A Fine Assortment of Hobos

From the desk of Peter Crowley:

 

The recession must not be a depression because if so, we'd probably be hearing about people hopping freight trains again.

 

As it is, I only know one real train rider, and he does it more out of choice than necessity. He's rambling around the Middle East these days. You can read his tales, past and present, here.

 

Pete Seward doesn't know any more hobos than I do, but nevertheless, he and architect/art gallery owner Todd Smith are putting on Hobo Fest, a music festival at Saranac Lake's Union Depot train station from noon until fairly late on Sept. 6, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It's free to get in, and I can vouch for the strength of the lineup, having had several of them do studio sessions with me for this show: Frankenpine, Big Slyde and Steve Langdon. I can also tell you that John Cohen, the headliner, is a musical treasure trove (and a fantastic photographer), and that JustJills and the Starlights are great folks. Another nice feature of Hobo Fest is that my backyard backs up to the station; at least one neighbor won't be calling the cops.

 

All of that is a long-winded way of saying that this week's show is as loaded with hobo songs as the boxcar in the opening of  "Bound for Glory," Woody Guthrie's autobiography. Pete Seward joins me as guest DJ, and after starting with a few off-theme songs, purely for fun, we pull in all kinds of railroad riders, starting with a quintet by Pete's man, Michael Hurley, whom he almost convinced to headline Hobo Fest. It's as fine an assortment of tramps as you'll find anywhere.

 

By the way, the folks at the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa might object to my use of the word "tramp." I quote the chamber of commerce: "Ask a veteran hobo at a convention jungle what a hobo is and you'll receive a definite answer. The hobo is a migratory worker, some with a special skill or trade, others ready to work at any task, but always willing to work to make his way.

"The tramp, they'll tell you, is a traveling non-worker, moving from town to town, but never willing to work for the handouts that he begs for. A bum is the lowest class, too lazy to roam around and never works." 

Who knew the hobos would get so highfallutin'?

The Ten Dollar Radio Show - sounds like the wind whipping your hair atop a high-rollin' train and plays for free.

 

This week's playlist:

 

Jeepster - T-Rex

Another Roadside Tragedy - The Black Crowes

Paul Revere - Beastie Boys

A Yodeling Hobo - Gene Autry

Just a Bum - Michael Hurley

Beggar's Terms - Michael Hurley

No Home - Michael Hurley

Nowhere to Go - Michael Hurley

Grand Canyon Line - Michael Hurley

My Walking Shoes - David Grisman, John Hartford and Mike Seeger

Counting the Crossties - The Bad Livers

Walking Boss - Tim O'Brien

Travelin' Train - A.M. Ramblers

High Rollin' Train - Wayne "The Train" Hancock

Hobo Blues - John Lee Hooker

Marie - Willie Nelson

Texas 1947 - Guy Clark

The Kettle Valley Line - Brian Dewan

Who's Your Daddy, Little Girl? - Jim & Jennie & the Pinetops

Pony - Tom Waits

Hobo's Lullabye - Woody Guthrie

Railroad Bill - Woody Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Sonny Terry

Waiting for a Train - Jimmie Rodgers

Mystery Train - Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs

Long Train Blues - Robert Wilkins

The New Frisco Train - Washington White

Greenback Dollar - Hoyt Axton

Morning Glory - Tim Buckley

Stranger Song - Marian Henderson

Freight Train Blues - Weary Boys

Wabash Cannonball - Roy Acuff

Slow Train - Crow Party

 

 As always:
-On the Web at www.tendollarradioshow.com
-On e-mail at [e-mail]

-On the air from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays on Rock 105 - 105.5 and 102.1 FM in the northern Adirondacks

 

(Photo of National Hobo Convention taken from Britt, Iowa's Web site.)