February 19, 2004

Plains Folk: New Wine

Tom Isern, Professor of History
North Dakota State University

Growing old gracefully never has been an ambition of mine. The growing old part, that’s a given, or at least the lesser evil. The graceful part, though, that’s just uninteresting. It sounds to me like a euphemism for going quietly.

What I don’t want to do is get out of touch, which means I try to stay current with the means of communication that are commonplace to generation next. Young folks, for instance, are into digital music. They copy it, steal it, bootleg it, and trade it in the form of compressed sound files called MP3s. Well, it took a while, but I now can do what every 19-year-old in the country can. I’m doing MP3s.

As I travel the country doing lectures about life on the plains, often singing regional folksongs and my own compositions, people often ask (they’re probably just being kind) whether I have any tapes or CDs for sale. And I always say I’m not going to get into that business. If people really want some of this stuff, perhaps the new technology is a way to make it available, while doing some good for a good cause.

Now operating, at least on a trial basis, is a branch of the Plains Folk Web site (www.plainsfolk.com) devoted to MP3 files. I’ve loaded three kinds of pieces here. First, Plains Folk columns, each about 5 minutes. Some people might like these readings to make car CDs for the road. Second, traditional folksongs, starting with “Red River Valley” and “The Prisoner’s Song.” Third, original compositions, beginning with “The Table and Tavern Song” and “Hazel’s Hands.” It’s a more-guts-than-brains proposition to record this latter piece, performed as voice unaccompanied, for the public, but I hope my rendition does the subject justice.

It’s a start. Many more recordings are coming. Visitors to the MP3 page will note that I ask those downloading sound files to make a contribution to one of my charitable causes.

Speaking of technologies, and turning them to good old-fashioned causes, let me invite attention to another effort intended to foster healthy discussion. It’s a weblog, or blog, devoted to the discussion of books on the Great Plains of North America. Called the Buffalo Commons (ironies intended), this blog (another branch from www.plainsfolk.com) will host discussions by members from up and down the country. It’s just now set up and open for business.

Anyone can become a member and join in discussions. Contributing editors will be mainstays, providing reviews of new books and reports on literary events. The first event covered was a reading by author Mark St. Pierre from his novel, “Of Uncommon Birth: Dakota Sons in Vietnam.” The reading took place at the Zandbroz store in Fargo on Feb. 6.

The vision is that readers from Texas to Alberta will regard this as a place to talk about what they have read and to meet other readers, along with authors. Our write-up on the St. Pierre reading includes a photo of proprietor Greg Danz welcoming the author and a sound file of St. Pierre reading from the book.

Notices and reviews of books, along with notices and reports on readings, will be set pieces in the Buffalo Commons. Later we hope to add chats with authors, visits to literary sites, and appreciations of regional classics.

Visitors to the Buffalo Commons or to the Plains Folk MP3 page will find they are just new bottles for old wine. They convey things like conversations about books and recordings of folksongs. These are things that new media cannot improve upon. If you have trouble getting into them, have your grandkids show you how.

Click here for a TIF photo of Tom Isern that is suitable for printing.
(1.5MB b&w photo)

Click here for a TIF photo of Tom Isern wearing a hat that is suitable for printing.
(1.3MB b&w photo)

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