Liner Notes
Welcome to Raker john's CD liner notes page! This site is a general collection of thoughts, comments and trivia related to my fourth CD. As this contains my latest original compositions it may be a while yet bfore it gets released - am still in the process of writing most of the material. I'm hoping to include some of my dear friends, including John Austin and Pat McConnell in this project since they so often joins me at the bakery on Friday mornings or in other musical groups that I participate in locally. Both bring a totally new dimension to many of these tunes. Each contributor created their own parts with only minimal direction from me (can you believe that?). We hope you have fun with our thoughts and abstract ramblings as well as the detailed instrument listings for each tune. For the sake of brevity (and when did that ever become an issue with me?) Most of the information I provide is to the best of my ability to remember. Things get a bit hazy after 50 or so years... Enjoy!!! Raker john
Some time ago I put together a summary of my musical history which presents the different stages in chronological sequence. This also describes the various places I was living and (some of) my personal relationships and professional situations at the time - all part of the influences effecting my music. It may be a little long for some but it became my way of putting it down so I wouldn't forget it - sort of like a memoir. (More like a string around my finger...) Used in conjunction with these liner notes, it should give you a pretty complete picture of "where I was" at the time these tunes were written; I hope you enjoy the ride...
Introduction
This is the latest recording of Raker john's original material and its purpose, content and style is probably best discussed tune by tune. This CD collects the music I wrote after 1983 which I choose to refer to as my "later period". Where possible, I will list the year each tune was written and where I happened to be at the time...
The CD Tracks Themselves
The River Willows - Brevard, NC 2011
I wrote this for my wife, Rocky, to make sure that there was a lasting record of my endearling love for her. I also let her name the tune, to make it her own. It was written on the octave mandolin that you hear here...
The River Willows - Brevard, NC 2011
On one of our later vacations to Brevard, NC, before we retired and moved here, the family was getting together for a July 4th cookout at my sister's and I found myself watching the children of my niece and nephew as they played in the back yard. It was interesting to me how they formed different groups, based on common interests, and pursued those activities with almost total disregard for anything else; they became consumed with the task at hand, whatever it might be. Some were running around (as children sometimes do...) while others sat in the shade and occupied themselves with more solitary endeavors - it remined me of recess in grade school, lo those many years ago...
Way more to come - stay tuned!!!
Final Thoughts
As always, I'd like to thank Rocky for hanging around and taking pictures for me while I attended to the business at hand.
I thank her for her patience and understanding when things don't go as planned and take longer than I expected
they would ... I admire her patience with me, letting me undertake this incredibly ego-centric exercise of painfully recording
songs that very few will ever listen to.
Please remember that your comments and suggestions are always welcomed. I take requests; I won't promise to play them but
I'll take them, none the less... Keep those electronic cards and letters comin', folks!
*8o)
Send comments to: Rakerjohn@citcom.net 
Changes last made on: Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at 8:30am