Canadian singer-songwriter Cam Penner has been a firm favourite here at Folk Radio UK for a good few years now so what better way to celebrate his roots driven music then with a free live session which he recorded back in 2012. He shared this story about one of those songs which is our Song of the Day: Ghost Car
I was touring through Northern California a while back, doing a few shows up in the Sierra Nevadas, towns like Sonora and Tuolumne. Woody Guthrie spent time out there, his spirit lives on out there. The locals make sure of it.
The people were crazy for the music and the wine and the dance. It was an amazing few days spent playing my songs and hanging with the locals. My sweetheart was with me, long brown hair matching her brown eyes, a drink in each hand, what a queen, reckless, but a queen no less……we we’re having a time, tattoos, tequila, making memories.
We’re winding down the mountain side in our 85 Ford Getaway Van (seriously, ‘Getaway Van’) when I see the state trooper tucked away in the dark. And then a block away from our motel two of them pull us over in our parking lot. Sirens screaming. Lights flashing. Jenni’s starts hiding shit, drinks are flying, stuff is being stashed. “Out of the van sir, hands out of your pockets, keep ’em where I can see ’em.” But they never found anything, Im pretty smart that way plus drinking was Jenni’s job that night. “You safe ma’am?”, “Yes” she says. He looks at me. “You take care.”
Needless to say, we drank and sang the night away back in our forty dollar motel room.
First words out, “Ghost car waiting on the side of the road, underneath the lights of the city’s glow……black tar rolling out for miles and miles, lead me up to the mountains, land of sugar pine.”
Just making memories.
My buddy, Jon Wood, whom I’ve been touring with for the last eight years together made some recordings in his studio while we were wrapping up a couple years of touring the Gypsy Summer album. Live off the floor. The way we like it.
Here’s one of them. A song called Ghost Car. Inspired by living and loving life to its fullest. Have it and enjoy, pass it around.
Ghost Car (Live Sessions)
Tour Dates
Saturday, May 10, The Dakota Tavern, Toronto, ON, 7-9pm
Tuesday, May 13, Two Doors Down, Brantford, ON
Wednesday, May 14, Divan Orange, Montreal, QUE
Thursday, May 15 Raw Sugar Cafe , Ottawa, ON
Friday, May 16, TBA
Saturday, May 17, The Branch Restaurant and Texas Grill, Kemptville, ON