Snapshots from our April gathering with the Shifty Sailors.

Good time had by all... sixty men, women and children gathered at our April Song Circle led by the Shifty Sailors of Whidbey Island. Mike James, Helen Gilbert and Tugboat Bromberg sang some of their favorite shanties too.

Another fun night!

Thanks to the 60 or so folks who came out last night to join the sing-along at the NW Maritime Center Cafe. 

Emily (Cafe Manager) and all the Maritime staff are awesome! Service with a smile!

A big thank you to Tug Bromberg for leading the Song Circle! Thank you to our shanty-friends Matthew Moeller and the Shifty Sailors for making the trek from places afar off to join us for another great time of camaraderie, sharing and singing songs of the sea! 

Our gatherings would not be possible without the faithful inspiration and support of Mike and Val James, Helen Gilbert and the growing number of shanty enthusiasts who come to our monthly gatherings and are volunteering to help in anyway they can. Keep singin' shanties!

Photos and videos forthcoming, courtesy of Helen Gilbert. Hopefully, she'll have some good ones of Tug, as I was staring at the back of his head all evening.

Judy Courtwright playin' us a tune on her Penny Whistle

Tugboat Bromberg writes:

I had a great time hosting the chantey sing last night. What Fun! I hope that you call on me again to host the sing.
Thanks again
keep your throat wet and powder dry,
Tug

Thank you to our sponsors: the Northwest Maritime Center and Crossroads Music 

Folks havin' fun at our February song circle and sing-along!

Port Townsend to Revive Songs of Yore

Local musician Mike James (photo) and Lee Erickson, organizers of the Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along, were recently interviewed by Peninsula Daily News Jefferson County reporter, Charlie Bermant.

The January 4 front-page story reads: "Port Townsend to revive sea songs of yore - Series of shanties begins Thursday at maritime center."

Bermant's interview quotes James as saying: 

"Shanties speak to the life before the internal combustion engine.... It comes from a time when people did work by hand doing whatever required muscles and power, and the songs gave them a sense of unity.... Workers on a ship would sing the songs as a way to stay focused on the task, and to build a sense of camaraderie among sailors. You would sing the song until the task was done.... If you finished the task with three verses to go, you wouldn't sing those verses.... The shanties also were a way for workers to speak out against abusive bosses. Sometimes you could sing what you really felt about your boss. You were doing the work while you were singing so they couldn't really object as long as your weren't too insulting.... Many of the songs are call-and-response and are easily learned."

Erickson comments: "People who can't sing can always bellow out a shanty.... People who don't have good voices and never sing will still have a good time when they join in."

To read the full article, click here.