STAN RANSOM, THE CONNECTICUT PEDDLER
Stan Ransom, The Connecticut Peddler,
is a folk musician who specializes in singing and playing the guitar, the hammered
dulcimer, the mandolin and autoharp and six and twelve string guitars. He also plays
bowed psaltery, tenor banjo and dombek.
Songs: Many of his songs reflect the interests
of the North Country of New York State, from the Adirondack Mountains to Lake Champlain,
and also the whole length of Long Island. Many of his songs relate to amusing or
dramatic events in New York State, such as "Champ," the Lake Champlain Monster,
and the "Lake Champlain Ice Rescue." Other songs describe the beauty
of the "Isles of Lake Champlain," or the peculiar problems of Plattsburgh, such
as the "Plattsburgh Sewage Plant," and "The City with the Stereo
Smell." His Adirondack songs, such as "The Adirondack Mountains,"
"Allen's Bear Fight," and "Adirondack Acid Rain" range from the
historical to the contemporary.
Ransom has also researched the traditional music of Long Island, where
he resided for twenty years. His songs span the distance from the days of Captain
Kidd to the present, with such songs as "'Round Cape Horn," "The Loss of
the Albion," "Acres of Clams," and "I Love Long Island."
Connecticut Peddler: Ransom, who has been
singing and playing folk music for nearly sixty years, was born in Winsted, Connecticut,
in 1928. In 1951 he took his stage and performance name from the nineteenth century
Connecticut peddler, sometimes spelled "pedlar," who traveled around with a pack
on his back, selling needles, pins, seeds, clocks, patent medicines and notions of all
kinds to rural residents of nearby states. Unlike these early peddlers, who
sometimes sold "wooden nutmegs" and other dubious items, Ransom's pack is filled
with songs of all kinds and for all ages. He knows several hundred American, English
and Irish ballads, as well as songs and tunes from other parts of the world, and he enjoys
sharing them with his audience. Ransom was extensively involved in the traditional
folk music revival on Long Island in the 'fifties and 'sixties and can remember
"times in our Huntington home when more than seventy folk musicians were crammed into
every corner of every room playing and singing." He also collects stringed folk
instruments and gives talks and demonstrations of them.
Lumberjack: From 1943-50 Stan Ransom worked part
time as a lumberjack and forest guard for the Connecticut Park and Forest
Commission. He learned to fell and cut up trees, use an axe and two-man crosscut saw
and to cut trails and fight forest fires in State lands in the Berkshire Mountains.
This gives him a warm feeling of kinship with the Adirondack lumberjacks whose songs he
sings.
Singing: Ransom comes from a musical family who
was "always singing, playing music, and involved with choirs and singing
groups." In 1940, at age twelve, he and a friend formed a guitar playing duo
called "The Hartland Harmony Boys." In the Army of Occupation in Japan in
1946-48 he was a member of "The Yensmen," a choral group of the 19th Infantry
Regiment. From 1949 to 1951 he was a member of the Yale Glee Club, singing under
Marshall Bartholomew. After obtaining a Master's Degree in Library Service from
Columbia University, he was a member of the University Glee Club of New York City, and
later the Men's Chorus of Huntington, Long Island.
Folklorist: In addition to performing, the
Connecticut Peddler is also a folklorist who has done considerable research and collecting
of Long Island and Northern New York State songs. His discoveries have led to
the identification of tunes and songs which had been thought lost forever. "I
enjoy doing research on tunes and songs," he said, "because I feel I am
contributing to the world's knowledge as well as learning more about the songs I
like." His song, "The Ironville Mine," is part of the permanent
exhibit on mining at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY. For his work
as a folklorist and in recognition of his achievements in preserving and interpreting
local and regional history, Stan Ransom was awarded a Certificate of Commendation in 1994
by the American Association for State and Local History.
Librarian: Ransom is well equipped to do
research, from his occupation for over forty years as a professional librarian. He
is the retired Director of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System in Plattsburgh, NY,
and the former Director of the Huntington, L.I., Public Library. "To me, the
position of librarian is the most satisfying one in the world. I like books, and I
like people, and the job of the librarian is to bring books and people together."
Black Poetry: During his previous job as
Director of the Huntington Public Library, Ransom edited a book of the complete writings
of the Long Island slave poet, Jupiter Hammon, of Lloyd Neck, Huntington, the first Black
in America to publish his own verse. Since 1970, when the book was issued, Ransom
has promoted the nationwide observance of Black Poetry Day on October 17th, the date of
Hammon's birthday in 1711. Thne book was reissued in 1983. In 1970 Ransom was
awarded a Certificate of Commendation for this book by the American Association for State
and Local History.
Appearances: Ransom has appeared at the New York
State Museum, on Open Mike at Cafe Lena in Saratoga Springs, at the Kent DeLord House
Museum, at Sagamore Conference Center in Raquette Lake, at Shepherd Park in Lake George,
and at the Champlain Valley Folk Festival. He also appears at Farmer's Markets,
local schools and libraries, and hospitals and nursing homes, as well as local Coffee
Houses.
Recordings: His first tape, "Down the
Saranac," was issued in July, 1991, to a delighted local audience. It includes
original songs of Plattsburgh and Clinton County, as well as hammered dulcimer
pieces. The Glens Falls Post-Star called this tape "wickedly funny" for
his humorous songs on the Plattsburgh Sewage Plant. His second tape,
"Adirondack Sampler," is a 66 minute blend of traditional and newly discovered
songs of the lumberjacks and their Adirondack hamlets, together with hammered dulcimer
tunes. The Centennial Edition honors the founding of the Adirondack Park in 1892.
"North Country Christmas", released November 1994, is his
third tape and first CD, and adds the beautiful voice and guitar playing of folksinger
Marne O'Shae. It is a refreshing blend of familiar carols and Christmas music of
special interest to residents of upstate New York and Vermont. In December, 1995,
Stan released his 66 minute cassette and CD entitled "Songs of Lake Champlain,"
covering all aspects of this historic lake, especially "Champ" and "Piper's
Refrain," the historic tale of the ghost of Fort Ticonderoga.
October, 1997 saw the publication of two recordings of traditional Long
Island music, "I Love Long Island," and "My Long Island Home," songs
Stan collected back in the 'sixties and now preserved on two hour-long cassettes and CDs.
A 54 page spiral bound booklet, "Songs of Long Island," gives lyrics,
guitar chords, and documentation to the songs in both albums, plus 14 tasty Long Island
recipes and an extensive bibliography, mostly from Stan's own collection.
Ice Storm: Following the devastating ice storm
of January, 1998 Stan wrote "The Ice Storm of 1998," and recorded a single on
cassette that has sold more than 850 copies, with profits going to the American Red Cross
Local Disaster Relief Fund.
Irishman: On March 17, 1998, a surprised Stan
was named "Irishman of the Year" by the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce, a
most significant honor.
In late Fall of 2001, Stan released his new recording,
“Battle of Plattsburgh; Music of
the War of 1812.” This 71 minute
Compact Disc is the product of twenty years of research and gathering of music
of 1812. The twenty sets include
the most important songs and tunes relating to the Battle of Plattsburgh on
September 11, 1814, as well as tunes and songs of the War of 1812 played on the
hammered dulcimer, mandolin and guitar. Notes
on the importance of each selection accompany the recording.
Stan is also about to release another new recording, “North
Country Memories,” which will include winter songs such as “Chateaugay
Thaw,” “Ice Storm of 1998,” and “The Superstorm of 1993.”
Also to be included are other important songs such as the descriptive
“September 11th,” relating to the terrorist attack, and the urban
legend in song, “The Ugly Dog.” Still
to come is an instrumental recording of hammered dulcimer music, “The Good
Natured Man.” Please watch for these.
Stan was delighted when Midwest Book Review
stated: “Ransom’s is
old-style folk music at its best!”
For more information, or for bookings, contact:
Stan Ransom
Telephone: (518) 563-5719
35 Iowa Street
Toll Free: 1-800-277-7695
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12903 E-mail: stan@stanransom.com
Copyright by Stanley A. Ransom, Jr. (BMI)
www.stanransom.com