ARTIST PROFILE – MARK FARRELL

 

Mark Farrell was a member of the well-respected, old-time revival string band, Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers, two members of which have sadly passed away. The band performed at numerous venues, including the Brandywine Mountain Music Conventions (held at Fair Hill, Maryland and Woodstown, New Jersey), the Kent State Folk Festival, the Rockbridge Mountain Music and Dance Festival in Buena Vista, Virginia, and Hillbilly Days in Pikeville, Kentucky. Other performances included the Wheatland Music Festival in Remus, Michigan, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, and New York City venues such as The Bottom Line, Jalopy Theatre, Celebrate Brooklyn!, and the Staten Island Bluegrass Festival at Historic Richmond Town.

 

The group’s debut album, Old Familiar Tunes (1980), received high acclaim in the journal Ethnomusicology (Vol. 26, No. 2, May 1982, pp. 346–348), as well as in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. Although the record is out of print, it remains accessible on YouTube. Additionally, the Rattlers were featured in a cover story for The Old-Time Herald music magazine (Winter 1996/1997, Volume 5, Number 6) and were included in the book, Country: The Music and the Musicians, published by the Country Music Foundation. The band’s recordings are recognized for their historical significance, with appearances documented in the Smithsonian Institution’s Anthology of American Folk Music (Smithsonian Folkways) companion materials, where they are listed as a notable alternative recording for “A Lazy Farmer Boy” and “Indian War Whoop.”

 

Mark has participated as an instructor and presenter at numerous workshops for various instruments and historical music lectures at festivals and concert settings nationwide. Additionally, he appeared on several television, cable, and radio broadcasts with the Rattlers, including the syndicated Bluegrass Ramble (WCNY-TV, Syracuse), Live at South Street (Manhattan Cable Ch. C), New York City’s Third Avenue Street Festival, and segments of the Brooklyn Folk Festival.

 

Focusing on keeping traditional sounds alive, Mark delivers heartfelt vocals and instrumental work on the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. He notably performed and recorded with the acclaimed James Reams and the Barnstormers, who were praised for delivering high-energy, authentic, and "hard-edged" bluegrass. The band appeared at prestigious venues nationwide. Highlights include the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Out-of-Doors: Roots of American Music Festival, the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival in Woodstown, New Jersey, and New York City’s The Bottom Line and Celebrate Brooklyn! music festival. Other notable appearances include Bluegrass in the Woods in Anderson, South Carolina, Christopher Run Bluegrass Festival in Mineral, Virginia, Festival for the Eno in Durham, North Carolina, and the Long Island Bluegrass Festival. Following the sad passing of James Reams in 2022, Mark continues to honor that traditional legacy.

 

The Barnstormers also performed on various broadcasts, notably NPR member station WAMU’s Bluegrass Country in Washington, D.C., and WFDU-FM’s Traditions in Teaneck, New Jersey. They also appeared on several television and radio series, including Song of the Mountains in Marion, Virginia, Access to Bluegrass in Battle Creek, Michigan, WPAQ’s The Merry-Go-Round in Mount Airy, North Carolina, and Poughkeepsie Live (Time Warner Cable Ch. 23).

 

The Barnstormers released six CDs during their tenure: Barnstormin’, Troubled Times, One Foot in the Honky Tonk, Rhyme & Season, and two as the Barons of Bluegrass with the late, pioneering “Banjo Baron of Baltimore,” Walter Hensley (Wild Card and James Reams, Walter Hensley & The Barons of Bluegrass).

 

The Patuxent label chose the Barons’ recording of Walter’s driving instrumental, “Upper Elk Creek,” to be featured on its monumental compilation, The Patuxent Banjo Project, documenting the history of banjo playing in the Greater Washington-Baltimore and Northern Virginia region. The recording was a 2022 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) nomination candidate for Instrumental Song of the Year. Mark’s edgy mandolin playing can be heard on the recording alongside Walter. James Reams and the Barnstormers’ track, “Is She Praying There?”, also appeared on the Copper Creek Records compilation CD, I Just Steal Away and Pray: Bluegrass & Old-Time Gospel Favorites, Volume 1 (2001).

 

The band’s single, “Almost Hear the Blues,” charted nationally, reaching #27 on Bluegrass Music Profiles magazine’s “Top 30 Hot Singles,” and the publication also ran a feature story on the band. Furthermore, the editor of The Lonesome Road Review chose the Barnstormers’ CD, One Foot in the Honky Tonk, as one of the “Top 10 Bluegrass CDs of 2011.”

 

Mark also played fiddle and mandolin with Staten Island’s own Tri-County Ramblers bluegrass band, which included Allen Cohen, Doug Nicolaisen, and the late Chic Marrone. The band received positive reviews for their CD, Big Time (released on Blue Yonder Records). Mark and Allen were also members of the bluegrass band, the Yankee Rebels. Lastly, Mark performed with Hell's Kitchen Country alongside bluegrass and old-time music veterans Gene Yellin and Bill Christophersen. The band drew its repertoire from the lesser-known material of pioneers like the Sauceman Brothers, as well as the Stanley Brothers and Jimmy Martin.

 

SELECTED RECORDINGS

 

Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers (full albums)

 

“Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers - 1980 - Old Familiar Tunes (Full Album)”
—Though the Canebrake Rattlers’ record album is out of print, it can still be accessed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOCqRACily8&list=RDzOCqRACily8&start_radio=1&t=157s

“When The Yankees Came Down - Major Contay and his Canebrake Rattlers 1986”
—The Canebrake Rattlers’ cassette album, When The Yankees Came Down (Marimac 9006) can also be heard by visiting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8euQOx39MGs&list=RD8euQOx39MGs&start_radio=1&t=1902s

 

Hear the Canebrake Rattlers back up Stamford Museum Director Jerry Rasmussen on “Old Blue Suit” (from the album The Secret Life Of Jerry Rasmussen):

https://youtu.be/2vPvlbqx7Jc?si=Y2snoIdaT9wmV8BU

 

Canebrake Rattlers Featured Audio Track & Video Clips

 

“Tommy Dillof as Price Goodson Tracey's Family Festival 1983 (Canebrake Rattlers – NLCR” (“Lonesome Road Blues”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhpZAJVPcRI&list=RDjhpZAJVPcRI&start_radio=1

“Canebrake Rattlers – Lonesome Road Blues”

—Live video from Tracy Schwarz’s Family Festival but with poor audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wN4A7iUmw&list=RD71wN4A7iUmw&start_radio=1

“Canebrake Rattlers When The Roses Bloom Again”

— Canebrake Rattlers at the Brandywine Mountain Music Convention – 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4GLlI_2fY&list=RDYk4GLlI_2fY&start_radio=1

“Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers – Moonshine Hollow Band”

— 1982 Brandywine Mountain Music Convention - Georgia Fiddle Bands LP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asA-jNXK63I&list=RDasA-jNXK63I&start_radio=1

“Church in the Wildwood.m4v”

—Canebrake Rattlers backstage at the Brandywine Mountain Music Convention 1993, an open-air live music and camping festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URlW3owGBd8&list=RDURlW3owGBd8&start_radio=1

 

 “The Old Cross Road.m4v”

—Canebrake Rattlers backstage at the 1993 Brandywine Mountain Music Convention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnKP9KBkA8s&list=RDUnKP9KBkA8s&start_radio=1

“2/25/11 Deacon’s Calf Canebrake Rattlers”

—Canebrake Rattlers at Jalopy Theatre, Bklyn, N.Y.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldQOiTOMQ00&list=RDldQOiTOMQ00&start_radio=1

“Halleluia (misspelled) to the Lamb Ridgels Fountain Citians/Canebrake Rattlers”

—Canebrake Rattlers at Jalopy Theatre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYplcafKkfE&list=RDGYplcafKkfE&start_radio=1

“Little Maud Bela Lam’s Greene County Singers”

—Canebrake Rattlers at Jalopy Theatre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3PBAEvre1E&list=RDk3PBAEvre1E&start_radio=1

“John Hardy - Pat Conte”

— Home recording of Pat Conte (Major Contay) singing and playing banjo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1sSPKBeOR8&list=RDS1sSPKBeOR8&start_radio=1

 

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James Reams and the Barnstormers

 

“Almost Hear The Blues – James Reams”

—Watch the official music video featuring the band's nationally charted single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSSTcjugzYU&list=RDWSSTcjugzYU&start_radio=1

 

“Mix - James Reams”

—The Barnstormers’ CD, Troubled Times can be heard in its entirety here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQldYstcMbw&list=PLBH8Bffke2Ffxurwl_9WbE2RUtdUGET1r

 

PASSAMAQUODDY

 

Included on the Barnstormers’ One Foot In The Honky Tonk CD, is Mark’s original instrumental, “Passamaquoddy”, which was used for the soundtrack of the award-winning documentary film, Banjos, Bluegrass, & Squirrel Barkers. The film covers the rise of bluegrass in Southern California during the 1960’s folk revival and how that regional scene influenced the broader bluegrass genre. The song is a beautiful tribute to the “pollock-spearers” of northeastern North America more commonly known as the Passamaquoddy people.

 

The melody of “Passamaquoddy” was inspired by Mark’s great-great-great-grandparents, James Manning Parker (c. 1792–1877) and Euphemia Parker (1799–1885). Residing on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, Euphemia became a skilled island nurse at just sixteen, braving fierce maritime storms to treat those in need far and near. Around 1824, she and James were asleep on a howling winter night when a desperate tribal member knocked on their door seeking help for his wife in labor, as the local physician was unavailable. James answered the door, returning to tell his wife—whom he affectionately called "P."—of the crisis.

 

Euphemia's historic firsthand account was later documented in Kate Gannett Wells’ book, Campobello: An Historical Sketch (1893), where she recalled her insistence on braving the elements to help the family: "I got up and dressed and went down with him; for the squaw's skin was as dear to her husband as a white woman's is to her, and her heart may be just as good to God." After safely delivering the baby boy, the grateful father traveled down the next day to declare her "better than man doctor."

 

James Reams & The Barnstormers (Video & Soundtrack Selections)

 

BANJOS, BLUEGRASS, & SQUIRREL BARKERS

 

 Bluegrass, & Squirrel Barkers Trailor 1” (2:04 – 2:17)

—Hear a snippet of “Passamaquoddy” from the soundtrack of this documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJmiJ8J7_-8&t=1s

—Note: An unmastered rough mix of “Passamaquoddy” is available as an audio file at the end of this document.

 

“RISE UP WEST VIRGINIA” (Documentary Film Series)

Two original Barnstormer tracks are featured throughout the soundtrack of this documentary series detailing the impacts of mountaintop removal mining.

 

“Rise Up West Virginia - Heaven n Hell” (Video 1)

— From the Soundtrack: “Hills of My County” (co-written by Tina Aridas and James Reams)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMjKyxhnO_4 

 

“Rise Up West Virginia Part 2” (Video 2)

— From the Soundtrack: “Hills of My County” (co-written by Tina Aridas and James Reams)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMjKyxhnO_4 

 

“Rise Up West Virginia Part 5” (Video 3)

— From the Soundtrack: “Coal Dust In My Soul” (written by James Reams)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_MuBasxh3k&t=71s

 

“Hundred Dollar Funeral-James Reams”

—View the Barnstormers studio performance of Porter Wagoner’s “Hundred Dollar Funeral,” featuring fiddler Kenny Kosek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Pju4c__LA&list=RD06Pju4c__LA&start_radio=1

 

“Mark Farrell with James Reams & The Barnstormers”

—Watch Mark’s rousing live performance of the “Black Mountain Rag” recorded live in Newark, Delaware:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1OztGV237o&list=RDa1OztGV237o&start_radio=1

 

“Park Slope Bluegrass Jamboree - September 21, 2018”:

—View a segment of the Barnstormers set at the Old Stone House in Brooklyn, N.Y.: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paaQ5e8WI7g&list=RDpaaQ5e8WI7g&start_radio=1

*           *           *

 

James Reams, Walter Hensley and the Barons of Bluegrass

 

“Upper Elk Creek”
—Listen to Walter Hensley’s original track, “Upper Elk Creek,” released on the 2014 compilation, The Patuxent Banjo Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPg62Rnzb38&list=RDQPg62Rnzb38&start_radio=1

 

“Wild Card”

—Hear more of Walter’s playing on his original tune, “Wild Card,” from the 2006 album of the same name:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqrK1vbkYkM&list=RDcqrK1vbkYkM&start_radio=1

 

“Wild Card [2006] — James Reams, Walter Hensley and the Barons of Bluegrass”
—Listen to the entire Wild Card CD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQrj4XZiywY&list=RDaQrj4XZiywY&start_radio=1&t=66s

 

“James Reams, Walter Hensley & The Barons of Bluegrass [2002]”
—Hear Walter’s original track, “Lady Liberty” (Track 2 at 02:44), from the album nominated by the IBMA for “Recorded Event of the Year”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErhRNrI5ixg&list=RDErhRNrI5ixg&start_radio=1&t=224s

 

“James Reams & The Barnstormers with Walter Hensley Live”
—View the Barnstormers' set, including the portion featuring Walter Hensley at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqLXYNE0mNE&list=RDHqLXYNE0mNE&start_radio=1&t=1333s

 

And if you really like banjo, please do see all of Walter’s music on YouTube.

 

Tri-County Ramblers

 

“tcremelinladyofthelake.wmv”
—View a live performance by the Tri-County Ramblers performing “Lady of the Lake” at Mamaroneck’s Emelin Theatre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPriONyhTsA&list=RDBPriONyhTsA&start_radio=1

 

“Yankee Rebels Wes Houston-Who Done It”

—Allen Cohen and Mark can be seen performing together with the Yankee Rebels.  Their CD Flight of the Phoenix received positive reviews, notably from Bluegrass Now magazine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t1t4jbeC0A&list=RD4t1t4jbeC0A&start_radio=1

 

       *           *           *

 

Canebrake Rattler Tribute Footage – Tom Legenhausen and Bill Dillof

 

“Washed In Blood by Canebrake Rattlers” (Tom):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ti0AIL7_D4&list=RD_ti0AIL7_D4&start_radio=1

 

“Giddyap Napoleon - Bill Dillof (RIP) & Jon Bekoff (RIP) with Paula Bradley - Oldtime song – 2014” (Bill):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bwdGcDsm1o&list=RD4bwdGcDsm1o&start_radio=1

 

“Going Across The Sea, Played On The Five String Banjo Tom Legenhausen”

——Watch the fine old-time singing and banjo playing of Tom Legenhausen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSPAVu4Wers&list=RDPSPAVu4Wers&start_radio=1

 

“Harry Smith Frolic 2007 Willie Moore Tom Legenhausen”:

—Once again, Tom Legenhausen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mYmkfiL7MQ&list=RD6mYmkfiL7MQ&start_radio=1

 

 “Dillof, Rice & The Cuyahogians, "Midnight On the Stormy Deep"

—The late Bill Dillof recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqIOhgAiukE&list=RDeqIOhgAiukE&start_radio=1

 

“The Hobo From the T & P Line”

—Bill Dillof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVI-Z4Oj-Kw&list=RDeVI-Z4Oj-Kw&start_radio=1

 

“Are You Gettin' There Rabbit?"

—Bill Dillof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx_KkeVKgAA&list=RDXx_KkeVKgAA&start_radio=1

                                                                                             

                                                *           *           *

 

James Reams Tribute Performances

 

“James Reams and the Barnstormers Special”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euLpLiwXIaA&list=RDeuLpLiwXIaA&start_radio=1

 

“Born To Roll-James Reams”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b229OBLEA4&list=RD-b229OBLEA4&start_radio=1

 

*           *           *

ADDITIONAL LISTENING (Mark):

 

“marky MARK FARRELL CANEBRAKE RATTLERS 1977-2017” selected savage rhythms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXh-0BatzUA&t=2648s

 

“Mark Farrell - Cowboy Song from 'Songs Of The Hills and Plains' Canebrake Rattlers Second LP” (“The Lone Star Trail”):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUwq0eWlzkQ

 

*           *           *

 

AUDIO FILES:

 

“Mississippi Lowdown”

—Mark Farrell, violin; Pat Conte, guitar (Otis Brothers, Flying Crow LP #103):

 

 

 

 

“Old Joe Clark”

—Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers:

 

 

 

“There’s No Hell In Georgia”

—Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers (Songs of the Hills and Plains LP):

 

 

 

“Passamaquoddy”

—James Reams And The Barnstormers (Unmastered Rough Mix):

 

 

 

 

“Susquehanna Gettaway”

 —James Reams And The Barnstormers (Unmastered Rough Mix)

 

 

 

 

“In The Corner At The Table By The Jukebox”

—James Reams and the Barnstormers (Unmastered Rough Mix)

 

 

 

 

“Grape Vine Twist”

–Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers (Brooklyn Folk Festival 2013 - Bell House):

 

 

 

“Old Folks Get To Bed”

—Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers (live take in studio)

 

 

 

 

“Rocky Creek”

—James Reams And The Barnstormers (Music From The Mountain Bluegrass Show #20 – 10/16/2014)

 

 

 

ARTIST PROFILE – EMILY AND ALLEN COHEN

 

Emily and Allen have entertained and educated audiences both young and old, bringing the flavor of Appalachian and bluegrass music to Staten Island.

Emily Cohen (Storytelling, vocals) is Allen’s wife of 62 years. They have been musical partners all those years. Emily is a retired Children’s Librarian, having worked for Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library. She regularly ran programs for children playing guitar and singing and telling stories. These programs were well received with one mother describing them as “O’Brother-esque”. Emily has appeared as a guest with the Tri-County Ramblers Bluegrass band at a number of venues here on Staten Island, as well as Manhattan and New Jersey. She and Allen received the 2005 Park Slope Jamboree’s Brown Jug award for significant and continuing contributions to Bluegrass and Old-Time country music in the northeast. In the early 2000’s they had an act called “Auntie Em and Uncle Al” doing shows of folk music and old-time country songs for children and families and did 6 performances on Staten Island, funded by a grant similar to this one.

ALLEN COHEN

 

Allen Cohen (rhythm guitar, dobro, dulcimer, vocals) remembers that fateful day in 1959 when he walked into a record shop on West 8th St. in Greenwich Village, searched the Folk Music bin looking to buy a new record and found Flatt and Scruggs. A New York Times reviewer described Flatt and Scruggs as “folk music in overdrive”, and he was right. Allen co-founded the Tri-County Ramblers in 1973 and has played with that group until the early 2000’s, since then with the Yankee Rebels, Grassland and now with Acoustic Rosewood. Before retiring, Allen was a community pharmacist. Allen was the driving force behind the establishment of the Bluegrass Festival at Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. Allen produced and was the talent coordinator, stage manager and emcee for that festival which ran for 11 years (and is currently on hiatus due to lack of funding). But he is most at home, on stage, playing Bluegrass Old-Time Country, and Americana music and making audiences happy.