When I worked for the National Park Service I presented a lot of programs of historic music. This song was one that I sang often for those programs. It is a song that was likely originally written as alternate words to "The Sailor's Lament". I'm not sure where I got my version from, it seems like I've always heard someone singing it in my life. 

There are hundreds of small town graveyards spread throughout the western prairies. I have relatives buried in some of them. This song reminds me of them and the places they are buried. If you're ever in Western Nebraska, go and see the cemetery near Chimney Rock close to Bayard, NE. While you're there think about this song.

Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie

I'm not sure that these words are correct, or that the version I know is totally correct. I don't remember where I learned this song, but it sticks in my mind and I find myself singing it a lot. I've probably pasted together this patchwork over the years while I'm driving on some road trip or doing the dishes. I love this song though. It is funny and has vivid imagery. It looks like a cartoon in my head. 

My Grandpa hopped a train when he was 17 and "rode the bum" as he used to say, meaning he took the train and lived like a hobo for a couple of weeks. After nearly starving and ending up miserable, he came back home and his mother sprayed him down with a hose because he smelled so bad.

The Big Rock Candy Mountains

There are lots of versions of this tune. The fiddle tune "The Girl I Left Behind Me" predates western migration by a lot, but often tunes would be adapted to new words to accommodate stories from the west. A lot of old cowboy and western songs borrow melodies from other songs. Strangely, (and probably) because of the strong imagery associated with the west, the cowboy songs have survived, and often the songs whose melodies they borrowed have been forgotten. 

This tune survives, and there are verses from all eras of American settlement. I chose the western ones because of where I grew up. Out here on the wide open prairies.

The Gal I Left Behind Me

Here's an old Cowboy Song that my great grandmother used to sing. She was born in Amarillo, Texas in 1908 and this is a song about that region. 

I think we forget how far away things were in the 1800s. I can drive to Amarillo in an afternoon these days. In 1915 my great grandmother walked from Amarillo to Clovis, New Mexico behind a covered wagon. When people would leave a place, it was very likely that you would never see them again, and if you did, it would have been several weeks or months, even if they were in a hurry.

Red River Valley

A song from Hank Williams Sr. Thanks for signing up for my mailing list!

Lost Highway

"Martin Gilmore" was released in 2009 and features eleven original songs by Denver based singer/songwriter Martin Gilmore. Produced by Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters, the record features members of Hot Rize, FY5, Long Road Home and faculty at the University of Northern Colorado's Folk and Bluegrass program.

Martin Gilmore

Won't You Come Home

Recorded in Cairo, Egypt in 2017, "East-West" features a collaboration between American folk musician Martin Gilmore, and Egyptian oudist Eslam Elabaty. The album features original and traditional music, as well as a version of Hamilton Camp's "The Pride of Man" and soundscapes from around Egypt.

East West

Pride Of Man

Cairo (Soundscape)

Sally In The Garden

Longa Yorro

Alexandria (Soundscape)

Bahariya

HaDJi Ali

Maadi Road 83 (Soundscape)

This track is from the soon to be released "The Martin Gilmore" record. Head over to www.martingilmore.com to get yours now. Pre-releases come with a signed CD, a sticker, and a digital download.

The Martin Gilmore Trio

Christina

Martin Gilmore is a folk singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist from Denver, Colorado. He has two studio albums as a solo artist and several albums with various bands. More can be found at www.martingilmore.com

MartinGilmore

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