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1. |
Red Dirt
04:12
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Red Dirt
Foster Williams had a farm
At the mouth of Steven’s Run
2000 acres inherited
By his father’s only son
I heard that he was hiring
Room and board was paid
So I rode out on the 2nd of May
A carpenter by trade
Thirteen years younger
Of his wife I’d heard tell
Katy was her name
In time I knew her well
There were the wealthy and powerful
But none as much as he
I saw a side of Foster Williams
That most people never see
A lot of nights he was gone
He never told Katy why
But the nights that he was there
Were the nights I heard her cry
I saw the blood on her clothes
And the bruises on her face
So many times I asked her why
She wouldn’t leave Foster’s place
Foster Williams came back one night
Drinking too heavy to stand
I stood at the corner of the house
With Katy’s pistol in my hand
He leaned against a fence post
And lit a cigarette
I moved a few steps closer
As close as I could get
I wasn’t even shaking
When I pulled that hammer back
Rose up and drew my aim
And I heard that thunder crack
He fell along the fence line
Bleeding heavy through his shirt
He slept the sleep of the dead
Laying in a bed of red dirt
If I’m sinning…….
Then God forgive my soul
I ran up behind the willows
And the midnight swallowed me whole
Stephen Simmons: vocals & acoustic guitar
Dave Coleman: mandolin, organ, percussion
Jared Manzo: upright bass
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2. |
Demise Of Levi Prince
05:34
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The Demise of Levi Prince
From my younger days I recall
And I’ve remembered ever since
Now history begs me
To retell
The demise of Levi Prince
From Galloway to the Tygart
Truth on High he brought down to men
Slay them in the Spirit
And raised them up
As children born again
But somewhere in his pride
His soul withered overgrown
Even though God still whispered
In the end
Levi’s words were his own
All around him we saw a change
We sensed a turning away
But Levi rode on still
Like a lost shepherd
Leading his flock astray
His intentions lay bare
Neither innocent nor cruel
Through his pride he became wise
And through his wisdom
He became a fool
In a late September dusk
With Levi leading the way
On horseback we rode
Along the Tygart
To the mission at Pilgrim’s Way
The trail was still
And we heard no sound
But Levi’s horse kicked back
In fear raising up
Dropping Levi to the ground
There we stood above him
The ground he rested on
Gave no hint of life
In that September dust
Levi’s last breathe was drawn
As we stood around him
A silent word was prayed
Easiness broke the calm
Inside we knew
No mistake had been made
For the last time in his life
The Truth pierced him like a sword
As we all knew by heart
The scriptures read
“Vengeance is Mine,” saith the Lord
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3. |
Guardian, West Virginia
03:25
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Guardian, West Virginia
She came from Guardian
The fall of 1902
A school teacher
The friend of a friend
The winter that I helped her through
The next spring we married
Built a house by the riverside
But my restless ways
She couldn’t receive
On another man’s shoulder she did cry
It was nothing she said
But I could see it in her eyes
She did her best
To keep it inside
But in the end she couldn’t disguise
I wasn’t there when I should’ve been
I wasn’t there when she called my name
So if she ran to another man
Then maybe I’m to blame
The word spread around town
The truth they couldn’t hide
I left her that summer
Alone to stand
By the Guardian riverside
A few days later
I heard they were gone
Everyone thought
They boarded the train
And together they moved on
The sheriff came around
Asking what I knew
He looked around
And questioned me
But he never really had a clue
If they’re missing or just moved on
To me it’s all the same
But if they’re never seen again
Then maybe I’m to blame
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4. |
Leader Of Men
03:51
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Leader Of Men
My brother’s family
Settled on Hacker’s Creek
They lived there in August
Six months and a week
Shawnees raided the camp
We heard there were 16 slain
So we rode out at dawn
In a late September rain
Settlement was burned
And my brother lay dying
But along the water’s edge
I heard a baby crying
I walked over to the creek
I laid down my gun
In the cattails along the water
Lay my brother’s only son
He was seven months old
In this world alone
My brothers first born
So we raised him as our own
For years he worked with me
Down below Arden Ridge
A grist mill along the Tygart
Across the Moatsville bridge
We raised him up right
In the ways of the Lord
With the helmet of salvation
With the Spirit as his sword
Spread the faith from an early age
And we saw he had no fears
In time he grew in wisdom
Well beyond his years
The chosen that path he walked
The road unseen to some
When he turned seventeen
He knew his day had come
From Galloway to the Tygart
He’s been riding ever since
A chosen leader of men
His name was Levi Prince
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5. |
Sid Copley's Shadow
03:27
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Sid Copley’s Shadow
Sid walks through town
With a shadow on his back
It’s heavy and it’s cold
And no shadow knows
A darker shade of black
His history
The tale of his life
Unknown by many
Can best be told
Through the last words of his wife
She said, “Sid was out drinking
Like he did on Friday night
He came home and found me
Upstairs with a stranger
Under the crescent moonlight
I looked at Sid
He looked back in surprise
But to my right
The greatest fear
Was staring back in my lovers eyes
I ran towards Sid
But he threw me to the floor
He reached for his revolver
Buried down
In our dresser drawer
First he shot my lover
Then he aimed for me
I turned away and prayed he’d miss
But the grace of God
Ignored my plea
Sid carried us both
Down to the river that night
He threw us in and we washed away
Lifeless and cold
In the crescent moonlight
Sid moved on
To another time and place
But everywhere he goes
In everything he does
In every stranger he sees my face
Just like a shadow
I follow him through town
Just like a king
He bears
My bloodstained crown.”
Sid walks through town
With a shadow on his back
It’s heavy and it’s cold
And no shadow knows
A darker shade of black
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6. |
Sinner's Grin
03:18
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Sinner’s Grin
Courtroom burned
In that late July heat
I sat on the stand
Next to the judge
I was burning in my seat
“Tell us where you were
Last Friday night, Son
When we found your wife
And another man
Shot dead by your own gun.”
“Like I said before
I was working, you know?
I was upstate
Laying rail
For the North Atlantic B & O.”
“Got home the next day
That’s when I heard
Sheriff stopped by
With a deputy
That’s when they gave me the word.”
It was too late by then
Not much I could do
They hauled me in
And locked me up
Said, “Son, we believe it was you.”
The jury came back
The verdict they read
I stood up in silence
But to my surprise
“Not Guilty,” they said
I walked away that day
Free as I could be
Not a man walking today
With a story to tell
Walking as lucky as me
Sitting back on my porch
I’ll never see that woman again
I chuckled to myself
In the cool evening breeze
Smiling that sinner’s grin
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7. |
Old Man And The Traveler
04:37
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Old Man And The Traveler
I sat on top of the world
On the highest mountain looking down
A crossroad stood before me
To the west I watched the sunlight drown
The first breathe of night filled the sky
But in the distance I saw a light
A Traveler coming
From hidden places, deep in the night
He sat down next to the fire
But he did not ask my name
He said, “I am the Traveler
By nature you know my fame.”
“I can give you life without end
Or any desire of your heart
Streets of gold or a ruler’s hand
Luxury ‘til death do us part.”
He said, “My legions are many
In this time and place
The world I know can be yours
If it’s my road you choose to embrace.”
From the east I saw a light
Walking towards me was an Old Man
He sat down by the fire
Took me back to the road where I first began
He said, “I know this Traveler
On this road he walks a twisted mile
If you decide to follow him
Down on you the shadows will smile.”
He said, “My path is a narrow one
Leave yourself and this world behind
Follow the dirt road less traveled
If it’s the golden road you hope to find.”
I woke up in the morning
Under a misty haze and skies of gray
I was alone by the fire
But two sets of footprints led away
The crossroad stood before me
But I was divided to the core
But the answer before me stood
Much clearer than it had before
The choice was now mine
Two voices called me their chosen ways
With their words echoing in my head
I began walking into the haze
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8. |
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The Hitchhiker’s Blues (Living’s For The Dying)
I pulled my diesel off
To the side of the road
I was checking my tires
I was checking my load
Along the road this guy
Asked to hitch a ride
I said, “No problem, man.”
And he climbed inside
I asked where he was going
I asked where he’d been
Man, I was surprised
When he answered with a grin
He said, “It’s more the going
Than it is the getting’ there
And I figure anywhere’s
‘bout as good as somewhere
I’m gonna look around
And see what I can see
‘Cause man this world
It means nothing to me
I see people looking
Man, when I look around
Seems like there’s more lost
Than there seems to be found
We’re looking ‘round the world
But we won’t find it here
Nothing’ll fill you up
Not gray skies nor clear
We’ll take a step
Then we want one more
We’re just running in circles
Faster than ever before
But there are no endings
No destinations to be found
No shelter from the storm
Just the hope of higher ground
We’re killing ourselves
Without even trying
And if you call that life
Then living’s for the dying.”
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Stephen Simmons Nashville, Tennessee
Stephen Simmons was raised in the small town of Woodbury, Tennessee. As a songwriter and Ten years as a Road Dog, Stephen’s vision has grown to entail more than just reflections of rural America. Stephen’s records (which were compared to everyone from Johnny Cash to Ryan Adams) combine virtuosic songcraft and musicianship with unparalleled artistic honesty. ... more
Stephen Simmons recommends:
My friend/collaborator/touring partner Dave Coleman's fine new roots rock album.
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My friend (and bandmate) Molly Jewell's great new ep.
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Up the Partition/Elephant Song
by Ole Mossy Face
My favorite Nashville Band: We also jam together when we get the notion.
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I saw this man open for another relative unknown at Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines Iowa a few years ago and was immediately hooked! He opened for Anderson East. I did love em both but this guy needs more recognition!
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The Open Road - Arizona Amp & Alternator
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