Collection search - Leach, Russell "Rusty" - Interview

FINNIGAN, Joan

1992-0109

Sound

1 of 1

1988-03

Joan Finnigan (Interviewer)

Interview of Russell "Rusty" Leach, of Chapeau, Quebec, a former lumberman and collector of old songs from the Ottawa Valley. Leach talks about his six-year reseach to find elderly singers who could recall songs from the oral tradition. He speaks of a book in which he wrote down several of the lengthy songs which tell of people and events of the Valley such "Magnasippi Maid", "Red Light Saloon" and "Black River Stream". He notes that some old songs have two versions including a "barroom version". Also discussed is the observation that some of the old songs are based on the real life tragedies that befell the men who worked in the lumbercamps in the Valley. Throughout the interview, Finnigan and Leach trade humorous stories of people and events of the Valley.

English

Open

with written permission of copyright owner : no donor restrictions~Original copyright owner: Joan Finnigan. Copyright held by Queen's University in all works of Joan Finnigan. ~No reproduction or publication without prior written permission of Queen's University via the University Archivist, Queen's University Archives.