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Strum Bums A Peaceful Solution
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Hear ”A Peaceful Solution” by Strum Bums
Dan Scanlan and the Strum Bums offer yet another version of the Willie Nelson and Amy Nelson peace song A Peaceful Solution. This live recording happened Wednesday evening July 18, 2007 when the Strum Bums performed in the Nevada Theatre in Nevada City, California.
Dan tells us the Nevada Theatre holds the unique honor as, “… the oldest theatre in California, stage for Mark Twain, Lotta Crabtree, Bret Harte and Lola Montez.”
Dan Scanlan has been quite generous with his time and talent sharing with all of us at Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute. In June, Dan sent us his original video and audio of A Peaceful Solution giving us the first ukulele soundtrack.
A week later Dan introduced us to the Strum Bums through a video in which he directs the ensemble as they perform A Peaceful Solution. The Strum Bums hold the honor as the largest ensemble to perform A Peaceful Solution to date as far as we know.
And just about a week ago Dan Scanlan offered us his mp3 version of A Peaceful Solution. Dan’s unique ukulele sound and vocals of A Peaceful Solution contributes to our ever-growing diversity of genres and arrangements.
Our eclectic collection of original versions of A Peaceful Solution by gifted musicians demonstrates a commitment to peace through the arts. All participants want peace as a foremost priority. They give freely of their peaceful spirit.
Each person’s peaceful message travels the world.
The more people who create their own version of A Peaceful Solution in song or video will touch an ever-widening circle of people. This influence has a ripple effect and grows exponentially in a direction toward peace.
This live recording by the Strum Bums has an added bonus. Dan took Willie Nelson up on his invitation to write additional lyrics.
Additional stanzas for A Peaceful Solution by Dan Scanlan:
Let’s have that conversation
That made us a nation
And let’s take back America
Domestic tranquility
Is the true home of security
So let’s take back America…
* * * * * Artist’s Statement * * * * *
We’re still seeking our own way.
Perhaps we’ll have it by the Nevada County Fair in early August. We intend to play it there. (The audience will be thirty times larger.)
The whole band loves it. But like I said, we’re still seeking out comfort zone with how we do it.
The Strum Bums started six years at the Senior Center in Grass Valley. Although anyone of any age can join, the group is primarily retired folks. Once a Strum Bum, always a Strum Bum.
Our only rule is to have fun.
Most of the class members had never played an instrument before joining. Classes these days (every Thursday, 3:30 to 5 at the Mason’s Lodge) can range from 12 to 30 people.
We play at least one gig each week and often two or three (like this week). We play primarily in convalescent homes, retirement homes, assisted living and day care facilities, schools (very energizing), fairs and festivals.
We were featured a few years back at the Santa Cruz Ukulele Festival and this last April we were the largest group performing at the New York Ukulele Festival in East Village Manhattan.
We got a standing ovation.
Two members have died in the past few years, and four others have moved away, although they return from time to time to get their Strum Bum hit.
“Former” members now living in Albuquerque NM, Eugene OR, Baltimore MD and Fresno CA take their vacations in Grass Valley to be with the Bums and all four of them rehearsed by email and joined us in New York. (there were 19 of us. See some of our New York performances on YouTube.)
Hear ”A Peaceful Solution” by Strum Bums
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September 11th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
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