Ken Backer

Hi Ken.
thank you very much for your nice comment.
I've seen your video on YouTube, you play beautifully.
Karel

Hello Ken, about The Leaving of Liverpool (thanks for listening, by the way) here's what wikipedia says:

" (The) Leaving of Liverpool ", ( Roud 9435), also known as " Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love ", is a folksong . Folklorists classify it as a lyric lament, and it was also used as a sea shanty , especially at the capstan. It is very well known in Britain, Ireland, and America, despite the fact that it was collected only twice, from the Americans Richard Maitland and Captain Patrick Tayluer. It was collected from both singers by William Main Doerflinger, an American folksong collector particularly associated with sea songs, in New York. [1]

The song's narrator laments his long sailing trip to California and the thought of leaving his loved ones (especially his "own true love"). He pledges to return to her one day.

The Leaving of Liverpool has been recorded by many popular folk singers and groups since the 1950s. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem had a top 10 hit with the song in Ireland in 1964. [2] [3] The song has also been adapted by several artists, most notably Bob Dylan .

I like the version done by the Clancy brothers. On another note, my mother in law's family name is Backer. Her grandparents were ethnic Germans living in Poland and they emigrated to Chicago where her father was born. He (Jacob Backer) in turn homesteaded in Southern Saskatchewan near Swift Current, was "dusted out" in the 1930's and resettled here in the Peace River country of Northern Alberta. Folks did a lot of traveling even in those days. Regards, Gordon.

Hello Ken, re Old Joe Clark, thanks for listening. Not one of my best, tough one to sing to, but I have a heck of a time just playing without singing. Just me I guess. Singing's my first love and the dulcimer is the beautifully simple accompaniment.

Hi Ken, your trip sounds wonderful, i am so glad you had a great time and got to play lots. Meeting fotmd folk must have been great too. Re banjo.. i had planned on claw hammer but a tendon in my hand played up, even tho i was taking it very slow. To my surprise i seem to be able to put basic picking patterns into muscle memory and have no hand problems. So i do a gentle folky pick. I've got an open back and i dont use finger picks so its not too loud. A case of making do with what the body can manage. At very early stages with it but love it. Hang in there over winter my friend. Helen x

P.s.   How was your Appalachia trip..?

Hello there Ken my friend. I'm back. Got a bit lost in the non musical world for a while (eek!). How have you been?  I hope you have had a good summer and have had plenty of gigs. I am so pleased to be back on here and (after a cpl of mistakes) have finally figured out how to post a video on here...Youtube and i werent getting along so i changed to Vimeo. As you head into Fall we head into Spring. I have still been playing here and there at home  but lost my bravado there for a while re busking. Winter knocks me around too. I have managed to get to a few local Folk Group sessions and have nearly got my first banjo picking song good enuf to post. I do love my banjo but dulcimer will always be my first instrument. Lost my way with singing but hope to get going on that front again soon. Helen x

I like your new avatar photo, Ken. Cool hats rule!

Hi Ken:

I just got here and boy is it different. 

Good to see that made it here, Ken. Hope yoiu like our new home.

Hello Ken,

thank You very much for Your nice comment.

Karel

Hey Ken,

This is one of our many types of possum, although this is an endangered one. White Australia has been particularly at wiping out our wildlife and has the highest extinction rate in any developed country. This is a baby Leadbeater's Possum, and an illustration that I did for a book on endangered species that I also wrote. I'll admit it's more aesthetically pleasing than its American cousins....

Well, if you google Australian ringtail possums and brushtail possums, you'll see the sort I mean ... maybe ours are more polite. Their pouches are certainly more advanced ...

Always glad to help out, Ken...Hope I wasn't too pushy...lol

I can help ya out, Ken. Hope you can read this alright.

Hi Ken, Thanks for your comments. Your singing with the dulcimer is enjoyable and it

always gets me to want to do the same. My wife and I both enjoyed "Beneath the Willows"

John McKinstry

Hello Ken,

thank you very much for your nice comment.

Karel

Ken, well, it would be nice if you could get something going in your part of the world...

You just never know.....

And your trip next summer sounds WONDERFUL!!!

That would certainly be a great experience!!! I hope it all works out for you

I will be looking for updates in the future!