Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The Lady in the Lighthouse: The Catherine Gallagher Story




Cindy Campbell Stone presents the story and songs of Catherine Gallagher ( Mrs Edward Gallagher), the lighthouse keepers’ wife, who lived in the lighthouse at Chebucto Head at the mouth of Halifax Harbour from 1928-1950. A former school teacher, Catherine raised a family, and assisted in the war effort while living next door to a WWII barracks.
Catherine Gallagher (Mrs. Edward Gallagher) was one of the primary tradition bearers who worked with Dr. Helen Creighton. Her life changed when many of her songs were published by Helen and she became a performer on radio and in concerts for many years afterwards.



Friday, May 30: 12 noon-1pm

Spring Garden Road Library, program room

Cindy will focus on Catherine's life in story, song and a few photos. 

Tuesday, June 3: 7:30 pm

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
In this ‘live-performance style' program and slide show presentation , Cindy will focus on Catherine’s sea songs and ballads. Four of these songs, Chesapeake and the Shannon ( War of 1812), Henry Martyn (privateers), The Broken Ring (sailors’ promise) and The Golden Vanity (power and greed at sea), can be found on the Songs of the Sea CD featuring traditional singers and field recordings from the Helen Creighton Collection (available for purchase).


Here is the link to the MMA website, and the Library website under Local History and Geneaology: Maritime Folklore Series.
For more information, contact Cindy at cindystoryteller@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Folklore Series at the Library with Cindy Campbell Stone of the Helen Creighton Folklore Society

Maritime Folklore Series: Supernatural Encounters

with Cindy Campbell Stone, storyteller & balladeer
Explore Dr. Helen Creighton’s work in folklore and its importance to cultural history. In partnership with Helen Creighton Folklore Society.
Hear stories and a song or two about some of the most intense supernatural experiences from past to present. This two part series features “Bluenose Ghosts”, by Helen Creighton and other encounters.
Spring Garden Rd. Memorial
Friday, May 16/12:00 pm
Adult » Local History & Genealogy
Maritime Folklore Series: The Singing Woman of Chebucto Head
with Cindy Campbell Stone, storyteller & balladeer
Explore Dr. Helen Creighton’s work in folklore and its importance to cultural history. In partnership with Helen Creighton Folklore Society.
The tale and songs come to life as you hear about Catherine Gallagher, who lived at Chebucto Head Lighthouse from 1928- 1950 where she raised a family and was a main informant for Helen Creighton.
Spring Garden Rd. Memorial
Friday, May 30/12:00 pm

Monday, May 5, 2014

The Lady in the Lighthouse presented by Cindy Campbell Stone


WTF: Pete Seeger Celebration with Clary Croft



WTF: What The Folk
Friday May 9th
Chebucto Coffee, 6430 Chebucto Road
6:30 gathering, 7pm performance

Peter "Pete" Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of the Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, Pete re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, counterculture and environmental causes. 

A prolific songwriter, his best-known songs include "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" (with Joe Hickerson), "If I Had A Hammer / The Hammer Song" (with Lee Hays of The Weavers), and "Turn!Turn!Turn!" (lyrics adapted from Ecclesiastes). All have been recorded by many artists both in and outside the folk revival movement and are sung throughout the world. 

Pete was one of the folksingers most responsible for popularizing the spiritual "We Shall Overcome" (also recorded by Joan Baez and many other singer-activists) that became the acknowledged anthem of the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement. In the PBS American Masters episode "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song", Pete stated that it was he who changed the lyric from the traditional "We will overcome" to the more singable "We shall overcome".

Pete Seeger died on January 27, 2014, at the age of 94. According to his grandson, Kitama Cahill-Jackson, Pete died peacefully in his sleep around 9:30 p.m. at New York's Presbyterian Hospital, where he had been for six days. Family members were with him at the time of his death. Cahill-Jackson said Pete was still as active as ever, out chopping wood ten days prior to his death.

In a moving tribute, President Barack Obama noted that Pete had been called "America's tuning fork" and that he believed in "the power of song" to bring social change, "Over the years, Pete used his voice and his hammer to strike blows for workers' rights and civil rights; world peace and environmental conservation, and he always invited us to sing along."

So... on Friday, May 9th... WTF! invites you to do just that! Join us please in a celebration of the life & legacy of Pete Seeger. Bring a Pete song or a story; maybe a song or story inspired by Pete and we'll pass the night in good company remembering Pete, reminiscing, laughing and best of all... lustily singing along.
Oh... and who better to lead us in this WTF! tribute to a man of unflinching integrity than our own man of unflinching integrity...

GUEST HOST CLARY CROFT 

... who actually met Pete and has some fascinating tales to tell. And a little black bird told me that there will be a world-premiere theatrical event involving Pete taking place on our WTF! stage too. Seating space will be at a premium but in the spirit of Pete... WE SHALL OVERCOME :) 

Margo

"For reminding us where we come from and showing us where we need to go, we will always be grateful to Pete Seeger".

WTF! is an artistic outreach program of the Helen Creighton Folklore Society. We meet every second and fourth Friday of the month at CHEBUCTO COFFEE, 6430 Chebucto Road, corner of Chebucto & Kline in Halifax where Mike's extraordinary culinary fare is approaching legendary status. Come early for a bite and stay for the entertainment which starts around 6:30 and goes until 9:00ish. As always... admission is by free-will donation towards the Society's work.

WTF: Normal or abnormal hosts: Cindy Campbell Stone and Margo Carruthers, Helen Creighton Folklore Society, www.helencreighton.org