Joan MacIsaac was a wonderful folk singer on the Edmonton scene during my teen years. I Hover Over Your Left Shoulder is a favourite tune of mine that I've sung for many friends over time, so sometimes I sign my letters or emails with that line. Buddy the Budgie steals the show in this one -- see for yourself!
Here's a link to my moodling about Saskatoon Moon, a Connie Kaldor song (from her wonderful Wood River album) that brings me fond Saskatoon memories. My daughter sings so sweetly, don't you think?
And here's another Joan MacIsaac song called The Man Who Does the News. She had a great sense of humour!
And last, but not least, my favourite Joan MacIsaac song of all, When I Can't Play, I'll Sing. A great philosophy for life...
13 comments:
Hi there. I'm so glad to find someone still singing and enjoying Joan MacIsaac's music. Another old friend of Joan's pointed me toward your Youtube videos of Joan's songs, so I found this site. Are you also responsible for posting on Youtube the songs from Joan's two albums? I have been meaning to do something like that for years but never got around to figuring out how. Joan and I went to the same high school, and I wrote the lyrics for a few of her songs. "Eyes of Asia" is on my first CD. Despite her great talent and great heart, Joan's music career predated the Internet and even the CD format, so she has until now been almost invisible even to the mighty Google search engine. Thanks for helping to change that!
Thanks, Tom! I love, love, love your lyrics to Anniversary Song... and Wintersong, and... did someone really steal a song from you? I'm glad you're still around to keep the music alive. I'm a mediocre musician at best, and am still waiting for someone to re-record the music on Wintersong because I love it all. I don't understand why this music has been sleeping so long... I don't know who posted the albums on Youtube, but I'm glad they did. Best to you! Do you ever come to Edmonton?
I really like your song Do I need it? I would like to teach it to my middle school students and sing if for a concert. Would you be willing to send me the words and chords?
Yes, I'd be happy if more kids would get this message into their heads! Email me (under profile) and I'll be happy to send you words and chords.
Hey greetings from Granada,Spain.
I heard your song do I need it? in youtube and I loved it...also I listened the best things of life are free and some tears of emotion came out... thankyou for those lovely songs!
Rafael Collado,Granada, Spain.
Cheers, Rafael! You're most welcome!
I will be sharing Joan's song "When I can't play" at the Victoria Folk club, and was would like to share something about Joan as an introduction. I heard her in Edmonton in the early 80's and loved her songs and singing and presence. What happened to Joan after the 80's, and is s she still singing?
Thanks, John
Hi, John,
I'm sad to say that Joan died in the mid-eighties -- a huge loss to our community -- but she is still singing on YouTube. I'm like you -- I just followed her around, but perhaps Paul MacIsaac could tell you more. He posted some of her videos on YouTube, and you might be able to send him a message on his page there: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTbv8nig7NFP0lxXhCpGR-w
Hi Maria. I have always enjoyed your videos of you singing Joan's music. Your joyful delivery is reflective of the encouragement and caring in her music and warms my heart and soothes the feeling of the loss of her incredible voice and talent. I am so grateful that you posted those when there was nothing out there of Joan's music after her death. I am Joan's sister Molly and had sung with her as a duo before she went solo. (She always was the better voice! And the bigger talent) I witnessed the creation of many of her songs and there are still many more that were never published. Our brother Paul posted her music after you did. All our family had the opportunity to watch your videos and were grateful and encouraged by it. It was due to our great loss that there were years of silence. But now the music is still circulating and encouraging others as it was meant to be. It has been years since you posted on this. Are you still using this site?
Hi, Molly, so wonderful to hear from you! Where are you writing from? I hope you receive this message somehow. As you can tell, I loved your sister's music, though I only heard her perform a few times when I was in High School. I still have my Wintersong record, though I no longer have a record player. Joan was so talented, kind, and encouraging, for sure! By the time Joan's death was mentioned at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival (a gutpunch, that was) I had been singing "I Hover Over" for various groups of friends in High School and university. Years later, a friend asked to hear it again, so I made a video of it because I couldn't find the song anywhere on the internet. I was really grateful when Paul posted the videos of Joan and I sent them around to various friends because of course no one can sing her songs like she did. If your family would like me to take my videos down, I can do that, no problem. I'm still blogging, and singing with my own daughter now, but I'm afraid my days as a guitarist are numbered, like the fellow in "When I Can't Play"... my chording hand is starting to "give up the ghost" thanks to tendon issues. If you'd like to continue with email contact, I'd love that! My email address is under The Moodler profile on the sidebar... Joan is a gift in my life far beyond the reach of her own days. I hope her music continues to inspire and encourage people, and I wish you and all your family the best.
I first heard Joan on Folk Sampler 30 or 40 years ago. I found 2 videos on YouTube , harvest excursion and fifty years ago today. What happened to them?
Youtube recently made some changes, and the videos of Joan that I used to watch have all vanished. I'll check in with Joan's family and see if they can be restored.
Is there a way to see joans songs that used to be on YouTube? Our 50th anniversary is coming up and I cannot think of a better song to play for my wife Sally. I miss playing joan's songs.
Post a Comment