Ever What You Want

Song List:
1. Pretty Polly 5:55
2. I've Just Seen the Rock of Ages 6:28
3. Lost Sheep 2:15
4. Boll Weevil 3:33
5. Cacklin Hen & Rooster Too 2:34
6. Gone From My Sight 2:51
7. Rainbow Sign 5:07
8. Twelve Years 4:05
9. Raleigh & Spencer 3:35
10. Ever What You Want 2:49
11. Glory in the Meeting House 3:29
12. Sugar Babe 3:53
13. Five Days in Bowling Green 2:30
14. When Sorrows Encompass Me 'Round 4:49
15. Cumberland Gap 3:22
16. Country Blues 10:00
17. John Henry 3:23


Appearing on this recording:
Joe Thrift - Fiddle , Lead Vocals
David Long - Lead Vocals , Acoustic Guitar
Bill Sluys - Standup Bass
Nancy Sluys - Banjo , Fiddle
Liner Notes:
As long time friends, we have jammed together in various configurations for years at parties and festivals. It wasn't until Joe brought us together for a gig at the 2000 Great Blue Heron Festival in Sherman, NY that we realized the power of the collective creative energy we shared. Man Alive! was born! We knew right from the first practice session that it was here to stay, sending us out on a limb to explore the spaces somewhere between the roots and branches.

I came to old time music from bluegrass in the early 70's after a trip to the Galax Fiddlers' Convention. Years later, I won the coveted blue ribbon in the clawhammer banjo division. Bill started as a washtub player when he met me and didn't stray too far when he later switched to an aluminum upright bass. We have played in many old time bands together over the years, including the award-winning and still active Pilot Mountain Bobcats.

Joe became interested in fiddling in the early 70's while dancing with the Green Grass Cloggers and later attended violin-making school in England. As fiddler for the legendary old time band, The Red Hots, Joe gained a reputation for his high-energy approach and his quirky original tunes. For the better part of the 90's he toured as the keyboard player in the popular roots rock band, Donna the Buffalo.

David was immersed in bluegrass and Delta blues when he ran into fiddler David Bass of the Freight Hoppers at Galax about ten years ago. The supercharged late night festival sessions between the two Davids became legendary. Intoxicated by the energy of the music, David began to focus on old time music as his priority.

Bringing all of these influences into Man Alive!, with no boundaries, is what makes the music exciting for us. The deep old time music traditions of our home base in Surry County, NC are dear to our hearts, yet we cast about for different sounds that blend well into our groove. We hope that when you listen to this CD we can share some of that excitement with you.

1. PRETTY POLLY- A (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) AEAE, aEAC#E Inspired by three of my favorite singers: Ralph Stanley, Dock Boggs, and E.C. Ball. Dedicated to my mother and father, who taught me to love traditional music. Pretty Polly was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar around age 11. (DL)

2. I'VE JUST SEEN THE ROCK OF AGES- D (John Preston, Markyle Publishing) ADAD, aDADE David first heard this one performed at the 1977 Carter Stanley Memorial Festival in McClure, Virginia by Larry Sparks. David carried this one around for years until he found a band that would actually play it with him! (NS)

3. LOST SLEEP- A (Joe Thrift) AEAE, aEAC#E The way I felt after many sleepless nights during a Michigan snowstorm. (JT)

4. BOLL WEEVIL- D (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) ADAD, aDADE, DADF#AD We got this song from Tommy Jarrell and added a little twist with David on the National. (JT)

5. CACKLIN' HEN & ROOSTER TOO- A (Traditional) AEAE, aEAC#E This tune came from the Skillet Lickers. We added the "cluck track" making it our only overdub on the recording. (JT)

6. GONE FROM MY SIGHT- Gm (Joe Thrift) GDGE, gDGCD In memory of Nada Casey. Life is a precious thing&.Seize the day. Live - Laugh - Love! (JT)

7. RAINBOW SIGN- A (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) AEAE, aEAC#E Another great song from Tommy Jarrell of Mount Airy, North Carolina. It starts off as a pretty serious sacred song till it runs into a little humor about halfway through the verses. (NS)

8. TWELVE YEARS- E (Joe Thrift) GDAE, eEBDE Written for Tory on our twelfth anniversary. (JT)

9. RALEIGH & SPENCER- D (Traditional) ADAD, aDADE This is a popular song around the Galax, VA, Mount Airy, NC area. It was recorded by both Tommy Jarrell and Fields Ward. A lot of people have done it, but it's so much fun to play we figured we'd do it too. (NS)

10- EVER WHAT YOU WANT- G (Joe Thrift) GDAE, gDGBD When I wrote this tune it reminded me of an odd southern expression: "ever what you want". One of the great things about writing tunes is that no one can say you're playing it wrong. Ever what you want, ever what you need! (JT)

11. GLORY IN THE MEETING HOUSE- E (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) GDAE, eEBDE, EBEEBE This powerful Kentucky tune is from Luther Strong. (JT)

12. SUGAR BABE- A (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) AEAE, aEAC#E The version on the Wandering Ramblers tape really impressed me the first time I heard it around 1992. That tape (given to me by a friend) also made me realize that my heart was really not in bluegrass anymore, but more in old time. Originally from Dock Boggs. (DL)

13. FIVE DAYS IN BOWLING GREEN- D (Joe Thrift) DADA, aDAE I spent five days in Bowling Green, Ohio- broken down on the way to a Man Alive! gig. This tune was written in the motel watching Star Wars with the sound off. (JT)

14. WHEN SORROWS ENCOMPASS ME 'ROUND-A (Traditional) AEAE, aEAC#E Joe does a great job on this slow sacred song. We got this one from Tommy Jarrell and Kyle Creed. It was one of Tommy's favorites and ours too. (NS)

15. CUMBERLAND GAP- D (Traditional) ADAD, aDADE There are many versions of this tune. We're not exactly sure where this one came from&out there in festival land somewhere. (NS)

16. COUNTRY BLUES- E (Traditional, arranged by Man Alive!) GDAE, eEBDE, EBEEBE Powerful stuff. The ultimate mea culpa jailhouse song. I first heard it on Doc Watson's early 60's recordings, which led me to Dock Boggs. I loved that modal bluesy banjo sound. I stumbled on this E-based tuning along with an arrangement for solo guitar. It seemed to fit Country Blues. (DL)

17. JOHN HENRY- A (Traditional) AEAE, aEAC#E In Grayson County, VA they call this Old Time John Henry. It's a kick ass fiddler's convention tune that we have all played for years. (NS)