Muldaur, Maria

Grew up in Greenwich Village and was a popular figure on the Village scene 
in the early sixties, when she played in two jug bands and as part of a duo 
with husband Geoff.

Clinton Heylin:"Bob Dylan: Behind The Shades, a Biography"



Date:    Sat, 2 Dec 1995 04:05:47 GMT
From:    Doug Lyon (lyon@TIAC.NET)
Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur

Bill, Etc

I did find the reference to the album and it is at
Maria Muldaur's Midnight Music
The revevant info follows.

Regards,

Doug


..A daughter's near-fatal car accident in 1979 sparked a profound change
in Muldaur's perspective. "My whole life was severely jolted," she said.
"It coincided with Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming album coming out. I
heard the words of that album and realized that, no matter how
successful your life, without a relationship with God or a higher power,
there was something very big missing. It wasn't even a conscious
intellectual decision. At that moment, I surrendered to the higher
power."

Muldaur recorded two gospel albums including a live album, Gospel
Nights, recorded with the Chambers Brothers and the Burns Sisters. "I
wasn't into the contemporary Christian sound, but I've always loved
Gospel music. I got Ron Tuttle, who was Elvis' drummer, and these L.A.
session players who had also recently become Christian."



Date:    Mon, 11 Dec 1995 15:34:17 +1100
From:    Patricia Jungwirth (tricia.j@AARDVARK.APANA.ORG.AU)
Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur...

>Wed, 22 Nov 1995 15:45:37 GMT
>eddie@edlis.org (Ed Ricardo)
>
>>The biography file of Maria Muldaur on cdnow.com says that
>>she became a christian after being converted by Bob Dylan.
>
>Is the  "converted by  Bob Dylan"  in the sense he converted
>her consciously,  or does  she mean his music and/or example
>converted her?


I believe Maria's Christian beliefs were in place many years before Dylan's
so-called 'conversion. She always included a gospel song on her albums, and
one cover shows her in bed with hubby Geoff, reading 'The Watchtower' (a
touch of irony, I know, but not entirely... ).

(The above is what I would have posted yesterday, if I could have... )
( - make that three days ago! Oh woe! The electronic post-office stolen and
the mailbox locked...)

>Tue, 28 Nov 1995 00:27:01 GMT
>Doug Lyon (lyon@TIAC.NET)
>
>I had an album of hers from the early 80's (I think) which had mostly
>gospel songs. On the liner notes she told of how her child (son?) was
>injured, and as she sat in the E.R. she reflected either on Dylan's
>conversion, or one of Dylan's (gospel) songs. This moved her in the
>direction of Jesus. I don't remember now if that was a kind of reclaiming
>some earlier belief, or a brand new place of faith.!)

Strange things are happening... off the air for one day, and that old
synchronicity rears it's ugly head again...

'Series of Dreams' newsletter flew into my letter-box yesterday and
contained this item:

'A Rolling Tomes subscriber speaking to a guitar player at a Sept 16 Maria
Muldaur concert found out that Maria may work with Dylan soon. Maria herself
then spoke with our subscriber and confirmed that Bob Dylan had called her
two weeks previously to ask if she would be interested in working together.'

My own little Gemini Bobby (actually he ain't so little) lit up like a
Christmas tree when I showed him this - especially coming so soon after we'd
been looking at von Schmidt's book with all those pictures of the foxy young
MM... remember it was Maria who asked Dylan to dance after Newport 65 and he
replied that he'd love to, but his hands were on fire.  Then he saw the
notice about the concerts with Patti Smith, and was doubly jealous. Nice
that Bob's calling up old friends, hope something comes of it...


Tricia J

'Just as the eagle stirreth her nest,
 So that her young ones can't get no rest,
 God in his own mysterious way
 Stirred up his people
 To watch, fight and pray.'


Maria sang that on 'Sweet Harmony' in the early seventies. We still listen
to this often, plus 'Pottery Pie' (with Geoff M, including cover of 'I'll Be
Your Baby Tonight') and the wonderful 'Waitress In A Donut Shop', as well as
her work with Kweskin & Butterfield. Love her.



Subject: Maria Muldaur and Dylan
From: dylan fan (dylanland@yahoo.com)
Date: 11 Mar 1999 11:06:16 -0800

I'm just coming down from an incredible show last night by Maria Muldaur
accompanied by a superb pianist, John, from the Bay Area group
Spang-a-lang.  It was an incredible evening in a very small venue (less
than eighty people) showcasing Ms. Muldaur's incredibly formidable
talents.  Her voice has matured over the years into an instrument which
easily captures the gliding scales of her early career, while now warmly
embracing the dark and sometimes husky tones of Bessis Smith and Billie
Holiday.  Her performance was transcendent, pure and simple.

After the show, I had the great opportunity to talk at length with both
the producer of the evening's event (John Jacobs) and, later, Ms.
Muldaur.  Mr. Jacobs revealed to me that Maria has covered a couple of
"new" (meaning heretofore unreleased by Bob) Dylan tunes...I asked which
two...he could not recall at that moment (John is also a Producer and is
working with Maria on her new disc) but would get back to me. 
Apparently, Maria also recently did a duet with Joan Baez on another
Dylan song;  it was recently released on a benefit disc.  When I get
more specifics I will pass them on.

John also mentioned that a PBS crew has been working on a documentary of
Dylan's early years...When Dylan was asked who they could interview, he
told them to interview Jeff and Maria Muldaur, since they were the ones
who introduced him to the Village...

Maria sang a number of songs from two recent releases:  Jazzabelle
(forgive if I spelled it wrong,) and Soft and Low...I believe.  They are
released on Stony Plank Records...I, for one, will def. be picking these
up ASAP.  She is working on another disc of the songs that inspired her:
 Bessie Smith and others.  She recently recorded the final duet
performed by the late great Charles Brown, who unfortunately passed away
a little over two weeks ago.

Current projects underway sound wonderful.  SHE WOULD BE EXCELLENT WITH
BOB!

Ken



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur and Dylan
From: Richard (feirstein@rmdtc.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 20:24:41 GMT

Great post. I used to see Maria and Jeff play together back in 1962 in
the Village and they sure were fun. They and some friends would put on a
grand show for just 20 or 30 of us waiting for them to "pass the hat".
Now if PBS talks to the right people that show might be very
interesting. Let us hope the fly in Izzie Young for this one.



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur and Dylan
From: Dag Braathen (dageb@online.no)
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 23:06:11 +0100

Maria Muldaur sang "Nobody's Fault But Mine" at Bob's show in San
Francisco, November 19, 1980



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur and Dylan
From: (casper_milktoast@my-dejanews.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 22:55:45 GMT
Organization: Deja News - The Leader in Internet Discussion

In article <19990311190314.25553.rocketmail@send102.yahoomail.com>,
  dylan fan  wrote:
> John also mentioned that a PBS crew has been working on a documentary
> of Dylan's early years...When Dylan was asked who they could
> interview, he told them to interview Jeff and Maria Muldaur, since
> they were the ones who introduced him to the Village...

Introduced him to the Village? Anyway, that's interesting 'cause she's
also part of another PBS special on Kate and Anna McGarrigle. I'm not
sure if the show's aired yet or what. This makes sense, as Kate
McGarrigle wrote 'The Work Song' which appears on Muldaur's sublime
self-titled album of 1972. Also, I thought Jeff and Maria were divorced.
I wonder if Bob realizes this. Jeff has a new album out, by the way.
That's all I know about that.

> > SHE WOULD BE EXCELLENT WITH BOB!

If this was ever gonna happen, it would have happened a LONG time ago.
Plus, things generally seem to go to hell when he sings with somebody
else.



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur and Dylan
From: Peter Stone Brown (peterb@erols.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 18:25:13 -0500

I really doubt that Geoff and Maria (who are divorced by the way and
have been for over 20 years) introduced Bob to the Village (as in
Greenwich) since they were part of the Cambridge/Boston folk scene, not
the NYC folk scene.  That they knew each other is without question and
Maria also lived in Woodstock for a time when Bob was there.  She did a
quite good version of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" on the Geoff & Maria
"Pottery Pie" album, and when she was doing Gospel right around the same
time Bob was in the early '80s, she was performing Dylan's "Ain't No Man
Righteous," though I'm not sure if she recorded it.



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur and Dylan 
From: (gwiii@mailexcite.com) 
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 23:21:46 GMT

Maria Muldaur has covered the unreleased Dylan/Danny O'Keeffe song "Well
Well Well" on her "Fanning The Flames" album.  As for Geoff and Maria
Muldaur having "introduced him [Dylan] to the Village," though . . . .
perhaps my memory is not serving me so well tonight, but I though Maria
D'Amato would have been more likely to have helped introduce him to
Cambridge and Boston rather than the Village.  Or have I confused
something?

Gil



Subject: Re: Maria Muldaur & Dylan
From: Alan Fraser (alan.fraser@cwcom.net)
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 10:17:36 GMT

Maria is still in touch with Bob as she was given the unreleased song
Well Well Well written by Bob and Danny O'Keefe for her 1996 album,
Fanning The Flames. Gil Walker told me about a friend of his who
interviewed her and asked her how she came to get the song. Maria said
she just called up Dylan one day and asked him if he had anything on
hand she could put on her new record - so he sent this song to her!
Unfortunately she didn't say what Bob actually sent, I assume a demo
tape that she had to return. Certainly no Bob version of this song is
circulating that I know about.

You can find a bit more about this in my Directory of Unreleased Dylan
Songs,

http://www.jana.mcmail.com/BobUnrel.htm

Alan



Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: WOW! Maria Muldaur's new album, "Richland Woman Blues"
From: ken  dylanland@yahoo.com 
Date: 24 Mar 2001 14:47:27 -0800

i just received a copy today of Maria's new album,
"Richland Woman Blues."  I believe that this would be
a most enjoyable disc for members of this newsgroup.

simply put, it is one of the finest blues albums i
have heard in years.  stellar musicianship from the
likes of John Sebastian, Bonnie Raitt, Roy Rogers, Taj
Mahal, Ernie Hawkins, Tracy Nelson, Alvin Youngblood
Hart, Dave Matthews, Angela Strehli, and Amos Garrett
and David Wilkie.

The sepia cover has her standing next to the roadsign:
 Old Hwy. 61.  Oh yeah!

(And, may i add, she is a beautiful as ever...)

Four songs each from Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie.
Others my Mississippi John Hurt, Leadbelly,
Mississippi Fred McDowell, Blind Willie Johnson, and
Rev. Gary Davis.

done in the original style...all acoustic, all either
duos or trios...

and check out this excepted passage from the wonderful
liner notes (complete with some wonderful paintings of
the early masters, and photos of Maria...):

"I wandered to the edge of Beale St. where the huge
"Memphis in May" Fest was going on, to take in a
wonderful evening of music, which culminated in a
stunning performance by Bob Dylan.  As I stood in the
wings watching my old friend perform, blissfully
satiated by 5 days of great music, I thought of a
passage in the liner notes of Bob's (then) most recent
album, "World Gone Wrong."  Dylan, eschewing his
ususal electric backup, returned to his acoustic roots
and recorded truly masterful performances of old
blues, jug band and classic American folk tunes.  In
his wonderfully written liner notes he says, 'Look
out!  There won't be songs like these
anymore--factually there aren't any now."  I realized
he was right, and what a rich and unique legacy these
artists left us.  Right then and there, I got the idea
and inspiration for this musical tribute to all the
early blues legends who so deeply inspired and
influenced me early on to follow my own path both
musically and spiritually."

There's more, of course, and more I'd like to say.

Instead, though, I implore each one of you to pick up
a copy of "Richland Woman Blues" and listen to it.

You'll be hard pressed to get it off your deck...it's
going to stay there for awhile.

find it at www.stonyplainrecords.com.

in fact, make the world a better place.

buy three, and pass two along to friends.  they'll
bless you for it!

Wow.

what a great album.

ken