John McCutcheon ’74 still sharing stories - just a little differently now

John McCutcheon ’74 has always used his music as an opportunity to share stories, entertain and enhance the bonds that connect people together.

And even in these anxious times, as the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he is continuing to do just that.

Since returning from a tour of Australia in March, he has been in self-quarantine at his cabin in the mountains of northern Georgia, so as not to pose any health risk to his wife (children’s author Carmen Agra Deedy, who is diabetic) and his 89-year-old mother-in-law who remain at the couple’s Georgia home.

But isolation has certainly not meant idleness.

“The main thing I’m doing right now is attempting to use this time creatively,” said McCutcheon, a master of the hammer dulcimer who has recorded 40 albums and been nominated for six Grammy Awards in a career that dates back to the mid-1970s and includes beloved songs like the World War I epic “Christmas in the Trenches.”

“I don’t have a TV up here. That’s intentional and it’s been a fabulous decision. I’ve been trying to do a lot of reading and writing. And I’ve spent a lot of time talking with loved ones all over the world, having the kind of conversations you usually have to bring to an end because you have other things to get to.

“But now, we have time to let those continue.”

And those discussions, including a recent one with Richard Bresnahan, the director and master potter at The  Saint John’s Pottery, have helped inspire a new batch of songs. And on April 15 he plans to release a brand-new, digital-only album entitled “Cabin Fever: Songs From the Quarantine.”

He expects to include around 20 songs in all. And it will be available on his website.

“I’m just going to ask that people pay what they can,” McCutcheon said. “There are a lot of people out there who have been laid off and they need music too. So they can get it for free. But people who are a little more well-heeled right now will hopefully be able to pay a little more.”

Like many professions, the pandemic has hit touring musicians hard. Some, like revered songwriter John Prine (whom McCutcheon has played with in the past) have been diagnosed with the illness (Prine’s wife says he has been intubated and remains in ICU).

And many others, like McCutcheon, who rely on live performances for much of their income, have taken an economic hit as bookings have been cancelled for the next few months.

“For the time being, there’s really no money coming in,” he said. “So it’s hard. Like it is for a lot of people right now.”

But while it is not the same as performing a concert before a live audience, many musicians are taking advantage of digital technology to share performances with their fans.

McCutcheon has already done that on his Facebook page and website, making available a 2018 Library of Congress concert he performed at the request of the American Folklife Center.

The concert focused exclusively on traditional material he had collected for the Archive of American Folksong, especially in his 20s and 30s when he did a lot of field recording of traditional artists around the world – especially in Appalachia.

He said it was one of the most enjoyable performances he has ever given.

“I was only on the Saint John’s campus for two years,” the Wisconsin native said. “After that, I went off on what was supposed to be a three-month independent study. A lot of it was spent in Appalachia studying these traditional forms of music. I really loved what I was doing. And at the end of every semester, it kept getting extended.

“Saint John’s was generous enough to give me a really long leash and I learned a lot about how to write songs. I started taking tape recorders out to record some of the people I was spending time with. So many of these traditional songs had been worn and smoothed by thousands of voices before mine. And when I’d do one of my original songs alongside them, I’d think ‘Ohhhhh, that doesn’t measure up.’

“Learning more about traditional folk music helped make me a better writer.”

In addition, McCutcheon will be taking part in the ongoing Stay at Home Festival, a series of online performances bringing together musicians from around the world. He is scheduled to perform at 6 p.m. (CDT) Sunday, April 5.

You can see the performance here, or find out more information by visiting the event's Facebook page. Money raised through donations is being used to help musicians in this time of need.

“This delivery system is a port-in-the-storm right now,” McCutcheon said. “But I will be eager, and hopefully my audience will be eager too, for the day when we can all once again gather together in a room and share the experience that only a live performance can bring.”