Another from our spectacular afternoon spent with renowned banjo man, guitarist, singer and storyteller Willie Watson. Was glad to make his acquaintance, and for his patience in the various song requests I made as a rabid fan. The session was almost over when I requested, please sir, a banjo song! How could I let him leave without playing something on the ole 5 string? Well, like a true gentleman he indulged us and gave me one I hadn't heard, Birmingham Mill. He'd written it with fellow Old Crow Medicine Show alumni Ketch Secor.
Gotta admit, I love a good labor song. This one hearkens back to the days of the mill, immigrant women and children weaving in industrial factories under dangerous conditions, toiling under unscrupulous bosses and dying in preventable accidents. We've came a long way, thanks to legislation around labor laws and unions fighting for safer conditions, but it isn't all that far removed from today around other parts of the world. Those same bosses found they could pay a pittance for the same labor in Bangladesh, escape the unions and not worry about installing fire alarms. Even here in the USA we still have our struggles, as various workers struggle to convince their bosses to give us some money for proper virus protection during pandemics. All that comes to mind when I hear a great song, speaking about a real subject, and that's the kind of music I love.
You can find more of Willie on any streaming platform. He's everywhere.
Special thank you to VJ Arizpe, Josh and Beth Collins, Edward Siple, Darren Cyprus and Richard for making this episode possible.
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