Original, contemporary folk songs - personal reflections on the American West in all its beauty and brutality.

12 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Traditional Folk, FOLK: Gentle



Details:
Buy two or more CAMPFIRE CDs and get them for 12 dollars each!

CAMPFIRE is an acoustic recording that is musically rooted in the American folk tradition. The songs and subject matter are contemporary.

My music is influenced by many years of camping and hiking, and by my love for Wilderness. In addition, I am interested in creating songs that are authentic - meaning they are true to their subject matter. My sympathetic portrait of an illegal immigrant in "Uphill (American Dream)" is based upon the folks I met as a Chicago Public Schools teacher in an immigrant neighborhood. "Wolves of Lamar Valley" is drawn from a trip to the famous Yellowstone valley where wolves were reintroduced in 1995. The title track "Campfire" is a very personal love song. There are sad songs and happy songs here because...well, that's life. The American West is the thread that runs through this collection.

I am an independent (hence the first person blurb) songwriter/musician who makes his home in Flagstaff, Arizona. I am originally from Illinois where I worked at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music as a guitar teacher and as an instructor in their Wiggleworms program for children. After a year spent in Chinle on the Navajo Reservation, my wife and I brought our family to Flagstaff where we hope to make our life-long home. I've continued performing for audiences of all ages and often travel back to the Midwest to play music.

Please take time to visit my websiites where you will find lyrics, a calendar, and even a couple free music downloads among other things.

www.chuckcheesman.net
www.afamilysongbook.com

I would like to thank the following musicians for their work on this recording:

The Flagstaff bunch:
Brian DeMarco - harmonica
Kneebone - bass & guitar
Byron Ripley - dobro
Justin Henningsen - mandolin
Ryan Burdick - percussion
Deb Hilton - vocals

The Chicago gang:
Steve Joyner - mandola & production
Steve Jacula - bass & production
Darren Garvey - percussion
Karen Banks-Lubicz - vocals

The really cool CD cover painting was done by Flagstaff artist Emma Gardner. www.emmagardner.com

Thanks! Enjoy the music.

-Chuck Cheesman
Flagstaff, Arizona


My other "grown-up" CD, COMING HOME, is part of the CDBABY $5 promotion where you can buy 3 CDs for 15 bucks. Pick up a few and help me clean out the closet!