I wrote this song about Meaford,I just didn't realize it at the time.  It was written in 1971 when I lived on Maitland St. in Toronto, and recorded on a 2-track reel-to-reel in 1979 in Box Grove with my new friend Terry Young singing along and playing a real nice fingerpicking guitar.  In 2009 when I moved to Meaford I thought, Man! It's been a long time coming home!

Long Time Coming Home

The Box Grove Dance Band was me, Ken Layton, Rick Joudrey and Lloyd Smith.  In all the years we played our rockabilly there was never a good recording until Ken sprung for a studio and producer to make an Iggstock compilation album  This is a song I wrote for the band, the second verse is inspired by Ken's mother Cec, who was a rock 'n roll baby in the fifties.

R & R REVIVALat the High School Hop

Back in the 80's Bruce Alexander brought his bass over to my place one night and he improvised a bass line while I played the bongos.  Afterward I multi-tracked layers to create a song from his melody, making up words and adding vocals last.  He must have been counting bars because it worked out perfectly, with verses and even a bass solo in the middle.

Sneaking Out The Back Door

A song I wrote about a love that is giving without expecting anything in return.  This version was beautifully produced by Rick Joudrey.  I think he played all the parts and his wife Anne Wilde sang the vocals.

Absolutely Free

A blues song I wrote, enhanced by the studio prowess of Steve Magill

Touch Me There

This celebration of making your own music for the fun of it was written many years ago remembering musical friends that had moved on.  This time I gathered new musical friends and we ran through it a few times then recorded this version live.  It features the abundant talents of Michael O'Connell; Dave Hawkins; Mike Belec; Tom Thwaits; his wife Corrine and their two young daughters Nora and Alex; Karri North; Allan Johnson; Bill Dickson; Darcy Louise and Diana Young, each contributing something special they dreamed up on the spot.  It's homemade music and it might make you wanna stay up and play all night.

Homemade Music

I've been making up songs a long time, some of them are all right.  I once ran an indie label promoting songwriters and I once had a company car.  I wrote about and interviewed some interesting people in print and on the Internet.  I saw the record business change from A&R non-solicited material to direct access to music listeners.  Cool!

Bill Monahan

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