Dave Carter
Encyclopedia
Dave Carter was an American
folk
singer-songwriter
who described his style as "post-modern mythic American folk music." He was one half of the duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
, who were heralded as the new "voice of modern folk music" in the months before Carter's unexpected death in July 2002. They were ranked as number one on the year-end list for "Top Artists" on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart for 2001 and 2002, and their popularity has endured in the years following Carter's death. Joan Baez
who went on tour with the duo in 2002 spoke of Carter's songs in the same terms that she once used to promote a young Bob Dylan
:
Carter's songs were often noted for their poetic imagery, spirituality and storytelling while retaining connection to the country music of his southern American upbringing. Carter's memory has been kept alive by his many admirers, most notably his former partner. Tracy Grammer
has continued to introduce previously unrecorded songs and recordings that the duo were working on prior to Carter's death.
. His father was a mathematician
and a petroleum engineer and his mother was a science
teacher
and a charismatic Christian
. Carter was raised in Oklahoma
and Texas
and would draw on his rural upbringing in many of his songs. He studied classical piano
from age 4 to about age 12, when he took up guitar
. At 17, he left home to hitchhike around the country, especially the Midwestern United States
(Great Plains
area). After graduating with degrees in music (cello
) and fine arts from the University of Oklahoma
, he moved to Portland
, Oregon
, where he continued his education at Portland State University
, earning a degree in mathematics. He began an advanced degree in mathematics, but a personal epiphany led him to realize that this was not to be his field.Watroba, Matt, "Sing Out! Spotlight: Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer," Sing Out!
Vol 45 # 1, Spring 2001 He went on to study what he called "the psychology of mystical experience" at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
in Palo Alto
and the California Institute of Integral Studies
in San Francisco, and worked as an embedded systems programmer for several years before taking up music full-time in the mid-1990s. Carter was greatly influenced by mythologist Joseph Campbell
, who visited his college, and American mystic Carlos Castaneda
. He was also influenced by the American landscape, Arthurian mythology, the environment, and transcendental psychology.
Prior to his death, Carter released three albums with Grammer: When I Go
(1998); Tanglewood Tree
(2000); and Drum Hat Buddha
(2001). The duo re-recorded many of the songs from Snake Handlin' Man
, plus two previously unrecorded songs, in early 2002. The CD, called Seven Is the Number
, was released by Tracy Grammer in 2006. A collection of the duo's holiday recordings called American Noel was compiled by Tracy Grammer and released in 2008 by Signature Sounds.
after returning from an early morning run.Marcel, Joyce, "BABY, I JUST DIED: THE PASSING OF ALAN LOMAX," (obituary for Carter and Alan Lomax
who died the same day) The American Reporter Dummerston, Vermont He and Grammer were slated to play that weekend at the Green River Festival in Greenfield
and were booked that summer to play many of the nation's top folk festival
s and folk clubs
. He was 49. Carter's death came as a great shock to the folk music community. Tracy Grammer gave her account of Carter's final moments in a letter to fans:
Many had predicted that the duo was destined for success beyond the typical folk music circles. Jim Olsen, president of Carter's record label, Signature Sounds, said, "I always believed it would only take one cover by a major star to unveil his work to the rest of the world; and I was convinced that was going to happen. Somebody was going to open the door for them; and the thing about Dave's music is that once people heard it, they became lifelong fans." Fellow folksinger and journalist Matt Watroba wrote, "It would make sense at this point, to say that Dave Carter was on the verge of something big. The truth, however, is that Dave was something big already. He moved the people lucky enough to know him or his music in a way that has launched an outpouring of tributes, memories and love."
Grammer decided to keep the duo's appointment to play the 2002 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
the following week and a tribute concert was arranged. The tribute included performances by a number of Carter's admirers singing his songs. Highlights included Chris Smither's
cover of "Crocodile Man", Mark Erelli
singing "Cowboy Singer", a rendition of "Happytown" by The Kennedys
, and "Farewell to Saint Dolores" by Eddie From Ohio
. Grammer herself opened the show with "The Mountain" and closed with "Gentle Soldier of My Soul". Several artist have since written tributes in Carter's honor (see below) and in 2005 Grammer released Flower of Avalon
, including nine previously unrecorded songs by Carter.
("The Mountain") and by Lucy Kaplansky
("Cowboy Singer") and Chris Smither ("Crocodile Man"). Tributes to him following his death were written by Tracy Grammer ("The Verdant Mile") and Richard Shindell
("So Says the Whippoorwill"), among others.
One song, "Gentle Arms of Eden", was added to the hymnal in at least one Unitarian Universalist congregation. More of Carter's songs were recorded by Tracy Grammer on her 2005 album Flower of Avalon
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
who described his style as "post-modern mythic American folk music." He was one half of the duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer were an American folk duo who released three albums from 1998 to 2001, as well as additional material released after Dave Carter's death...
, who were heralded as the new "voice of modern folk music" in the months before Carter's unexpected death in July 2002. They were ranked as number one on the year-end list for "Top Artists" on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart for 2001 and 2002, and their popularity has endured in the years following Carter's death. Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
who went on tour with the duo in 2002 spoke of Carter's songs in the same terms that she once used to promote a young Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
:
"There is a special gift for writing songs that are available to other people, and Dave's songs are very available to me. It's a kind of genius, you know, and Dylan has the biggest case of it. But I hear it in Dave's songs, too.
Carter's songs were often noted for their poetic imagery, spirituality and storytelling while retaining connection to the country music of his southern American upbringing. Carter's memory has been kept alive by his many admirers, most notably his former partner. Tracy Grammer
Tracy Grammer
Tracy Grammer is an American folk singer known for her work as half of the folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer and for the solo career that she has continued since Carter's death...
has continued to introduce previously unrecorded songs and recordings that the duo were working on prior to Carter's death.
Early life and education
Dave Carter was born in Oxnard, CaliforniaOxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
. His father was a mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and a petroleum engineer and his mother was a science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and a charismatic Christian
Charismatic Christianity
Charismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in of the Bible...
. Carter was raised in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and would draw on his rural upbringing in many of his songs. He studied classical piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
from age 4 to about age 12, when he took up guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. At 17, he left home to hitchhike around the country, especially the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
(Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
area). After graduating with degrees in music (cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
) and fine arts from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, he moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where he continued his education at Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, earning a degree in mathematics. He began an advanced degree in mathematics, but a personal epiphany led him to realize that this was not to be his field.Watroba, Matt, "Sing Out! Spotlight: Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer," Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
Vol 45 # 1, Spring 2001 He went on to study what he called "the psychology of mystical experience" at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology is an American private and non-sectarian graduate school. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges...
in Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
and the California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies is a private institution of higher education founded in 1968 and based in San Francisco, California. It currently operates in three locations just south of the Civic Center district...
in San Francisco, and worked as an embedded systems programmer for several years before taking up music full-time in the mid-1990s. Carter was greatly influenced by mythologist Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
, who visited his college, and American mystic Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castaneda was a Peruvian-born American anthropologist and author....
. He was also influenced by the American landscape, Arthurian mythology, the environment, and transcendental psychology.
Partnership with Tracy Grammer
When I Go (album)
When I Go is a 1998 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "When I Go" – 4:16# "Don't Tread on Me" – 3:23# "Annie's Lover" – 2:52...
(1998); Tanglewood Tree
Tanglewood Tree
Tanglewood Tree is a 2000 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "Happytown " – 3:34# "Tanglewood Tree" – 3:42# "The Mountain" – 3:39...
(2000); and Drum Hat Buddha
Drum Hat Buddha
Drum Hat Buddha is a 2001 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "Ordinary Town" – 2:48# "Tillman Co." – 3:26# "Disappering Man" – 3:49...
(2001). The duo re-recorded many of the songs from Snake Handlin' Man
Snake Handlin' Man
Snake Handlin' Man is a 1995 album by American folk singer Dave Carter. This was his solo debut prior to his very successful partnership with fiddler, Tracy Grammer . The duo re-recorded "The River Where She Sleeps" for their 1998 album When I Go, and "Cowboy Singer" for their 2000 release,...
, plus two previously unrecorded songs, in early 2002. The CD, called Seven Is the Number
Seven Is the Number
Seven Is the Number is a 2006 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. It was the duo's final recording, released over four years after Carter's unexpected death due to a heart attack in July 2002....
, was released by Tracy Grammer in 2006. A collection of the duo's holiday recordings called American Noel was compiled by Tracy Grammer and released in 2008 by Signature Sounds.
Death and tributes
Carter died of a massive heart attack Friday July 19, 2002 in a hotel room in Hadley, MassachusettsHadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
after returning from an early morning run.Marcel, Joyce, "BABY, I JUST DIED: THE PASSING OF ALAN LOMAX," (obituary for Carter and Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
who died the same day) The American Reporter Dummerston, Vermont He and Grammer were slated to play that weekend at the Green River Festival in Greenfield
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
and were booked that summer to play many of the nation's top folk festival
Folk festival
A Folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music.-Canada:Alberta*Calgary Folk Music Festival*Canmore Folk Music Festival*Edmonton Folk Music Festival*Jasper Folk Festival*Wild Mountain Music FestOntario*Barriefolk...
s and folk clubs
Folk clubs
A folk club is a regular event, permanent venue, or section of a venue devoted to folk music and traditional music. Folk clubs were primarily an urban phenomenon of 1960s and 1970s Great Britain and Ireland, and vital to the second British folk revival, but continue today there and elsewhere...
. He was 49. Carter's death came as a great shock to the folk music community. Tracy Grammer gave her account of Carter's final moments in a letter to fans:
"Yesterday, shortly after he went unconscious, he came back for a lucid minute or two to tell me, 'I just died... Baby, I just died...' There was a look of wonder in his eyes, and though I cried and tried to deny it to him, I knew he was right and he was on his way. He stayed with me a minute more but despite my attempts to keep him with me, I could see he was already riding that thin chiffon wave between here and gone. He loved beauty, he was hopelessly drawn to the magic and the light in all things. I figure he saw something he could not resist out of the corner of his eye and flew into it. Despite the fact that every rescue attempt was made by paramedics and hospital staff and the death pronouncement officially came at 12:08 pm Eastern Time, I believe he died in my arms in our favorite hotel, leaving me with those final words. That's the true story I am going to tell."
Many had predicted that the duo was destined for success beyond the typical folk music circles. Jim Olsen, president of Carter's record label, Signature Sounds, said, "I always believed it would only take one cover by a major star to unveil his work to the rest of the world; and I was convinced that was going to happen. Somebody was going to open the door for them; and the thing about Dave's music is that once people heard it, they became lifelong fans." Fellow folksinger and journalist Matt Watroba wrote, "It would make sense at this point, to say that Dave Carter was on the verge of something big. The truth, however, is that Dave was something big already. He moved the people lucky enough to know him or his music in a way that has launched an outpouring of tributes, memories and love."
Grammer decided to keep the duo's appointment to play the 2002 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival and dance festival formerly held at the Long Hill Farm in Hillsdale, New York, USA. In 2006, the event moved to nearby Dodds Farm, just off Rt. 22, five miles north of the Rt. 22/Rt. 23 intersection in Hillsdale, on...
the following week and a tribute concert was arranged. The tribute included performances by a number of Carter's admirers singing his songs. Highlights included Chris Smither's
Chris Smither
Chris Smither is an American folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His music draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers.-Early life, influences and education:...
cover of "Crocodile Man", Mark Erelli
Mark Erelli
Mark Erelli is an American folk singer/songwriter from Reading, Massachusetts. He currently resides in Massachusetts. Erelli is a 1996 graduate of Bates College, where he majored in Biology, and holds a Master's Degree in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts...
singing "Cowboy Singer", a rendition of "Happytown" by The Kennedys
The Kennedys (band)
The Kennedys are an American folk-rock band, consisting of husband and wife Pete and Maura Kennedy. Their first album, River of Fallen Stars, was released under the name "Pete and Maura Kennedy"; they released all subsequent albums as "The Kennedys"...
, and "Farewell to Saint Dolores" by Eddie From Ohio
Eddie From Ohio
Eddie from Ohio is an American folk band.Formed in 1991 in Northern Virginia, the band has achieved considerable local success, winning four Wammies Eddie from Ohio (or often just EFO) is an American folk band.Formed in 1991 in Northern Virginia, the band has achieved considerable local success,...
. Grammer herself opened the show with "The Mountain" and closed with "Gentle Soldier of My Soul". Several artist have since written tributes in Carter's honor (see below) and in 2005 Grammer released Flower of Avalon
Flower of Avalon
Flower of Avalon is a 2005 album by American folk singer Tracy Grammer. This was her first full solo album following the death of Dave Carter in 2002. The recording offered Grammer's take on nine previously unrecorded songs written by Carter and one traditional tune...
, including nine previously unrecorded songs by Carter.
Songwriting
Dave Carter's songs have been covered by many others, perhaps most notably by Joan BaezJoan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
("The Mountain") and by Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky is an American folk musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University.-Biography:...
("Cowboy Singer") and Chris Smither ("Crocodile Man"). Tributes to him following his death were written by Tracy Grammer ("The Verdant Mile") and Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children....
("So Says the Whippoorwill"), among others.
One song, "Gentle Arms of Eden", was added to the hymnal in at least one Unitarian Universalist congregation. More of Carter's songs were recorded by Tracy Grammer on her 2005 album Flower of Avalon
Flower of Avalon
Flower of Avalon is a 2005 album by American folk singer Tracy Grammer. This was her first full solo album following the death of Dave Carter in 2002. The recording offered Grammer's take on nine previously unrecorded songs written by Carter and one traditional tune...
.
Discography
- Snake Handlin' ManSnake Handlin' ManSnake Handlin' Man is a 1995 album by American folk singer Dave Carter. This was his solo debut prior to his very successful partnership with fiddler, Tracy Grammer . The duo re-recorded "The River Where She Sleeps" for their 1998 album When I Go, and "Cowboy Singer" for their 2000 release,...
, Dave Carter (self-release, 1995, out of print) - When I GoWhen I Go (album)When I Go is a 1998 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "When I Go" – 4:16# "Don't Tread on Me" – 3:23# "Annie's Lover" – 2:52...
, Dave Carter with Tracy GrammerTracy GrammerTracy Grammer is an American folk singer known for her work as half of the folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer and for the solo career that she has continued since Carter's death...
(self-release 1998, Signature Sounds 2002) - Tanglewood TreeTanglewood TreeTanglewood Tree is a 2000 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "Happytown " – 3:34# "Tanglewood Tree" – 3:42# "The Mountain" – 3:39...
, Dave Carter and Tracy GrammerDave Carter and Tracy GrammerDave Carter and Tracy Grammer were an American folk duo who released three albums from 1998 to 2001, as well as additional material released after Dave Carter's death...
(Signature Sounds, 2000) - Drum Hat BuddhaDrum Hat BuddhaDrum Hat Buddha is a 2001 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :All songs written by Dave Carter.# "Ordinary Town" – 2:48# "Tillman Co." – 3:26# "Disappering Man" – 3:49...
, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (Signature Sounds, 2001) - Seven Is the NumberSeven Is the NumberSeven Is the Number is a 2006 album by American folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. It was the duo's final recording, released over four years after Carter's unexpected death due to a heart attack in July 2002....
Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (Tracy Grammer Music, 2006) - American Noel Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (Signature Sounds, 2008)
Covers
Songs written by Dave Carter performed by other artists:- Flower of AvalonFlower of AvalonFlower of Avalon is a 2005 album by American folk singer Tracy Grammer. This was her first full solo album following the death of Dave Carter in 2002. The recording offered Grammer's take on nine previously unrecorded songs written by Carter and one traditional tune...
(Signature Sounds, 2005), Tracy GrammerTracy GrammerTracy Grammer is an American folk singer known for her work as half of the folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer and for the solo career that she has continued since Carter's death...
, includes nine previously unrecorded Dave Carter songs. - "The Mountain", in 2001 concerts, Joan BaezJoan BaezJoan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
- "The River Where She Sleeps", from A Crooked Line (2001), Darryl PurposeDarryl PurposeDarryl Purpose is an American singer-songwriter folk musician, known for his narrative lyrics and fingerstyle guitar. Before becoming a professional musician, Purpose was a professional blackjack player and was known as one of the best in the world...
- "Tanglewood Tree", from Clearwater (2002), Chris and Meredith Thompson
- "Crocodile Man", from Train Home (Hightone RecordsHighTone RecordsHighTone Records was an independent record label based in Oakland, California. Hightone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg in 1983...
, 2003), Chris SmitherChris SmitherChris Smither is an American folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His music draws deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers.-Early life, influences and education:... - "Farewell to St. Dolores", Gambling Eden (2003), Rani Arbo
- "Gentle Arms of Eden", from Temporary Stay (2003), Pat WictorPat WictorPat Wictor is a Venezuelan-born American blues and folk musician, guitarist, singer/songwriter, and recording artist. His father's career in the oil industry led to his family living in not only Venezuela but also, Holland, Norway, Texas, and England before returning to the United States in his...
- "Gentle Arms of Eden", from Side of the Road (2003), Ellis PaulEllis PaulEllis Paul is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Aroostook County, Maine, Paul is a key figure in what has become known as the Boston school of songwriting, a literate, provocative and urbanely romantic folk-pop style that helped ignite the folk revival of the 1990s...
and Vance GilbertVance GilbertVance Gilbert is an American folk singer/songwriter. He started out as a jazz singer, then switched to folk music, performing on the open mike circuit in Boston. His career took off when he toured with Shawn Colvin. He has recorded eight albums, including Side of the Road, a duo album with friend... - "Walkin' Away from Caroline, from God's Poet Now, (2003, EP to benefit the Dave Carter Memorial Fund), Erik BalkeyErik BalkeyErik Balkey writes custom songs and paints houses and is based in Haddon Heights, NJ. -Discography:* Erik Balkey * Negotiations & Compromise * God's Poet Now * While the Paint Dries...
- "Cat Eye Willie Claims His Lover", from Sweet Mystery of Life (2004), Full Frontal Folk
- "Cowboy Singer", from The Red ThreadThe Red Thread (Lucy Kaplansky album)The Red Thread is the fifth solo album by New York singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 2004.- Track listing :Unless noted otherwise, lyrics by Lucy Kaplansky & Richard Litvin, music by Lucy Kaplansky# "I Had Something" – 4:16...
(Red House RecordsRed House RecordsRed House Records is an American independent record label specializing in folk music and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.The label was originally created in 1981 by Greg Brown as a method to distribute his own music, and is named for a farmhouse in Iowa where he was living...
, 2004), Lucy KaplanskyLucy KaplanskyLucy Kaplansky is an American folk musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University.-Biography:... - "Gentle Soldier of My Soul", from Paintbrush (2004), Diane Zeigler
- "The Mountain", LIVE (2004), Chris and Meredith Thompson
- "Quickdraw Southpaw's Last Hurrah", from One Horse TownOne Horse Town"One Horse Town" is a song by Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is the third track of his 1976 album, Blue Moves. The song tells a story about a man who lives in a small village in Alabama, and how there's nothing to do; simply a "one horse town". It might reference the civil war;...
(2005), Jim HenryJim Henry (folk singer)Fans first discovered Jim Henry in the Sundogs, an eclectic "swamp-boogie-swing" group that was one of New England's hottest touring club and dance hall bands in the late 80's/early 90's. In 1993, Jim released his debut solo disc, Into the Blue, whose title track garnered national praise and still...
Watroba, Matt, "Review: Jim Henry, One Horse Town Six Pack", Sing Out!Sing Out!Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
Vol 50 #2, Summer 2006. reprint here - "When I Go", from Bristlecone Pine (2006), Bryan BowersBryan BowersBryan Bowers is an American autoharp player who is frequently credited with introducing the instrument to new generations of musicians.-Career:...
- "Happytown (It's Alright with Me)" and "Gypsy Rose", from Songs of the Open Road (Appleseed RecordingsAppleseed RecordingsFounded in 1997 by activist attorney Jim Musselman, Appleseed Recordings is an idealistic, internationally distributed and independent music label devoted to releasing socially conscious contemporary and traditional folk and roots music by a wide array of established and lesser-known musicians...
, 2006), The KennedysThe Kennedys (band)The Kennedys are an American folk-rock band, consisting of husband and wife Pete and Maura Kennedy. Their first album, River of Fallen Stars, was released under the name "Pete and Maura Kennedy"; they released all subsequent albums as "The Kennedys"... - "When I Go", from Stand (2003), The KennedysThe Kennedys (band)The Kennedys are an American folk-rock band, consisting of husband and wife Pete and Maura Kennedy. Their first album, River of Fallen Stars, was released under the name "Pete and Maura Kennedy"; they released all subsequent albums as "The Kennedys"...
- "When I Go", from Heaven is So High and I'm So Far Down (RiskyDisk, 2006), Pat WictorPat WictorPat Wictor is a Venezuelan-born American blues and folk musician, guitarist, singer/songwriter, and recording artist. His father's career in the oil industry led to his family living in not only Venezuela but also, Holland, Norway, Texas, and England before returning to the United States in his...
- "Gun Metal Eyes", from Liberty Tree (Songs from the Kitchen Table) (2007?), Mission Street ProjectErik BalkeyErik Balkey writes custom songs and paints houses and is based in Haddon Heights, NJ. -Discography:* Erik Balkey * Negotiations & Compromise * God's Poet Now * While the Paint Dries...
- "Kate and the Ghost of Lost Love", from Open The Gate (2007) Sense of WonderSense of wonderA sense of wonder is an intellectual and emotional state frequently invoked in discussions of science fiction. It is an emotional reaction to the reader suddenly confronting, understanding, or seeing a concept anew in the context of new information....
- "When I Go" from Live (2003), Ronny CoxRonny CoxDaniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
- "The Mountain" from Not Far Now (2009) by Richard ShindellRichard ShindellRichard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children....
- "Tanglewood Tree" from Wicked Girls (2010) by Seanan McGuireSeanan McGuireSeanan McGuire is an American author and filker. She also writes under the name "Mira Grant."-October Daye:# Rosemary and Rue...
Tributes
Songs written by other artists as tributes to Dave Carter:- "The Verdant Mile", from The Verdant MileThe Verdant MileThe Verdant Mile is a 2004 extended play album by American folk singer Tracy Grammer.- Track listing :# "The Verdant Mile" # "This Dirty Little Town" # "Wasn't Born To Follow" # "Solitary Man"...
(Tracy Grammer Music, 2004), Tracy GrammerTracy GrammerTracy Grammer is an American folk singer known for her work as half of the folk duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer and for the solo career that she has continued since Carter's death... - "Between Here and Gone," from Between Here and GoneBetween Here and GoneBetween Here and Gone is the ninth studio album by Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released April 27, 2004. The album reached number five on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, although the album itself produced no chart singles...
(2004) Mary Chapin CarpenterMary Chapin CarpenterMary Chapin Carpenter is an American folk and country music artist. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer... - "Friend of the Coyote", from Kickin' This Stone (2004), JohnsmithJohnsmithJohnsmith is an American singer-songwriter, based in Wisconsin. In January 2011, he was nominated for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in the Blues category for his song "Jay Bird".-Discography:*Gravity of Grace *Break Me Open...
- "So Says the Whippoorwill", from VueltaVuelta (album)Vuelta is the sixth album by singer-songwriter Richard Shindell. The album's eighth track, "So says the Whipporwill," is a tribute to the late folk artist Dave Carter.- Track listing :All songs written by Richard Shindell except where indicated....
(Signature Sounds, 2004), Richard ShindellRichard ShindellRichard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children.... - "God's Poet Now", from God's Poet Now (2003), Erik BalkeyErik BalkeyErik Balkey writes custom songs and paints houses and is based in Haddon Heights, NJ. -Discography:* Erik Balkey * Negotiations & Compromise * God's Poet Now * While the Paint Dries...
- "Wheel Inside the Wheel", from Mercy Now (2004), Mary GauthierMary GauthierMary Gauthier is an American folk singer-songwriter.-Life and career:Gauthier was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Given up at birth by a mother she never knew, Gauthier was adopted by an Italian Catholic couple in Thibodaux, Louisiana...
- "Tribute", from From the Hazel Tree (written 2002, recorded 2004), written by Catherine Faber, recorded by Echo's Children
- "I Shall Not Look Away", from Tiger Tattoo (Waterbug Records, 2002), Andrew CalhounAndrew CalhounAndrew Calhoun is an American folk singer/songwriter. He was inspired to become a musician when his mother brought home a couple of her hippie students who played guitar. Early influences include Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Joseph Conrad,...
- "Willow", from Open The Gate (2007), Sense of Wonder
- "Dave's Song", from White Bird (2003), Emily Kurn
- "Oklahoma Spirit Guide", from Spirit Guide (2006, Redbud Hill), Randy Auxier
- "Where Did You Go?" from Sunset Waltz (2008), Pat WictorPat WictorPat Wictor is a Venezuelan-born American blues and folk musician, guitarist, singer/songwriter, and recording artist. His father's career in the oil industry led to his family living in not only Venezuela but also, Holland, Norway, Texas, and England before returning to the United States in his...
External links
Further reading
- Music Matters Review on Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
- WJFF Public Radio Interview with Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Aired November 20, 1999