Search - Ginny Hawker :: Letters from My Father

Appalachia's premiere mountain singer

John Andrew Deskins | 02/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ginny Hawker has a voice that will give you goose bumps on your soul. I first heard her at the West Virginia State Folk Festival in Glenville and have been a believer ever since. She is not only my favorite singer of the old-time music, she is my favorite singer period.This is the first of Ginny's recordings to bear only her name, which is more a testament to her humility than her ability. A blend of gospel, old-time, bluegrass, honky-tonk, and even a ballad, this album provides a nice cross-section of mountain music. Anyone who longs for the days when country music was the black sheep of the pop music family will love this record. Uninhibited, honest, and raw, Hawker's alto will make believers of the heathen and bring a tear to the eye of the converted.My favorite tracks on this record (so far) are "My Warfare Will Soon Be Over" (it's like the old-time equivalent of "Impressions" - like "Man of Constant Sorrow" without the movie) and "The Palace Grand" (I cried the first time I heard this one). The only disappointment is that Hawker performs none of her Primitive Baptist repertoire; the liner notes notwithstanding, it seems this record was made with a mind to the commercial (for those interested, Ginny's a cappella Baptist pathos can be heard on the record "Family Reunion," along with the voice of her father, to whom this album is dedicated).Highly recommended."

Awesome and authentic

John Wetterholt | Woodstock, IL USA | 09/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...Over the years, I have learned a lot of music and a lot about life from Ginny. Thus I leaped for joy last year when I saw this CD listed, and the wait until my wife could open it on Christmas Day was interminable.These songs are marvelous, and it is easy to tell from Ginny's strong, clear, determined voice that she knows whereof she sings. There is truth in these songs, and though many of them deal with death, they are all soothing in their own way, and give us hope. The first song on the album, "Don't Neglect the Rose," is fast becoming not just a favorite but a part of my own repertoire as well. "Long Black Limousine" simply overflows with irony and sadness, and Ginny's wonderful vocal qualities bring it to life. I cry every time I hear "A Heart That Will Never Break Again," but just as quickly I smile. And if "The Day I Lose Your Memory" is what's playing when I pull into the parking lot at work, you can bet it'll be the one streaming through my head all the way till lunch at least.This is good singing, and "Letters to My Father" deserves a place in all folk/country/honky-tonk collections. I defy anyone to not be moved by Ginny Hawker's heavenly presentation."

Sad, spare old time music

Smallchief | 11/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who believes that things were better in the good old days needs to listen to the music from the "good old days." These songs are full of pain and suffering and agony. "My Warfare Will Soon be Over" is my favorite on the CD. It's a chant of celebration, of sorts, of the end of a life on earth and the beginning of another in heaven. Pardon me for thinking it's not really a happy song -- and I don't think the songwriter thought it was all that happy a subject or he would have found some happier notes. This is one hell of a good CD from an unknown artist. Ginny Hawker can sing. She does dirges, "Letters from my Father," white blues, "You Don't Tell Me You Love me Anymore," bluegrass, "Those two Blue Eyes," old-time country, "Long Black Limousine," and a capella gospel, "The Gospel Ship Has Long Been Sailing." The common factors of all are spare instrumentation, tunes that sound sad even if they aren't, and an authentic, old-time country sound. To complain a little, the arrangements could have been more imaginative. I'd give up some authenticity for a few more rollicking banjo rolls or good guitar licks. But this is a good one: interesting, mostly unknown tunes, a singer with a strong voice, and uncompromising old-time style."