This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

In the summer of 1963, a young Ironton, Ohio, native named Bobby Bare walked into the RCA Victor studio and recorded what would become the best-selling single of his long career, his poignant rendition of “500 Miles Away from Home.” 

 
Now 60 years later, here’s The Flood’s tribute to Bobby and that folk music classic.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 In Danny Cox’s world, two household gods are Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, and both of those two legendary guitarists were responsible for this showcase tune. 

 
Here, from a recent rehearsal, is Danny’s take on Jerry Reed’s 1968 instrumental classic, “Drive In.”

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 The Flood started playing this tune a quarter of a century ago, and it’s had a wide variety of arrangements over the years.

In this latest version, Randy Hamilton is doing double duty. Not only does Randy take over the vocals, but his sweet, soulful bass lines set the mood for the whole thing, inspiring equally introspective solos by Sam St. Clair and Danny Cox. 

Here’s “Summertime,” 2023.

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 We always have fun at the rehearsals with these sassy old songs, and sometimes they even create their own little legacies. Here’s a case in point. 

Midway through this track from a recent session, you’ll hear a bit of a crash, like the sound of something hitting the floor — and that’s just what it is. 

 
A while back, The Flood’s ever-jolly den mother, Rose Riter, gave us some nifty bird-in-flight figurines that we put around the practice room. For years the birds have quietly kept their posts, but on this particular night, something about the vibrations in the room caused… well…. take a listen!

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 The Flood’s eclectic repertoire can routinely pivot from an R-rated blues or hokum tune to a some sweet family-friendly ballad. Even a lullaby might pop up from time to time, like this lovely Irish melody. And we toss in the banshee for free!

 

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 One of the song we’ll be bringing to Sal’s Speakeasy for this weekend’s gig was a monster hit on the radio in the early 1960s. 

 
But actually it was written almost a hundred years ago, an iconic jug band tune of the era. Here’s our take on “Walk Right In.”

This Week's Freebie from The 1937 Flood

 We first started doing this song more than 40 years ago, and since then, every configuration of The Flood has made its own version of “The Dutchman.” 

 
Lately we’ve tried something news, adding a bit of banjo to the accompaniment. Tell us what you think about that. And don’t hold back, now. One thing we’ve learned about banjos — they’re used to some fairly brutal criticism!