Stan Keach’s New CD’s a Keeper!

Stan Keach is a nationally-known bluegrass songwriter whose song, Whispering Water, was in the National Top Ten Bluegrass Singles Charts in 2009. But Stan’s greatest talent is working with young people, many of whom have found themselves and their real talent by playing for and with Stan. He’s an amazing man and someone I respect and admire enormously.

So when Stan showed up at my Mount Vernon door in a rainstorm in early July with an as-yet-unreleased new CD, I was of course all ears. The title of the new CD is Cry of the Loon. Stan sells most of his CDs at his shows, but you can contact him directly to purchase one: 207-397-2241, stanleykeach@hotmail.com. You can also contact Stan to book his group, Sandy River Ramblers.

Bear in mind that I loved his Bear in the Barn CD with the Maranacook String Band, so a new CD from that band, with more of Stan’s amazing and creative songs, was a great gift. And that’s what this CD is – a gift to Mainers.

There’s a song about my boyhood hero, Don Fendler, and another about the Brady gang, shot down in Bangor. The song Slow Down (You’ll Hit A Moose) should be played on that AM station available to tourists as they enter Maine on the turnpike.

“Now a moose’s eyes will not reflect,” sings Stan and the band.

“And that’s a fact you gotta respect

“At night, he’s just a big spot o’black

“Until he’s lyin right across your lap.”

‘Slow Down! You’ll Hit A Moose!”

The string band is really good, consisting of Julie Churchill, Lee Stetson, Zachary Greenham, Megan Dood, Dan Simons on one of my favorite instruments, the mandolin, Sam Bryant, and Stan. Guest artists on the CD are Bud Godsoe and Steve Stetson. Steve plays the guitar for Minnehonk Blues – another favorite, and not just because I live on the outlet of that lake.

But it’s Boots from L.L. Bean that may be your favorite. It’s sure to become a classic. It’s an hilarious parody of all-things-Maine, including Down East magazine.

Get a copy of Cry of the Loon CD. And yes, you’ll “get it.” You’re a Mainer.

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.