Produced and recorded by Dan Prothero for Fog City Records. Performed by Mofro John “JJ” Grey (vocals,guitar, harmonica) and Daryl Hance (guitar,dobro). Personnel: Fabrice “Fabgrea...

 

Produced and recorded by Dan Prothero for Fog City Records. Performed by Mofro John “JJ” Grey (vocals,guitar, harmonica) and Daryl Hance (guitar,dobro). Personnel: Fabrice “Fabgrease” Quentin (bass), Nathan Shepherd (keys, sax), George Sluppick (drums, percussion, backing vocals). With special guest Robert Walter (clavinet on Ho Cake and Santa Claus, electric piano solo on Lazy Fo Acre). Siemy Di played drums on Nare Sugar and Jookhouse,which were recorded at our rehearsal session.

All lyrics and music written by JJ, except ~(written by JJ & Daryl) and ** (improvised by Mofro). All songs published by Cracker Meal Music BMI, except ~ and ** (Spook Ya Mule Music BMI).

 

Recorded live at Retrophonics Recording Studio in St. Augustine, Florida by Dan Prothero and Jim DeVito. Additional vocal and percussion tracking at The Studio That Time Forgot (San Francisco), The Phantom Tollbooth (San Francisco) and Soulhouse Studio (Jacksonville). Mixed at The Studio That Time Forgot. Mix engineer Kevin Ink. Mastered by Kenneth Lee Mastering.

Photography by Dan Prothero and Chris Belcher. Graphic design by Dan Prothero. Manufactured & distributed by Alligator Records under license from Fog City Records ©®. All rights reserved. No duplication, please. Respect.

 

This music comes from the Blackwater region of North Florida and is about remembering, about paying respect, and about giving thanks.

In that spirit, we are grateful to the fine folks who helped us in making this album, including:

Tony Batt, Chris & Roger Belcher, Tom Broering, Phillippe d'Amonville, Sandra & Barry Darby, Jimmy & Nancy DeVito, Alex d'Savoia, Big Jim Hance, Matt & Sandra Hendricks, Kevin Ink, Armond Jackson, Niko Kolev, David & Mike Lee, Paul Lentz, Darren Monsen, Sammy Neal, Dave Nissen, Antonio Noel, Ken Parker, Wayne Scarborough, Siemy, George Sluppick, Ricky & Rene Tillman, and Robert Walter. Nathan thanks his family, Richard & Yukie Nesbit, and Mim. Fabgrease thanks Dachéle & Miniel, Stéphane “BB” Quentin, Pétula, Yann H&W, Nikolei, Madame Holleville et la famille Glandon. George thanks Paul Bleifuss, Franc Uberti & Rhythm House, and Pat O’Connor of Istanbul AGOP. Daryl thanks Mom, Dad, Dona and Lisa for unconditional support all my life, Sondra for being who you are, and Joe, Mona & family for welcoming me to live in their home. JJ thanks mine and my wife’s family, and Granny.

We’re also much obliged to the Jookhouse choir: Darren “D” Bedford, Chris Belcher, Robbie French, Brannon Gentry, Mike & Jeanie Lee, Jim Mao, Jamie Wackrow and Turtle.

Finally, we thank Dan Prothero for wholeheartedly encouraging the cultural distinctions in our music, and for helping us create a record that we fully (and finally) believe in.

 

 

FLORIDA

I remember my grandpa tellin me

about the early days of Florida

Born a swamp cracka two miles from Granny's Bay

comin up the way of the wilderness

 

No car, phone or electric light

yeah just livin life one day at a time

no newspaper, no wars and no strife

just the elemental keys that provide for life

 

Florida I know you're out there hidin from me

you get harder and harder to find

Everyday she keeps slippin away

Florida please don't fade on me now

 

Autumn sun set morning skys ablaze

the oaks and the pines turn their palms up to the sun

The kind of beauty that hits down in the soul

and still we're hell bent to destroy it all

 

With concrete and steel we pave

a road to hell on a land we've killed

So take a good look and remember it now

cause one day you gonna wake up and find it gone

 

Now skyscrapers and superhighways

are carved through the heart of Florida

Building subdivisions while the swamps are drained

makin’ room for people and amusement parks

 

It's like watchin someone you love die slow

yeah they killin her one piece at a time

I know some fools who think I should let go

but they've never seen Florida through my eyes

 

Florida I know you're out there hidin from me

you get harder and harder to find

Everyday she keeps slippin away

Florida please don't fade on me now