The Music

 

Radio Dial

Paul Quarrington’s I Need My Heart, featuring Rebecca Campbell. Soloists are yours truly (guitar/harmonica), Denis Keldie (piano) and Burke Carroll (pedal steel), with Steve Lucas on bass. Produced by Martin Worthy (pictured above) who also did rhythm guitars and drums.

Play I Need My Heart

Rebecca and I trade off on this remake of a Paul Quarrington blues. Denis Keldie (piano) and I do solo work, and Steve and Marty round out the band, with Marty also producing the track.

Play Way Past Midnight

Martin Worthy’s Omaha Madonna is a vehicle for his acoustic guitar and voice. Burke Carroll shines on pedal steel.

Play Omaha Madonna

Radio Dial audiences love Gillian Welch’s ELVIS PRESLEY BLUES, a feature for Rebecca Campbell. Burke Carroll plays resonator guitar. Recorded by Martin Worthy, who also plays drums/guitar/banjo.

Play Elvis Presley Blues

Stuart Plays

Hemingway:

Porkbelly Futures recorded Martin Worthy’s “Hemingway” featuring my harmonica and Colin Linden’s slide guitar.

Play Hemingway

Way Past Midnight:

I tried different approaches to this Paul Quarrington blues for Porkbelly Futures, then was handed a guitar from a case in the corner. It was a vintage Fender Telecaster belonging to Lorraine Segato of Parachute Club. This was the immediate result.

Play Way Past Midnight

La Scala:

The Triumphal Scene in Verdi’s Aida is one of the most spectacular in opera, featuring chorus and plenty of brass. I’m in the thick of things here, with Claudio Abbado conducting the La Scala Orchestra in Milan.

Play La Scala

Canadian Brass:

Canadian Brass, The Elmer Iseler Singers and organist John Tuttle in an arrangement by my friend Peter Tiefenbach. It’s from the Opening Day album, People of Faith.

Play Canadian Brass

Sad Old Love Affair:

The guitar I used on Sad Old Love Affair is a very special Gibson 335 belonging to producer David Gray who used to work a lot with my hero Paul Butterfield. Paul would always insist that Dave play this particular guitar.  The organ interlude is by Richard Bell, and I love Chas Elliott’s bass lines. This is from Porkbelly Futures’ 2nd album.

Play Sad Old Love Affair

End of the World:

Martin Worthy asked for my harmonica on his song, The End of the World, sung by Paul Quarrington.

Play End of the World

Stuart Writes

March Storm:

I was inspired to write March Storm after reading (in Wayne Johnston’s 1998 novel The Colony of Unrequited Dreams) about Newfoundland’s legendary tragedy at sea in 1914. Paul, Marty and Rebecca sing, with me on mandolin (Porkbelly Futures’ 2nd album).

Play March Storm