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!