Trails & Rails

Trails & Rails
Musical History Programs

The Way West was full of adventure and challenges. Settlers, Gold Miners and Cowboys brought their music with them - from the East and from the 'old country'. And, once here, they wrote songs telling about the good and bad things that happened as they struggled to make a life, or stay alive! Trails & Rails can take you on musical-historical journeys
from the early 1800's to the present.
You'll be surprised at how many of these songs you will know.
We invite you to sing along as we make the trip.

Examples of Western Musical-History Programs:
* Emigration - Do you remember Sweet Betsy?
* The Life of the Cowboy
* Winning the West

(Note: Each program will be customized for the event/venue.)

Train and Railroad Programs

People sometimes forget, or have not known, how important trains were to our country's history and development. Trails and Rails has a very large repertoire of train songs and enjoy sharing these along with tales of the early days of railroad building and the dangers of the rail.
There is a reason why there are so many train wreck songs!

Songs of the Civil War

The Civil War has been called our most 'musical' war. Robert E. Lee himself is quoted as saying that "Without Music, we would have no army ". How could that be ? !

Music united those separated from their homes and loved ones and gave them cause to remember why they were fighting. It was used by armies to give orders to the men. The drums and bugles energized exhausted soldiers and gave them information about what was happening during battle. Songs gave comfort to those fighting and to those left at home. They even provided a venue for protest.

This Trails & Rails program was first presented at the Autry Museum, Los Angeles, in August 2015, at the request of the Western Music Association. Since then we have been continuously adding songs, with their related histories.

The interest in this program has been most gratifying and we have had excellent feedback from our audiences.

We thought we knew most of the Civil War songs, but, in fact, many of the songs written during the war were lost for some time right after the Union was reunited.

Ken Burns' series has done much to bring some of these beautiful melodies back to our attention. Trails & Rails is happy to continue the effort to share those songs - and more.

Our current program can vary in length from one to two+ hours depending on the needs of the group for/with whom we would be playing.

Trails & Rails can accommodate a concert venue, a school or library program, a private party or a Reenactment.

Following Trails & Rails Through San Diego History

Are we lucky to live here ? Absolutely !
The first area inhabitants were fortunate, too. Then, in the late 1700s, life for the Kumeyaay changed dramatically. Amazing things have happened since then. Missions, Ranchos, Gold, Settlers, Railroads !
Cars and highways eventually brought even more people,
who wanted to make their home in one of the world's best places.

People brought music with them - there's always music ! Others wrote songs about their own experiences or about the earlier days they had heard about.

Join Trails & Rails, the award-winning acoustic harmony group,
(spiced up with some amazing banjo-bass instrumentals)
for a musical trip through decades of change in San Diego County.

The 1930's in Song

Who would have thought that such upbeat Pop tunes could have come out of the Depression era.
In addition, we're still singing the songs of Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, The Carter Family, The Sons of the Pioneers,
and Gene Autry as well as Bing.
Join us on a musical history trip through the amazing 1930s.

School Programs

4th and 5th graders who are studying western history enjoy hearing music of the era and seeing it played on acoustic instruments. Trails & Rails share songs that the settlers brought with them, that cowboys made up as they worked the trail drives, and that people wrote later about western life.

Workshops

Instrument Workshops

Walt - on Guitar: Can You Back Me Up?

Good back-up is an important part of creating a full musical sound for individuals, as well as for groups. Walt will show you effective ways to back up your own vocals, as well as how to back up the vocal and instrumental lead players in your band.

Walt - On Banjo: Using the Banjo's Full Potential

Bluegrass rolls are great, but there are many other ways to bring the banjo into your music. Frailing is an excellent, and accessible, way to add rhythm and interest to a group's or an individual's sound. It is especially supportive in folk and western music. The Banjo played melodically creates beautiful music of it's own. Walt will demonstrate various banjo styles and share techniques to get you started on your own banjo playing.
Walt also gives workshops at intermediate and advanced levels.

Walt Richards