Uncle Earl: Raise a Ruckus

Hey... the actual liner notes on the album just include song titles, so there's a lot more information here!

1. Stacker Lee
The fashion murder ballad. One guy kills the other over a cool HAT. This mountain version of the popular blues song comes from Ed Haley, the western Kentucky fiddler who recorded it in the 1930s. Kristin fell in love with the song this summer when Mac Benford gave her a copy of Half Past Four, his new record that includes Stacker Lee and a bunch of other great banjo tunes all learned from the playing of Ed Haley. Lead Vocal: Kristin. Harmony: Abigail

2. Little Annie
Some unknown lovesick songwriter --> Carter Family --> Vern Williams --> Laurie Lewis --> KC Groves --> Uncle Earl. The Carter Family called this one "When the Springtime Comes Again."  Lead Vocal: KC. Harmony: Kristin.

3. Julianne Johnson
Rayna likes to play this tune for square dances. The band calls this one the "landlubber" Julianne Johnson so we can keep it straight from the "coastal" Julianne Johnson that Rayna recorded on her CD Ways of the World.

4. Walker (S. Gilchrist)*
Sharon wrote this one for her grandfather, Ernest Walker. KC & Sharon worked it up for this record as a duet for octave mandolin (Sharon) and guitar (KC). This arrangement follows Uncle Earl tradition which stipulates that the song recorded at the last minute with an on-the-spot arrangement immediately becomes our favorite on the record. Lead Vocal: Sharon. Harmony: KC.

5. Keys to the Kingdom
Abby learned this one from a 1937 field recording of Lillie Knox of Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina. We have good memories of singing this one live around a couple of mics in Boulder last spring when we made the first Uncle Earl record with this band. Going to the Western Slope is now out of print, but we wanted to re-release this one beautiful song. Lead Vocal: Abigail. Harmony: Kristin & KC. Background rhythms: Rayna & Dan Rose.

6. Raise a Ruckus
Rayna learned this one from the Georgia Yellowhammers (who are long gone) as well as from the Double Decker Stringband (very much alive and highly recommended listening). KC got a text message at 2am on the night before our recording session for this record, requesting that we absolutely MUST record "Ruckus." It was a good idea that we hadn't thought of, so we will dedicate the song to our good friend Garian Vigil, who is helping us to raise a ruckus everywhere we go. Lead Vocal: Rayna. Harmony: Everybody.

7. The Izze Jingle (Melody Public Domain, Words by Uncle Earl)**
They do indeed make some fine, fruity, fizzy drinks down at the Izze Beverage Company in Boulder, Colorado. We made up some new words to an old tune in order to create this jingle for Izze. The Company is featuring the recording on their home page: http://www.izze.com. Go check it out! Lead vocal: Abigail. Harmony: Everybody. Bottle Opener: Lance from Izze.

All tunes & songs traditional except:
* By Sharon Gilchrist
** Melody Public Domain. Words by Uncle Earl/Smokin' Granny Music, ASCAP.

Kristin Andreassen - Guitar & Vocals
Rayna Gellert - Fiddle & Vocals
Sharon Gilchrist - Bass, Octave Mandolin & Vocals
KC Groves - Mandolin, Guitar & Vocals
Abigail Washburn - Banjo & Vocals

With Special Guest Lance Gentry - Bottle Opener

Production Credits:
This EP was recorded on December 1, 2004 at Notably Fine Audio (Denver, CO). Engineered by Colin Bricker. Except: "Keys to the Kingdom," which was recorded in DSD at Super Audio Studios (Boulder, CO) by DSD Recording Engineer Dawn Frank; and "Little Annie," which was recorded in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana by Dirk Powell.

Mastered by Colin Bricker at Notably Fine Audio (Denver, CO).
CD & package duplication by Echodata Group (Longmont, CO).

Design Credits:
Cover art and package design by Terry Kishiyama at tkdesign.
Contact:  takeo.tk@gmail.com

Thanks to everybody who made the "One Day Record" possible: Ann Blonston & Airshow Mastering, Colin Bricker, Bill Carlson, Paula Hirsch & Echodata Group, Lance Gentry & Izze Beverage Company, Peter Irvine, Terry Kishiyama, Dirk Powell, Eric Thorin, Garian Vigil (who requested "Raise a Ruckus"), Mike Whipp & Betsy Burton, and to Peter Singdahlsen for the loan of the bass.  Special thanks to our families and significant others for their love and support.

Uncle Earl wishes an endless & magical marriage to our friends Janet Feder and David Quint.

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