"Raise a Ruckus Tonight"

 Here’s a tune we always trot out whenever we feel a party coming on. So you can bet we’ll have it on the set list this weekend for our big “Flood at 50” birthday bash on New Year’s Eve at Alchemy Theatre. That’s a night we’re so eager for that we actually started putting this song through its paces earlier this month. For instance, here’s our take on the tune from a joyous night at Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland just a few weeks ago. Remember, we’re at Alchemy Theatre this Sunday night, 69 Holley Avenue in the beautiful hills of Huntington, WV. The birthday bash starts at 7:30 and runs all the way to the champagne toast to the new year at midnight. All the details are on our new website: Floodat50.com. Come on out. We’re going share memories — and make a whole bunch of new ones!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

 Okay, we have a Christmas confession to make. Honestly, we don’t really care that much for Christmas music. Oh, we’re not scrooges or anything — well, a few of us are — but it’s mainly it’s just the nature of Christmas songs themselves. The chord patterns are not especially easy to remember and since you only them for a week or two every year, you don’t ever get a chance to get cozy with them. Plus, well, frankly Christmas tunes generally don’t swing. (Try to put a beat behind “Little Town of Bethlehem” and there will be repercussions….) But here’s one that does fit the Flood groove nice, especially with the merriest of our merry band — Danny Cox and Floodster Emeritus Michelle Hoge — leading the way. We hope you DO have yourself a merry little Christmas.

You Got Me Slippin'

  When we roll in tomorrow night for our latest gig at Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland, Ky., we’re bringing with us one of our all time favorite party tunes. The song we call “You Got Me Slippin’” is loosely based on a classic Jimmy Reed tune from 65 years ago at the dawn of rock ’n’ roll.

My Dear Companion

 Nominally, this is a traditional song about abandoned love, but back in the 1960s when she reworked it, the late Jean Ritchie wrote new lyrics that went well beyond that to the larger theme of loss in general. Because of those deeper expressions, The Flood has often thought of this tune in times of our darkest grief, and we’ve even sung it at more than one graveside. So, it’s only natural for us to be thinking of it again these days with death of our own dear companion, Doug Chaffin. He absolutely loved playing this song. So, here’s to you, Doug.

"Good as I Been to You (You Gonna Quit Me Blues)"

We started doing the song in the mid-1990s, right after we heard it on a then-new Bob Dylan album. We were looking for an easy, happy little tune that we can warm up on, letting everybody just stretch out a little. Well, nowadays it just as likely to turn up as a last song of the night — as it was here at a recent rehearsal — putting a bow on a great evening of music.

But Not for Me

It’s a kind of counter-love song — a great anthem to angst — and George Gershwin’s “But Not For Me” was ahead of its time. He and his brother Ira wrote the thing in 1930 for a popular stage musical called “Girl Crazy.” But it didn’t make the Billboard charts until a dozen years later — after George’s death, in fact — when Harry James and his orchestra got to Number 12 with it. Last week was The Flood’s first fling with the tune. See what you think.

"July, You're a Woman"

 Charlie played this song for Dave Peyton on the first night they jammed together at a New Year’s Eve party 50 years ago. It was the one of the best tunes in their repertoire for their earliest gigs. After that, though, the song dropped out of the mix for many decade, but the one night this fall — help! — it came wandering back. On this track from a recent rehearsal, Charlie’s on banjo, Jack’s on bongos, Randy’s singing harmony and Danny’s playing those sweet, sweet solos.

"Birth of the Blues"

 We have several new tunes to bring tomorrow night  for our latest gig at Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland, Ky., including this one that the great Ray Henderson wrote almost a hundred years ago. This song  was first recorded by Paul Whiteman and his orchestra in the mid-1920s, but its real claim to fame came 15 years later when it was the title tune for a beloved Bing Crosby movie that was released on the eve of America’s entry into World War II. Here’s “Birth of the Blues.”

"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You"

 There’s a reason why The Flood’s rendition of this Dylan classic sounds different from Bobby’s version — or anyone else’s take on the tune, for that matter. That’s because back in the early 1980s, when Roger and Charlie started playing around with opening chord progression here, they thought they were writing an original song of their own. But then Rog and his family moved away — leaving West Virginia for the green hills of Kentucky — and the piece they were working on was left an orphan. It didn’t even have a name or the first hints of a lyric. Only a year or so later, when Charlie was noodling with it at a jam session did Dave Peyton say, “Hey, you know what? If you tweaked the chords a bit and added the bridge, you could sing that Dylan thing over that!” And right there and then, an arrangement was born, and we’ve been playing it like this ever since.

Jelly Roll Baker

 This sassy Lonnie Johnson song was written and recorded 80 years ago as a rhythm and blues hit, but we owe our version to our folk music heroes of the 1960s. To this day, it’s one of those perfect warmup tunes for us, because it provides plenty of stretching-out room for solos by everyone in the house, Danny and Sam, Randy and Jack.

Yas Yas Duck

 Wow, Jack Nuckols’ drumming has brought a whole new class of cool to the old band room. Whether it’s his tasty solos, or rocking along with Randy Hamilton’s bass under Charlie Bowen’s vocals, or making his wise and witty contributions to the ensemble supporting Danny Cox and Sam St. Clair’s solos, Jack’s rhythms have got us all wanting to get up and dance. Just listen to what he brings to this old hokum song from the late 1920s.

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

 This Bob Dylan classic has been in the Floodisphere forever — Roger and Charlie used to sing it together a half century ago — but only recently has it made a move to be in the regular repertoire. That’s when Randy stepped to sing his signature harmonies and Danny and Sam started doing double duty on the solos.

Opus One

 It’s the end of a fun evening at the Bowen house, but nobody is quite ready to quit yet. Jack starts padding a cool swing rhythm on the house bongos and Randy jumps in with a bass line that fits it to a T. Charlie gets the chords going, just as Danny flies in with that cool melody over Sam’s smooth harmonica fills. Now, it’s a tune that’s not really in our repertoire. It’s more like an old friend who drops by way too infrequently, but when he does, everyone in the room is happy to see him. Here’s “Opus One.”

"Tear It Down"

 When our friend, the remarkable percussionist Jack Nuckols, dropped in to visit with the band last week, we immediately drew him into the circle. First, we passed him the house bongos to play, but when a jug band tune came around, we put spoons in his hands. Jack was rocking it hard, we were digging on those rhythmic riffs and just as we were fixing to turn it over to him for a solo, darned if those spoons didn’t break in his hands. Now, Jack was apologetic, but — as you’ll hear — we all thought it was a hoot! What better way to end a song called, “Tear It Down”?

"Buddy Bolden's Blues"

 Here’s a tune that has drifted in and out of The Flood repertoire many times over the years. It drifted back in recently when we gathered on a sultry summer night that had a decidedly New Orleans tang to it. Here’s our take on “Buddy Bolden’s Blues.”

I'm Beginning to See the Light

 Our latest Duke Ellington number is a great vehicle for sassy solos by everyone in the band. Here’s “I’m Beginning to See the Light.”

Twisted Laurel

 Well, this has been Bowen’s “Banjo Summer.” In early June, he dropped in to visit Paul Callicoat at Route 60 Music and, on a whim, Charlie traded an old guitar he had for a shiny new five-string that he spied on the wall there. Charlie didn’t know a thing about banjo, but he started watching some videos he found on YouTube from the remarkable Dr. Josh Turknett and his “Brainjo Academy.” He practice a bit every day and has been having an absolute ball. Now, we don’t think he’ll ever been an especially proficient player — honestly, banjo seems to be something you could study the rest of your life and still have more to learn — but… well, we remember a line in an old song that said, “I can be the doctor ’til the doctor comes…” We think the same could be said about banjo players. Here, from a recent rehearsal, was Charlie’s first bit of banjocity with the band, on a great old Tommy Thompson tune.

Crazy Words, Crazy Tune

 We always try to have a few novelty tunes in our back pocket to lighten the mood at shows — or just to amuse ourselves at the weekly rehearsals. And this one, of course, is how we get all that big grant money, because it’s about history. Well, sort of…. There is some dispute about whether George Washington actually played the ukulele, but we do think it may have known a few red-hot mamas…

 

Autumn Leaves

 This song has marvelous lyrics by the great Johnny Mercer, as Floodster Emerita Michelle Hoge demonstrates whenever she’s in the room. But she’s not here to sing it, the song also is an extraordinary vehicle as an instrumental. Here from last week’s rehearsal, Danny Cox lays down a lovely melody, then his old friend and our guest for the evening — Bob Murnahan, in town for a visit from his Colorado home — takes a couple of choruses to mine gold in all those cool chords.

Ain't the Gravy Good?

 Twenty years ago this summer, we were in the midst of planning our third studio album, when our friend and producer, the late George Walker, showed up with a rare Cootie Williams recording. George thought this novelty tune would a good fit for us. We fell in love with it and learned  it in time for the recording session. Ever since then, whenever this song comes to mind, as it did at a recent Flood rehearsal, our thoughts race back to our good times with you, George.

Pretty Polly

For this old folk song, we follow the well-established narrative about a love affair that goes tragically wrong, but we take a lot of liberties with the traditional melody. Well, our unique tune goes back the very beginnings of The Flood. When Dave Peyton and Charlie Bowen were just starting out as a duet a half century ago, they found that odd string of chords seem to set just right with their simple guitar and Autoharp accompaniment. Since then over the years, every configuration of The Flood has found something new to add to that basic original arrangement. And it’s still happening. Just listen to this take from last week’s Flood rehearsal and to what Danny Cox and Sam St. Clair have contributed with their solos.
 

Blue Moon

 This song has been in The Flood’s repertoire for about 30 years now. Early on, it was an instrumental showcase for Joe Dobbs’ fiddle. Then about a decade or so, it was part of Michelle Hoge’s remarkable songbag of ballads and swing tunes. Lately, Randy Hamilton has taken over the lead vocals. On this track from last week’s rehearsal, Charlie Bowen brings a little harmony and Danny Cox finds all kinds of interesting opportunities for guitar goodies in those cool old chords.

Delia's Gone

Roger Samples and Charlie Bowen worked out our arrangement of this old tune about 50 years ago. We sang and played it at many parties and jam sessions, but then it remained retired for the next three or four decades. That is until one night this summer when the tune popped into Charlie’s mind during a weekly rehearsal. Right away, Danny Cox, Randy Hamilton and Sam St. Clair jumped in and gave new life to an old number.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

 When we roll into Sal’s Speakeasy tomorrow night for our monthly gig, we’ll be bringing with us a tune that has been rocking audiences for more than eight decades. And that, brothers and sisters, is the definition of a hit! It’s a Duke Ellington composition that was given a whole new lease on life through some evocative lyrics by the great Bob Russell.

Didn't He Ramble?

 “Bright Star” — the musical in which we’ve been honored to be perform as the house band this summer — wraps up this weekend, and we’ll be performing the last of our nightly pre-shows starting this evening. For our little pre-show sets, we’ve sought out old folk songs that complement the play’s new original music. Here’s the song we like to end our set with, a rollicking, silly number about a ramblin’ rascal named Buster. We learned it from a 1920s recording by the great Charlie Poole, but the song actually dates back the late 19th Century.

Midnight Special

We in The Flood are honored and thrilled to be invited by Mike Murdock and Nora Ankrom to be part of their brilliant Alchemy Theater production of the new musical, “Bright Star.” This evening is opening night, where we join the extraordinary Mark Smith and John Kinley in the show’s house band. In addition, Mike and Nora have asked The Flood to do a few songs in a pre-show at each performance. Now, since trains play such an important part in the “Bright Star” story, we’ll certainly be including this one, perhaps the greatest train song of all times.

I Got a Secret (Shake Sugaree)

 “The folk process” is a term that Charles Seeger came up with to describe the tendency of songs to change a little — or a lot — as they are passed from person to person over the years. It’s a process that greatly pleases us in The Flood, because we’ve always done everything we can to put our own stamp on every song we do. Here, for instance, it’s no real secret that our version of this tune has only a nodding acquaintance with the original that the great Elizabeth Cotten wrote with her grandchildren some 60 years old. It grew out of a recent Flood jam at which a riff Charlie started noodling with on his new resonator guitar had him remembering that old Fred Neil take on the Libba Cotten song. In a flash, Dan and Sam were bringing their own magic to the moment.

500 Miles Away from Home

 In the summer of 1963, a young Ironton, Ohio, native named Bobby Bare walked into the RCA Victor studio and recorded what would become the best-selling single of his long career, his poignant rendition of “500 Miles Away from Home.” Now 60 years later, here’s The Flood’s tribute to Bobby and that folk music classic.

Drive In

 In Danny Cox’s world, two household gods are Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, and both of those two legendary guitarists were responsible for this showcase tune. Here, from a recent rehearsal, is Danny’s take on Jerry Reed’s 1968 instrumental classic, “Drive In.”

Summertime

 The Flood started playing this tune a quarter of a century ago, and it’s had a wide variety of arrangements over the years. In this latest version, Randy Hamilton is doing double duty. Not only does Randy take over the vocals, but his sweet, soulful bass lines set the mood for the whole thing, inspiring equally introspective solos by Sam St. Clair and Danny Cox. Here’s “Summertime,” 2023.

You're No Good

 We always have fun at the rehearsals with these sassy old songs, and sometimes they even create their own little legacies. Here’s a case in point. Midway through this track from a recent session, you’ll hear a bit of a crash, like the sound of something hitting the floor — and that’s just what it is. A while back, The Flood’s ever-jolly den mother, Rose Riter, gave us some nifty bird-in-flight figurines that we put around the practice room. For years the birds have quietly kept their posts, but on this particular night, something about the vibrations in the room caused… well…. take a listen!

Castle of Dromore (October Winds)

 The Flood’s eclectic repertoire can routinely pivot from an R-rated blues or hokum tune to a some sweet family-friendly ballad. Even a lullaby might pop up from time to time, like this lovely Irish melody. And we toss in the banshee for free!

Walk Right In

 One of the song we’ll be bringing to Sal’s Speakeasy for this weekend’s gig was a monster hit on the radio in the early 1960s. But actually it was written almost a hundred years ago, an iconic jug band tune of the era. Here’s our take on “Walk Right In.”

The Dutchman

 We first started doing this song more than 40 years ago, and since then, every configuration of The Flood has made its own version of “The Dutchman.” Lately we’ve tried something news, adding a bit of banjo to the accompaniment. Tell us what you think about that. And don’t hold back, now. One thing we’ve learned about banjos — they’re used to some fairly brutal criticism!

Lazarus

 Our approach to this old prison work song is different from most. We take our inspiration from a creative version that singer Eric von Schmidt recorded back in 1961. For us, Ric’s melody not only gives Danny, Sam and Randy a lot of room for imaginative soloing, but also an opportunity for vocal harmonies at the end of each verse. This, then, is The Flood’s version of “Lazarus.”

Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues

 Randy Hamilton brought us this song. Not long ago, he and his buddy, Flood guitarist Dan Cox, came in the room on a rainy night like last night, sat down, tuned up, and almost immediately the song fell into a groove. Along with Danny, Sam St. Clair found a special voice for soloing, and “Good Time Charlie,” with Randy’s lead vocals, landed solidly in our repertoire.

Deep Ellum Blues

 We always try to come up with a couple of new tunes for our monthly gig at Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland. Here’s the latest, with Randy rock solid on that harmony and he, Sam and Danny just cooking on the solos. It’s our take on “Deep Ellum Blues.”

Back Up and Push

 Danny Cox learned his version of the song from a recording by his hero Chet Atkins on his 1965 More of That Guitar Country album. This is a Flood track recorded at a recent gig at Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland, Ky. Here you’ll hear Dan and harmonicat Sam St. Clair trading choruses on the tune as we call folks back to the bandstand to begin our second set

Singing the Blues

 Pamela Bowen has been our band manager for more than 20 years now, and she is a major influence on all things Flood, from the venues we visit to the tunes we play when we get there. So recently when Pamela suggested we augment the roots music portion of our repertoire with some classic old-time rock, we started casting our thoughts back to the tunes that rocked our youth, like this from 1956.

 

France Blues (Hey, Lawdy Mama, Mama, Hey, Lawdy, Papa, Papa)

 If you hang out with The Flood much, it seems like everything we do is carefully planned …. right…. but actually, accident and happenstance are a couple of our good friends. For instance, earlier this week we got together to plan for our show tonight at Sal’s Speakeasy. Now, as you’ll hear in this track, between songs Charlie starts singing a bit of this old 1920s hokum song. Immediately, Randy jumps in with some cool harmony. Then Sam brightens it up with his harmonica and Danny puts a bow on the whole thing with a cookie’ guitar part and just like that the tune has inserted itself into the set list.

Corrina, Corrina

 Before we played this song at a recent rehearsal, we had a bit of conversation about all the more raucous renditions of “Corrina, Corrina” of our youth (and mom and dad’s youth…. of grandma’s youth…) But then when we kicked off the song, we all just naturally dropped into that bluesy, moody groove that Bob Dylan established for it 60 years ago. This is our first take on the tune, but it feels like it’s campaigning to be a regular in our repertoire.

Down by the Salley Gardens

 The Flood started doing this song about 1979, right after Roger Samples and Charlie Bowen learned it from a beloved album, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy, released in 1976.Rog always said he thought the melody was buried in the very genes of Irish people, adding, “Every time we do that song, I feel like the ghosts of my ancestors come into the room!” "Salley Gardens"has been in The Flood’s repertoire ever since, even tucked away among the tunes the band recorded on its first album two decades ago.  This current version — with solos by Dan Cox and Sam St. Clair — was recorded in a recent jam session just to be our gift today. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

Windy and Warm

 When the brilliant Dan Cox joined The Flood Fold last year, one of the first tunes he and his buddy, veteran Floodster Randy Hamilton, brought to the mix was “Windy and Warm.” While most of this take is all about Danny’s pitch-perfect picking, it also features Randy and Dan vocalizing at one point, a moment that you can hear being happily applauded by Charlie.

Solid Gone

 The Flood has been doing versions of this great old song from its earliest days nearly a half century ago. Literally. It was the first song that the late Dave Peyton and Charlie Bowen tried at a New Year’s Eve party in 1973 where the band was born. The tune has come back in every iteration of The Flood and it has never sounded better than this latest version, with Danny Cox and Sam St. Clair double-dipping on the solos and Randy Hamilton singing all that rock-solid harmony. Here’s “Solid Gone.”

Blue Skies

 We're excited to be coming back to Sal's Speakeasy in Ashland this Friday night, and, best of all, The Chick Singer is back! Yes, Floodster Emerita Michelle Hoge (whom the late Joe Dobbs christened "da chick singer" years ago) will be coming in from Cincinnati with her husband Rich just to sit in with her old band mates for the evening. It's going to be epic! We'll be playing from 6 to 9 p.m.  Here's one of the tunes we have for the set list.

I Am a Pilgrim

 It all began when Charlie took his first stumbling steps — slipping and a-sliding, as it were — in learning some bottleneck technique on his new resonator guitar. Right away, it reminded him of a gospel tune from his youth, but he just couldn’t seem to get it down. Then Danny came along, took one listen and started just naturally channeling an old Doc Watson cum Chet Atkins vibe, laying down an absolutely rock solid foundation. Sam grabbed his “E” harp and found his groove, Randy jumped in with some beautiful harmony for the choruses, and suddenly “I Am a Pilgrim” landed righteously in the repertoire.

Sister Kate

The Flood’s take on this century-old happy, naughty good-time tune of the Roarin’ Twenties owes much to the song’s re-arousal by the string bands of the 1960s. Our version borrows the great Jim Kweskin jug band’s idea of blending the tunes with the Louis Armstrong standard of the same era, “Heebie Jeebies.” And in this track, while everybody brings great solos, we all agree that it’s Danny — our newest Floodster — who, as Sam says, “becomes one with Sister Kate.”

 

Jamaica Say You Will

In music, newness is often a magical ingredient, and everything about this song is new. It all started when Charlie brought home yet another new guitar, this time a sweet little Gretsch resonator that he’ll brought always keep in one open tuning or another Playing around with it in Open D, he landed on this old Jackson Browne tune he remember from the early 1970s that just seemed to lay so easily on the strings. Well, the song was new to Danny and Randy, but true to their Flood nature, they took to it right away, immediately finding ways to enrich it. Listen to Dan’s brilliant solos and Randy’s gorgeous harmonies on the choruses.The arrangement is still evolving, but we wanted to share it here while it still had that new song smell.

All Out of Season

 This song pretty much languished in a desk drawer for the past 40 years, ever since Charlie wrote it back in the 1970s. Only recently, as the latest configuration of The Flood started exploring original compositions, did he even think of seeing if it might want a new life. But wow! He was really moved by how this sensitive re-imagining of the tune by these good people has made the song feel right at home in the 21st century.

Misty

 "Misty" has worn many hats in the Floodisphere. Back in the 1970s, it was a Ray Stevens-style campy instrumental for Joe and Rog. Then a few decades later, it became a sultry vocal standard for Michelle. Nowadays the song has returned to its original instrumental roots as a showcase for Vanessa and Danny. This take, from a rehearsal last month, is a classic jazz vehicle, starting with Veezy’s elegant statement of the melody, followed by her and then Dan exploring remarkable nuance among all those lovely Erroll Garner chords.

Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor

 Now, the older we get, the more we bristle at that thing we used to say each new year. You know, that “out with the old, in with the new” business? Well, we’re sure glad no one ever applied that silly rule to this great old song. The tune might be 150 years old, but it still righteously rocks, as we testify here with swinging solos from everybody in the band!