Search - Bob Hay and the Jolly Beggars :: Toils Obscure

Bob Hay and Jolly Beggars are:
Bob Hay: Vocals,Banjo, and Guitar*
Bill David: Mandolin
Dave Dowles: Guitar
Ken Starratt: Bass
Diana Torell: Fiddle
Brian Crum: brush percussion
A Brief History of this CD:
In the late nineties, a group of musicians began to gather and play acoustic instruments on Saturday nights in Ken's kitchen - mostly old timey folk and bluegrass songs. In a casual conversation about the origins of these songs, the name of Robert Burns was mentioned. Later when Bob was at the library he read some of Burns' work and was so intrigued that he learned to play some of Burns' songs on the guitar. One song lead to another and in a year he had learned about 20 songs. January 25, 2002 Bob played a solo performance he presented as Bobby Burns One upstairs at The Globe in downtown Athens. His bandmates were supportive of his efforts. They learned the Burns material, contributed to the arrangements, and began playing them along with their folk and bluegrass songs at Athens pubs such as the Go Bar and Normaltown Cafe. January 25, 2003 They presented the 2nd annual Burns Night. In late January 2004, they continued the tradition by playing a show at the Flicker Theater in Athens and a Sunday afternoon show at the Athens Public Library. Toils Obscure Bob's wife Vanessa encouraged them to record some of the songs to make a CD. With the help of recording studio owner Mark Cooper Smith, who had been the Squalls drummer, Bob recorded some of the songs solo playing acoustic guitar in May of '03. On September 12, Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars went to the studio and recorded eight songs. The recording was done live with no overdubs. 2004
In late January, they continued the tradition by playing a show at the Flicker Theater in Athens and a Sunday afternoon show at the Athens Public Library. The Squalls
Members of Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars have been playing music together for over 25 years. Bob, Ken, and Diana were in the Squalls, a popular dance band in Athens throughout the 1980s. The Squalls made several tours up the East Coast and through the Midwest, and made a single, an EP, and two albums. They received national attention in the movie Athens, GA Inside/Out. In the early nineties, they were part of the short-lived but fondly remembered band, The YAMS, which included Bill. Robert Burns
Despite two centuries passing, the songs of Robert Burns still sparkle with good humor, frank honesty, and decent humanity, with their inspired lyrics as well matched to their charming melodies. Bob Hay and the Jolly Beggars, influenced by all varieties of 20th-century American music, bring to these songs an upbeat sensibility that produces some novel arrangements and yet remain true to the original melodies.