Episode 26: Chalk Horse Music and the Folklore Behind Their Folk Music
Do you have a favorite folk band? We might just have your new favorite that you didn’t even know was missing in your life? In episode 26 we speak with Liz Pearson, vocalist for the folk band Chalk Horse Music with songs inspired by local stories, legends and places. Stephen Thomas from Folkroom Records says […]
The post Episode 26: Chalk Horse Music and the Folklore Behind Their Folk Music appeared first on Fabric of Folklore.
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00:00:13:20 – 00:00:28:08
Unknown
Welcome, folks. You folks, welcome to Fabric of Folklore. I’m your host, Vanessa Rogers. And this is a podcast where we unwrap the mysteries of folklore. And on this podcast, this podcast is all about storytelling, culture and the human experience.
00:00:28:10 – 00:00:55:00
Unknown
We interview historians, folklorist and of course, musicians like the guest we have on today. Folk music, like folk tales, connects people together, binding bridging gaps between generations and giving space to the light and our shared history on fabric of folklore. We are shining a light on the history and significance of folk tales. Folk music and all of folklore and understanding its relevance to us today.
00:00:55:05 – 00:01:15:17
Unknown
So if that sounds like a podcast that interests you, make sure that you’re hitting that subscribe button so that you are getting those notifications every Tuesday when our new podcast drops. And if you are a long time listener, please consider reading and reviewing us. Apple podcast has written reviews and I think a lot of other podcasts just have stars.
00:01:15:17 – 00:01:39:09
Unknown
So please give us those stars and invite us to review that. So helpful for other people to find our podcasts. We have a fantastic show for you today. You’re going to love this when we’re speaking with Liz Pierson. She’s a vocalist for folk band Chuck Norris music with songs inspired by local stories, legends and places. Stephen Thomas from Folk Group Records says this about Chuck Horse Music.
00:01:39:11 – 00:02:16:27
Unknown
We were quietly blown away earlier this year by Chuck Norris music, who combined folk tradition with Reimaginings and come out with something completely unmatched in the folk music scene. Their songs draw inspiration from classics and the downs their music stuns. And Liz Pierson, she was previously signed to EMI and Atlantic Records. She released an album with her former husband that led to a number one billboard single, but then left the music industry for about ten years back in Sussex, UK, she took up playing autoharp and began singing at local folk clubs where she found her love of music again.
00:02:16:27 – 00:04:03:04
Unknown
And Chuck Norris music was formed. She’s also making a solo album as she was awarded a grant by the Arts Council to make it so welcome. Liz Pierson, thanks so much for joining us on Fabric of Folklore. And so we like to get started, usually with a little bit of context. How did you get started in creating music and specifically folk music?
00:04:03:07 – 00:05:33:01
Unknown
So, yes, I saw that you do that nursery class and I definitely want to get into that because that was super interesting to me being a mom. So can you talk a little bit about what you think makes folk folk music stand out? What makes it different? Mm hmm. Absolutely. And so you said you sang with your dad.
00:05:33:01 – 00:08:46:20
Unknown
Did he sing with anyone in his family? Was he at. He just sang around the house. And you all sang together. And what do you think specifically speaks to you about folklore of folk songs? Hm mm. Absolutely, yeah. So are there different types of folk music? Mm hmm. Mm. And did you study music and did you have vocalist training or did you just kind of train yourself?
00:08:46:23 – 00:12:48:02
Unknown
And so why do you think it’s important to keep folk music alive? MM, mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And can you sing a little bit of the English version in the American version so the different audiences can hear the difference? Yeah. And what is that song about? That is. That’s heart achingly beautiful. It’s just. I mean, it just gets into your soul and
00:12:48:02 – 00:13:02:20
Unknown
Welcome, folks. You folks, welcome to Fabric of Folklore. I’m your host, Vanessa Rogers. And this is a podcast where we unwrap the mysteries of folklore. And on this podcast, this podcast is all about storytelling, culture and the human experience.
00:13:02:22 – 00:13:29:12
Unknown
We interview historians, folklorist and of course, musicians like the guest we have on today. Folk music, like folk tales, connects people together, binding bridging gaps between generations and giving space to the light and our shared history on fabric of folklore. We are shining a light on the history and significance of folk tales. Folk music and all of folklore and understanding its relevance to us today.
00:13:29:17 – 00:13:49:29
Unknown
So if that sounds like a podcast that interests you, make sure that you’re hitting that subscribe button so that you are getting those notifications every Tuesday when our new podcast drops. And if you are a long time listener, please consider reading and reviewing us. Apple podcast has written reviews and I think a lot of other podcasts just have stars.
00:13:49:29 – 00:14:13:21
Unknown
So please give us those stars and invite us to review that. So helpful for other people to find our podcasts. We have a fantastic show for you today. You’re going to love this when we’re speaking with Liz Pierson. She’s a vocalist for folk band Chuck Norris music with songs inspired by local stories, legends and places. Stephen Thomas from Folk Group Records says this about Chuck Horse Music.
00:14:13:23 – 00:14:51:09
Unknown
We were quietly blown away earlier this year by Chuck Norris music, who combined folk tradition with Reimaginings and come out with something completely unmatched in the folk music scene. Their songs draw inspiration from classics and the downs their music stuns. And Liz Pierson, she was previously signed to EMI and Atlantic Records. She released an album with her former husband that led to a number one billboard single, but then left the music industry for about ten years back in Sussex, UK, she took up playing autoharp and began singing at local folk clubs where she found her love of music again.
00:14:51:09 – 00:16:37:16
Unknown
And Chuck Norris music was formed. She’s also making a solo album as she was awarded a grant by the Arts Council to make it so welcome. Liz Pierson, thanks so much for joining us on Fabric of Folklore. And so we like to get started, usually with a little bit of context. How did you get started in creating music and specifically folk music?
00:16:37:19 – 00:18:07:13
Unknown
So, yes, I saw that you do that nursery class and I definitely want to get into that because that was super interesting to me being a mom. So can you talk a little bit about what you think makes folk folk music stand out? What makes it different? Mm hmm. Absolutely. And so you said you sang with your dad.
00:18:07:13 – 00:21:21:02
Unknown
Did he sing with anyone in his family? Was he at. He just sang around the house. And you all sang together. And what do you think specifically speaks to you about folklore of folk songs? Hm mm. Absolutely, yeah. So are there different types of folk music? Mm hmm. Mm. And did you study music and did you have vocalist training or did you just kind of train yourself?
00:21:21:05 – 00:25:55:14
Unknown
And so why do you think it’s important to keep folk music alive? MM, mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And can you sing a little bit of the English version in the American version so the different audiences can hear the difference? Yeah. And what is that song about? That is. That’s heart achingly beautiful. It’s just. I mean, it just gets into your soul and I think that it just.
00:25:55:21 – 00:26:58:03
Unknown
I guess the shape shifted. That’s amazing. And, and so when children are doing these chant, are they doing like a game with it? Like, you know, like with their hands or, oh. Mm. Yeah. I think there’s something special about a cuckoo in that. Like they, they’re very protective of their young or what is there something like that about that specific bird.
00:26:58:05 – 00:29:36:29
Unknown
Is that the one that like, like No that’s the quail who leads someone off with it. Acting like they’re injured. They were something interesting. Do you know what? Mm mm. Yeah. Okay, so tell us a little bit about course music. Tell us about your band and what makes it stand out. Oh, cool. Well, yeah. And you’re working with her now?
00:29:37:02 – 00:31:39:05
Unknown
Mm hmm. How long is the long drive in Texas? That’s a short drive. Okay. Okay. That just sounds like such a great project. Yeah, well, I can’t wait to see. Are those interviews? Will they be on camera or will they be just audio? Okay.
00:31:39:08 – 00:33:31:25
Unknown
Oh, okay. Mm. Yeah, absolutely. That she just sounds like a wealth of knowledge as well as a great personality. So going back, we were talking about your band. Can you tell us about your band name? What is a talk course? Oh, Oh, and do we know who were the designers of the sculptures in the side of the hill?
00:33:31:27 – 00:36:01:23
Unknown
MM Yes, I was going to. It’s going to ask, are they protected at all or do people still touch them? Can they, can we still interact with them? MM hmm. Mm. As they do. Were there any other names that you considered before you came on to talk? Course. Talk music. Mm hmm. Mm. So you you’re quite close to the ocean?
00:36:01:26 – 00:38:10:12
Unknown
Mm hmm. Mm mm. Is it just when a really high cliff, Is that what makes it. Mm mm. Oh, so you can’t go something, is it. Is it cold, do you. Oh, my goodness. Yes. You’re already ice. So you just feel like you don’t change. Yes. Mm. I, I think Tony Robinson, he’s like a a and a he did that video that, that documentary.
00:38:10:12 – 00:38:40:29
Unknown
I’m not your guru. He’s like an inspirational leader type person. He says that he jumps into a cold body of water every single morning because it’s so rejuvenating for your soul and really, like, it gives you up for the day. Whereas I can I can see how that would be effective. But I also feel like that would be torture for me personally.
00:38:41:01 – 00:39:31:06
Unknown
Really, Just because, you know. Yeah, well, how long before you before your teeth start? Chad, stop chattering and you start feeling I mean, I just the only oceans I’ve been in to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, and I just remember it was just so miserable. I mean, I just read it straight out because I was like, I can’t handle this.
00:39:31:09 – 00:40:28:07
Unknown
And I mean, just from that, I was it was in the summertime, too. And I was I was chattering. So how long does it take you to to resettle your body? Mm mm. I think that would know. We so I live in Texas and I’m in San Antonio, but in Austin there’s a famous natural pool. It’s called Barton Springs.
00:40:28:14 – 00:40:51:07
Unknown
And so because of spring water, the water is year round, very cold and we are in 100 degrees weather. So it’s very hot right now. But even that, like I can’t even when it’s like a million degrees outside and I go in, I am still like, oh, I just I don’t like cold water and I don’t even stain it.
00:40:51:07 – 00:41:24:27
Unknown
Barton Springs when it’s 100 degrees outside because I just can’t handle it. So I don’t I can I can see like I understand the what it does to your, you know, bloodstream, but I don’t know, I, I just don’t think I could do it. Interesting. Well, maybe, maybe that would make a difference. Maybe I’ll take doing freezing weather, wind, freezing weather and freezing cold pool water and.
00:41:25:00 – 00:46:36:08
Unknown
Okay, so let’s talk a little bit about how your music making process works. Do you how do you get inspiration? Mm hmm. Mm mm. Can you tell us can you tell us the story of Nantucket? Uh huh, uh huh, uh hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm. Oh, right. No. Yeah. I mean, if you’re working with them every day, I would imagine that it would be a natural practice for you to just, you know, want to chat along, huh?
00:46:36:11 – 00:48:00:28
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. You know, it doesn’t make any sense. And you don’t care. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Would you like to sing either one of those songs for us? You said Nantucket telling of the be telling the bees and also the murder ballad. Okay, if you forget the lyrics.
00:51:08:03 – 00:51:26:06
Unknown
that’s just gorgeous. I really love that. And I really like the autoharp. Although I don’t. I’m not very familiar with that instrument.
00:51:26:08 – 00:54:38:26
Unknown
Wow. Yeah. Mm. Yeah, I really. I really like it. How old of an instrument is the autoharp? How long has it been around? You know, no. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Uh huh. Okay. Yeah. And I’ll try and find then who’s the link to that. That’s that’s really cool. So how is your solo album going? How is that going to be different from what you’ve been doing previously?
00:54:38:28 – 00:54:42:00
Unknown
Mm hmm.
00:54:42:03 – 00:58:54:22
Unknown
Yeah. Mm hmm. Mm mm mm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah. Well, that sounds that sounds so fantastic. And you think it’ll come out next year? Mm. Mm hmm. And you really like local folklore from where you’re from? Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. That’s a great quote. Mm. Yeah. I had a guest on the last show that aired was Kris Packard.
00:58:54:24 – 00:59:15:22
Unknown
And one of the things that he said was that he would learn about one mythical creature. He’s from Maine. And so he was writing a book about folklore creatures in in Maine. And he would go to about one creature, and then it would he would pull on a thread and it would lead to five more. And he would just like have to keep going.
00:59:15:24 – 01:00:11:24
Unknown
And he couldn’t tell one story without telling all of the stories. So it just kept expanding because he just found that it was just this giant web interwoven and they just all had to be told together. Otherwise they didn’t really make sense at Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. But it’s also really beautiful to see how it’s all connected and so I really I’m enjoying that element of folklore.
01:00:11:26 – 01:03:41:20
Unknown
Can we talk a little bit about your nursery rhyme class? I want to talk about how you got into that. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm. So is it weekly or how frequently is it? And what age group of children come in? What kind of songs are sung in this folk nursery rhyme class? Mm. We, we don’t. That’s not an American, right?
01:03:41:23 – 01:06:18:12
Unknown
Yeah. Oh, yes. That’s, that’s what they sing for Outlander. That’s, I think that’s the intro song. I think this. Okay. Mm hmm. I don’t know. It’s uh huh, yes. Uh huh. The Inn. Have you been surprised at anything throughout this this process? Um. Mm hmm.
01:06:18:14 – 01:06:54:03
Unknown
Mm mm mm.
01:06:54:05 – 01:09:27:00
Unknown
I always find that children are really, really gravitate towards music that they, you know, they can just listen to it and play with it for a really long time. Mm mm mm mm. And what benefit do you see for children to learn folk music. Mm hmm. Mm mm. Yeah. Right. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Kids love puppets. Mm mm mm mm mm mm.
01:09:27:03 – 01:09:53:04
Unknown
Yeah. And I think they probably don’t know it, but, you know, I think these nursery rhymes, they connect us to, to our past. And that’s, that’s something necessarily that they will recognize anytime soon. But maybe eventually it will, you know, come to. Mm. Exactly. And there was one other thing I wanted to ask you about and I’m not sure that you’re still doing it.
01:09:53:04 – 01:13:21:08
Unknown
It’s the mostly folk radio show. Is that a project you’re still working with? Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm mm mm mm mm mm. But maybe once your solo album is written and produced, it might be something that you could come back to. Mm hmm. Mm. Yeah. So. Yeah, with every guest I have on, I feel like there’s, like, a little light bulb that comes on and.
01:13:21:15 – 01:13:56:14
Unknown
And it does make me look back at the other past interviews and, like, reexamine how my, my thought process is and how they’re kind of changing throughout these, these interviews. And I, I, I’m really loving this. The process of how when you talk to all these different people who are, you know, have their hands in different areas, that it just kind of makes you think in a different way.
01:13:56:17 – 01:18:50:14
Unknown
Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. And so the music videos, you are the you’re the videographer. Yeah. Oh, okay. No. Oh, wow. Yeah. So is there is there a legend around the seven sisters and her? Okay. Wow. How fascinating. Yeah. Yeah, how fascinating. So I did want to ask you, the folk show, folk radio show, are people able to access those records or like, listen to the past episodes?
01:18:50:17 – 01:20:14:15
Unknown
Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. How cool. Well, is there anything that we missed that we didn’t talk about? All right, well, fantastic. I so appreciate you coming on our show and enlightening our listeners on your beautiful music and the legends around your area. Oh, good. I’m so glad. Yes. And all the links that we talked about, you can send me and we’ll post up on our website, which is w w w that fabric of folklore dot com.
01:20:14:17 – 01:20:40:19
Unknown
So this all the show notes will be there as long as along the links and any pictures of your band and things we can post up there too so people can get an idea of and videos as well. So it’ll be a one place shop so that people can find everything about you. And thank you folksy folks for joining us on this folk music journey with Cha Course music.
01:20:40:19 – 01:21:05:06
Unknown
And Liz Pearson. Do you listen to folk music in your own life? What did you like about it? If you do and what makes it worth preserving in your eyes? We want to hear from you. We have a Facebook community group page where we keep the conversation going and we really encourage our listeners to continue this conversation and engage with one another, because that is a community page.
01:21:05:06 – 01:21:33:10
Unknown
That is it really for y’all to have conversations with each other and to tell us about what is interesting for you in the world of folklore as well. So if you’re enjoying the show, please like share comment whether you’re on YouTube or if you’re on listening on a podcasting platform, make sure, you’re subscribing so that you’re getting those notifications when our show drops every Tuesday.
01:21:33:13 – 01:22:02:17
Unknown
So make sure and subscribe. And if you have listened in the past, I said before, please consider reading and reviewing as that is so, so helpful for us. And once again, thanks for unraveling the mysteries of folklore. I’m your host, Vanessa Rogers. You’ve been listening to Fabric of Folklore, and until next time, keep the folk alive in the.
01:22:02:17 – 01:22:13:14
Unknown
time, keep the folk alive in the.