It’s an introduction to the blues — Piedmont style blues — as blues artist Lightnin’ Wells sits in as our guest musician. Lightnin’ performs such classics as “John Henry” and “Ain’t Gonna Rain No More,” as well as two more guaranteed toetappers — “Jump Little Children” and “The Old Familiar Tune.” Meanwhile, poet Hazel Morrow takes us all along for a fun ride in “I Want to Drive a Dump Truck,” and Dava Jo Walker illustrates the pitfalls of an overactive imagination in her poem “Just Counting Sheep.” “The Grummel Stories” by Angela Consolo Mankiewicz continues. And “The Magnificent Wizards” by Charles Schaeffer and Art Cosing follows the mischievous antics of two overly competitive sorcerers.

Edited and produced by Arlene Furman and Jack Nestor

1995 Shoofly, Inc.

The Shoofly Players: Alicia Addo, Michael Allen, Mark Ariail, Lisa Bowers, Brian Christopher, Jonathan Elkes, Tekeisha Ford, Jeffery Goss, Jennifer Johnson, Amy Landers, Tom Marriott, LaRain McCauley, Greg Miller, Julie Padilla Moreno, Claudio Oswald Niedworok, Sarah Froeber, and Jody Strimling

Shoofly Theme: T. Sherman Tate (lead vocal); Tommy Hartley (guitar & vocal)

Cover Concept & Design: Kathleen Nestor

Cover Art: Alexei Pfeffer-Gillett (age 9, Baltimore, MD)

Recorded by: Randy Friel, SoundWave Audio, Chapel Hill
Incidental music composed and arranged by Randy Friel; Shoofly variations performed by Lightnin' Wells

Special Guest: Lightnin’ Wells
Shoofly is very happy to present our featured guest recording artist, Lightnin’ Wells, who sings and plays in the style known as the Piedmont blues. On the liner notes of Lightnin’s CD Bull Frog Blues, producer Randy Friel writes: “Lightnin’ Wells grew up in the Piedmont of North Carolina and has had the opportunity to meet, play with, and learn from the best of the living Piedmont blues artists: Big Boy Henry, Etta Baker, Algia Mae Hinton, and John Dee Holeman. Lightnin’ has also amassed a large record collection of blues 78s, singles, and LPs, which he pours over and studies like a professor. His extensive knowledge of the blues, combined with his laid back manner and his spirited musicianship, make him a unique individual, or as some southerners might say, `a real character’.”

Parents, if you are interested in hearing more of Lightnin’ Wells, Bull Frog Blues is available at ShooflyAudio.com.

The Grummel Stories are introduced by Claudio Oswald Niedworok.
Be sure to check out Vol. 1, No. 4 and Vol. 2, No. 2 for more Grummel Stories.