Track 1 (33 R.P.M. Soul) Credits:
Recorded at Trax Recording, Chicago, IL
Glenn Rosenstein - Engineer
Al Ursini - 2nd Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Pops Staples - guitar & vocal; Bob Murphy - keyboards; Hassan Kahn - bass; Buddy Fombro - guitar; William T. Mason - drums; Vanessa Holmes - vocal; HerManita Jones - vocal; Denny Fongheiser - additional drums

Special thanks to Reed Hyams, Chuck Kawalk, Keith Mestl, & Paul Khoury.

Track 2 (Come a Long Way) Credits:
Recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Don Was - Producer
Rik Pekkonen - Engineer
Dan Bosworth - 2nd Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar, mandolin & vocal; Mark Goldenberg - guitar; Mitchell Froom - B-3; Jerry Schoff - bass; Kenny Aronoff - drums; Mickey Raphael - harmonica; Byron Berline - fiddle

Special thanks to Ed, Bob, Bob & Ed. Thanks to Danny, Dana, Don, Dawn & Dane. Thanks Randy, Rand & the Repo Man. Thanks "to God & my producer." Welcome aboard Larry.

Track 3 (Secret To A Long Life) Credits:
Recorded at Dreamland Studio, Woodstock, NY
Bernie Leadon - Music Director / Co-Producer
Tom Cook - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Levon Helm - mandolin & vocal; Garth Hudson - accordian & keyboards; Tony Levin - bass; Jerry Marotta - drums; Albert Lee - guitar

Special thanks to Steve Martin, Ed & Loretta H.

Track 4 (Contest Coming (Cripple Creek)) Credits:
Recorded at Jack's house, Chapel Hill, NC
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Ed Butler - bones & triangle; Bernie Leadon - mandolin
The Red Clay Ramblers: Tommy Thompson - banjo & vocal; Clay Buckner - fiddle & vocal; Chris Frank - accordian; Jack Herrick - bass; Bland Simpson - piano

Special thanks to Keith Case, Lee Olsen, Lynn Herrick, Barry Poss, Si Kahn.

Track 5 (Over the Waterfall) Credits:
Recorded at Windmill Lane Sudios, Dublin
Hugh Padgham - Engineer/Co-Producer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - mandolin & vocal
The Hothouse Flowers: Fiachna O'Braonain - tin whistle & guitar; Liam O'Maonlai - bodhran & piano; Peter O'Toole - bouzouki & bass; Jerry Fehily - drums; Leo Barns - sax & B3

Special thanks to all at London Records, Caroline Kennedy, Caroline Henry & all at the Factory.

Track 6 (Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy)) Credits:
Recorded on The Spirit of St. Charles Riverboat, St. Charles, MO w/ Effanel Co-Production
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - vocal; Bernie Leadon - mandolin; Jack Irons - field snare
Uncle Tupelo: Jay Farrar - guitar & vocal; Michael Heidorn - drums; Jeff Tweedy - bass & vocal

Special thanks to Michael Barclay, Nicky Ferguson, Margaret Johnston, Sheena, The Optimist Club & David Flavin.

Track 7 (Jump Jim Crow / Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah) Credits:
Recorded at Bill Schnee Studio, Los Angeles
Mark McKenna - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - mandolin & vocal; Taj Mahal - guitar & vocal

Special thanks to Karen Johnson, Paula Erikson, Ron DeBlasio & Steve Martin.

Track 8 (Hold Me Back (Frankie & Johnny)) Credits:
Recorded at Sun Studio, Memphis, TN w/ Effanel Co-Production
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Bernie Leadon - guitar; Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - viola
Gates Express: Dennis Taylor - tenor sax; Harold Floyd - bass; Michael Holmes - keyboards; Terry Townson - trumpet; Waldo Latowsky - drums; Bill 'Foots' Samuels - baritone sax

Special Thanks to Gary Hardy at Sun Studio, James Lott, Ron Harris, Karen Leipziger & Jack Randel.

Track 9 (Strawberry Jam) Credits:
Recorded at the Merle Watson Memorial Festival, Wilkesboro, NC, w/ Effanel Co-Production
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Doc Watson - guitar; Jerry Douglas - dobro; Mark O'Connor - fiddle; Steve Edelman - bass

Special thanks to B. Townes, Norman Blake, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush & Tony Rice.

Track 10 (Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe)) Credits:
Recorded at Bennett House Studios, Franklin, TN
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer
Shawn McLeod - 2nd Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal; Martin Parker - drums; Alison Krauss - fiddle & vocal
Union Station: Alison Brown - banjo; Adam Steffey - mandolin; Barry Bales - bass; Tim Stafford - guitar

Track 11 (Blackberry Blossom) Credits:
Recorded at the Commissary Antique Store, Rising Fawn, GA w/ Effanel
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & vocal
Rising Fawn String Ensemble: Norman Blake - flatpick guitar; Nancy Blake - cello; James Bryant - fiddle

Special thanks to Lorraine Hansard & Bernie L.

Track 12 (Weaving Way) Credits:
Recorded at Trafalgar Studios, Annandale NSW, Australia
Alan Thorne - Engineer
Tristen Norwell - 2nd Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - mandolin & vocal
The Messengers: Steve Connely - guitar; John Schofield - bass; Peter Bull - keyboards; Michael Barclay - drums

Special thanks to Adrian Bohm, Paul Kelly, Kaarin Fairfax, Marc Wilkinson, Donna Francis, Mark Wilkins & the Sebel folk.

Track 13 (Arkansas Traveler) Credits:
Recorded at the Driftwood Barn, Mountain View, AR w/ Effanel Co-Production
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - guitar & giggles; Jimmy Driftwood - guitar & vocals; Dollar Bill - mandolin; Bernie Leadon - banjo

Special thanks to the Rackensack Folklore Society, Don 'Spoons' Mellon, McSkinny Blair, James 'Washtub' Murphy, Jim 'Guitar' Cleveland, Don 'Fiddle' Miller & Cleda D.

Track 14 (Woody's Rag) (W. Guthrie) Credits:
Recorded at The Piney Woods Pickin' Parlor, Mineola, TX w/ Effanel Co-Production
Bernie Leadon - Music Director
Glen Rosenstein - Engineer

Arkansas Traveler (Michelle Shocked) - mandolin; Bernie Leadon - banjo
Dollars, Taxes: Dollar Bill - mandolin; Max Johnston - guitar

Special thanks to John & Darren DeFoore, White & Christie Nine.

Track 15 (Change The Name) Credits:
Speaker - John A. Lomax Jr.

Album Credits:
Conceived, Written, and Produced by Michelle Shocked.
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah written by B. Gilbert/A. Wrubel
These tracks use traditional tunes/writings - Contest Coming (Cripple Creek), Over The Waterfall, Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy), Hold Me Back (Frankie & Johnny), Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe), Blackberry Blossom, Weaving Way, Arkansas Traveler, Change The Name

Mix Engineered by Eric 'ET' Thorngren
2nd Mix Engineer - Rob Seifert
Mixed at Aire LA, Glendale, CA
Additional mixing at Mastercontrol, Burbank, CA
Mastered by Jack Skinner at KDisc, Hollywood
Mobile Recording Unit, Effanel Music, NYC, NY
Effanel Engineers - Mark Shane & Ian Craigil
Production co-ordinator - Laura Grover
Co-conspirator/Fiancee - Bart Bull

Art Direction - Michael Bays
Design - Ben Argueta
Cover photo by Frank Ockenfels

Special Thanks to Bob Kranes, Ed Eckstine, Dana Brandwein, All at Mercury Records, Shep Gordon, Danny Markus, Melanie Wicker, All at Alive, Steve Martin, Johny Podel, Mike Donovan, All at William Morris, Paul Leighton, All at Tribe, Dan Crary, Gerry Goldstein, Andy Ridenour, Craig Burbidge, Eve Glabman, Bob Freedman, Carol Wagner and Fluffy the Cat.

All tracks PolyGram Music Publishing except track 14 Essex Music.

Liner Notes:
"The views and opinions expressed on this recording are solely those of Michelle Shocked and not necessarily represent those of the musicians who have generously contributed their time and talent to this project."

"Dedicated to my father, "Dollar" Bill Johnston who, by teaching himself to play the mandolin at age 35 from books, provided the inspiration for me and my brother to learn and enjoy the beauty and pleasure of home made jam.

My early intention was to present this record with a cover photo of myself wearing blackface. Aside from providing controversy for hatemongers or offending the delicate sensibilities of the politically correct, my sincere intention was that it would provide a genuine focus on the real "roots" of many of the tunes included; blackface minstrelsy. It's my contention that a blackface tradition is alive and well hidden behind a modern mask. I believe that "blacking up" should be done correctly; as an exploration for the source of that hollow ring we mistakenly believe was immaculately conceived in Las Vegas, and in a context of true respect for the cultures we ape.

'Does this Road Go To Little Rock?' is a songbook that has been published to provide further discussion on this subject. Included are lyrics and instrumental tablature for guitar and mandolin, historical photos from the blackface minstrel era and an illuminating booklet on Eurocentric High Culture's sordid little love affair with blackface minstrelsy written by Bart Bull, a music writer and music lover/fiancee. Available at retail or by mail. For further information, please write.

Michelle Shocked
c/o Alive Enterprises
8912 Burton Way
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Music Dispatch
1-800-637-2852
P.O. Box 13920
Milwaukee, WI 53213"

Track 1 (33 R.P.M. Soul) Credits:
Recorded at Trax Recording, Chicago, IL
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer
Al Ursini - 2nd engineer

Pops Staples - guitar and vocal; Bob Murphy - keyboards; Hassan Khan - bass; Buddy Fambro - guitar; William T Mason - drums; Vanessa Holmes - vocal; HerManita Jones - vocal; Denny Fongheiser - additional drums; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

Special thanks to Reed Hyams, Chuck Kawal, Keith Mestil & Paul Khoury

Track 2 (Come a Long Way) Credits:
Recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Don Was - producer
Rik Pekkonen - engineer
Dan Bosworth - 2nd engineer

Mark Goldenberg - guitar; Mitchell Froom - B-3; Jerry Scheff - bass; Kenny Aronoff - drums; Mickey Raphael - harmonica; Byron Berline - fiddle; Arkansas Traveler - guitar, mandolin and vocal

Special thanks to Ed, Bob, Bob & Ed. Thanks to Danny, Dan, Don, Dawn & Dane. Thanks Randy, Rand & the Repo Man. Thanks to God and my producer. Welcome aboard, Larry</P>

Track 3 (Secret To A Long Life) Credits:
Recorded at Dreamland Studios, Woodstock, NY
Bernie Leadon - music director/co-producer
Tom Cook - engineer

Levon Helm - mandolin and vocal; Garth Hudson - accordion and keyboards; Tony Levin - bass; Jerry Marotta - drums; Albert Lee - guitar; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

Management by Joe Forno & David Fishof/For This Band, Inc.
Special thanks to Steve Martin, Ed & Loretta H

Track 4 (Contest Coming (Cripple Creek)) Credits:
Recorded at Jack's House, Chapel Hill, NC

The Red Clay Ramblers: Tommy Thompson - banjo and vocal; Clay Buckner - fiddle and vocal; Chris Frank - accordion; Jack Herrick - bass; Bland Simpson - piano
Ed Butler - bones and triangle; Bernie Leadon - mandolin; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

The Red Clay Ramblers appear courtesy of Sugar Hill Records
Special thanks to Keith Case, Lee Olsen, Lynn Herrick, Barry Poss, Si Kahn

Track 5 (Over the Waterfall) Credits:
Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland
Hugh Padgham - engineer/co-producer

The Hothouse Flowers: Fiachna O'Braonain - guitar and tin whistle; Liam O'Maonlai - bodhran and piano; Peter O'Toole - bouzouki and bass; Jerry Fehily - drums; Leo Barnes - sax and B-3
Arkansas Traveler - mandolin and vocal

Hothouse Flowers appear courtesy of London Records
Management by Robbie Wooton/Undercover Mgmt, Dublin, Ireland
Special thanks to all at London Records, Caroline Kennedy, Caroline Henry & all at the Factory

Track 6 (Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy)) Credits:
Recorded on The Spirit of St Charles Riverboat, St Charles, MO
Recorded with Effanel
Bernie Leadon - music director/co-producer
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer

Uncle Tupelo: Jay Farrar - guitar and vocal; Michael Heidorn - drums; Jeff Tweedy - bass and vocal
Bernie Leadon - mandolin; Jack Irons - field snare; Arkansas Traveler - vocal

Uncle Tupelo appears courtesy of Rockville Records
Management by Tony Margherita/Tony Margherita Mgmt. St Louis, MO
Special thanks to Michael Barclay, Nicky Ferguson, Margaret Johnston, Sheena, The Optimist Club & David Flavin

Track 7 (Jump Jim Crow / Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah) Credits:
Recorded at Bill Schnee Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Mark McKenna - engineer

Taj Mahal - guitar and vocal; Arkansas Traveler - mandolin and vocal

Taj Mahal appears courtesy of Private Music
Management by Ron DeBlasio/Shankman-DeBlasio-Melina
Special thanks to Karen Johnson, Paula Erikson, Ron DeBlasio & Steve Martin
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah courtesy of Walt Disney Music Co (c)1945 copyright renewed
All rights reserved Gilbert/Wrubel

Track 8 (Hold Me Back (Frankie & Johnny)) Credits:
Recorded at Sun Studios, Memphis, TN
Recorded with Effanel
Bernie Leadon - music director/co-producer
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer

Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - viola
Gate's Express: Dennis Taylor - tenor sax; Harold Floyd - bass; Michael Holmes - keyboards; Terry Townson - trumpet; Waldo LaTowsky - drums; Bill 'Foots' Samuels - baritone sax
Bernie Leadon - guitar; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

Gatemouth appears courtesy of Real Records
Management by Jim Bateman
Special thanks to Gary Hardy at Sun Studio, James Lott, Ron Harris, Karen Leipziger & Jack Randel

Track 9 (Strawberry Jam) Credits:
Recorded at the Merle Watson Memorial Festival, Wilkesboro, NC
Recorded with Effanel
Bernie Leadon - music director/co-producer
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer

Doc Watson - guitar; Jerry Douglas - dobro; Mark O'Connor - fiddle; Steve Edelman - bass; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

Doc Watson and Jerry Douglas appear courtesy of Sugar Hill Records
Mark O'Connor appears courtesy of Warner Bros.
Special thanks to B. Townes, Norman Blake, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush & Tony Rice

Track 10 (Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe)) Credits:
Recorded at Bennett House Studios, Franklin, TN
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer
Shawn McLean - 2nd engineer

Alison Krauss - fiddle and vocal
Union Station: Alison Brown - banjo; Adam Steffey - mandolin; Barry Bales - bass Tim Stafford - guitar

Martin Parker - drums; Prodigal Daughter - guitar and vocal

Alison Krauss appears courtesy of Rounder Records
Management by Denise Stiff/Keith Case & Assoc. Nashville, TN

Track 11 (Blackberry Blossom) Credits:
Recorded at the Commissary Antique Store, Rising Fawn, GA
Recorded with Effanel
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer

Rising Fawn String Ensemble: Norman Blake - guitar; Nancy Blake - cello; James Bryant - fiddle
Arkansas Traveler - guitar and vocal

Norman and Nancy Blake appear courtesy of Shanachie Records
Management by Scott O'Malley/Scott O'Malley & Assoc., Colorado Springs, CO
Special thanks to Lorraine Hansard & Bernie Leadon

Track 12 (Weaving Way) Credits:
Recorded at Trafalgar Studios, Annandale, NSW, Australia
Alan Thorne - engineer
Tristen Norwell - 2nd engineer

The Messengers: Steve Connely - guitar; John Schofield - bass; Peter Bull - keyboards; Michael Barclay - drums
Arkansas Traveler - mandolin and vocal

Management by Rob Barnham/Rob Barnham Mgmt, Sydney, Australia
Special thanks to Adrian Bohm, Paul Kelly, Kaarin Fairfax, Marc Wilkinson, Donna Francis, Mark Wilkins & Sebel Townhouse

Track 13 (Arkansas Traveler) Credits:
Recorded at the Driftwood Barn, Mountain View, AR
Recorded with Effanel
Bernie Leadon - music director/co-producer
Glenn Rosenstein - engineer

Jimmy Driftwood - guitar and vocal; Dollar Bill - mandolin; Bernie Leadon - banjo; Don Mellon - spoons and vocal; Skinny Blair - vocal; James Murphy - washtub; Jim Cleveland - guitar; Don Miller - fiddle; Arkansas Traveler - guitar and giggles

Special thanks to the Rackensack Folklore Society and Cleda Driftwood

Track 14 (Woody's Rag) (W. Guthrie) Credits:
Recorded at the Piney Woods Pickin' Parlor, Mineola, TX
Recorded with Effanel

Dollars, Taxes: Dollar Bill - mandolin; John DeFoore - guitar; Mary Albright - guitar; Slim Richie - fiddle; Francie White - bass; Max Johnston - guitar
Bernie Leadon - banjo; Arkansas Traveler - mandolin

Special thanks to John & Darren DeFoore & Christie Nine

Album Credits:
Conceived, Written, and Produced by Michelle Shocked

Mobile recording unit, Effanel Music, NYC, NY
Mark Shane - engineer
Ian Craigil - engineer
Eric 'ET' Thorngren - mix engineer
Rob Seifert - 2nd mix engineer
Laura Grover - production coordinator
Mixed at Aire LA, Glendale, CA
Additional mixing at Mastercontrol, Burbank, CA
Jack Skinner - master engineer
Mastered at KDisc, Hollywood

Management for Michelle Shocked
Ed Gerrard/Alive Enterprises
Peter Himberger/Asst. Mgmt

Michael Bays - art direction
Ben Argueta - design

Special thanks to Bob Kranes, Ed Eckstine, Dana Brandwein, All at Mercury Records, Shep Gordon, Danny Markus, Melanie Wicker, All at Alive, Steve Martin, Jonny Podell, Mike Donovan, All at William Morris, Dan Crary, Gerry Goldstein, Andy Ridenour, Craig Burbidge, Eve Glabman, Bob Freedman, Carol Wagner and Fluffy the Cat

Liner Notes:
The views and opinions expressed on this recording are solely those of Michelle Shocked and do not necessarily represent those of the musicians who have generously contributed their time and talent to this project

Includes clips from the "Arkansas Traveler" recording sessions and tour.

Credits:
Narration - Michelle Shocked

Credits:
Conceived, Written & Produced by Michelle Shocked
BMI except "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" ASCAP R. Gilbert/A. Wrubel
Design Ben Argneta

Credits:
Recorded at the Berg's Garage Barely.
Produced by Tony Berg

Vocal & Stratocaster via Deluxe Reverb by Herself (Michelle Shocked)
Overdubs by Tony Berg

Photos by Jimi Giannatti
Styling by Lisa Giannatti

Hallelujahs to God, Jesus, cherubims, seraphims, & the Upstairs Choir, Buddah, Rick Rubin, Tony Berg, Eddie Rosenblatt, Wilbert Terrell, Leigh Steinberg, David Dunn, Bishop Charles E. & Mrs. Blake, Doretha LeFleur, Lou Straney & family, Walt Mandell, Dick & Sheila Asher, David Hoffis, Vinnie Hourigan, Justine Moloney, Patrick Gyselinck, David Wykoff, ITG, Marty Diamond, T.J. Baden, Mickey Rafael, Kym D'Ann Nathan & Aaron, Fran & Barry Bull, Bob Freedman, John Anderson, Johnathan Stone, Evan Medow & all at Windswept Pacific, Denton Hall, Neti & Bart, Ben & Jerry, Stein Thompson Ward, Mike Bone.

Michelle Shocked Fan Conspiracy
409 N Pacific Coast Hwy #484
Redondo Beach CA 90277

Liner Notes:
"Dedicated to my husband, Bart Bull, without whom I couldn't"

"In times when hobos were common to the American experience, they shared a vocabulary of "hobo signs." Chalked or scratched on pavements or fenceposts in front of houses, these simple pictures guided those who followed. A smiling cat meant "Kind Hearted Woman" --- someone who would offer a warm meal, an odd job, a place to sleep for the night. You get the idea."

Credits:
All songs by Fiachna O'Braonain and Michelle Shocked except

Liner Notes:
"So here's the story: One week before the First Annual Underground Test Site Tour Spring '96, Fiachna flew to New Orleans on a red eye and we spent the next two days writing these tunes. The next day we recorded them in the slave quarters of Michelle's house. Sent the DAT off to the printer/presser/CD maker and held our breath for the next three days until they arrived, the entire 2000 limited edition run, and listened to #0001 for the first time. Exhale. Sigh of relief. Tour manager knocks on the door. 'Showtime' he says.

We mean 'artists' in the sense of 'one who lives the reflective life'. We hope you enjoy our collaboration as much as we have...

Michelle Shocked Fiachna O'Braonain
April 1996"

Note: The Private Music release of Kind Hearted Woman is, visually and audibly, significantly different from the independent issue. The cover has a white cat design on a black background (the reverse of the independant release). Of course, all songs were re-recorded with added instrumentation.

Credits:
Words and music by Michelle Shocked, Full Keel Music Co./Minstrel Cycle Music (PMS) (administered by Full Keel Music Co.) except * Michelle Shocked/Jesse Johnson, Full Keel Music Co./Minstrel Cycle Music (administered by Full Keel Music Co.)/Almo Music Corp./Shockidelica Music (ASCAP).

Guitar and lead vocals - Hard Headed Gal (Michelle Shocked); Guitar and harmony vocals - Fiachna O'Braonain; Bass, bauzouki, and harmony vocals - Peter O'Toole; Drums - Cedric Anderson on except ** John Thomassie
Fender Stratocaster and Fender Deluxe Reverb and D'Addario Strings

Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Bones Howe
Assistant Engineer: Barry Goldberg
Recorded and Mixed at Village Recorders, Santa Monica, CA
Mastered at Ocean View Digital Mastering by Joe Gastwirt

Photos by Jimi Gianetti, Styling by Lisa Gianetti

Many sincere thanks to the good folks at Windswept Pacific.
Thanks to Peter Paterno, Howard King, Fiachna O'Braonain, Peter O'Toole, Marty Diamond, The Bulls, Mark Morris Dance Group, Adrian Bohm, Lou Straney, Charles E. Blake, Doretha LeFleur, Tammy Shin, Quint Davis, Christy Robb, Jane Pratt, John Chelew, Bruce Zinky, Rick DuPlantier and Rob Clemenz.

Liner Notes:
"All Glory to God!
These songs are dedicated to my husband Bart Bull, without whom I couldn't..."

"About the smiling cat: Back in the days when hobos used to ride the rails they had a vocabulary of symbols that let each other know what to expect when they came to a strange town. For example, ? [circle with crooked arrow through it - DS] meant a 'squat' or abandoned building. A cat with a smile and a heart chalked on a fencepost or pavement meant in that house lived a kind hearted woman who might offer a warm meal, an odd job, a place to sleep for the night. You get the idea.

When you play it, play it LOUD"

Credits:
Words and music by Michelle Shocked
Produced by Bones Howe
Remixed by Barry Goldberg

Credits:
From the album Captain Swing (1989) tracks 1,5,6; From the album Short Sharp Shocked (1988) tracks 2,7,8; From the album Arkansas Traveler (1992) tracks 3,9,10 -- Mercury Records. From the compilation Dead Man Walking (1995) track 4; From the compilation Sweet Relief (1993) track 11 -- Sony Music Entertainment. From the album Kind Hearted Woman (1996) track 12 -- Private Music, a unit of BMG Entertainment.

1,2,3,5-10 Published by Songs of PolyGram International, Inc (BMI)
4,12 Published by Full Keel Music Co/Minstrel Cycle Music (ASCAP) (administered by Full Keel Music Co)
11 Mumbletypeg Music/Careers-BMG Music Publishing Inc (BMI)

Liner Notes:
"Michelle Shocked Conspiracy
828 Royal St #520
New Orleans LA 70116"

Credits:
All songs written by Michelle Shocked
(P)1998 Mood Swing Productions
(C)1998 Minstrel Cycle Music except * Minstrel Cycle Music/Full Keel Music
Produced by Darrell Brown at Sound Services Studio, New Orleans LA except ** produced by Bart Bull at Hamstein Studio, Austin TX

Michelle Shocked - Princess of Wailing Guitar
The Anointed Earls: Jamie Brewer - Earl Slick of Bass; John Boutte - Peanut Earl of Keys; Cedric Anderson - Crude Earle of Drums; Teenie Hodges - Earl of Ole' Guitar; Additional musicians on "Good News" - Jon Dee Graham and Martin Hamlin

Note: This is a collection of dub mixes (with some vocals in a dub style) from Michelle's next album.

Liner notes:
"Play along... but don't steal the song. Piracy bites!"

Credits for Deep Natural disc:
All songs written by Michelle Shocked or Michelle Shocked & Fiachna O'Braonain except Track 13 by Jimi Hendrix.

Michelle Shocked - guitar & vocal; Fiachna O'Braonain - guitar, vocals, tin whistle; Rich Armstrong - trumpet, vocals, bass; Peter Buck - drums; Jamie Brewer - bass; Sean Dancy - B3, Wurlitzer, vocals; Teenie Hodges - guitar; Dave Pearlman - pedal steel

All tracks Produced by Fiachna O'Braonain and Bart Bull except "Peachfuzz" Produced by Peter O'Toole.
Engineered by Dave Pearlman.
Engineered, mixed, mastered (at Windmill Lane Masterlabs, Dublin) and dubbed by Aidan Foley in Dublin.
Recorded in Austin, TX; New Orleans, LA; Rotund Rascal studios, Los Angeles, CA; Dublin, Ireland; Prairie Sun studios, Cotati, CA.

Track 3 (Why Do I Get The Feeling) Additional Credits:
Victoria Williams - soft whispers

Track 4 (Good News) Additional Credits:
Jon Dee Graham - guitar and bass; John Boutte - vocals and organ; Martin Hamlin - drums
Engineered by David Green.

Track 11 (If Not Here) Additional Credits:
Liam O'Maonlai - piano; Peter O'Toole - bouzouki; Hothouse Flowers - harmony vocals

Track 10 (Little Billie) Additional Credits:
Cedric Anderson - drums

Track 13 (House Burning Down) Credits:
Michelle Shocked - vocal, electric guitar; Fiachna O'Braonain - electric guitar; Rich Armstrong - bass, trumpet; Sean Dancy - keyboard; Peter Buck - drums

Recorded by Mooka Lennox at Prairie Sun studios, Cotati, CA - June '00
Produced by Bart Bull
Co-produced by Fiachna O'Braonain

Liner Notes

Plenty's the time I thought I had accomplished something on my own only to look back across the distance I'd traveled and realize that hands reached out to lift me when I fell, that gentle voices whispered encouragement and wisdom.

Songs written in New Orleans; Los Angeles; Antigua, Guatemala; Colorado Springs; Vera Cruz, Mexico; on the road and, swear to God, at the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Recorded in Austin, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Los Angeles, California; Dublin, Ireland; and a chicken shack somewhere in Northern California. At night, mostly. In summer, mainly.

The two most important people in my life joined to co-produce this record; Bart Bull, my husband, and Fiachna O'Braonain, my fellow traveler. These two had the courage to hear my pain and encourage my hopes.

I so much want to acknowledge the musicians who played their hearts into these songs. You can hear the difference...

Fiachna O'Braonain (a rock star among mere mortals): guitar, vocals, tinwhistle
Rich Armstrong (& Rich's Life Pageant): trumpet, vocals, bass;
Peter Buck (Not That One): drums and walls
Jamie Brewer: bass & laughter
Sean Dancy: B3, Wurlitzer, sweet vocals
Peter O'Toole produced "Peachfuzz."

There was Jon Dee Graham's good ol' Texas guitar (and bass), John Boutte's powerful vocals and organ, and Martin Hamlin's drums on "Good News", with David Green engineering; Liam O'Maonlai's piano and Peter O'Toole's bouzouki and the evergreen Hothouse Flower harmony vocals on "If Not Here"; Victoria Williams's soft whispers on "Why Do I Get the Feeling"; Cedric Anderson's drums on "Little Billie"; Teenie Hodges' guitar; and Dave Pearlman's pedal steel. I played guitar. Dave Pearlman fearlessly engineered, as did Aidan Foley, who mixed and mastered and dubbed in Dublin.

At a critical moment, the extraordinary talents of two artists came into my life. One is Michael Naimy, a wholistic businessman for bringing a wealth of balance and wisdom to this project. The other is David Willardson, who built a breathtakingly beautiful blue and green cradle to rock my little one in.

I have my Medicis. First and foremost, Mark and Kerry Wellins, our dear friends. Quint Davis and Teo Ledesmeyer, Richard Perna, Ian James, thank you for so much!

The patience God has shown me is amazing. Dr Judy McAllister, the excellence of your ministry is infinite inspiration. To my pastor, Bishop Charles Blake, and Elder Ernest Dison, my sister in Christ, Doretha LeFlore, I love you with the love of the Lord. To our precious niece, Rachael Krieger and my sweet godchild, Deja Andrews, you have blessed our lives so much!

Yes, we dubbed in Dublin.
(No ganja was harmed in the making of this record.)

Dubs overstood by Lee "Fred" Perry, Slim Sadie & the Mad Confessor.

Photo of the Looming Billboard of Pisa by Bartolomeo DiToro, interpreted by David Willardson.

Living spirits moved us during the making of this music. Among them were Curtis Mayfield, Jimi Hendrix, S.E. Rogie, Roger Troutman, Jimmy Reed
John Lee Hooker, Bob Marley, Ted Hawkins, Brad Nowell, and Joe Higgs... Thank you, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Sister Rosetta and all the Memphis Minnies, past and future.

Album Credits:
Audio producer - Cheryl Pawelski
Art director - David Willardson

Background

When Michelle Shocked first heard a recording of herself that had been taped by a campfire at the 1986 Kerrville Folk Festival, she was perplexed. "In September that year a friend came back from Amsterdam with a magazine that had a flexi-disc," says the East Texas-born musician, who was living in Lower Manhattan at the time. "It said it was a song by Michelle Shocked called 'Who Cares?' I knew who Michelle Shocked was, but not a song called 'Who Cares?' "

The mistaken song title (taken from a flippant introduction to the song, actually called "Ghost Town") was just the start. When an album from that fireside session was released by the English producer who had taped it -- without Shocked's knowledge or participation -- it was presented as a field recording of a new talent, discovered by the producer in the manner of the Lomaxes "discovering" folk and blues figures several generations earlier. But the album contained only about half the songs she had sung, presented out of sequence and with most of her introductions and comments removed. If that was not enough, the batteries in the Walkman used to make the recording were running low at the time, so the release was at the wrong speed, making Shocked's voice sound higher than it really was.

No surprise that Shocked, distanced herself from the album, released as "The Texas Campfire Tapes," as she went on to establish a career on her own terms creating a distinctive and ambitious presence in the music world. In fact, she only even listened to it a few times over the years. It may have introduced her talents, but it didn't accurately represent them. But when she listened to the recordings again just last year, she had a completely new perspective. For the first time, she'd been given a copy of the original tape, unedited and in sequence. And it was a vastly different experience.

"I could not stand to listen to it before," she says. "We went to a studio, set the tuner to make it closer to the right speed and the first time they played it for me I went, 'Hey, that's a pretty sharp guitar player! Hey, that atmosphere's great, the crickets chirping.' " That complete version was released for the first time on April 22, 2003, as part of a lavish two-CD package, now called the "Texas Campfire Takes." The gorgeous set, housed in a custom box with a 52-page book of journal notes and archives by Shocked from the early to mid-'80s, is the first release in a series of expanded reissues of Shocked's complete body of work, essential early albums that will come on her own Mighty Sound label. Following will be new releases of her trilogy exploring her musical heritage and influences: the singer-songwriter showcase "Short Sharp Shocked," her masterful exploration of swing and jump blues "Captain Swing" and her barbed rural music survey "Arkansas Traveler." Those three albums established Shocked as an artist of depth, character and imagination, and one with a wide musical embrace that perhaps startled some of her fans, but continues through her current music, including the brilliant 2002 album "Deep Natural."

In fact, with its original integrity restored, the "Campfire" session is a blueprint for what was to come from Shocked. "I was playing a set list of what I was," Shocked says. "A blues-woman, a singer partial to swing, as well as a Texas songwriter. But it was filtered through someone else's perception lens." The first disc of the new package features the album as originally released and reflecting that perspective, though now with the improved sound and clarity of Triple Tone.

The second disc is the restored, revelatory tape with the full 21 songs from around the fire, complete with Shocked's incisive, witty remarks, plus a bonus of material made in performance with other musicians at the festival. Both versions start with the crossroads account of "5AM in Amsterdam", but the second version unfolds a fuller, more coherent artistic vision with the San Francisco observations of "Fogtown", such blues-based material as "Fool for Cocaine", the swing-slanted "My Little Sister" (which would be reprised in a full band setting for 'Captain Swing') and "Secret to a Long Life" and "When I Grow Up" (which would become filled-out highlights of 'Arkansas Traveler' and 'Short Sharp Shocked,’ respectively). Though not given access to the actual original tape, audio producer Cheryl Pawelski brought the recording as close to correct speed as possible, while making the sound remarkably clearer. Art director David Willardson worked with Shocked to create the stunning package and book.

Total running time approx. 80min.

Note: The first edition of 50 numbered limited edition NTSC format DVDs sold-out within a day and a second edition was released that same day. It consisted of 200 PAL format and another 200 NTSC format DVDs.

Also available in the 3-CD digipak, Threesome (Mighty Sound MS3333).

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