Music

Eclectic Acoustic features acoustic versions of classic rock songs, album cuts, and a few originals. Jack is the solo performer on most occasions, but he enjoys having his friend Ruthie Toole sing lead and harmonies whenever possible.

The Older I Get the Better I Was – Youtube video https://youtu.be/o-CfhxaCBr0

Whiskey Creek is the continuation of Jack’s partnership with Brian Donnelly following their work in the Celtic folk band “So’s Your Mom.” Whiskey Creek performs covers of country, blues, and folk songs featuring the music of John Prine, Guy Clark, Jimmy Buffet, Townes Van Zandt, and many others.

So’s Your Mom

An Abridged History of So’s Your Mom

Since the dulcet cacophony of So’s Your Mom has faded into the past, it seems an appropriate time to summarize the history of SYM, and thank all the folks who have been a part of SYM or helped us along the way.

It all started in a little radio station in…, oh, wait. That’s someone else’s history.

Brian and I started singing together way back in 1976 at the Philadelphia Folk festival (where else would this all start?). I was singing and playing guitar, and Brian was playing harmonica. After hearing Brian sing a few songs, however, that arrangement quickly changed and I worked hard at keeping my mouth shut, at least behind a microphone. Bill at Maggie’s Pub in Upper Darby was the first person to make the mistake of hiring us. Believe me, back then it WAS a mistake.  We sang and played everything through my old Ampeg guitar amp, frequently making up words (and music) when we had a bit too much beer (often). We made enough to have breakfast at the diner out on West Chester Pike, but that was good enough for us.

Our repertoire grew as we participated in monthly sings with Linda, Dan, Joan, and the rest of the local folkies. We all eventually worked up enough nerve to go perform at Cavanaugh’s on 30^th street for The Bothy Club. We were so nervous we had to sit down to play and sing.  We met up with other “performers,” such as Charlie Miller and Jay Hoffman of Spruce Ferry fame, and then we weren’t nervous about performing anymore. We all followed The Bothy as it moved to The London and the North Star Bar. By this time Brian and I were devoting our efforts to Irish folk music since we discovered it would get us free beer on St. Patrick’s Day, and we also liked the tunes. A chance meeting with Spencer Nelson at the Irish Festival (where we played to captive audiences as they waited in line at the spot o’ pots) set up a lifelong friendship with the former Folksong Society president, and led to many performances at the Philly Festival with Teresa Pyott, showcasing desperate attempts to keep up with Spencer’s asynchronous rhythms. 

Jim Mullins, late of the Deer Park (my second home) and The Rebel Cork Irish Pub in New Castle, DE, was the first person to hire us as Irish performers. We were lucky enough to have a dedicated following from the grad school at the University of Delaware (Kathy, Marcia, Susan, John, Chris – they drank a lot, too), and met and played with a whole new set of musicians (John and June Gallagher, Maureen and Laurel Tucker, and some young upstart named John Flynn). We also were drawn into the Spring Thing and Fall Fling, and our friendships and musical connections blossomed. We continued our Irish tradition at Sweeney’s Pub in Trenton, where we assailed our friends Frank and Donna, Fred and Cindy, and Tad once a month for sixteen years. Thanks for those good times, Bill and Chris!

We started branching out into American folk music, and our friend Bill Harris booked us into his Golden Eagle Tavern out in Lancaster, where we were joined for two performances by our buddy, Dangerous Dan Brown (we miss you Dan). 

All this time, we were receiving support and encouragement from our good friend Gene Shay.  He had the guts to have us on his program many times, at the WHYY studios and at WXPN. Thanks, Gene!  Gene would frequently join us for Thursday night dinner at the Folk Fest, and was often a cabin mate at Spring Thing or Fall Fling.

Susan and I got married and she became a regular performer (if there is such a thing with SYM) with the band. We saved up enough money to make our first attempt at a CD, but felt like we needed some more depth. We made crude demo tapes and sent them to Vince Brennan, Wendy Fuhr, Cheryl Prashker, and Manny Krevat. Even after listening to them they agreed to be part of the recording session, and in 1998 we took three whole days to lay down the 17 tracks on “From Ireland & Elsewhere.”  Luckily for us, we did all this under the watchful eye (and ear) of the best Indie engineer and producer in Philly, Brian McTear at Miner Street Studio. We continued playing in local clubs and at Sweeney’s, but missed the full sound of the recording. So, we asked Vince to join us full-time, and when Wendy (Doctor Wendy) came back from Albany, she was asked to join, too. The band stayed in this formation, with Cheryl coming down from NY for the “big gigs,” through the recording of “Common Ground,” also with Brian McTear in 2002. By this time Wendy had become involved with Full Frontal Folk, and she left to devote full time to this highly successful endeavor. Vince encountered John Mahony at the Festival, and he took on the arduous task of learning the SYM repertoire of well over 200 songs, playing fiddle and banjo.

So’s Your Mom disbanded after a final performance at the Commodore Barry Club.  I left out a lot in the SYM history, but perhaps this will become the outline for my second novel. There’s enough stuff there, especially at the Festival and in the “musical tours” Brian and I used to take, for several volumes.

People who have been on stage with or recorded with So’s Your Mom:
Brian Donnelly, Jack Bartley, Susan Bartley, Vince Brennan, Wendy Fuhr, Cheryl Prashker, John Mahony, Dan Brown, Washtub Al Walton, Teresa Pyott, Spencer Nelson, Maureen Tucker, George Huhn, Manny Krevat.

People who have hired us and/or been involved with getting our music out there:
Gene Shay, Bill (at Maggie’s), Jim Mullins, Suzi Wallenberg (WVUD), Bill and Chris Sweeney, Bob Cohen and Dianne Tankle (Spring Things & NERFA), Joanne (at The Mermaid), Bill Harris, Jane Mathers, Dick Schmidt (at the Blue Crab), Larry Fenza, the Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, Bernie Parry (Man of the Earth), Vin and Pat Garbutt, Dick Mack’s and all the pubs (every single one) in Dingle, John and Beth Fuhr (for making Wendy, having campfires, house concerts, and of course, organizing all the Azzoles), Courtney Malley (for the Commodore Barry/Irish Fests), Teresa Pyott and Spencer Nelson (again).

Thanks to all the people who have been our friends and supporters throughout the 28-year history of SYM. We hope to have you along for the ride as we pursue our new endeavor, Whiskey Creek.

Youtube Links:

Water is Wide
Same Old Man/Swallowtail
Man of the Earth
Distant Shore
Carrickfergus
Michael
Bridget O’Malley