Tag Archives: Dorothy McDaniel

Pics from the Birthday Bash

14 Aug

In June we celebrated my birthday with a show at PKs, that venerable Carbondale showcase. It might’ve been my best birthday thing ever. For real. Lots of friends showed up to catch the show and/or be part of it. Fine players made it and cut loose. Drummer Charlie Morrill, bassist/flautist Dorothy McDaniel, Banjoist Lew Hendrix, Blues Man Tawl Paul, Queens of latin folk Colleen Springer-Lopez and Regina Zavala, rockers Rick Droit and Dr. Ted, and let us not forget The Misfit Pirate, Michael Eric, nor of course the incredible Kendall Bell and Eva Joy. Oh, hey, and Blossom The Clown. Good music and good vibes prevailed. Long will I remember. And Georgia De La Garza shot some great pictures. Here’re some of them.

Rick Droit made a fine poster for the show
Charlie Morrill, that bad man, drummed that night
My favorite banjo player, Lew Hendrix, started our set off with four songs. Man, was he on fire.

The Legendary Tawl Paul came up to finish our first set with some of the songs from his most recent album, That’s just How I Am

I played on that album, and wrote several songs for it. The whole thing’s streaming free at: www.tawlpaul.bandcamp.com.

Kendall Bell and Eva Joy surprised me by coming by to sing Back up on “Down Home Cookin'”

Kendall and Eva Joy sang fantastic back-up on “Down Home Cookin'” for an album in the works of that title. The song’s streaming free already at https://kentmcdaniel.bandcamp.com/track/down-home-cookin-2. And while you’re on the page, check out “Back to the Valley”. They sing beautiful back-up on that, too.

And then things ratcheted on up: Blossom The Clown (AKA Bethany Kerley) breezed into the bar bearing birthday gifts and generating smiles and laughter all over the place. Which set things up just fine for the next players, Colleen and and Regina, who had Miz D. and me up and dancing.

Kendall Bell, Eva Joy, and Blossom: 3 great smiles.
Colleen Springer-Lopez (L) and Regina Zavala played a hot acoustic set
Dorothy on flute, Dr. Ted on bass, Charlie on drums, Rick on guitar and vocals, me on guitar
Michael Eric, The Misfit Pirate, laid down mellow trop rock (on his uke).

The grand finale of the night, Dan Marsh doing “Dog and Cat” with us, escaped the camera, unfortunately. But check out his Dog and Cat album streaming free here: https://wordpress.com/view/dumbfoundingstories.com

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Dog and Cat

10 Jun

This is a video of my wife Dorothy and I playing “Dog and Cat,” a song written by our good buddy, Dan Marsh. We originally recorded this for #closedmicnight, a weekly project by Carbondale musicians, which is raising money for local charities and nonprofit groups. We love this song.

 

 

 

Scan 5

“Dog and Cat” appears on Dan Marsh’s album of the same title.

 

Here’s Dan’s version of the song from his album. (You may notice  a couple small changes  to the lyrics we made.)

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On DBX

11 Aug

Here’s a vide of Dorothy McDaniel, Stick Gilbert, and me (Kent McDaniel) jamming live on WDBX 91.1. Carbondale. Rolling with some Jimmy Reed.

 

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Write-up from C’dale Times

3 Aug

Here’s an article Carbondale Times ran about Dorothy and me back in June. We appreciate it, and like the new merging of Carbondale Nightlife with Carbondale Times.

The McDaniels make downtown Carbondale debut at PK’s

By Dakota Holden

updated: 6/22/2018 5:44 PM

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The McDaniels will make their debut at PK’s in Carbondale June 23. The blues and rock will start at 9 p.m.

The McDaniels are Kent (guitar, vocals) and Dorothy McDaniel (bass).

Kent McDaniel originally performed in Carbondale in the 1970s with The McDaniels Brothers Band, splitting shows with Shawn Colvin, opening for Earl Scruggs, and often sharing the stage with Tawl Paul. The McDaniel Brothers were a PK’s regular, playing every Thursday night until Kent moved out the region.

Kent moved to Chicago in 1980. He tells Nightlife he bumped into Dorothy riding the train into the loop. She was going to her oboe recital, and he was on his way to see Koko Taylor. They decided to attend both events with each other. They later married and started a family of their own. They have been playing music together ever since as The McDaniels. In the past year, they both moved to Carbondale.

“No matter where I lived, I have always searched for a place that felt like home,” Kent says. “When I moved back to Carbondale, it finally felt like home.”

Since their return, they have hosted and performed on WDBX, played small shows at Tres Hombres and Celebrate 618, and now PK’s for their first full-length show.

The McDaniels have an interesting combination of influences. Dorothy grew up playing with a strong classical background, teaching Kent theory and how to read sheet music. In return, he taught her the art of improvisation and memorization of music.

The McDaniels have been working with Jim Foerster at Mole Hole Studios on new music and are excited to release their recordings. Their song “When the Blues Come Knocking” features B.B. King-style rhythms and tasteful leads as well as beautiful background vocals.

The McDaniels’ debut will feature guests including Stick Gilbert (percussion), Lew Hendrix (banjo) and Tawl Paul. It also happens to be Kent McDaniel’s birthday that night, so make sure to give a proper Carbondale welcome.

Music is available through kentmcdaniel.bandcamp.com.

Who: The McDaniels

When: June 23

Where: PK’s

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Good Rockin: The McDaniels on DBX

19 Feb

 

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Dorothy and I returned to our favorite radio station WDBX for an hour set back in December. It was just the two of us, playinga mix of blues, country, jazz, and folk, but I’m gonna tell you, we were rocking pretty nice. There’s a recording of the set, below. I hope you give it a listen and use some headphones when you do. It’ll be worth it.

 

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Loy Addington

We want to thank WDBX for having us on. And especially Loy Addington, host of Lonesome Roy’s Country Hoedown. Every time  we get together with him, it feels like a
party to us.

 

 

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WDBX in Carbondale, IL

 

 

 

 

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The McDaniels on WDBX

18 Oct

Dorothy and I appeared live recently on WDBX radio in Carbondale during Lonesome Roy’s Country Hoedown. And a fun hour it was. Loy Addington, who hosts the show, is a smooth interviewer and a funny guy. Talking with him was a kick, and in between conversations Dorothy and I played songs. Several originals, along with some Hank, Merle, Prine, Carter Family, and a little jazz we snuck in, too. (Loy forgave us.)

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The talk  ranged from Carbondale’s music scene, to growing tomatoes, to songwriting, to my new album, to the relationship between Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Bonnie Owens as it related to “Swinging Doors.” Concerning that last topic, I got disabused of a long held misconception of mine. You can check it all out by clicking the link below. I hope you’ll use headphones. On my laptop you can’t hear Dorothy’s bass at all, and the overall sound’s a little tinny. With phones the bass comes through nice and clear and the whole mix sounds fuller.

 

 

As I said, we talked some about my new album.  It’s called He Flies, and if  you want to check it out, it’s streaming free at Band Camp.

WDBX, where the show aired, is a gem of a station. It’s line-up rocks, and no program director or AI algorithm sets the playlist. The DJs are are volunteers who just share IMG_0204 (1)the type of music  they know and love best. A pretty refreshing mix results: blues, metal, country, jazz, hip-hop, punk, world music, electronic, classical, and various points in between. And whoever chooses the DJ volunteers does a good job. Overall, they sound pretty damn professional. I hear it’s unusual for a town of Carbondale’s size (27,000) to have a community radio station. Carbondale’s fortunate to have it.

I got started listening to it while I was vacationing down here from Chicago, and I streamed the station for years back home in Chicago. Now that I’m back in Carbondale, I’m glad to get a chance to play for the station. It’s broadcasts are fresh, high energy, and highly recommended. The station streams on the net. Check it out: WDBX

 

More Action Shots

 

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“Dance Till Morning Light”

11 Dec

Just finished mixing the song below (“Dance Till Morning Light”). The lyrics are underneath the sound Icon, and a few details about the recording are under them.

DANCE TILL MORNING LIGHT                              

WELL, YOU WALK THROUGH THE NIGHT

YOU FEEL ALLRIGHT

THOUGH NOTHING IS REALLY REAL

YOU GET AROUND YOU’RE GETTING DOWN

YOU’RE SO HIGH YOU HARDLY FEEL

YOU BEEN UP AND DOWN THE STRIP

YOU KNOW THE TRIP

ALL ONE BIG HAPPY CROWD

YEAH YOU’RE LOOKING FOR LOVE

BUT CAN’T TALK ABOVE

THE MUSIC WE PLAY SO LOUD

CHORUS:

SO JUST DANCE, CHILDREN, DANCE                                       

THIS SOFT ELECTRIC NIGHT

DANCE, DANCE TILL MORNING LIGHT

YEAH, YOUR LOCAL ROCK STARS

AND OWNERS OF THE BARS

LOVE TO SEE YOU OUT TONIGHT

GO ON FEED YOUR HEAD, KNOCK YOURSELF DEAD

YOUR MONEY’S GOOD HERE IT’S ALLRIGHT

ACROSS THE ROOM,

THROUGH THE GLOOM

SOMEBODY CATCHES YOUR EYE

SO YOU WALK THAT WAY

WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

YOU’RE BOTH REAL HIGH

CHORUS

I’m playing guitar and singing; my wife, Dorothy plays bass and flute. We recorded those tracks on Garageband and then transferred them to Protools at Evanston’s The Cave Recording, where Andrew MacCrimmon added  drums, recorded by Robert Marshall, who also mixed and mastered the recording.

Should you feel curious how and when I came to write the tune you can click on: https://dumbfoundingstories.com/2014/08/19/dance-till-morning-light/?iframe=true&theme_preview=true. That post contains said info and video of me singing the song accompanied by acoustic guitar.

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“Dance Till Morning Light” is on the album He Flies

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“May Third”

20 Nov

Just finished a rough mix of the tenth song for my next album; the song’s called “May Third” and I think the album’s going be called He Flies.  I’m posting the song’s mix below this paragraph, and below it the lyrics, and lastly a little info about the tune.

MAY THIRD

Here it is May Third

and yet clouds fill the sky

like they got a two year lease

Springtime, springtime,

I’m walking down the line

Lord knows, it’s clear to me

CHORUS:

There ain’t no cause in hanging round

The nights don’t fly like before in this town

Ain’t no cause in hanging round 

Tom he left month or so ago

Believe he’s surely gone for good

And sister Lou she don’t

treat me like she should

Boy, she really lets you know

CHORUS

Everybody’s scattered, married, or lost their way

I’se told Davy’s selling cars somewhere

A time did come, a time rolled on down the road

All it left was a song

CHORUS

I wrote “May Third” way back in the early 197os, when I lived in Carbondale, but I never recorded it before now. Not sure why not, but things happen for a reason, I guess. I’m happy with the way the recording is turning out. All’s well that ends well. Dorothy McDaniel, my sweet wife, is playing flute, and Robert Marshall is drumming. I’m playing everything else, and most of the tracks were recorded in Garageband, then transferred to Pro Tools at The Cave Recording in Evanston, where Dorothy and Robert added their parts, and Robert mixed and mastered everything. Probably a f ew more tweaks to go on it in the mix.

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Tentative cover for the album

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“Barsoom” (A Filk Song)

23 Feb

 

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This is the edition of A Princess of Mars that I first read

 I’m posting a recording  of  “Barsoom,”  a filk song Gary Robe ran in his fanzine Tennessee Trash for the Southern Fandom Press Alliance (SFPA) a few years back. At the time, I commented on it in my zine, Dumbfounding Stories, and Gary’s next issue featured a revised version of the lyrics, which I also commented on. This process continued back and forth in our zines for almost a year. For trufans and Burroughs Bibliophiles the title will be a tipoff: the song concerns Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Martian novels. Many moons now, I been meaning to record Gary’s finished version of the lyrics. When I got ready to finally do it, I noticed that his finished product was one verse shorter than John Prine’s “Paradise,” to which the music of “Barsoom” is set. I came up with another verse for the recording (verse two), and I made two or three tweaks to Gary’s words–which I hope he’ll forgive me.

I hope you’ll click on the audio icon below and check out the lyrics beneath it. If you like filk, and especially if you like filk and Edgar Rice Burroughs, I think you’ll be glad you did.

 

                           Barsoom

 

A big box of books handed down generations

We found Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars

All summer we spent meeting adventure

With Captain John Carter and his green buddy Tars

REFRAIN:

And Edgar won’t you send me ‘neath the moons of Barsoom

In the red desolation with Dejah and Tars

I’m sorry, cadet, you’re too late to go there

The lander’s cold data has turned it to Mars!

We flew in airships, rode thoats cross the wastelands

Lived by our wits and our swords of cold steel

Faced foes and monsters and found our one true love

It was larger than life and realer than real

REFRAIN

So what can you do with a dusty dead planet?

Make it our second home with some water and air!

It’ll take some nerve and a few generations

But someday we’ll send John Carter up there!

REFRAIN

Grandpa will you see me to the Moons of New Barsoom?

The colony’s ready; I’m starting to pack!

Heads up, Grandson; just get up on that spaceship!

Cause the Terraform Project’s done brought it all back!

LAST REFRAIN:

And Edgar won’t you send me neath the moons of Barsoom

In the red desolation with Dejah and Tars?

No problem, my friend; it’s all there in the pages

Just remember it’s Barsoom; it never was Mars!

“Barsoom” was recorded in Garage Band. I’m doing all the parts except the bass, which my  wife, Dorothy, added.

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Cover by Pablo Vitruvian

 

 

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Over Yonder And Round The Bend

30 Jan

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I just like this pic

We just finished recording a new song for our next album. The tune’s called “Over Yonder & Round The Bend.” I feel great about how it came out, and hope you’ll give a listen. The audio’s below. Lyrics, too.

 

OVER YONDER & ROUND THE BEND

CHORUS:

OVER YONDER AND ROUND THE BEND

I ONCE WENT THERE; I CAN’T SAY WHEN

SOME BRIGHT MORNING I’MA GO AGAIN

OVER YONDER AND ROUND THE BEND

 

IT WAS ON BEYOND THE FIELDS I KNEW

THICK MEADOWS AND TALL OAKS GREW

BENEATH A GOLD SUN THAT CAST ITS LIGHT

AND MADE WAY THEN FOR SUMMER NIGHT

 

(CHORUS)

 

BENEATH A PALE MOON FOLKS DANCED TILL DAWN

THEY SANG AND LAUGHED AND CARRIED ON

AND MET THE DAYBREAK WITH A SMILING FACE

AND LOVED EACH OTHER IN THAT FAR PLACE

 

(CHORUS)

 

ALL THE PEOPLE THERE THEY WORKED TOGETHER

TO BUILD THEIR LAND AND LIFT EACH OTHER

EVERYONE WAS FREE, FREE AT LAST

GOOD WITH THE FUTURE GOOD WITH THE PAST

 

(CHORUS)

 

YOU CAN SAY IT WAS ALL A DREAM

OR JUST SOME TRICKSTER’S LOWDOWN SCHEME

BUT I DO KNOW WHAT I KNOW

AND I KNOW WHERE I WANNA GO

 

(CHORUS)

I wrote the song and am on guitar and vocals. Andrew MacCrimmon is on drums,  Gus Friedlander’s on banjo, and Dorothy McDaniel’s singing harmony. I recorded most of the tracks on Garage Band, and Robert Marshall mixed and mastered them at The Cave Recording in Evanston, Illinois.

To hear the other songs in the can for our next album click here: www.https://dumbfoundingstories.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/audio-playlist-of-about-time/

 

 

 

 

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