The Fisher Family Singers

Mandolin Buyers Guide

2011-09-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

I have for years wanted to play the mandolin! This Squidoo lens (link listed below!) is chock full of useful information to get me or you, started in the right direction. Maybe I will find one under the Christmas tree this year? Making music is a part of my spirit and the memories that I have of play together with my father, brother and sons, will keep me going for a long, long time!!

Mandolin Buyers Guide

2010-12-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to All!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

An Online Metronome...

2008-11-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

To play a piece of music in the exact tempo that it was written, there are a couple of things you need to look for at the top of the staff. For instance in a piece of music "I Saw Three Ships / Away In a Manger / Sussex Carol by ENGLISH CAROL, JAMES R. MURRAY and TRADITIONAL, the tempo is marked a dotted quarter note is equal to 84. If you have a metronome then slide the weight down the metronome stick until it is in line with 84. The metronome will rock back and forth giving you the perfect rhythm to count out the time to this piece.

If you don't have a traditional metronome you can go online to METRONOME ONLINE and set it!

Song History...No Other Love...

2008-02-01T23:33:00.000-08:00

o Other Love, Could Love You More...with Valentine's day just around the corner, I will be concentrating on the Love Songs that we sing. There were two songs back in the 50's that were titled "No Other Love".

In 1950, Bob Russell wrote the words to a popular song derived from Frederick Chopin's Etude No. 3 in E, Op. 10, and a show tune was written in 1953 by Rodgers and Hammerstein for their musical "Me and Juliet". After looking at the score of Chopin's piece that is pictured with the 1950's love song on Wikipedia, the "No Other Love" that we sing is the 1950 song.

Jo Stafford recorded version of this song hit the Billboard charts at No. 10 in 1950. Our home recorded 1998 version is sung by my father, George Harvey. I do suggest that you turn your volume down before starting this song as it was recorded on a high bias cassette tape and has a resonating quality to it if turned up too loud.

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher

FFS Adds "FuelMyBlog" to Directory...

2008-01-16T16:10:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-02T08:08:00.001-08:00

appy New Year to everyone!!! We look forward to a music filled year!!! I will continue to bring you the history behind the songs we sing, as well as give music theory tips. Fill your 2008 with music!!!

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher

Christmas Songs Are HERE!!!

2007-11-30T01:45:00.000-08:00

hristmas time is our favorite time of the year! And we love all the old Christmas Songs. You will find a list a the Christmas Songs that we sing in the side column...we suggest you start with the instrumental version of Feliz Navidad to get you in a holiday mood...George Harvey plucks his bass violin, Tony strums the acoustic guitar, Travis tries out a steel guitar sound and Janey Loree plays the keyboard...Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas!!!)

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher

Soundtrack: The Man From Snowy River...

2007-11-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

his post was written for the Authors go GONZO! Carnival.

To take a cue from our post, Poem vs Movie: The Man From Snowy River, over at Mustang 'n' Cowboys, we would like to comment on the music that makes up "The Man From Snowy River Soundtrack" for our favorite movie based on a poem.

While writing this post , I listened to the sound samples over at CD Universe. One of my favorite songs is Clancy's Theme. In the movie, Clancy is played by Jack Thompson. A nice touch is added as Clancy hums a bar from Clancy's Theme.

Listening closely you will find that the "Main Theme" is played thoughout the movie in different variations when "Mountain Theme" adds to the scene of Jim and Jessica taking in the view from a high mountain outlook. "Jim Brings In The Brumbies" is clearly a main theme as he rides into the Harrison station with everyone looking on, including Jessica. The main theme plays majestically as Jim single handedly brings in Old Regrets' colt, now a stallion, and the mares to Harrison's station.

"Jim's Ride" sets the mood for The Man From Snowy River's famous ride down the steep mountain side, as he chases the wild brumby's, the colt from Old Regret, and his mare that got loose the day his father died. You can almost hear hoofbeats as the music starts out soft and even, then as the music changes, your off down the mountain side...and "The Chase" adds its beauty to the awesome scenes of the wild herd of horse being chased by 30 or so mounted horses.

"Jessica's Theme" blends with the scene on the front of the CD adding to the story, letting you know that Jim and Jessica are falling in love. Listening to "Henry Dies", you can almost hear Jim yell into the forest when his father dies because of a timber accident created by Old Regret's colt, leaving him alone in the world. Jessica's aunt has lives at the station and is charged with raising her from birth. "Rosemary Recalls" is a hauntingly beautiful theme that adds to the intrigue of Jessica's past.

"Jessica's Sonata" depicts a wrestling time for Jessica with her feelings for Jim and sets the scene for Jessica as she runs away to the Snowy River country to find Jim. Even though Jessica is an avid horsewoman, she is not used to the ruggedness of the mountains. As it gets close to dark, a storm rolls in and Jessica falls from her horse, down over the side of a cliff and lands on a ledge. "The Brumbies" completes her mood of desolation as she falls asleep from exhaustion.

In the meantime, "Harrison's Homestead / Jim Gets His Horse", portrays the humble pride of the Man From Snowy River as he cuts out and takes his mare from the brumbie herd. Then as Harrison and his men ride out to find Jessica, Jim joins in the search as the storm rolls in and "Searching For Jessica" plays in the background.

The last song on the CD, End Titles (Medley), is a beautifully orchestrated medley that plays out during the credits.

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

FFS joins Blogging Chicks...

2007-11-01T00:50:00.000-07:00

Since Janey Loree is out-numbered by the guys in our family singing group, I have joined forces with "Blogging Chicks". Now unless they can find a blogging group called "Blogging Guys" or something like that...the girls have the majority!

FFS participates in the Authors go GONZO! Carnival...

2007-10-31T22:11:00.000-07:00

The "Authors go GONZO! Carnival" is slated for November 5, 2007. "COME ONE, COME ALL!!!" This carnival is your opportunity to share about the book(s) you have written or are in the process of writing. Let us know who your favorite author is, which book or book series holds that special place on your bookshelf or what book based movie, in your opinion, is not as good as the book! This carnival is for those of us who love to read a good book and want to share our opinion. Tell everyone about this carnival of reading fun...pun intended!

more info...

Song History...Try To Remember...

2007-10-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

Try To Remember is a favorite song of ours. This song looks at the season a little differently than yearly seasons. I have included two versions that we recorded. A vocal version sung by my brother Douglas Wayne and my father, George Harvey. And an instrumental version played by yours truly (Janey Loree). These are home recordings so we didn't get all the mistakes out! Enjoy!!

This post is entered in the BLOG VILLAGE Fall Fest Carnival!

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain so yellow
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a young and a callow fellow
Try to remember and if you remember
Then follow ( follow ) follow ( follow ) follow . . .

Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember
Then follow ( follow ) follow ( follow ) follow . . .

Deep in December it's nice to remember
Although you know the snow will follow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
Without a hurt, the heart is hollow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
The fire of September that made you mellow
Deep in December our hearts should remember

Then follow ( follow ) follow ( follow ) follow . . .

read another
Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

Satellite problems...

2007-10-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

"Twiglet" the Little Christmas Tree...a story of discovery, miracles and friendships...: Satellite problems...

Nashville Bound...

2007-10-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

Back in May of 1999, I had the opportunity to record a couple songs in Nashville. After all the details were worked out, Travis Lee, Anthony Wayne and I hooked up the Avion trailer to our '92 Chevy Van and headed to Nashville. I just wish that my dad had been able to go back with us. Then he would have been able to do the harmony on "Cowboy You're Different" by Bobby D. Reed and "If Love Were A Flower" by Don Harp!

The inscription inside the CD Jacket reads:

To thank everyone that gave a part of their lives to make these songs a part of mine, would fill up several pages. Without performing with my father, George Harvey, my brother, Douglas Wayne and my boys Travis Lee and Anthony Wayne, as the Fisher Family Singers, this would not have been a possibility. To keep me going, I have my greatest critic and friend, my mother Phyllis Mae. Working with Shawn Gray and Michael R. Radford was a pleasure and the musicians and background singers were awesome. Thank you guys, you were great!!! Also, to the songwriters, without your songs this wonderful experience just wouldn't have happened! Thank you God for making "Cowboys Different" and allowing us to love again even when love does "Slip Through Our Fingers Like Sand".

Musically,

Janey Loree

The songs were recorded at the Legends Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. After meeting the producer, Michael R. Radford from A.M.I. Records, Shawn Gray my A.M.I. agent led me into the sound booth where I was introduced to the band! Ronnie Godfrey sat at the grand piano in the middle of the room, Tom Wild sat with his leg in a cast and a lead guitar in his arms backed up to the vocal sound booth, Dave Pomeroy was in the corner behind Ronnie and across from Tom with his bass guitar, while Mike Johnson and his drums were relegated to a sound booth all to himself. The acoustic guitar player, Leo Jackson was right out side the vocal sound booth door and the background singers Stephen Hill and Margie Cates recorded their parts in a different session on a later date.

After introductions, I was led into a sound booth where I donned the earphones. There was a microphone hanging from the ceiling between me and a big sound proof window and a music stand. If I strained real hard I could see another huge sound proof window to the left behind Tom and Dave where the engineer, David Boyer sat behind his mixing board! In front of the mixing board sat my sons, Travis Lee and Anthony Wayne on a huge 10' long sofa.

I place my copy of the words to both songs on the music stand and waited for David to give me some tips as we ran through a couple bars of "Cowboy You're Different". Once he had his controls set the way he wanted them, we recorded "C.Y.D." and "If Love Were A Flower" in one take each!!! The hours of practicing had paid off and I just closed my eyes and immersed myself in the music.

Something that was amazing to me is that I found out that Ronnie Godfrey was three quarters blind. If only I could play like that with both eyes open! Before the recording, the guys in the band were teasing me that I had the blind, the deaf and the lame playing for me. Mike (the drummer) was labeled the deaf one and Tom with his leg in a cast was the lame one! Also, I received an autographed CD from Susie Luchsinger (Reba's sister) while she was performing at Cheyenne Frontier Days in '94 or '95. Dave Pomeroy was her bass player.

All told we were at the studio for about two hours and then we had the rest of the week to explore the sights and sounds of Nashville. We took in the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, the Music Valley Wax Museum, the Music Valley Car Museum, the Train Store and Nashville Toy Museum, The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, The Grassmere Farm the Cumberland Science Museum, The Hermitage, The Parthenon, and the Grand Ole Opry to name just a few! On Mother's Day we went for a 10 mile bicycle ride through the backwoods of a little town north of Nashville where we had parked the Avion.

Pictures by Janey Loree ~ the water wheel picture was taken in Oregon. I added it to the slideshow to remind us that after we got home from Nashville, we pulled into the drive there in Cheyenne, Wyoming, packed Mom and Dad's stuff in the Avion and headed to Oregon.
Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher

Guitar Tuning Long Distance...

2007-09-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

bout a week after Travis and Tony moved down to Texas, I received a phone call. Tony was on the line and wanted to try something! I fired up my old Kurzweil Keyboard and we attempted to tune his guitar over the phone lines.

As it turned out, he had already tuned the first string perfectly to the right pitch of "E", so he would have been able to continue tuning the other five strings. There is a way to tune from string to string if you have the first pitch right.

Tony had not been sure if that first string was right, so he called and we had fun tuning his guitar over the phone lines. From there Travis will be able to tune his guitar and TnT can practice their guitars. I think that a tuning fork might be a great Christmas gift!!!

There are 6 strings on a regular guitar and they need to be tuned to an exact pitch so that when you strum your guitar with your right hand and play the chords with your left, the sound is melodic. I found this online guitar tuner over at guitarforbeginners.com and Wikipedia has a great article on How to tune a guitar!

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher. The Music 'n' Sunflower Letter was created by Janey Loree with copyrighted artwork.

Song History...I Will Always Love You...

2007-09-25T01:20:00.000-07:00

Written and sung by Dolly Parton in 1973, the country song "I Will Always Love You" was a huge success. It is the first song to show up on the songs charts four times. Sung by many different singers in many different genres that include jazz (Horace Silver), folk (Linda Ronstadt) and soul (Whitney Houston), The Fisher Family Singers welcome you to hear our version recorded in 1998 on our "Gathered Memories" tape.

History of the son g

FFS is #44 on Top 100 Music Sites!!!
Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher

Song History...Harbor Lights...

2007-09-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: This post has been entered in the "England Goes Gonzo" Blog Carnival being held on October 1st. For carnival details contact Naomi over at Diary From England!

Even though Harbor Lights originated in 1937 and was the background theme in a 1940's movie, it was not until the 50's that this song became popular. Written in England by Wilhelm Grosz and Jimmy Kennedy, Harbor Lights is a hauntingly beautiful song that my father, George Harvey and I, Janey Loree, sing for you here. BTW...my father was born in 1937!

History of the song
Note of interest: FFS is #68 on Top 100 music sites!
The "England Goes GONZO!" banner was created by Kilroy over at Fear and Loathing - The Gonzo Papers.
Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher.

Song History...A String of Pearls...

2007-09-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

Janey Loree plays A String of Pearls on the keyboard.

In researching the origin of this song I could not
find much that would give statistics on this song.
A String of Pearls was written by Eddie De Lange and Jerry Gray. I remember listening to "Big Band Music" on LP. The Glenn Miller Band's instrumental version of A String of Pearls was always one of my favorites.

Over at the guitarguy.com, I did find the words that
I can remember my mother reciting to me when we first
started working on this song!

Ba - by, here's a five and dime,
Ba - by, now's a - bout the time
For a string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

Ev' - ry pearl's a star a - bove,
Wrapped in dreams, and filled with love --
That old string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

Til that hap - py day in Spring
When you buy the wed - ding ring,
Please, a string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

Ba - by you made quite a start,
Found the way right to my heart
With a string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

Wait til the stars peek - a - boo,
I've got some - thing just for you --
It's a string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

I found a love so sub - lime,
Right in that old five and dime
With a string of pearls a - la Wool - worth.

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

Setting up the new "Music Room"...

2007-09-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of setting up the new "Music Room"! The sad part about it is that Travis and Tony moved out of this room and to Texas and they will not be practicing with us. However, they took their guitars with them and will be practicing on their own. I will be sending them the new songs that we are working on and they will reciprocate with the new songs they find!!!

I included a picture that Tony took of their living room because it has his guitar leaning up against the saddle rack!

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!) Photographs by Janey Loree Fisher & Tony.

As I am writing this post, I am listening to an instrumental tape that I recorded with some of my favorite songs. I will be adding an "Instrumental Song List" to the right column. I am getting that ol' nostalgic feeling mixed with sadness for missing my sons.

Song History...Only the Lonely...

2007-08-15T11:06:00.001-07:00

*FFS suggests downloading "Only The Lonely" from the Song List in the right column.

Singing and playing his acoustic guitar, my brother, Douglas Wayne works his way into your heart with his natural vibrato voice. Doug didn't sing too much with us because he lived in California. This is one of my favorite songs that he sang. As you will notice, the recording is only the first verse. This song is on my list to redo when we get our music room set back up!

Only The Lonely reach #1 in the United Kingdom and #2 on the United States Billboard Pop Music Charts in 1960 when recorded by Roy Orbison. Only the Lonely was written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. Roy's song went country when Sonny James took it to #1 on the Billboard Country Charts in 1969.

Song Lyrics

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!) Photograph by George Harvey.

Song History...Walkin' After Midnight...

2007-08-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Walkin' After Midnight was written by Don Hecht and Alan Block, however it was not until 1957 that it was released after Patsy Cline used the song as her audition piece on the The Arthur Godfrey Show. She really didn't like the song and probably was surprised when she won the competition that night and the song rose to #2 on the country charts and #12 on the pop charts. When we first started sing this song, my father, George Harvey was singing lead, while TnT and I sang backup. It was not until we were singing in the "Wagon Wheel Room", out at the Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne, WY, that on a whim we changed parts. On the spur of the moment! I sang lead and played the keyboard, my dad added his awesome harmony with Travis and Tony singing backup and playing acoustic guitars.

We loved this room because the stage was only 3 inches tall and we were able to sing among the group that came in on a charter bus. We had a better rapport with the audience. That was the thing, we didn't feel separate from them. They sang along with us and added to a wonderful evening!
Song Lyrics Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

Song History...Tumbling Tumbleweeds...

2007-07-30T03:18:00.000-07:00

The song "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" was written by one of the "Sons of The Pioneers", Bob Nolan. When I think of the "Sons of The Pioneers", none other than "Roy Rogers" comes to mind!

In our version of this old western favorite, Travis and Tony sing lead, while my dad, George Harvey, and I, Janey Loree sing harmony. Along with songs like "Shifting Whispering Sands" and "Cool Water", Tumbling Tumbleweeds became one of our favorites to perform. We would use this song to get us in the mood to practice! This is another song that we listened to over and over again to write down the words and music. We had an old favorite cassette tape that was fast wearing out!

Click on the link in the sidebar to hear our version of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds".
History @ Wikipedia
Song Lyrics

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

Song History...Ghost Riders In The Sky...

2007-07-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Suggestion:
Download our version of this song located in the sidebar under "FFS Audio Song List" and let it play softly in the background as you read this post!

This song is one of the best cowboy songs ever written. As kids, George Harvey and his wife, Phyllis Mae loved to hear this song on the radio. Phyllis Mae lived in Ajo, Arizona and George Harvey lived in Lubbock, Texas. However, they listened to the same radio station out of Del Rio, Texas!

Back in 1997 our family entertainment was singing old western songs. "Ghost Riders In The Sky" quickly became one of our favorite songs to sing when we performed out at the Senator's Restaurant located at the famous Terry Bison Ranch in southern Wyoming.

One particular memory of singing this song was when a tour group came in to the Senator's Restaurant after a ride across the ranch viewing the Buffalo herds. After we finished singing the song, one of the guys in the group told us that they were having the best time of their lives, because one of the bulls' had charged the wagon and then they walked into the restaurant with us singing one of his favorite cowboys songs! All the loading, setting up and tearing down of our equipment was worth it all!!!

Our 1997 version of "Ghost Riders In The Sky" is now active in our "FFS Audio Song List" in the sidebar. George Harvey, Travis Lee, and Anthony Wayne sing this western classic with Janey Loree playing the keyboard and TnT* playing acoustic guitars.

The "Buffalo Wallow" picture was painted by my mother, Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher in 1998. We found the piece of wood with the barbed wire already attached, the sun is painted over a knot in the wood, and the water in the wallow is accented by an area of rotted wood. This is one of TnT's favorite paintings.

Ghost Riders In The Sky was written in 1948 by Stan Jones.

Follow this link to read the story behind the song!

Follow this link to read the legend behind the name!

*TnT is the nickname that was given to my sons Travis and Anthony (Tony).
Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)
Photographs by Janey Loree (unless otherwise stated)

FFS Attending Texas RV Travel Blog's Recreation Carnival...

2007-07-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Since FFS is a new blog we are not part of BLOG VILLAGE yet. However, because we are linked to several BLOG VILLAGE blogs we will be attending the BLOG VILLAGE Recreation Carnival hosted by Texas RV Travel Blog!!! Come join us if you are a BLOG VILLAGER, or linked to a BLOG VILLAGER. You also can become a BLOG VILLAGER so that you become a vital part of our VILLAGE and can enter a post about what you do for fun!!! Join us for the BLOG VILLAGE Carnival of Recreation!!!

We love to sing for fun!!!

Texas RV Travel Blog : Travel Like a Native

Song History...My Rifle, My Pony and Me...

2007-07-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

We ran across "My Rifle, My Pony and Me" while watching the 1959 John Wayne, classic western film, "Rio Bravo" on VHS! At that time (1995 or 1996) we didn't have access to the internet and couldn't find a western song book with the song written down, so we painstakingly listened to the song over and over again to get the words written down. Then I worked the music out on the keyboard and we added "My Rifle, My Pony and Me" to our repertoire!

The song was written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster and performed by Dean Martin & Rick Nelson with Walter Brennan playing the harmonica.

There is some controversy over the words, so what we sing is what we heard from listening to the VHS over and over again. We apologize now for any "miss wording or note changes" that may have occurred while writing it down. In the right hand column you will find a link to our version of "My Rifle, My Pony and Me". Click on "Rio Bravo" above to view the song sung by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson.

Artwork Copyright 2007 by Phyllis Mae Richardson Fisher (my mother!)

Setting Up This Blog...

2007-07-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

Hi! My name is Janey Loree and we are excited about this blog and hope that you will enjoy our home recordings. We are in the process of building this blog and thank you for your patience as we add the mp3 files to the songs that are listed in our "FFS Audio Song List". These songs are eleven years old, recorded when my sons were 14 and 15 years old and we lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is our goal with this blog to not only make available the old recordings, but to record new ones.

We have some major moves coming up in our family, so I will work on recording with George Harvey and Douglas Wayne for the next year while Travis Lee and Anthony Wayne get settled in Pecos, Texas. Then when I move to Pecos, I will start recording with TnT (Travis 'n' Tony)! And record everyone when we get together at Christmas...

Right now the only song that you can listen to is my favorite western song that my sons and my dad sang together. The song is: My Rifle, Pony & Me. It is also my goal to bring you the history behind each and every song that we sang and will be singing. I will be gathering all the old photos, memorabilia, and stories, too!