In the early 1970s the three were all living in the Chicago area, working at, or retired from various day jobs and getting together occasionally to play music. They recorded an album in 1972 for Rounder records and were on the folk music circuit for a while in the ’70s. Steve Goodman encouraged them to record with him and they made a record Jessies Jig and Other Favorites with him, which was released in 1975. Goodman also recorded heir song The Vegetable Song aka on his 1973 album, Somebody Else’s Troubles.

There is little film or video available of Martin Bogan and Armstrong. I did find this clip, recorded at an informal jam session with Jethro Burns, another one of Steve Goodman’s mentors, at the University of Chicago folk festival some time in the late 70’s. Carl Martin is singing, Ted Bogan playing guitar and Howard Armstrong playing fiddle. Martin has put down his mandolin to allow room for Burns to play.

John Francis Pastorius III was born in Norristown, PA and grew up near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He started his musical career playing drums like his father “Jack” Pastorius a big band drummer and singer. After breaking his wrist playing football Jaco had to give up the drums. His wrist no longer had the mobility. He took up bass instead. In the video below you can see him playing his Fender Jazz Bass, which he made fretless by removing the frets with pliers and filling the gaps with wood putty. This is an instrument that he played since high school and all through his career.

Laura was the fiancée of Tom Dula, a Confederate civil war veteran, 22 years old and pregnant. Dula was convicted of the murder and hanged in 1868 after extensive appeals and retrials. It is possible that the murder was actually committed by Foster’s cousin Ann Melton, who had been involved with Dula prior to his joining the Confederate army. She had married a local farmer James Melton while Dula was serving. In this scenario, Dula, who confessed to the crime in writing the night before his hanging, claiming sole responsibility, was protecting Melton. Ann Melton was released from jail after Dula’s confession. She had been charged with influencing Dula to commit the crime. Anne Melton is left out of the Frank Proffit / Kingston Trio version of the song.

The song, as sung by the Kingston Trio, mentions someone named Grayson, without explanation. Dula was employed by Colonel James Grayson, in Watauga County, North Carolina for a time after he fled Wilkes County. Grayson helped the authorities find Dula, in Tennessee and bring him back for trial. He was not, as is sometime thought, a rival for the affections of Laura Foster.

Tom Dula was defended at his trials by North Caroliina Governor Zebulon Vance. Vance believed that Dula was innocent, and worked pro bono on the case. Stories of a personal, wartime connection between Dula and Vance arose, but were apparently untrue. Folksinger David Holt has some interesting pictures and some information about the song on his website, here.

Yesterday I watched this video of 2009 TED Prize winner, José Antonio Abreu, the founder of the Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela AKA “El Sistema.” Abreau explains (in Spanish with English subtitles) his philosophy of music education and makes his TED wish, a wish granted by the good faeries of the TED organization, that the goals and methods of El Sistema would be adopted by more countries around the world.

I would like to see music education, not to mention art education, theater education, dance, creative writing and other neglected pursuits, given a much higher profile in U.S. public schools, so I’m posting Abreau’s video here. If we stop beating up our kids with mind numbing drills and worksheets aimed at preparing them for useless high stakes testing, we will have the time money and interest to give them and education again. Incidentally, if Argentina can do this, don’t tell me that we can’t afford it in the U.S.

Just for fun, and to keep the vidoes going, here are Larry Simms and Janet Burston in the 1941 film Blondie Goes Latin, singing We Hate Music Lessons. Music lessons are your friend. What they really hate is practicing. One thing that Harnum recommends in his e-book is that your always play and never practice. This includes doing your scales and arpeggios, though. It’s about attitude. I wish I had learned that when I was 9.

Larry Simms had a long career as a child actor, playing the part of Alexander (Baby Dumpling) Bumstead in 29 Blondie movies. He was also in It’s A Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington with Jimmy Stewart. After appearing in Blondie Goes Latin, Janet Burston replace Darla Hood as Alfalfa’s love interest for the last season or two of Our Gang, AKA The Little Rascals. She also appeared in twenty some movies as a child actor.