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A gaggle of friends and colleagues of the late Bob Dyer will gather for an album release concert for “The Wandering Fool: Songs by Bob Dyer Sung in Tribute by his Friends” on Saturday, June 7, at 7 p.m., at Thespian Hall in Dyer’s hometown of Boonville. The well-known songwriter, poet and historian passed away in April 2007, and longtime cohorts Cathy Barton and Dave Para spent the better part of the past year producing the 78-minute CD featuring 19 cuts by local musicians and friends of Dyer’s. The concert will feature as many artists on the album as possible plus some additional guests. Artists on the album who will appear June 7 include: Leela Grace, who did a sparkling rendition of “Talking Waters; Barton and Para, who recorded “Bingham's Song” featuring Steve Litwiller on clarinet; David Lynn Grimes who created a bossa nova version sang the title cut “The Wandering Fool;” Rocket Kirchner and Mark Risch who sang “Huckleberry Finn”; Bartholomew Bean who rendered Bob’s talking blues song of the legendary “Jim the Wonder Dog”; -- Violet Vonder Haar who recorded a striking version of “On a Day Like Today”; Michael Cochran who offered a spirited arrangement of the keelboatman song “Mike Fink”; Lee Ruth, who recorded the seldom heard “From a Star”; Rick Hocks, who produced a multi-layered rock-setting of the Overton legend “Phantom Black Carriage”; Ed Trickett who first dubbed Bob “the bard of Boonville” and recorded the later favorite “One Last Time.” Also Boonville First Christian Church Chancel Choir, directed by Janice Bradshaw, will perform the late Paul Drummond’s choral arrangement of “River of the Big Canoes,” which was recorded in May 2007 by Drummond’s choir at Central Methodist University. Bradshaw, Boonville schools’ choral teacher for 35 years, substituted to teach Drummond’s choral literature course at the college this year following Drummond’s death in August 2007. Barton and Para produced the album for Dyer’s Big Canoe Records label with financial support by the Turner Hall River Rats for the Arts, of which Bob was a member. “Cathy and I thank the River Rats for raising money for this project that is very dear to our hearts,” Para says. The months we have worked on it has been an emotional journey, and we’re honored that so many of Bob’s friends and musical comrades have contributed so much. We’re looking forward to getting as many of them together as possible at Thespian Hall. Barton and Para worked on most the songs recorded at Pete Szkolka’s studio in Columbia, but contributions came from five other studios to accommodate the artists. Columbia’s Radio Ranger, Steve Donofrio, greatly contributed to the studio production. Donofrio produced the Lee Ruth tribute album “Everybody’s Got Love” for KOPN radio in 2003, and Steve helped achieve the objective to get a variety of musical interpretations and styles of Bob’s songs to give them flight.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. at Thespian Hall on Saturday, June 7. Tickets cost $10 and will be available at the door or by calling 660-882-5523. |
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Recordings |
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It is with deep regret that we inform you that Bob Dyer passed away on the morning of April 11, 2007. Thatcher Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. — the webmaster details
If you would like to use any of Bob's materials on a recording or in a film, etc., you need to contact: |
