Foreward

When I first met John Fitzsimmons in 1989, I thought the Old Man of the Mountains had shaved off his beard, picked up a guitar, and was trying his luck as a folksinger. He was a bit late, covered with small pieces of dirt, and apologized tersely for his condition, saying he’d just finished building a stone wall for a neighbor. He shook my hand and I knew he wasn’t lying, but I wondered what kind of a man prepared for a recording session by handling rough boulders. Several hours, and now several years later, Fitzy still makes me wonder, but I find I’m more often amazed than amused.

His songs seem to come from deep within the New England earth. Sometimes burning with fire and rage, sometimes warm and gentle, but always honest and clear. In a voice that’s equal parts granite and brandy, John etches unsentimental portraits of real people facing life’s struggles and joys the only way they know how. Sometimes the characters manage to find some distant light, but it’s the journey, not the journey’s end, that’s important to John.

What makes this disparate collection believable is the road traveled by the writer. Over the past twenty years John has worked as a sailor, farmhand, logger, woodcarver, musician, storyteller, teacher, wrestling coach, and other jobs he refuses to talk about. For the past twelve years he’s held forth every Thursday night in the back tavern of the Colonial Inn in Concord, (once home to Henry David Thoreau’s family) and the place to go if you want to meet some real swamp Yankees, people who lived in these towns before the yuppie exodus made them suburbs. You’re sure to find these folks there: listening to the music, singing along, sucking down brews, and giving Fitzy a playfully hard time.

The other “voice” on this recording is the inspired production and musicianship of Seth Connelly, who plays far too many instruments far too well for a mere mortal. Seth has worked with John Gorka, Catie Curtis, Ellis Paul, Geoff Bartley and others: and when John hooked up with him a couple of years ago, these songs took on new colors and dimensions. they both share a complete trust in each others vision, as well as a friendship as strong as the songs they’ve created.

So I want you to listen to this friend of mine, John Fitzsimmons. His songs give voice to things we all can hear. Put this on, sit back, and hear for yourself…

Eric Kilburn
12/28/95

Campfire: Dedication

Like thousands of other guitar players I learned my first chords playing songs for kids while working at a summer camp. It was my great fortune to work for Alba Taylor at Camp Sewataro in Sudbury MA. I worked there for years with my five brothers and sisters. In many ways camps, and Sewataro in particular, are the greatest preservers of the oral tradition.

Through their games, skits, songs and stories the experiences of countless kids and counselors are passed down to generations of camp going folk. All of the songs on this CD are a big part of the musical legacy that Alba continues at her camp to this very day—some forty odd years and counting.

We are proud and happy to dedicate this recording to Alba, with many thanks, for the hugeness of her heart, the determination of her spirit and for her warm wisdom and endless support of all things good for children.

Thank you Alba, for everything!

John Fitz, and The Folk Tradition

“Dawghouse” is a recording that evolved pretty naturally out of the (literally) hundreds of shows that Seth, Hatrack and I have performed over the last thirty years. The greatest irony is how small a sampling of song are represented here compared to our actual shows–which are often a feast of songs that last well over three hours.

But there is nothing here that all of us don’t love and appreciate. Hatrack, Seth and I really do love a broad margin to our setlists, and, in many ways, “Dawghouse” is simply as “set” of songs remarkably well-produced and engineered by Seth.

We don’t have this up on iTunes, but if you contact us, we can send you a CD or digital version–or we can send you individual tracks.

Whatever you do with Doghouse: enjoy, because we certainly do.