Quick Q and A with Mason Daring
 by Kathy S-B  ·  2 April 2010

Marbleheaders are all proud to call Mason Daring one of their own. Daring is the much heralded and influential composer of the soundtracks for ohn Sayles’ films as well as half of the duo, Daring and Stahl. “Marblehead Morning” is the most well-known song by Daring and Stahl.

To discover more about Mason Daring, go to this website. Here’s a video that shows still photographs from the film “Lone Star” accompanied by Daring’s music.

If you had to describe yourself in three words. What would those three words be?

Lucky, grateful, and unfinished.

I’m loving your website. Especially enjoy the quotes from the “Crazy Mason Daring” fan, Dick Pleasants (WUMB) who compliments your CD highly. You’re known as part of a duo — Mason Daring and Jeanie Stahl. Here you are on this CD all by your lonesome. Care to describe the dynamics that went on during the recording.

I had the pleasure of working with Duke Levine as my producer; throw in the best players on the east coast, and you had a setting where, for once I didn’t worry about the burdens of recording — I let someone else carry that load, and simply enjoyed myself as an artist. I’m never that happy with my singing; as much as I enjoy actually doing it, after decades of working with artists like Jeanie Stahl, I don’t want to listen to myself. But I had been waiting so many years to record most of these songs, I let the songs themselves propel me through the process.

You were a major deal in the greater Boston area. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to remember you playing a show with Jeanie at Crocker Park. Did you open for Pete Seeger or am I hallucinating and that never happened?

Jeanie and I have played Crocker Park 4 or 5 times since the late 70’s — it’s probably the prettiest natural concert venue in New England — think of it as Red Rock East. Pete Seeger came to Abbot Hall many years ago — I didn’t play with him, but I lent him our PA, and did the sound for him. You know what? He was terrific — really worked the show. Sometimes people forget that, at the heart of it, he has always been a professional performer.

So what’s happening next for you?

I left Hollywood a few years ago to take care of family members here in New England — I still score films, but not at the pace I once held. This summer I will go to the Philippines to score a film called Baryo, directed by my old friend, John Sayles — it’s set in that country during the insurrection of the early 1900’s — has a fabulous story about a village caught between the American Army and a group of rebels — after that, who knows?

Quick Q and A with Bill Staines
 by Kathy S-B  ·  2 April 2010

Bill Staines is somewhat of a folk legend. He has been traveling the country for decades, singing his tunes, spinning his tales, and entertaining countless numbers of people with his heartfelt music. For more information about Bill Staines, go to his website. Here’s a video of Bill singing his dearly loved song, “River.”

You’ve been touring for a few decades now which is very impressive. Do you have one most memorable moment in all those years?

I’ve had so many experiences on the road over the years that it’s hard to pick out one in particular,

You have drive many miles on tour. What’s your latest mileage estimate and how many cars have you gone through over the years?

I’ve driven just a little under 3 million miles traveling around the country.

What’s it like to be a children’s book author now? How did you hook up with Kadir Nelson who did the wonderful illustrations for “All God’s Critters?”

“A Place In The Choir” was written over 30 years ago. The song has grown up and is now making its own way in the world. Although I own the publishing for the song, it has really come to belong to everybody. Somebody at Simon and Schuster heard the song and they decided to release it as an illustrated children’s book with Kadir Nelson’s wonderful artwork. I’m very proud of the song but it is out there making its own way in the world, hopefully bringing something of value to people.

You play a right handed guitar upside down. Do you know many other guitarists who do the same thing or are you alone in that category?

I picked up the guitar when I was around 11 years old. I knew I was left handed so I flipped the guitar over and learned that way. It’s not something you see every day but many people play upside down. It’s always the same story, I’m left handed, picked up the guitar, and taught myself from chord diagrams.

Can you picture yourself doing anything else other than making music?

Music is all I know, I don’t know what would do if I couldn’t play music.

Quick Q and A with Jeanie Stahl
 by Kathy S-B  ·  1 April 2010

Jeanie Stahl is a fixture in Marblehead. The magical song “Marblehead Morning” has a fond place in most long-time Headers’ hearts. Comfortable in both the folk and jazz genres, Jeanie’s a joy to listen to and we’re thrilled to have back her back on our stage at the me&thee.

Do you recall the first time you met Mason Daring? Did you have any clue upon that meeting that you and he would become a musical pair?

I met Mason in the 70’s at a long defunct folk club near MIT and Central Square. He was performing and I was doing a guest set as an audition trying to get a gig there. I think we liked each other’s music right away but certainly had no idea we would form a music duo. I thought his song writing was great and he probably thought I had a pretty good voice.

Who were your influences as a young person growing up?

Musically, I had a wide range of influences, from classical to country, folk (British and American) and rock. I’ve always been into good melodies and lyrics no matter what the style. I played classical piano and sang in choirs until the middle of high school and then the mid-to-late sixties kicked in and I got off the classical track and went right to folk and rock n’ roll. For my own performing I guess Joni Mitchell was a big influence. I also listened to Merle Haggard and loved the Grateful Dead. Then there were the songs I grew up with when I was younger — The Shirelles — “Will You Still Love me Tomorrow” and Aretha. And later I listened to a lot of the jazz vocalists — Billy Holiday, Ella, big band singers from the 30’s and 40’s and Edith Piaf, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.

After you and and Mason stopped working as a duo, you turned to jazz. How did that happen?

Mason and I had always included a few standards in our repertoire and I found those songs really suited my voice and they were fun to sing. I started listening to more and more of the female jazz vocalists. It also gave me a chance to sing with a band. I played at Ryles in Cambridge for a couple of years with Billy Novick on horn, Stuart Schulman on piano and violin and various bass players. Then a friend of mine brought Joan Wilson, the Executive Producer of Masterpiece Theater, to see me at Ryles. She really liked what I was doing and offered me a great opportunity — recording 8 songs at a WGBH stage set designed for our band. It was quite the event — 8 different gowns and hair dos and the band in black tie. The songs were aired at the end of each episode of a Masterpiece Theater series called “Love in a Cold Climate.” Mason was music producer and also produced the album that came out of it.

Do you have any favorite memories of performing?

There’s not one thing. Overall, I’d say it is the people I’ve met, whether those in the audience or the musicians that have become friends over the years. The recording part of “performing” I’ve always loved. It is so much fun making albums/CD’s in the studio and getting great musicians together. And when the musical groove is right, there is nothing better.

Is there a way to compare your jazz music performance with the folk music performances or is there absolutely no way to compare the two?

They are hard to compare. There’s less pressure in a way doing jazz standards with a band because all I have to do is sing and I don’t have to worry about the guitar. And the clothing is very different! Folk music is definitely more intimate and laid back. There is a closer connection to the audience.

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