When asked to share his bio with us, Dano writes, "I was born at a very young age, in fact I was an infant at the time, to two parents; my Mother & Father... I grew up in Mystic, CT. I fell in the water while crabbing when I was 5 years old and never came back out! I'm a licensed Captain of both sail and motor vessels and have been working aboard ships for over 30 years. The first half of my career was all in tall ships so I come by my shanty singing honestly. I'm also a story teller with a unique spin. I recite original humorous sea stories in ballad style. I've performed at the Fisher Poets Gathering in Astoria for the past 6 years, I've won the Seattle Maritime Festival "Stories of the Sea" Contest 4 times, and have also won the Northwest Folklife Festival Liar's Contest."For more about Dano Quinn, here's the link to a recent article about Dano on Three Sheets Northwest by Deborah Bach: Salty stories and tall tales on Dano Quinn CD.
 |
| The Whateverly Brothers Chris Glanister (left) and Dan Roberts (back) |
 |
| Good Times with Matt, Dan and Chris - Center Stage |
"Folklife has begun and is in full swing. If you are planning to attend the Maritime Showcase at the Traditional Stage on Saturday (3 to 6 pm), I recommend that you bring a festival chair for yourself. There are not a lot of seats for folks at that stage. Looks like the weather is going to hold for Saturday. Note to that the times in the on-line schedule are correct, and those in the printed schedule are not correct.
Also a quick correction and note for Tom Rawson's performances. On Saturday, 7:10 p.m. Tom is at the Folklife Cafe with his regular repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk songs. Tom will be leading a Pete Seeger kids songs sing along, but that will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the Cornish Courtyard.
Check out the festival web site schedule on your own by clicking here."
Saturday, May 24
The Maritime Showcase at the Trad Stage 3 to 6 pm:
3:00pm The Baggywrinkles Trad Stage3:30pm John Gothard Trad Stage 4:05pm Strikes A Bell Trad Stage 4:40pm Broadside and the Handsome Cabin Boys Trad Stage 5:10pm Shanghaied on the Willamette Trad Stage 5:40pm William Pint & Felicia Dale Trad Stage \
2:00 pm Children's Pete Seeger Singalong with Tom Rawson Cornish Courtyard
7:10pm Tom Rawson Folklife Cafe
Sunday, May 25
12:00pm Songs of the Columbia EMP JBL Theatre (Narrative Stage) 6:00pm John Denver Sing Along Cornish Courtyard (Workshop with Dan Maher and Nadine Sanders)
7:00pm Sea Chanteys and Maritime Songs Cornish Courtyard (Workshop with Wayne Palsson and Friends)
Monday, May 26
1:00pm Pete Seeger Tribute: Hosted by Peter McKee, Tom Rawson, Lou Truskoff, Jean Geiger and Dan Maher Fisher Green Stage
Update by Wayne Palsson, NW Seaport Chantey Sing Host
"So here’s the scoop. Have you ever had a chance to sing a shantey in a real, below street level, 1800’s environment, complete with bricked over tunnels that led to the waterfront? Well, strap on your singing shoes and grease your tonsils for the second Wednesday, June 11th, shantey sing at 6 p.m. at the Cellar Door in Port Townsend. You can almost see Max Levy hanging out in the shandows while the employees of his “personnel department convince stragglers that they need to become a sailor.” The Cellar Door is a newcomer on the scene with music of all types, usually with no cover.
If the Cellar Door likes what they see in June, we also have July penciled in. Families are welcome, and kids can be there until 10 p.m. They have a full menu and beverage bar. The Cellar Door entrance is across from The Palace Hotel on Tyler Street, although the address is given as Water Street. On the Cellar Door website click on the Gallery, which will give you a look at the interior. Steve Lewis would be proud! More laterrrrr. Double Aaaaaargh!" - Mike James
Wayne Palsson has been singing chanteys and maritime songs up and down the West Coast for almost a decade, focusing on songs with rich tones reflecting the fishing and maritime trades. His own nautical experience on the high seas and local waters helps to anchor his interpretations of traditional chanteys, new and local sea songs, and even a few overlooked classics by Gilbert and Sullivan. Wayne is the host of Northwest Seaport’s Chantey Sing Series.
I had no idea of what to expect in the way of attendance at the Port Townsend Victorian Days shantey sing. We had set up eight chairs thinking that would be adequate. Within minutes of the first song those chairs were full, and people kept streaming into the Hastings Building on Water Street to join in the music…some leading songs, joining in on choruses, or just enjoying listening. It reminded me of my days in Michigan during the great folk scare. People got together to share in the joy of a community voice, singing, unrehearsed and unfettered by what someone else might think. Wow! What fun!
Mike James, Sing Shanties song leader
The shanty sing was a huge asset to this year's Victorian Festival. Shanties bring together so much of what is Port Townsend - community and the sea, music, earthiness and good humor. It distills why we're here into something we can share.
Nathan Barnett, Victorian Festival director
The Shifty Sailors are a male singing group from Whidbey Island, Washington, well known in the Pacific Northwest for their enthusiastic singing and crowd-pleasing presentations. They are unique in that they are one of the only large groups in the U.S. dedicated to a nautical repertoire.Save the Date! On February 6 from 6-8 p.m., the Shifty Sailors will be here in Port Townsend to lead a rousing and entertaining Sing Shanties Song Circle!
Their main mission is to make sure the surrounding maritime communities understand their own nautical history, by singing where ever they are invited to have fun with the public. The Shifty Sailors consider themselves Ambassadors of Whidbey Island, the State of Washington and the United States when traveling here and abroad.
