Collections
MF 039 Traditional Music of Maine
Project
Number of
Interviews: 27
Dates when interviews were conducted: 1990-1991
Time period covered:
Principal interviewers: Jeff McKeen
Finding Aides: brief indexes and partial transcripts
Access Restrictions: #2256 is restricted
Description: A series of interviews with traditional singers
and musicians throughout Maine by Jeff “Smokey” Mckeen for use in
developing a series of eight radio programs devoted to traditional
music in Maine. The programs were later packaged and released as a
series of four cassettes entitled “Traditional Music of Maine,”
available from the Maine Folklife Center. Program themes included:
Songs of the Maine Lumberwoods; Music of the Maine Grange; Swedish
Music of Aroostook; Music of Maine’s Finnish Communities; Slavic
Music of the Lower Kennebec; Acadian Music of the St. John Valley;
Pioneers of Maine Country Music; and Songs of the Passamaquoddy. To
date, no accessions have been specifically linked to the last three
program themes. Topics discussed in the interviews include: life in
lumber camps; working in the lumberwoods; working on river drives;
transition from river driving to using trucks to haul logs; the
Maine Grange; changing role of the Grange in Maine life;
immigration; and the Swedish and Russian communities in Maine.
Interviewees sing traditional songs; and play the harmonica; piano;
concertina; mandolin; and other instruments.
2232 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Moscow. 15pp. Tape: 65
minutes with transcript. Jim Cahill recalls living in the
woods camps as a boy with his family, later worked in the woods on
the drives on the Kennebec. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of
the Maine Lumberwoods. C862
2233 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Moscow. 13pp. Tape: 40
minutes approx. with transcript. Interview with Eddie Rollins
who worked in the woods and on river drives as a young man in the
upper Kennebec area. He mostly sings on the tape songs such as:
“Spring of 65,” The Red River Shore,” “Hungry Hash House,” “Peter
Amerley,” and several others. Traditional Music of Maine Series,
Music of the Maine Lumberwoods. C863
2234 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Moscow. 16pp. Tape: 45
minutes with transcript. Interview with Linwood Brown who
worked in the woods and on river drives as a young man in the upper
Kennebec area. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine
Lumberwoods. C863
2235 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Fort Fairfield. 26pp.
Tape: 145 minutes with transcript. Joseph Walker talks about
life in the lumbercamps as a young man. His mother worked as camp
cook, worked on St. John River, and Chiemticook Stream. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Lumberwoods. C866
2236 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Allegash. 14pp. Tape:
45 minutes with transcript. Interview with Calvin Hafford who
worked in the woods around the St. John and Allagash Rivers,
describes the work and the lifestyle and sings several songs. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Lumberwoods. C867
2237 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Machias. 11pp. Tape: 1
with transcript. Interview with Frank Dowling who talks about
life in the woods, and the camps around the Machias River and Grand
Lake Stream, teaching school and working for the Maine Central
Railroad. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine
Lumberwoods. C868
2238 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Machias. 23pp. Tape: 1
with transcript. Newell Beam discusses lumbering on the
Machias, about the song “Jam on Gerry’s Rock,” and sings it. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Lumberwoods. C869
2239 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: West Enfield. 14pp.
Tape: 1 with transcript. Perlie McLaughlin talks about
river-driving on Schoodic Stream, and woods work around the
Millinocket area. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine
Lumberwoods. C870
2240 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Skowhegan. 13pp. Tape:
1 with transcript. David Calder discusses the last years of
riverdriving and the transition to using trucks for hauling, worked
for the Kennebec Log Driving Company and sings “The Last Drive.”
Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Lumberwoods.
C871
2241 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: East Andover. Tape: 2
with no transcript. Lester White plays the harmonica and
discusses working in the woods. Maine Traditional Music Series,
Music of the Maine Lumberwoods. C872 - C873
2242 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Parkman. Tape: 1 with
no transcript. Interview with Ernest Tweedie. (see companion
accession NA 2243) Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the
Maine Grange. C874
2243 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Guilford. 23pp. Tape:
90 minutes with transcript. Ernest and Thelma Tweedie discuss
early days of the Grange, growing up in Aroostook county and sings
several songs from the lumber camps. Maine Traditional Music Series,
Music of the Maine Grange. C875
2244 McKeen, Jeff and Ernie Freebert. Summer 1991. Maine:
Oxford. 15pp. Tape: 90 minutes with transcript. Dorothy Canwell
discusses the Grange, the role of the Grange in contemporary life,
selection of music by Dot Canwell, Harry Boyer, and Althea Fish.
Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C876
2245 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Bingham. 18pp. Tape: 1
with handwritten transcript. Dot Ruppell and Jim Cahill talk
about the Grange and compare the old days with now and sing. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C877
2246 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Owl’s Head. 18pp.
Tape: 45 minutes with handwritten transcription. Thelma Murray
talks about her role as Grange musician and plays some of the old
marches and dance tunes. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of
the Maine Grange. C878
2247 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: South Montville. 5pp.
Tape: 1 with partial catalog. Selections from the George’s River
Grange. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange.
C879
2248 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Montville. 14pp. Tape:
90 minutes with handwritten transcript. Lewis Newell
discussses the founding of the Grange, music and the role the Grange
today. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange.
C880
2249 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Corinna. 16pp. Tape:
90 minutes with handwritten transcript. R.I. Crosssman
discusses the importance of music and the changing role of the
Grange in Maine life. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the
Maine Grange C881
2250 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Vienna. 18pp. Tape: 90
minutes with handwritten transcript. Hazel Bean talks about
the Grange and plays some pieces on the piano. Maine Traditional
Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C882
2251 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Mercer. 12pp. Tape: 1
with handwritten transcript. Ethel Herbert discusses
belonging to the Sandy River Grange, and serving as lecturer. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C883
2252 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: South Bristol. 5pp.
Tape: 1 with partial catalog. Songs recorded at the Seaside Grange.
Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C884
2253 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: East Dixfield. 6pp.
Tape: 1 with partial transcript. Harry Boyer discusses going
to the Grange meetings all over the state. Maine Traditional Music
Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C885
2254 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Freedom. Tape: 1 with
no transcript. Doug Protsik plays the piano. Maine
Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange. C886
2255 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Appleton. Tape: 1 with
no transcript. Harvey Gurney plays songs on the concertina
and harmonica. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine
Grange. C887
2256 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Camden. Tape: 1 with
no transcript. Gene and Ava Allen play the mandolin and
piano. Maine Traditional Music Series, Music of the Maine Grange.
RESTRICTED. C888
2257 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1991. Maine: Richmond, Gardiner.
52pp. Tapes: 10 with transcripts and catalog. Interviews with Val
Bardash, Walter Taranko, John Supruniuk, Walter Lepuchenko, Ukranian
picnic, Washy Moros, Maria Sachno, Willis Johnson, Helena and
Mathilid Schumejko, and the St. Alexander Nersky Church Choir.
Conversations concerning immigration, life in Maine, also singing
and the playing of instruments. Traditional Music of Maine Series,
The Russians. C889 - C898
2258 McKeen, Jeff. Summer 1990. Maine: New Sweden. 55pp.
Tapes: 9 with transcripts and catalog. Interviews with The Midsummer
Festival, Axel Tall, Fritjof Jacobson, Charlene and Peter
Espling, Lillian and Adella Johnson, Helen Borgson, Chester Ringdahl,
Mildred Beaulieau, and Harley Jepson. Immigration, early days,
current times and the Swedish community in Maine are discussed.
Traditional Music of Maine Series, The Swedes.
C899 - C908
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