Musical historian Lee Murdock has uncovered a boundless body of music and stories in the Great Lakes. There is an amazing timelessness in this music. Great Lakes songs are made of hard word, hard living, ships that go down and ships that come in. Noted as a fluent instrumentalist, Murdock's musical influences span fifteen generations, combining ragtime, Irish, blues and folk styles with his flair for storytelling in songs. “… a fine job of recreating history and holding it up to a poet’s light,”—Sing Out! Magazine.
To listen to Lee Murdock’s music is to visualize the long, heavily laden deck of an iron ore freighter being tossed by malevolent waves, to glimpse a gang of schooners being towed stem-to-stern up Lake St Clair, to chill to the tale of a ghost ship, to thrill to song of a heroic surfman’s rescue, to soar above the landing deck of the Wolverine, to sail with the first ship through the Soo Locks at the opening of the season, to witness the wonder and beauty of Lake Superior’s legendary optical illusions, all this and more. Noted Great Lakes historian and musician Lee Murdock’s songs and stories create an unforgettable image of commerce and recreation as they exist on the Great Lakes, with huge cargo ships traversing vital shipping lanes while pleasure craft of all types and sizes share the waters along North America’s fourth coast.
Lee Murdock will be performing
Friday evening, November 4
6-7pm, Heartland Gallery
Free with Festival wristband
Lee Murdock will lead a campfire sing-a-long “Sea shanties and more” as part of the Festival
Friday evening Nov 4
8-9pm, Iron Post Patio
Free! No wristband necessary.