TRACK LISTING

1. West Virginia My Home (H. Dickens)
2. The One I Love is Gone (B. Monroe)
3. Washed my Hands in Muddy Waters (J. Babcock)
4. The Sweetest Gift, A Mother’s Smile (J.B.Coates)
5. Mining Camp Blues (T. Smith)
6. Cora is Gone (O. McLeod)
7. Tenderly Calling (Home, Come on Home) (J. Garrett)
8. Streamline Cannonball (R. Acuff)
9. Cry, Cry Darlin’ (J. Newman & J. Miller)
10. Sunny Side of Life (B. Bolick)
11. Hard Times (S. Foster)
12. Wayfaring Stranger (Trad, Arr. by M. Franzke)
13. Car Buyer’s Lament (M. Franzke)
14. The Bramble & The Rose (Trad, Arr. by M. Franzke)

LINER NOTES

Mark Franzke and Mary Schmaus began singing together in the fall of 1976, studying the duet singing styles of the Blue Sky Boys, The Louvin Brothers and Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard.

They became active in the Bluegrass and acoustic music scene in and around Lawrence, Kansas and played in several Bluegrass groups, most notably Prairie Fire.

Mary was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1978 just before she and Mark were married, but was determined not to let it keep her from playing music. She was a fiddle champion and outstanding guitar player until the mid 90’s when she began losing the dexterity in her hands. Undeterred, she and Mark began to focus on what they still did very well together; harmony singing.

This CD was created to celebrate and preserve the 25 plus years of Mark and Mary’s fine duet singing.