THE BRANDY SNIFTERS

 

NEW!!! OUR THIRD CD!!! CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!!!

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The Brandy Snifters, 2004, L-R: standing: Jon Pankake, Liz Lofgren, Lyle Lofgren.
Seated: Bud Claeson, Marcia Pankake.
(Photo and background artwork by Elizabeth Lofgren)

Uncle Willie and The Brandy Snifters, 1985.  Willard Johnson is on the left.
The rest of us have aged hardly at all.
(Photo by Steve Peck)

The Brandy Snifters are a living-room band who have been entertaining (mostly ourselves) in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 1961. We concentrate on old-time and traditional music, particularly as it was played and sung in the Appalachian mountains of the American Southeast . We have occasionally appeared in coffeehouses and at the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old Time Music (MBOTMA) summer festival, where we have entertained hundreds of fans like the ones shown here. Until he retired, our titular leader was Uncle Willie (Willard Johnson), who directed our tastes toward string band music as it was played on 78 RPM records prior to 1935. We have tried to remain true to Uncle Willie's vision, with occasional foresliding into the 1940s.

For more Brandy Snifter lore, read this reprint of an article we wrote about ourselves, first published in the winter 2002 Old Time Herald.

There's the usual egocentric crap, plus pictures of some old-time musicians and others we've had the pleasure to meet over the years. Of those who are no longer with us: as Dock Boggs said the last time we saw him, we hope to meet them on another shore. (Updated: 12/15/2007).

A collection of some things that happened to happen while the tape recorder was running, and which may be of interest to others besides ourselves. Features Mississippi John Hurt, Mabel Hillary, Rev. Gary Davis, and Elizabeth Cotten. (6/9/2005).

A feature article in the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune, July 9, 1961, about the newly-established Folk Song Society of Minnesota. (9/10/2005)

As a guide for the perplexed who frequently ask questions about The Blues, we present a set of Frequently Asked Questions about The Blues, along with a matching set of Frequently Answered Answers. (2/2/2006)

A collection of wisdom from the Southern United States, some of which might be applicable to your life. (10/23/2006)

CLICK ON THE PIC FOR A LIST OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE WEBSITES

We offer for sale three homemade CDs on the Lak-O-Tone label. GOING NOWHERE FAST (Lak-O-Tone minus 001) is a reissue of Marimac cassette #9005, which was originally published in 1986. In NOT OUT OF THE WOODS -- YET (Lak-O-Tone minus 002), published in 2003, Liz substitutes for Willie. Our newest one (September 2007) is VOICE OF THE PORKCHOP. All CDs come with copious notes by Dr. Jon Pankake and transcriptions of the words to the songs, as nearly as we can make them out. You can possess any  CD by sending $15 (or 2 for $25 or 3 for $35) to:

If that seems too steep, I'll be willing to settle for $10 per recording plus $5 shipping and handling. If you need more exhortation before buying, send Lyle an e-mail. Following are the song listings, starting with the most recent CD:

VOICE OF THE PORKCHOP The Brandy Snifters Lak-O-Tone minus 003   1.    AIN'T IT HELL, BOYS (2:56)   2.    WAY DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA (3:19)   3.    COUNTRY HAM AND RED GRAVY (3:36)   4.    ELLEN SMITH (2:24)   5.    GETTING UPSTAIRS (3:10)   6.    RAILROAD RAG / SOUTHERN JACK (2:42)   7.    GIVE ME BACK MY FIFTEEN CENTS (2:27)   8.    JAWBONE (2:27)   9.    I HOPE SHE'S SATISFIED (3:58) 10.    STACKERLEE (2:28) 11.    THE MURDER OF THE LAWSON FAMILY (2:46) 12.    OTTO WOOD, THE BANDIT (2:53) 13.    I SAW A MAN AT THE CLOSE OF DAY (3:09) 14.    OLD SHOES AND LEGGIN'S (2:56) 15.    CHASED OLD SATAN THROUGH THE DOOR (2:56) 16.    SADIE RAY (3:00) 17.    ROCKING MY SUGAR LUMP (2:47) 18.    I HEARD THE VOICE OF A PORKCHOP (3:50) 19.    CROQUET HABITS (2:48) 20.    WHEN IT GETS DARK (2:47) 21.    HIDE AWAY (2:37) 22.    BONAPARTE'S RETREAT (1:46) 23.    I MET HER AT A BALL ONE NIGHT (2:20) 24.    WISH I HAD STAYED IN THE WAGON YARD (3:35)

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS — YET The Brandy Snifters Lak-O-Tone minus 002   1.    COME OVER AND SEE ME SOMETIME (2:41)   2.    WAITING FOR THE BOYS TO COME HOME (3:13)   3.    LONG JOHN DEAN (2:45)   4.    MARCH WINDS (2:42)   5.    POISON IN A GLASS OF WINE (3:30)   6.    COONEY ON THE RAIL (1:49)   7.    JOHN HENRY (4:35)   8.    BUDDED ON EARTH (3:54)   9.    THERE AIN'T NO FLIES ON AUNTIE (2:52) 10.    WHEN THE MOON DRIPS AWAY INTO BLOOD (3:13) 11.    DARLING, I AM STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU (3:43) 12.    THE HANDSOME GIRLS (1:55) 13.    ME AND MY TAPEWORM (4:23) 14.    CATCH MY HORSE (1:24) 15.    DID YOU EVER SEE THE DEVIL, UNCLE JOE? (2:24) 16.    I'LL RISE WHEN THE ROOSTER CROWS (3:36) 17.    JUST GIVE ME THE LEAVIN'S (4:09) 18.    THE WHITE SLAVE (3:08) 19.    MY BONES GONNA RISE AGAIN (2:25) 20.    SWEET WILLIE (3:16) 21.    GANGSTER YODEL (2:46) 22.    I GOT A BULLDOG (2:56) 23.    GEORGIA MAN (2:28)

GOING NOWHERE FAST UNCLE WILLIE & THE BRANDY SNIFTERS Lak-O-Tone CD minus 001   1.   WALK RIGHT IN BELMONT (2:48)   2.   THE VILLAGE SCHOOL (2:32)   3.   I KNOW MY NAME IS THERE (2:32)   4.   TANNER'S RAG (1:46)   5.   HERE'S A PINT OF APPLE BRANDY (2:52)   6.   BEEN TO THE EAST, BEEN TO THE WEST (2:36)   7.   SEVEN LONG YEARS IN PRISON (3:14)   8.   THE WHIP-POOR-WILL'S SONG (2:40)   9.   GEORGIA HOBO (2:56) 10.    THEY SLEEP TOGETHER NOW AT REST (3:02) 11.    ARKANSAS PULLET (2:32) 12.    IT WILL NOT BE LONG 'TIL MY GRAVE IS MADE (3:02) 13.    TELL IT TO ME (2:35) 14.    GAY SPANISH MAID ** (3:20) 15.    GEORGIA BUCK ** (2:32) 16.    RATTLER TREED A POSSUM (2:57) 17.    MARRIED LIFE BLUES (2:49) 18.    THE OLD MILLER'S WILL (3:20) 19.    JOHN LOVER IS GONE (1:26) 20.    BEER DRINKING BLUES (3:17) 21.    DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS (2:57) 22.    I'LL SAIL THE WIDE WORLD O'ER (1:46) 23.    THEM ROLLING MILLS ARE BURNING DOWN (3:37) 24.    CLAUDE ALLEN ** (3:56) 25.    CRUEL WILLIE ** (1:48) 26.    GEORGIA BLACK BOTTOM (2:26) (** = These were not on the original cassette)

ABOUT LAK-O-TONE RECORDS:

These CDs are manufactured using the New ElectroBeam Recording Method, which emulates the fidelity of the original Gennet New ElectroBeam Recordings. Lak-O-Tone is strongly committed to providing equal access for the musically challenged.

LAK-O-TONE NEWS ITEMS:

LABOR ISSUE RESOLVED
NEW SIX-SIGMA QUALITY PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
LAK-O-TONE ANNOUNCES REORGANIZATION
NEW SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS
ACCOUNTANTS AT ANNUAL TRAINING SESSION
CORPORATE RAIDER ATTACKS LACK-O-TONE
LAK-O-TONE INVESTIGATES RESUMÉ DISCREPANCIES (NEW: 6/2006)
LAK-O-TONE HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS BACKDATING (NEW: 7/20/2006)