The "National Emblem March" was composed by Craftsbury-born Edwin Bagley (1857) in 1902. It's immediately recognizable, as its opening includes the first bars of "The Star Spangled Banner". John Philip Sousa, America's best-known writer of marches, apparently included it in his list of his three favorite marches, the top two being his own works, of course. 

National Emblem March - Bagley

Tony wrote this song in commemoration of Craftsbury's 1989 Bicentennial celebration. He had obviously done his homework; for anyone wanting the basic outline of the story of Craftsbury's first two hundred years, this is a good starting point.  Tony, by the way, is remembered as an extraordinarily-talented musician who shared his violin, singing and composing skills throughout our Northeast Kingdom area and beyond. Thanks for all you gave us, Tony.

Craftsbury Bicentennial Song 1989

Mary takes the time here to give an account of her wide-ranging musical career. A Craftsbury native, she has traveled the world to perform in basement venues as well as spectacular stages like the Sydney Opera House. Her wide range of musical interests include classical, post-classical, jazz, experimental, tango, as well as the folk and bluegrass traditions of her northern Vermont origins. She speaks here of becoming semi-retired, meaning that she has slowed the constant travel between Vermont and New York. We had arranged this interview to take place in the Craftsbury Library at a time that would allow her afterwards to do her volunteer duties in the weekly food share program at the Church. She has traveled the world, and values the fact of being able to come back to Craftsbury and its small-town neighborliness.

Mary Rowell 3-20-25

Kayleigh Boyle and Doug Wolcik moved to Craftsbury from the Boston area in 2020 when they bought the former Jean Haigh property on the South Albany Road. Up to that point that had been hired help on other people's farms, and were ready to begin their own enterprise that they named 'Breadseed Farm'.  They define the main tenets of what they do as 'No Till', 'Small Scale', and 'Regenerative', and they refer to Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier as teachers who have guided their thoughts about how to farm sustainably on small acreage in a northern environment. I spoke with them on a sunny late March, early Spring day when the promise and expectations of a new growing season were about to be further delayed by a weekend forecast of a foot or so of snow. They're grateful to be a part of the overall Craftsbury community, and enjoy folks stopping in to inquire about their CSA offerings, or to just meet and chat.

Breadseed Farm 3-27-25

Jared Nunery is the Orleans County Forester, whose office on the Common is in a building that is currently used by Sterling as a dorm, and which had previously been an annex to the Inn on the Common. On the day we spoke with him he was doing paperwork in the office, but the best part of his job, as he describes it, is walking wooded properties with the folks that own them, to manage their trees to their best potential. Jared lives on the shore of Little Hosmer with his family.

Release date:
31 March 2025


Jared Nunery 3-31-25

This  is the B side of his 1962 LP 'A Graduation Address'.

02 A Graduation Address (B Side)

Francis Colburn (1909-1984) was a noted Vermont artist, teacher, lecturer, humorist and Old Time Fiddle Contest judge who lived in Burlington, was Chairman of the UVM Arts Department, and who was a summer resident of Craftsbury Common - his family had a camp on Little Hosmer - for many years. His 1962 LP recording entitled The Graduation Address is a humorous parody of a speech given at an imagined NE Kingdom high school ("Goshen Academy") to young graduates. His use of anecdotes and 'parables', spoken in his native Vermont vernacular, provides light-hearted commentary on the well-meaning advice that is given by speakers at graduation exercises everywhere. The original LP has two sides; this is side A.

01 A Graduation Address (A Side)

To celebrate the release of Linda and Bernie Lussier's new 2008 CD "40 Years With The Craftsbury Vibrations", WLVB 93.9 (Morrisville) host Mary Collins interviewed them for her radio show "Roots Are Showing".  In the interview Bernie and Linda speak extensively about their 40 years of being northern Vermont's premier dance band, appearing practically every weekend in venues all over northern Vermont. Members of the band included Roger Sanville, Tony and Lyn Washburn, Dave Rowell, Larry Miller, Larry Beaudry, Dave Miclette and Gary Potter. This is the recording of that May 1, 2008 interview.

02 A Graduation Address (B Side)

CHS Craftstories

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