukebox in my head all the time. “It was on a Sunday morning about a hundred years or so…”
Donald & Lydia
A beautiful, heartfelt cover of the John Prine original.
You Never Even Call Me By My Name
Later made famous by David Allan Coe — but this is where it started.
Side Two
City of New Orleans
The “best damn train song” Prine ever heard. And one that helped define Goodman’s legacy.
Turnpike Tom
Another one that’s always in my mental jukebox — I just love the story.
Yellow Coat and Would You Like to Learn to Dance
These show Steve’s softer, tender side. Both are among my favorite ballads by anyone.
Who Was Steve Goodman?
Steven Benjamin Goodman (July 25, 1948 – September 20, 1984) was a folk and country singer-songwriter from Chicago. He wrote “City of New Orleans,” co-wrote “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” and penned the Chicago Cubs anthem “Go Cubs Go.”
Goodman passed away from leukemia in 1984, but left behind one of the most enduring catalogs in American folk music.
Links For the Further Exploration of the Music of Steve Goodman
This album has been part of my life for over 50 years. Every time I hear one of these songs, I’m back in Gainesville, with the volume up and the liner notes wide open.
Return with me now to that thrilling day at Goodwill last Wednesday. Let’s wrap up my finds at Audubon first…
First of the Amazing Finds — The CDs
Jackopierce – Bringing on the Weather
Jackopierce is a band whose name I’ve heard for many years, though I don’t think I’ve actually listened to their music — until now. Here’s a bit of background, courtesy of AllMusic:
Jackopierce is primarily a duo composed of Jack O’Neill and Cary Pierce. They formed the band in 1988 at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. Initially an acoustic duo, they later added Clay Pendergrass on bass and Earl Darling on drums in the mid-1990s. The band reunited in 2002 after a five-year breakup.
This is the pinnacle of Jackopierce. Nothing beats this album when you’re droning down the highway at midnight with a spring thunderstorm calling up ahead.
Lyle Lovett – The Road to Ensenada
Unlike Jackopierce, I already know and enjoy Lyle Lovett’s music — and this album is already in my library. From AllMusic:
Since Pontiac, Lyle Lovett has been experimenting with different sounds, whether it was the big band posturing of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, the gospel overtones of Joshua Judges Ruth, or the ’70s singer/songwriter flourishes of I Love Everybody. With The Road to Ensenada, he hunkers down and produces his most straightforward album since Pontiac. As it happens, it’s also his best record since that breakthrough album.
Sting – If on a Winter’s Night
The Police and Sting were always more “radio bands” for me — meaning I mostly heard their music on the airwaves. But this quote made me curious:
If on a Winter’s Night… no other Christmas album exists in the head like this. It’s a holiday album for people who have never wanted to hear a holiday album, let alone own one.
That, plus the beautiful cover, made it worth picking up. Who knows? Maybe I’ve found a Christmas album I’ll actually enjoy!
Hiromi – The Trio Project: Move
Like Lovett, I already appreciate Hiromi’s music and have another album of hers in my library. This one features her killer rhythm section: Anthony Jackson on bass and Simon Phillips on drums.
Move is Hiromi’s second “Trio Project” recording and a worthy follow-up to 2011’s Voice. She describes the compositions as mirroring an average day, starting with the title track — a choppy excursion full of twists and turns. “Brand New Day” smooths things out but keeps the energy alive, and Hiromi switches between piano and analog synth on “Endeavor,” though that track feels a little more novelty than necessary.
The Verve Story: 1944–1994 – The Best of the Amazing Finds
Now this one tops the list in terms of excitement! A four-disc set with a great booklet, chronicling the legacy of Verve — one of jazz’s most iconic labels. The track list is stacked with my favorites:
Disc 1: Oscar Peterson, Lester Young, Bud Powell
Disc 4: Cal Tjader, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith
…and so much more in between. I can’t wait to give it a proper listen.
Now for the Native American Prints…
Over the last year, I’ve started collecting Native American prints and pottery — and this Goodwill trip added two watercolor prints to my growing display.
The first is a signed piece by J.C. Madden, known for Southwest-style watercolor prints, often featuring Native American women. His work isn’t super expensive, but it was a great find — especially at a Goodwill price with 20% off!
The second piece, which my wife actually spotted, fits perfectly among my pottery display. It appears to be the work of Carol Grigg, a Cherokee artist born in 1942. She’s known for stylized paintings of Native American riders and horses, often using desert-colored pastels. Her work tends to be more collectible than Madden’s — so this was a lucky find!
Wrapping Up Audubon
That wraps up the Audubon portion of the Goodwill adventure — CDs, jazz history, and art that fits right in with my collection.
Coming Soon: Part 3, where the day continues with two amazing finds — and a genealogy discovery that ties it all together!
Two Goodwill Stores – A Day of Amazing Finds! (Part 1)
The last two or three trips to Goodwill have been pretty good. However, today’s adventures at the Audubon and Willingboro, NJ stores were truly exceptional! So let’s do a quick recap of my Goodwill haul from today. I’ll start with our morning visit to Audubon…
No Vinyl – Boo! Hiss!
First stop? The vinyl section — and sadly, it was a bust. Someone must have donated a large collection of Jewish music, because there were multiple Theodore Bikel albums of Jewish folk songs. The most interesting LP I saw was George Carlin’s Class Clown — a classic, but not what I was looking for.
On to the Books!
While none of the books I found were rare gems, they were all solid pickups for me!
Gideon’s Corpse – Preston & Child (Gideon Crew #2)
I’m a big fan of Preston & Child’s Agent Pendergast series — I actually finished the latest book earlier this year. Gideon’s Corpse is book two in their five-book Gideon Crew series. I read the first book, Gideon’s Sword, way back in 2011. Maybe this find will rekindle my interest in this alternate series.
The Devil’s Sea (Dirk Pitt #27) – Dirk Cussler
It’s been many years since I read a Clive Cussler novel. The first I read was Raise the Titanic (#4), sometime in the mid-80s. I kept up with the series until about book #10, Dragon. I still have Sahara (#11) and a few others kicking around my shelves. Too many books, too little time!
This is the first Dirk Pitt novel written solely by Dirk Cussler, continuing the legacy of his father, who passed in 2020. Impressive that the series now stands at 27 books!
Spartan Gold (Fargo Adventure #1) – Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood
This one’s a double draw for me: it kicks off the Fargo Adventure series, and it’s co-written by Grant Blackwood, whose collaborations with James Rollins and Steve Berry I’ve really enjoyed. The blend of action, adventure, and history is right up my alley — I love getting a little education along with my entertainment. The series has now reached book 13 — The Serpent’s Eye!
The Brain Fog Fix – Dr. Mike Dow
From Goodreads:
“A new epidemic is sweeping the country… ADHD, scatter brain, or ‘brain fog.’ People are thinking and feeling worse than ever. Why? Because our brains aren’t getting the support they need to produce the essential brain chemicals that keep us energized, calm, focused, and inspired…”
This book lays out a three-week plan to naturally rebalance serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol — a reset I’m definitely open to trying. If this book can do even half of what it promises for my ADHD tendencies, it’ll be the best 80 cents I’ve spent in a long time!
Or How a 28-Month-Old Negotiated Her First Major Purchase!
There are times when you just shake your head and say, that child is a piece of work! This was Cash Register Crisis one of those times.
The other day, our 28-month-old granddaughter Emma had a very serious conversation with her mother.
The Conversation: A Cash Reigster Crisis Arises
Emma: I need a new cash register. It’s broken.
Elizabeth (Mom): Oliver got it for you — he thought you’d like it!
Emma: I don’t like it. We need to go to the store. I need a Minnie one.
If you knew Emma, you’d know that right now she is obsessed with the show Minnie’s Bow-Toons, where Minnie and her friend Daisy Duck are co-owners of Minnie’s Bow-tique — a specialty shop that sells only bows and bow ties.
This is a child whose TV time was limited until recently. When she did watch, it was usually Miss Rachael. But now, things have changed — ever since Baby Lucas entered the family on May 8th.
But back to Emma’s story. After my wife Kathleen (aka Grandma) told me about the conversation, I searched Amazon for a Minnie Cash Register. I found one and would have bought it — but Elizabeth told us the devious child had seen one at Target. So we didn’t think any more about it.
The Result: A Crisis Averted…
Until Elizabeth texted this photo. Crisis averted:
And here’s proof — Emma greeting customers at her Bow-tique!
Hmm, Miss Emma got her way. Sometimes you have to know when to give in. And considering how wonderful she has been with her new baby brother, she certainly deserves special treats.
Well — actually — in those first few days, when Lucas was really fussy and crying, Emma told her parents:
“You have to take him back and get a better baby!”
A New Crisis??
Her first employee…
Oh no — a union problem already — sleeping on the job!
Fifty year plus years ago, I was discovering new artists, who would become lifelong companions. Today, many of them are still making music – and I’m still listening. This playlist The Fifty Years Later Playlist looks back at where they started.. and where they are now.
The seeds of this playlist were sown on Monday of this week (May 26th) when I used my 20% off Holiday discount at Goodwill to buy a JVC Dual Cassette deck for $8.00. As a result, over the next several days I searched for my old cassette tapes.
One of them I found was a Charlie Mussellwhite 1969 release Tennessee W0man. Now I know I didn’t buy the tape in 1969. It’s more likely I bought the tape in the late 1990s when Tunes, store in Marlton NJ, my sons and I used to frequent, was clearing out its tape inventory. As I was listening to the album I reflected on the fact t that a few days previously I had been listening to Charlie’s recent release Look Out Highway.
Anyway that thought started me thinking about all the musicians I started to listen to in the late 60s early 70s that are still out there making great music and albums! Those thoughts lead me to create a playlist!! And here it is!! What I tried to do was start with two songs from each artist from the 60s and then I chose two songs from their most recent albums!
The Fifty Years Later Playlist (Part I)
Charlie Mussellwhite
While I don’t have a lot of Charlie’s music in my library, I have always admired his harp playing. I‘ve enjoyed blues harp since I first heard Sonny Terry way back in the 70s.
Then
From: Tennessee Woman
“Tennessee Woman” – How could I not start the playlist with anything but the very song and album that inspired it.
“Blue Feeling Today“
From Look Out Highway
Now
I am still getting to know these two songs but Charlie’s vocals and harp playing are as great as they ever were!
“Look Out Highway”- the title track of Charlie’s latest
“Hip-Shakin’ Mama” –
Jerry Jeff Walker
I followed Jerry Jeff’s career from the first album Mr. Bojangles to the last album It’s About Time. (1969-2018). Along the way in addition to placing a bunch of songs in the “Jukebox in my head” Jerry Jeff also introduced me to : David Bromberg, Guy Clark, Tom Russell, Chris Wall, Ray Wylie Hubbard and the great Lloyd Maines. And probably many others!
Then
From Mr. Bojangles
“Gypsy Songman” – there’s better to start with when considering whose music I’ve been listening to for fifty years than Jerry Jeff. And “Gypsy Songman” certainly captures the spirit of Jerry Jeff. I have rocked all of my grandchildren to “Mr. Bojangles”. The other day we were visiting my fifth grandchild Luca and my wife handed a crying Lucas to me. I started rocking and singing Mr. Bojangles and he quickly stopped crying. The power of Jerry Jeff.
From Drifting Way of Life
“Ramblin’ Scramblin” – one thing I’ll probably never do is rock a grandchild to Ramblin’ Scramblin”. I first heard this song many years ago – I’d never heard anything like it, and I immediately loved it!
From It’s About Time
Now
“My Favorite Picture of You” – through the year JJW covered several Guy Clark songs and this one found it’s way onto JJW’s last album and he made it his own in 2018, when JJW covered it on It’s About Time, two years before JJW passed in 2020. Here’s a link to Guy’s version.
“ That’s the Way I Play” – just a nice JJW song.
Tom Rush
While I didn’t discover Tom Rush’s music until he was several years into his career, I’ve been a fan since The Circle Game was released in 1968. And while there was a big gap in the release of a studio recording in his career (from 1974‘s Ladies Love Outlawsto 2009’s. What I Know, Tom has never stop performing! His last two albums Voices (2018) and 2024’s Gardens Old , Flowers Neware both terrific albums. He has aged like a fine wine!
Then
From The Circle Game…
“Urge for Going” – – Tom’s album The Circle Game is high on the list of my All-Time favorite Albums and it’s mainly because of his covers of then unknown artists like Joni Mitchell who penned both “Urge for Going” and the title song
“The Circle Game” – a brilliant cover -nuff said
From Gardens Old, Flowers New
Now
I’m still getting to know these two new songs, but they are both vintage Tom Rush…..
“The Harbor”
“Sailing”
Eric Andersen
Like Tom Rush I didn’t discover Eric Andersen’s music until he released Blue River in 1972. At that point Eric was an established fixture in the Greenwich Village Music scene and had released six or seven albums. Eric says this about that period of his life:
I was documenting a whole other emotional and interior world moving through the ’60s and beyond,” he says. “My songs dealt more with inner perceptions, views, and feelings — songs that were perhaps the precursors to those of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. [Greenwich Village] felt exciting because you knew it was a historical, breakthrough time, and it was amazing to belong to such a vibrant era.”
At one point, Cohen even told him that one of his songs inspired him to start writing and performing. Read More
Again my musical journey with Eric started with Blue River (1972) and has continued to today. Like Tom Rush, Eric had a gap in his musical career when he was in Europe. There was a fourteen year gap between Be True To Youand Ghosts on the Road (1974-1989). And while his latest album Dance of Love and Deathis a far cry from his Greenwich Village Days it is an outstanding album, in my humble opinion,
Then
From Blue River
“Is it Really Love at All” – this is one of my favorite songs of all-time. It’s just a great song.
“Wind and Sand” – another favorite – especially the last line…..
From Dance of Love and Death
Now
“Dance of Life and Death”
“After This Life”
So check these artists and songs out!
Got a similar story or favorite artist who’s still going strong? I’d love to hear it.
As for me, I’m already at work on Part II of this playlist, which will feature some of the rock and blues artists who’ve grown older, wiser — and are still absolutely worth listening to!
Links for the Further Explorations of These Artists
So all this writing about older albums that I don’t have in my library has made me think about favorite albums I do have and have loved and listened to for years. Well, today I decided to listen to one of those albums I’ve loved for years. I gave Livingston Taylor’s self-titled debut album. And I still love it after 54 years! Now Liv’s brother James’ Sweet Baby James album came first and was played a lot. I bet Liv’s album has been played more over the years.
About Livingston Taylor – Livingston Taylor
For me there is not a bad song on this album.
It would be difficult not to compare Livingston Taylor’s self-titled 1970 debut to his brother’s second solo release, Sweet Baby James, as the latter certainly brought attention to the former, but the Jon Landau-produced disc crafted in Macon, GA, is a world unto itself. Ten originals by Taylor along with one cover, the Earl Greene and Carl Montgomery country standard “Six Days on the Road,” make for a pleasantt
Livingston Taylor (born November 21, 1950) is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Boston and raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he is the brother of singer-songwriter James Taylor, singer-songwriter Kate Taylor, singer Alex Taylor, and innkeeper and singer Hugh Taylor.[[2
He has had top 40 hits such “Carolina Day,” “Get out of Bed,” “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running,” to “I Can Dream of You” and “Boatman,”( the last two recorded by his brother James), Livingston’s creative output has continued unabated. His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres—folk, pop, gospel, jazz. You can also find Livingston performing with a full symphony orchestea.
About His Debut Album and More……
I don’t think there are many albums that I can sing along to every song in the album, but this one I can. From the opening song “Sit On Back” to the closing “Thank You Song”. I love them all!
Of course the are a few that play on the “jukebox on my mind” more than others. Like “Packet of Good Times” that I sing to Emma when I’m rocking her to sleep. And “Six Days on the Road” during car trips.
After his 19770 debut album Livingston Taylor., his next three albums Liv((1971), Over the Rainbow (1973) and 3-Way Mirror (1978) made it into my vinyl collection. Of those albums Livis my favorite. Although I do love his cover of “Over the Rainbow”
Between 1978 and 1988 Live released two Albums Echoes a compilation album and Man’s Best Friend a children’s album. Since then he has released seven more albums. Of those seven albums Life is Good (1988), (1996) and There You are Again ((2006) are in my musical library. And after listening yesterday to 2010’s Last Alaskan Moon I will be on the lookout for that album!
Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Livingston Taylor
The folk genre has always been a huge part of political music and patriotic songs alike. These five particular folk songs are beautifully intertwined with the American experience, and they are still so relevant decades after they were first released. Let’s take a look, shall we?….
The five songs were……l
“Blowin’ in the Wind “ – Bob Dylan
“This Land is Your Land”- Woody Guthrie
“Early Morning Rain” – Gordon Lightfoot
“The Circle Game” – Joni Mitchell
“Diamonds and Rust” – Joan Baez
I love each of those songs and agree that they do speak to the American experience.. Additionally they are still relevant. However, I started thinking about some of the songs that were important in shaping my world view and came up with the following playlist.
Nine Songs That Helped Shape My American Experience
1.Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” – Pete Seeger
The first so that popped into my head was “where Have All the Flowers Gone”. The song was written by Pete Seeger. Although, the version I associate most with the song came from Peter,Paul and Mary.. The song express the loss so many felt during the Vietnam War. And I am sure so many felt in Iraq and Afghanistan. And still feel in Ukraine today.
3. “Turn, Turn, Turn” – Pete Seeger
Another Pete Seeger song that’s been recorded by many. Most notably the Byrds. It addresses the circle of life. It speaks strong of the hope for peace. A hope we have all wished for….
A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rain, a time of sow A time for love, a time for hate A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late
4. “There But for Fortune” – Phil Ochs
While Phil Ochs wrote “There But for Fortune” it is probably best known for Joan Baez’s cover off the song. AS we go through life when we look at folks who are prisoners or homeless we must all remember the there “but for good fortune” go you or go I….
Even as a country we must remember how fortune we are that no bombs have fallen on our country!
Show me the prison, show me the jail Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why But there but for fortune go you or I, hmm-mmm…
…….
Show me the country where the bombs had to fall Show me the ruins of the buildings once so tall And I’ll show you a young land with so many reasons why And there but for fortune may go you or I, or I
5, “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportees)” – Woody Guthrie
Talk about a song that sill resonates today!
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting, The oranges piled in their creosote dumps; They’re flying ’em back to the Mexican border To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita, Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria; You won’t have your names when you ride the big airplane, All they will call you will be “deportees”
6. “My Rainbow Race – Pete Seeger”
Sometimes American folk songs can cross the ocean! “My Rainbow Race” The paragraph below sounds like today’s Republican party!
The song was performed by Nilsen and a crowd of more than 40,000 people in Youngstorget in Oslo and at squares across the country on April 26, 2012, as a protest against statements given in court by Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the July 22 attacks in 2011.
The performance was inspired by Facebook reactions after Breivik claimed in his trial testimony that the song was an example of Marxist propaganda and that it was being used to “brainwash” Norwegian children.[
Organization was made at the level of Norwegian Minister of Culture, and other Ministers of Culture from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands were also present.[2]
The song was thus performed a few days later, in the midst of the ongoing trial. In Oslo the sing-along was followed by a march up to the site of the trial, where the crowd laid down flowers.[3] The song was performed both in Norwegian and English, and Nilsen had personally contacted Seeger, who responded with the words: “Oh me, oh my. I wish you luck Read More
One blue sky above One blue sky above us One ocean lapping all our shores One earth so green and brown Who could ask for more
And because I love you I’ll give it one more try To show my rainbow race It’s too soon, too soon to die It’s too soon to die…
From Wikipedia…..
The song has been described as an “anthem … with lyrics that might have been written by the great Woody Guthrie“.[3] Said to be the American patriotic hymn best at combining the American dream with selfless Christian ideals[1] “Power and the Glory” consists of three verses, each followed by a chorus.[2] The first verse invites the listener to walk with the singer, and it describes some of the natural wonders of the United States.[4] The second verse names some of the states through which the listener and the singer would travel.[5] The third verse notes that the United States is “only as rich as the poorest of the poor” but also as “strong as our love for this land”.[4] The chorus of “Power and the Glory” describes the United States as “a land full of power and glory”: Read More
Yet our land is still troubled by men who have to hate They twist away our freedom and they twist away our fate Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry. We can stop them if we try.
Let’s Hope!
8, Thirsty Boots – Eric Andersen
“Thirsty Boots” has been a favorite song of mine since I first heard it many,many years ago!
From Wikipedia …
“Thirsty Boots” is a civil-rights-era folksong by American singer-songwriter Eric Andersen that first appeared on his 1966 album ‘Bout Changes ‘n’ Things. According to the album’s liner notes, the song “was written to a civil rights worker-friend. Having never gone down to Mississippi myself, I wrote the song about coming back.” Read More
You’ve long been on the open road
You been sleepin’ in the rain
From dirty words and muddy cells
Your clothes are soiled and stained
But the dirty words and the muddy cells
Will soon be hid in shame
So only stop to rest yourself and you’ll go off again
9, “We Shall Overcome” – Pete Seeger
I don’t know that there is a song that moves me more than “We Shall Over Come”. When I think of the words of the song and the struggles that have been overcome and still need to be overcome, I am moved to tears. Then I think, hey the words apply to everyone we all need to overcome some day!
We shall overcome We shall overcome We shall overcome some day
[Refrain] Oh, deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome some day
[Verse 2] We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand We’ll walk hand in hand some day
Each of the above eight songs shaped my American Experience. They all had a hand in my beliefs about war, the environment, and civil rights . And yes I am a strong liberal Democrat and. Proud of it! Any of you have your American Experience Shaped by these songs?
So when I started my genealogical research on my family, I really new very little about what countries my ancestors came from. I knew my father’s family came from Dresden, Germany. In addition, I knew my mother’s family came from England. As to where in England I had not a clue. After years of research here’s what I’ve discovered. I’ve divided it up by Maternal and Paternal Lines.
P.S. Now while I will be posting this for everybody, this post has been primarily for my children and grandchildren. But I hope others may find it interesting.
According to the latest information from Ancestry my DNA comes from 6 ancestral regions. My DNA composition is as follows:
Paternal Ancestry Regions
Germanic Europe – 20% Sweden 11%
Region
Maternal
Paternal
Me
50%
50%
110%
Southern Germanic Europe
26%
26%
Sweden
11%
11%
Central Scotland & Northwern Ireland
10%
10%
South East England & Nothwestern Europe
4%
5%
9%
Munster Ireland
9%
9%
Northern Wales & Northwest England
7%
7%
West Midlands
7%
7%
Connacht Ireland
7%
7%
The Netherlands
5%
5%
Southern Wales
5%
5%
Donegal Ireland
2%
2%
Esotnia & Latvia
1%
1%
Sardina
1%
1%
Baltics 1%
Maternal Ancestry Regions
England & Northwestern Europe 22%
Ireland 21%
Scotland 7%
Paternal Ancestry
My father’s parents were Edward Karn and Charlotte Meyer, Here’s a little about the Karn and Meyer Families
The Roots of the Karn and Meyer Families
Karn – Hechler
My grandfather’s parent were Henry Karn and Pauline Hechler. The Karn family came from Germany, while the Hechler family came from Switzerland. Based on my research Henry came to the US alone in 1882. While Pauline and her family arrived in 1882. They were married in New York City in April of 1887.
Pauline’s parents were Daniel Hechler and Susanna Siegrist. From Daniel’s death certificate I learned he was born in Oberkulm, Switzerland. Oberkulm is a municipality in the district of Kulm, in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. I am not sure where Susanna was from as I have not yet found her deathe certificate.
I learned from Henry and Pauline’s wedding certificate that Henry’s parents were Kasper Karn and Katerina Sohl. On Henry’s death certificate his father’s name is listed as Andrew. When I found records for Kasper and Katerina on Ancestry I discovered that they lived in “Oberaula, Germany. Based on DNA matches at Ancestry, I have several matches with people who have Sohl ancestors in Oberuala.
. Additionally, they had two children (and this is where it gets spooky) Andrew and Peter, The names of two of my sons are Andrew and Peter! Anyway I imagine that buy the time Henry died the only name they associated with Henry was Andrew his brother.
Meyer – Wendel
Family Names included in the Meyer line include Wendel, Ehnert. There are several other names but for this post I am only going back to my great-grandparents.
My Great-Grandparents Herman Meyer and Helene Ehnert were married in Dresden Germany and my grandmother Charlotte and her sister Irmagard were both born in Dresden. Prior to marrying Herman had been a member of the King of Saxony’s guard.
The family came to the Philadelphia in 1912. Herman was born in 1871 in Koningswalde, Germany. The Meyer line has been traced back to 1812 in Koningswalde.
Helene’s family came from Olbernhau. Olbernhau is a town in the district Erzgebirgskreis, in Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Ore Mountains, 35 km southeast of Chemnitz, and 23 km north of Chomutov, Czech Republic.
Helen’s parents Moritz Wendel and Wilhelmina Ehnert also came to the US a few years after Herman and Helene. Helene had one sister Else who also came to America a few years after her parents. Else married Curtis Schrier. Their family lived near Bethlehem Pennsylvania and I can remember going there as a child,
A brother Rheinhardt died in World War I in Poland.
Ok so this post has gone on a little longer than I expected so I will handle my maternal line in another post!
So the other day I was watching an Instagram post from a young woman. She was listening to songs from her father’s album collection. He had resently passed away.. Now whether or not that’s true or how long ago that was, I don’t know.
Anyway. it started me thinking about all the new albums I’ve found at Goodwill and the Princeton Record Exchange over the last year and how I haven’t been listening to them!Then I read a post somewhere about collectors who rotate through their albums on a regular basis.
As a result, I’ve created a 30 day challenge for me to randomly listen to at least one album a day for my newest purchases. I have most of those albums in crates grouped by genre, with the albums in alphabetical order. So I picked a crate and then used a random number generator to pick the album. The number was 26 and the album was Home from Si Khan.
I must admit I don’t know mush about Si Khan. I always heard his music on The Gene Shay show in Philly. I liked what I heard but never sought out his music. The probably may be that the majority of his music was release after 1980. Which means it coincided with my parenting years!
However, from what I read about Si at AllMusic I should have….
Discovering Si Kahn
The political balladry of Woody Guthrie, Tom Paxton, and Phil Ochs is reflected in the songs of North Carolina-based singer/songwriter Si Kahn. Although his love songs are nearly as effective, Kahn’s greatest strides have come with his lyrical looks at the unemployed, the racially abused, the sexually harassed, and the working-class oppressed. Kahn’s songs, including “Go to Work on Monday” and “Aragon Mill,” have become labor union anthems.
Si Kahn (born April 23, 1944) and has released 21 albums over the course of his career.
Si Khan is about more than just music….
Kahn’s prolific output includes more than music and songs. He has written three plays including, Mother Jones, based on the life of the early union organizer, which featured Ronnie Gilbert of the Weavers in the title role when produced in the early ’90s. Kahn has also authored two books on political organizing: How People Get Power and Organizing.
Recorded during a 1993 concert, “In My Heart: Live in Holland” celebrated the 20th anniversary of Kahn’s first album and featured several of his best-known tunes. Profits from Kahn’s concerts continue to be donated to Grassroots Leadership, a political organization he founded in the mid-’70s.
About Grassroots Leadership
Grassroots Leadership founder Si Kahn gothis start as a young activist and organizer in the Southern Civil Rights Movement as a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Si founded Grassroots Leadership in 1980 as a resource and training center for social justice organization building. Initially based in North Carolina, Grassroots Leadership worked throughout the South to help build progressive, multi-racial organizations to build power and create just organizations. Grassroots Leadership was one of the few organizations in the 1980s and 1990s to articulate in the board bylaws that no less than half of the board would be women and no less than half would be People of Color. Read More
My Bottom Line
The bottom line is I need to listen to the other Si Khan albums I bought and seek out more albums! So check out his music and his grassroots activism!
Links for the Further Exploration of the Music and More of Si Khan
2026 Reflections – while “Edward” which is what Emma calls me because that’s all she heard my wife shout before i got y new hearing aids – EDWARD! EDWARD! and now my wofe is teaching Emma’s brother Lucas to continue to call me Edward and nnot Granddad! And while I am no longer rocking Emma to sleep – Lucas has succumbed several times ti the charms of Mr Bojangles!
“Boom, boom, boom.” That’s the sound of love, rhythm, and a sleepy toddler in motion.
I’m trying to get more enthusiastic about writing again — and to do so in a more timely way. Over the summer I did better, but now that the school year has begun, my wife and I are back to full-time babysitting for our granddaughter Emma.
Emma is our fourth grandchild, the daughter of our daughter Elizabeth and her husband Marcus. Elizabeth is a school psychologist in a district about 45 minutes north of their home. So, we babysit from around 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — a long day for us Grandparents!
When we finally get home and dinner’s done, I’m usually wiped out. Writing feels like the last thing I want to do. But I’m going to try a new approach — to write more posts wrapped around my day. Hopefully, this is the first of many.
How Rockin’ GranddaughterEmma to Sleep Goes….
On a typical day, Emma takes a two-hour nap sometime between 11:00 a.m. and noon. Before that, I usually take her for a walk around the neighborhood — a mile or two, depending on how it goes. The goal? Keep her awake during the walk so she’ll sleep better afterward.
The other day she fell asleep mid-walk, so today I kept my eye on her. Every time her head started to droop, like she was about to doze off, I spoke to her — and her head would pop right back up! We managed to finish the full mile, and she’s now peacefully asleep.
The Rockin’ Grandaughtrer Emma Routine
Once it’s nap time, I rock her — first while standing, then transitioning to a rocking chair. I also sing to her. (I think she stays awake just to hear me stop!)
First up is one of my all-time favorite songs: Jerry Jeff Walker’s Mr. Bojangles. I sway back and forth singing “boom, boom, boom” to match the beat. When Emma was younger, she’d say “boom boom” herself when she got sleepy!
If she’s still awake after that, I move on to Aztec Two-Step’s Baking, and if she’s really holding out, I finish with Harry Chapin’s Taxi.
This past Monday? She held out all the way to Taxi before finally surrendering to sleep.
The Rockin’Playlist for Grandaughter Emma
Here’s a playlist of the songs I sing to her. Someday I’ll have to explain that I rocked her to sleep with a song about a street dancer in a New Orleans drunk tank…
Granddad Needs a Nap Too
Since I can’t take a photo while I’m rocking her, here’s one Grammie took right after a nap — when Granddad needed one just as badly!
