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Lindsay is a world-class autoharpist, valued for his instrumental prowess and stylistic breadth. More importantly to me, this great musician and songwriter and combines all of these elements with a forthright performance style - Mother Maybelle Carter meets Martha Raye. In 1981 , Hank Alrich produced and I engineered Lindsay's Christmas on the Autoharp for Armadillo Records. Now while the topic of A Choirboy's Lament is apparently timeless as it cycles and recycles through the news of the day over the years, it still takes an especial performer to deliver this poignant ditty - something like Maybelle Carter/Martha Raye.
Virtuoso autoharp players are rare, as is having another engineer well-experienced in recording autoharp (my almost-brother Larry Nye). I had both, so no worries! Just have Lindsay drive up from Leander to Larry's La-Z-L, and enjoy the richness of their sound. N.B. It was strongly suggested to me by well-intentioned, supportive friends that this song not be included in the circle. My response was immediate (only later did I realize I had paraphrased Mel Brooks):
"If only one person is genuinely offended,
it will have been worth it."
Ringtone
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A CHOIRBOY'S LAMENT
A CHOIRBOY back in Boston,
How clearly I recall
The gentle hand of that sweet man
Who gently touched us all.
His name was Father Francis,
A shepherd to his flock.
And when feeling blue, each tenor knew
The shelter of his frock.
 He clearly was quite wise
To devise a master plan. Though
Too young to realize who
Had made me a soprano.
I’d kneel to gain his favor,
Bending to his will.
What must have been a cardinal sin
Lingers with me still.
Such memories, such melodies
For A CHOIRBOY back in Boston.
by Fletcher Clark
©2010, Armadillo Music (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved.
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