Historical Links About the National Road The Story Behind the Story - Real People, Places, and Events About the Play Play Home What's New Overview About the Music About the History About the Logistics About the Cast Synopsis About the Set About the Author Contact Us Home	About the Music If The Creek Don't Rise features live performances of acoustic-based music that reflects traditional folk and "Americana" styles. Instruments include guitar, bass, banjo, recorder, harmonica, and piano, all played by the actors themselves as the action unfolds. Over fifteen original songs tell the stories of eight generations of people who lived along the National Road. Featured songs include: National Road Folk, sung by Ben in "present day" You Can Change This Land Anthem, sung by a Shawnee girl who married a white settler in the early 1800's Small Kindnesses Folk, sung by an escaped slave who was protected by white friends in the 1840s A Mother's Eyes Ballad, sung by a woman who started a hospital in her home during the Civil War. We'll Know it When We See it Western, sung by a pioneer family in the late 1800's Yellow and Green are the Colors I Wear Celtic, sung by an Irish immigrant girl in the late 1800s What Are They Thinking Barbershop, sung by a witness to the Wright Brothers' early efforts If the Creek Don't Rise Hoedown, sung by midwestern farmers in the early 1900s Fish in the Corn Folk, sung by a young farmgirl in the early 1900s Long and Open Highway Bluegrass, sung by a band of hobos during the Depression I'll Never Be the Same Gospel, sung at a camp meeting just prior to WWII Who Taught You How/Invisible Son Pop, sung by a family reeling from the "generation gap" in the 1960s Heart of the Heartland Folk, sung by an "exiled" playwright in the early 1990s Carry the Flame Anthem, sung by the family in "modern day" Each song is arranged for performance using traditional folk instruments with the occasional addition of piano, bass, and drums. In addition, a piano arrangement of each song has been prepared for practice purposes. If you would like to view lyrics and hear complete MIDI arrangements of these tunes, please contact us for more information.
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