Omar Blondahl - Sagebrush Sam Sings The Folk Songs & Tales (Uk) [CD]

Born in Saskatchewan, mainland Canada of Icelandic parents his voice was suited to operettas and he studied classical music, becoming a multi-instrumentalist - yet he became the leading name in the folk music of the island of Newfoundland, off the Eastern coast of Canada. Here is the beautiful and unique folk music born of "The Other Ireland" - as Newfoundland is known - a form of folk music influenced by Ireland and Iceland and sung in an English-Irish dialect. We present 32 songs - ranging from true stories, to ghost stories, love stories and tragedies - many are age-old folk songs born in Newfoundland and Ireland but some have their origins on Broadway and the English Music Halls. Omar Blondahl - who adopted the moniker "Sagebrush Sam" derived from a cowboy song after he completed a stint with a western swing band - sings in a strong, melodic voice that was trained for operetta. Most songs sung in authentic folk style with just his guitar accompaniment. Includes such favourites as "Squid Jiggin' Ground", "Harbour Le Cou", "Lukey's Boat", "The Ship That Never Returned" and the beautiful Broadway song of an Irish girl whose fiancé is lost at sea, "Eileen". Learn about the way of life of the fishing communities of Newfoundlanders and their stories of decades gone by. Extensive liner notes by Country Music writer and broadcaster Paul Hazell.