Listen to the full album below
JUST PRESS PLAY!
Download tunes by clicking the button to the left each song title.
Liner notes below the player
1. Too Busy: recorded by Lillie Delk Christian
(1928); learned from the self-titled recording
by The Ambassadors, 1980
2. Good Times: Sam Cooke (1963), Portrait of a Legend,
2003
3. Muddy Water: Pete DeRose, Harry Richman &
Joe Trent (1927), originally recorded by Bessie
Smith; learned from Madeleine Peyroux’s
Dreamland, 1996
4. Love In Vain: Robert Johnson (1936), King of the Delta
Blues Singers
5. Old Fashioned Love: J.P. Johnson & Cecil Mark
(1923); learned from Blackburn & Hull’s
Ace Picking and Sweet Harmony, 1977
6. Is This Love: Bob Marley (1978), Kaya
7. River Of Joy: Mary Flower (2003), Ragtime Gal
8. Is It Getting Hot In Here: Steve Spensley (2016) solo
9. Helplessly Hoping: Stephen Stills (1969), Crosby
Stills & Nash
10. Leave That Liar Alone: Carter Family (1937),
In the Shadow of Clinch Mountain, 2000
11. Baby: Shelby Lynne (2003), Identity Crisis
12. Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo:
Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia (1973), Wake of the Flood
13. Years Pass: Kim Spensley (2018) solo
14. Ophelia: Robbie Robertson (1975), Northern Lights-
Southern Cross
15. Good Shepard: Based on the 1936 Library of Congress
field recording of Blood Stained Banders (traditional)
by Jimmie Strothers; learned from Jorma Kaukonen’s
arrangement on Jefferson Airplane’s Volunteers, 1969
16. Buffalo Gals: Eliza Gilkynson (1994, traditional),
Retrospecto, Over The Waterfall (traditional) adapted
by Steve Spensley
17. Settin’ The Woods On Fire: Hank Williams (1952),
The Complete Hank Williams, 1998
Like so many recording projects from the last few years, Keepsake had its inception during the height of the Covid pandemic. Even though Kim and I have literally been playing music together informally since the night we met in 1976, we decided to fill up some of that “lockdown” time with formally working up a repertoire of songs we could put out there in public once such things were again possible. We decided to stick to our guitars and not incorporate other instruments we play, thereby keeping sound/equipment needs simple.
This year we thought it would be fun to make a recording as a keepsake for our family, hence the title. The hard part was then choosing a selection of songs from the almost 100 titles we now have in our back pockets. For various reasons, these are the ones that made the cut. The only reason we could be satisfied with this was knowing we can keep recording in the future. So, stay tuned!
Guitars and vocals: Steve & Kim Spensley
Notes: Steve Spensley
Engineer, producer, photographer, printer & good friend:
Marcos Levy- Many Thanks! www.TheNewLearningProject.com
Garudio Productions, Cuttingsville, VT 05738
Dedicated with love to our children, their partners and grandchildren:
Elly & Matt Moriarty, Larkin and Cameron
Robb & Sybren Spensley, Iyla, Ruby & Faye
Colin Spensley & Jordan Stahl, Jorah (woof!)
Recorded October & November 2023
Management: Goetz Harderbeigh II