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sometimes not. Bill saw to it that our roles were apportioned more or less equally
across the CD.
BiTS: Tell me something about the songs on the record. Do you have a favourite?
AC: The one we're all most fond of is the last one, [Washington] Phillips's 'I Was
Born to Preach the Gospel'. That was one example of overdubbing, and there were
several more, a harp here, a twelve-string part there. Bill did the same trick with his
twelve on that one that Joe LaRose had done on another Phillips song on a record
we did called ‘Tuxedo Blues’: with the twelve in an open tuning and synched up with
the Dolceola, Bill played a low part, then put a capo on the twelve and played a high
part. So we got the effect of two Dolceolas, plus all the voices in harmony. I hope that
one gets a lot of play. It came out stunningly.
BiTS: Tell me a little about Washington Phillips. I believe the instrument he plays
was two zithers joined together that he called his Manzarene (see “Washington
Phillips and His Manzarene Dreams”, Dust-to-Dust Digital 49).
AC: Mr. Phillips was a Southerner, originally from Arkansas but living in Texas. All
the brothers and cousins were named after cities and in fact there was an older gent,
'Cousin Wash' who was in the sanatorium nearby, that we used to think was him.
'Uncle' Wash, who raised cane for a living and sold molasses on the street along with
his Gospel music, was the younger by ten years. The two are buried near one another
in Teague, Texas. I personally think that Phillips called it his 'Nazarene' and that the
newspaperman who interviewed him on the street misheard him. But that's just me.
I have several other faves from the CD. One is the version of Rev Gary Davis’
”Make-Believe Stunt’ that Bill and I did; my other one is 'Memphis Minnie
and Me', which Bill wrote and Eleanor sang to his accompaniment.
After Eleanor got her heart fixed, she strengthened up quite a bit, enough that she
was able to go back in the studio and duet with Bill on a number of songs.
I really love working with these two. They're not only great musicians, they're close
friends. We're all close.
BiTS: Thanks so much Andy it has been a delight, is there anything else you want
to add?
AC: Only that at not quite eighty I feel like I'm just getting started.
Geezers rule!

