In this episode of Confetti Park Storytime, you’ll hear the fascinating and fun story of the inventor Samuel Morse, who used electricity to power the telegraph and who invented Morse Code. Way back in the 1800s, he was teaching the world how to do instant messaging!
Tracy Nelson Maurer is the author of this fun biography geared toward kids, and we are so happy that Tracy has narrated the story for our enjoyment.
Back in the 1800s, information traveled slowly. Who would dream of instant messages?
Samuel Morse, that’s who!
Who traveled to France, where the famous telegraph towers relayed 10,000 possible codes for messages depending on the signal arm positions—only if the weather was clear? Who imagined a system that would use electric pulses to instantly carry coded messages between two machines, rain or shine? Long before the first telephone, who changed communication forever?
Samuel Morse, that’s who!
Tracy Nelson Maurer will be one of the featured authors at the upcoming New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University being held March 19-21. Learn more about this event at https://bookfest.tulane.edu/.
Tracy Nelson Maurer
Tracy has written several fun biographies of important change makers, such as John Deere and Noah Webster, and lots of nonfiction books about a wide range of topics such as history, STEM, social skills—even cheerleading and automobiles! Learn more
Thank you, Tracy, for sharing the story of Samuel Morse with Confetti Park!
My husband David Ray and I just released an album called I Dream of Water. I am so proud to say that we’ve been nominated for two “2019 Best of the Beat” Awards from OffBeat Magazine. I Dream of Water has been nominated for Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album. And I’ve been nominated as Best Country/Folk/Singer-Songwriter Artist. I am absolutely blown away.
I’ve been reading OffBeat Magazine since I was teenager. I studied it like a musical bible and it’s as much a part of my musical edification as all the hours in the Hogan Jazz archives and all the sorting and listening through old 78s and LPs I’ve hoarded. Keeping up with contemporary Louisiana music and New Orleans music has been part of my life as long as I’ve been an adult….and there is no way to do that without OffBeat. This is a tremendous honor for me.
Over this past summer, when the streets in our neighborhood in New Orleans were flooding for the first time ever, and with the Mississippi River at flood stage constantly as hurricane season opened up, water was invading my dreams. I couldn’t stop writing the songs. We were compelled to make this album. (And taking a job in Memphis at St. Jude, and trying to make a life in two cities has also been inspirational… “Do you know what it means?”)
We recorded the album up at Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock (with some tracks at Marigny Studios in New Orleans) to work with wonderful Arkansan guitarist Greg Spradlin, who brought such creative ideas to every song as producer. While I was in Little Rock in June 2019 for a brainstorming session, Greg and I drove around talking about ideas and looking at the landscape. The Arkansas river was flooding downtown Little Rock and threatening to cave in a levee north of the city in Lollie Bottoms. The opening track of the album, “Lollie Bottoms,” was written based on the amazing true story of the Lollie levee.
Another song on this album called “Dirty Water” was written by my husband all the way back in October 2005, while we were evacuated from New Orleans after Katrina. I always thought someone with a giant voice should sing this song—Irma Thomas, for example. I finally recorded it for this album (and it’s still up for grabs, Irma!).
“Kings, Queens & Jesters” was written on the floor of my parents’ bathroom in Shreveport in July 2019. We happened to be visiting them when Hurricane Barry was bearing down on New Orleans while the river was at flood stage. That was terrifying…yet, at the same time, my people were doing what New Orleanians do—making the best of it. A line from this song was inspired by my friend Karen Konnerth, a wonderful puppeteer who lives in Algiers Point.
We’re all Kings, We’re all Queens,
We’re all Jesters on the edge of the knife
of joie de vivre and annihilation.
Let’s have a ball. Let’s celebrate this life.
The official summary of I Dream of Water is this: “Inspired by events in coastal regions and cities along the great rivers of the USA, the album is both social commentary and personal reflection on how increasingly intense storms and rising waters are affecting daily life, futures, hopes, and dreams.”
My summary: “This is something I have to get off my chest so that I can get back to writing songs about pirates, mermaids and the Roman Candy Man.”
I’m so grateful to Dave for his songwriting and his unwavering support of my ideas, and to Steve Howell, my longtime friend and musical collaborator, for putting this album on his label Out of the Past Music, and to Betsie Brown with Blind Raccoon for publicizing it. And of course… the musicians. The wonderful musicians who made this music and brought these songs to life!
“I Dream of Water” - Katy Hobgood Ray featuring Dave Ray
Out Of The Past Music, LLC
Musicians:
Chuck Dodson – piano, organs
Scott Frock – trumpet
Dave Hoffpauir – drums
Vikki McGee – background vocals
Katy Hobgood Ray – vocals
Dave Ray – vocals
Greg Spradlin – guitar, background vocals
Dylan Turner – percussion
Brad Walker – saxophone
Jason Weinheimer – bass, percussion
Produced by Greg Spradlin
Engineered by Zachariah Reeves and Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas
Horns recorded at Marigny Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana, by Paul McDonald
Mixed and Mastered by Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas
Executive Producer – Steve Howell
Photography: Sally Asher
Album Art and Layout: Isaac Alexander, Little Rock, Arkansas
Publicity and Radio Airplay: Blind Raccoon LLC, Memphis, Tennessee
Publishing Credits:
All songs published by Confetti Park except for “Little Children’s Blues” by Folkways Music Publishers Inc.
Lyric video for “Washed Away” performed by Katy Hobgood Ray, from the album I Dream of Water. Archival public domain film footage includes the Mississippi flood of 1927, Los Angeles flood of 1938, and Long Beach flood of 1939.
Engineered by Zachariah Reeves and Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas. Mixed and Mastered by Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Executive Producer – Steve Howell. Out Of The Past Music. (Copyright 2019.)
Written by David Eugene Ray/Kathryn Damaris Hobgood. Published by Confetti Park.
Publicity and Radio Airplay: Blind Raccoon LLC. For more info visit http://katyhobgood.com
Washed Away (David Eugene Ray/Kathryn Damaris Hobgood) Devil raised up and he hit the ground Water piled up and the levees came down He spread himself all through this town There ain’t nowhere to go
Stood by the river while they spoke the names So much sorrow, so much pain Look all around no one to blame Where did they all go?
Washed away—Where did they go? What are their names? Nobody knows. The clouds rolled in and filled this town with tears
I’m still living in my front yard Getting by is getting hard Ends don’t meet or go too far What am I going to do?
Every evening when the sun goes down The ghosts come out and they walk around They dance through dreams in this empty town Trying to get back home
The stars fill up an empty sky I hold my head and start to cry Lost everything and I don’t know why What am I going to do?
Folk Rock/Americana album is cowritten by Katy and husband Dave Ray.
I Dream of Water, a collection of original songs written by Katy Hobgood Ray and Dave Ray, is now available on the Out Of The Past Label. Inspired by events in coastal regions and cities along the great rivers of the USA, the album is both social commentary and personal reflection on how increasingly intense storms and rising waters are affecting daily life, futures, hopes, and dreams.
Produced by Greg Spradlin and recorded at Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock and Marigny Studios in New Orleans, the album incorporates elements from the Delta blues, gospel, country, and jazz.
Dave and Katy met in 2001 at a songwriter’s night in Shreveport, Louisiana—their hometown. Both write songs in the Americana/folk rock/country vein. In 2003, the couple moved to New Orleans, and over the years they’ve continued to perform at coffeeshops and small venues, collaborating in various bands.
Dave and Katy are members of Friends of Leadbelly, a group of musicians dedicated to promoting the legacy of north Louisiana songwriter Huddie Ledbetter. And over the last few years, Katy has become known for her work in children’s music with Confetti Park, and has performed at numerous festivals including French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest.
Katy also sings with Steve Howell & the Mighty Men out of the Ark-La-Tex area, who perform country blues and early jazz standards. This musical friendship was first established in 2002. (Both Dave and Katy sing on their album Good As I Been to You.) These are the musicians behind the new release, I Dream of Water.
In 2018, Dave and Katy took jobs based in Memphis, and are currently living between Memphis and New Orleans. They wrote this album with perspective and reflection on their experiences in their beloved Louisiana.
I Dream of Water is Katy & Dave’s first official release together.
About the Album
About the Album
Musicians: Chuck Dodson – piano, organs Scott Frock – trumpet Dave Hoffpauir – drums Vikki McGee – background vocals Katy Hobgood Ray – vocals Dave Ray – vocals Greg Spradlin – guitar, background vocals Dylan Turner – percussion Brad Walker – saxophone Jason Weinheimer – bass, percussion
Produced by Greg Spradlin
Engineered by Zachariah Reeves and Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas
Horns recorded at Marigny Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana,
by Paul McDonald
Mixed and Mastered by Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall
Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas
A Native American foltale narrated by Janneke van der Molen
In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear a traditional folk tale interpreted and narrated by Janneke van der Molen of New Orleans.
Janneke is originally from the Netherlands, but has called New Orleans home for two decades. She has a deep love of the culture of South Louisiana and her adopted city of New Orleans.
Enjoy her interpretation of this strange Native American myth about why opossums have pouches.
Opossums are marsupials— do you know what a marsupial is? It is a kind of animal that carries its babies in a pouch outside its belly, after the babies are born. They continue to grow and eat until they are big enough to travel on their own. Most opossums live in the South Pacific in countries like Australia and New Guinea. Can you name some other animals that are marsupials?
The only marsupials living in the United States are different kinds of opossums.
You will have to listen to this story to learn the reason the opossum has a pouch—that is, according to Native Americans!
The Confetti Park podcast and radio program, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories that families will love listening to together. We explore songs of Louisiana, the Mississippi Delta and beyond. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!
Arghh, mateys! It’s the third annual Family Pyrate Day in Algiers Point, a family friendly event celebrating pirate culture in New Orleans! FREE TO THE PUBLIC!
In Algiers Point, we interact with the great river every day. We use the levee for exercise—biking, skating, walking our dogs. We use the ferry boats to cross to Canal Street on the other side-—every half hour it comes and goes. Our children grow up on batture when the water is low, playing with sticks and swinging on rope swings near the water’s edge. Collectively, we revere the great sunsets and honor the sweet life on the Mississippi River.
So we weren’t going to miss the sight of a houseboat parked along our bank. And I think that is how most of Algiers Point first discovered the story of Mr. Kelly. I wonder how he was discovered in other cities.
Mr. Kelly Phillips, who is originally from Wisconsin, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and given three months to live. Rather than enter hospice, Mr. Kelly chose to get a houseboat and live out his final days on the Mississippi River. This was in early 2016. From the AP And guess what? Three months went by… and he was still alive. So Mr. Kelly decided to move south along the river. He left Madison, Wisconsin, on March 15, 2017. From ABC News
His companion in his Mississippi journey is a first rate first mate named Sapphire, an adorable little black pug.
All along the way, Mr. Kelly’s journey has captured the hearts of people who live along the Mississippi River. And he has made many friends, and had many adventures.
From Michael DeMocker’s essay in the Times Picayune: “Phillips’s months on the Mississippi were frequently challenging. From an exploding can of chili to getting the boat stuck in ice to collisions with rock jetties and even a cargo ship at anchor, “Shameless” and its captain weathered many potentially disastrous trials.’” And from WREG: “While trying to dock in St. Louis in the winter Phillips said he stepped onto an icy dock and fell into the freezing water.
There were challenges–but most of all, there were inspirations. The stories Mr. Kelly shares are stories of the goodness of people.
Example, in Memphis, Tennessee, when Sapphire went missing, truly goodhearted people in Memphis helped them reunite. And once they heard his story, these same people bought Mr. Kelly a generator and a new phone. From WREG and another take from Little Things.
When he landed in Algiers Point, neighbors started sharing pics of Mr. Kelly’s houseboat, and it wasn’t long before his story was known across our little village and he was embraced into the fold of Point life, enjoying a pint at the Old Point Bar, coffee at One Stone, and trading stories with our people.
Last week, the Confetti Park Players were so honored to sing a song of joy to Mr. Kelly, at STEPFEST, a neighborhood concert fundraiser for a public art project celebrating Algiers Point’s tricentennial. Mr. Kelly and Sapphire were guests of honor. Greta and Tyler Hayes, whose daughters are both Confetti Park Players, coordinated the dedication.
And then, all of us, the whole room, sang “You Are My Sunshine” together with Mr. Kelly. It was truly a sweet afternoon.
A few days later, Mr. Kelly set out for his final destination: Venice, Louisiana. We are so thrilled that he made it!
Many of his “river friends” who he’d met along his journey attended a river party to celebrate him on Saturday (Jan. 26), including some Point Algerines. Among the guests were Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, who said: “We want to make sure we extend the Louisiana hospitality to anyone, especially a guy with a story like this, that given the remaining time he’s got left, he’s sees that he’s got friends.”
And here is the greatest lesson Mr. Kelly has shared from his adventure along the Mississippi River:
“People are good. Period. All over. My friends from New Jersey who helped me get this far, all the people down the river, it’s all about them…I did the journey but it’s about the Mississippi River people…..I hope heaven’s like this.”
In this episode of Confetti Park Storytime, we hear the wonderful voice of Justin Wilson telling the Christmas tale of “The Littlest Engine That Could.”
Justin Wilson
Justin Wilson is a Louisiana Legend. He has since passed away, but in his life he was a beloved Cajun chef, storyteller, comedian and poet who delighted fans around the world with his whimsical stories, songs, genial nature, and delightful sense of humor as he shared his Cajun recipes and heritage, through television, radio, stage and other venues.
I loved watching Justin on PBS, standing in a kitchen, telling stories and preparing Cajun dishes, when I was growing up. I’ll always smile to hear his famous catchphrases—”I Garontee!” and “How Y’all Are?!”
Confetti Park recently partnered with his estate and Justin Wilson Southern Products LLC to help share his stories with a new generation of children. Soon, we might see Justin again on TV! And now you can get digital versions of his stories on Amazon and iTunes, and enjoy them on Confetti Park!
The Littlest Engine That Could
This particular story, which was first released in 1975, is called “The Littlest Engine That Could.” You probably know the lassic American fairytale of a persevering little train—but this version has a twist—A Christmas Twist! This is the story of the “happy little train” that has to deliver presents to boys and girls over a steep mountain pass, so that the children have a happy Christmas.
And the other twist in this story is the lovely Cajun delivery and humor of Justin Wilson. Learn more about Justin Wilson Southern Products LLC.
Confetti Park
The Confetti Park radio show is a weekly 30-minute program that streams online and airs in cities across the United States, made available for free to all community radio stations on the Pacifica Network. We’re going to enjoy the music of the season all this month on every episode. There will be Christmas carols, Hanukkah songs of light, and children’s favorites all month long here in Confetti Park, as well as sweet stories to make you smile. Thanks for joining me, your host, Katy Hobgood Ray!
In this episode of Confetti Park Storytime, we hear the wonderful voice of Justin Wilson telling the Christmas tale of “The Littlest Engine That Could.”
Justin Wilson
Justin Wilson is a Louisiana Legend. He has since passed away, but in his life he was a beloved Cajun chef, storyteller, comedian and poet who delighted fans around the world with his whimsical stories, songs, genial nature, and delightful sense of humor as he shared his Cajun recipes and heritage, through television, radio, stage and other venues.
I loved watching Justin on PBS, standing in a kitchen, telling stories and preparing Cajun dishes, when I was growing up. I’ll always smile to hear his famous catchphrases—”I Garontee!” and “How Y’all Are?!”
Confetti Park recently partnered with his estate and Justin Wilson Southern Products LLC to help share his stories with a new generation of children. Soon, we might see Justin again on TV! And now you can get digital versions of his stories on Amazon and iTunes, and enjoy them on Confetti Park!
The Littlest Engine That Could
This particular story, which was first released in 1975, is called “The Littlest Engine That Could.” You probably know the lassic American fairytale of a persevering little train—but this version has a twist—A Christmas Twist! This is the story of the “happy little train” that has to deliver presents to boys and girls over a steep mountain pass, so that the children have a happy Christmas.
And the other twist in this story is the lovely Cajun delivery and humor of Justin Wilson. Learn more about Justin Wilson Southern Products LLC.
Confetti Park
The Confetti Park radio show is a weekly 30-minute program that streams online and airs in cities across the United States, made available for free to all community radio stations on the Pacifica Network. We’re going to enjoy the music of the season all this month on every episode. There will be Christmas carols, Hanukkah songs of light, and children’s favorites all month long here in Confetti Park, as well as sweet stories to make you smile. Thanks for joining me, your host, Katy Hobgood Ray!
More holiday music, stories and songs for you and your family to enjoy. I hope you enjoy the culture and holiday spirit I’m sharing from Louisiana, the Mississippi Delta, and beyond.
The Confetti Park radio show is a weekly 30-minute program that streams online and airs in cities across the United States, made available for free to all community radio stations on the Pacifica Network. We’re going to enjoy the music of the season all this month—Christmas carols, and Hanukkah songs of light, as well as sweet stories to make you smile. Thanks for joining me, your host, Katy Hobgood Ray!
“The holiday season is lots of fun, we celebrate when the year is done, Come together now everyone—It’s Christmas! An Hanukkah, too! Well, happy Kwanzaa! Season’s Greetings to you!” —the Imagination Movers
All about the music
On this episode, “Pizza on Earth,”we start off with the high energy Imagination Movers, with some of their original Christmas music! “It’s Christmas!”—and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and Children’s Day.
This is followed by “Burn Little Candles,” a song of Hanukkah by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh of Alexandria, La. Judy is a rabbi, in addition to a prolific children’s musician and educator.
There is lots of Cajun Christmas music in this episode—enjoy Belton Richard, Harry Fontenot, and Robert Kingrob Harris, all with delightful performances of classics.
And you’ll also hear the inimitable Vince Vance and his Valiants, and their unique version of “Winter Wonderland,” sousaphonist Matt Perrine with a rousing “Sleigh Ride,” and the great Louis Armstrong with “‘Zat You, Santa Claus?”
Also featured in this episode is Confetti Park Storytime with Justin Wilson, a beloved Cajun chef, comedian, and storyteller. This Louisiana legend, who passed away several years ago, is emerging for a new generation, as his music and stories have been digitized and re-released, and a new food products line of spices, pickles, and more is available in stores and online. Thank you to the estate of Justin Wilson for contributing to Confetti Park.
It’s the most magical time of the year…and we are feeling the holiday magic in Confetti Park! I hope you enjoy the culture I’m sharing from Louisiana, the Mississippi Delta, and beyond.
The Confetti Park radio show is a weekly 30-minute program that streams online and airs in cities across the United States, made available for free to all community radio stations on the Pacifica Network. We’re going to enjoy the music of the season all this month on every episode. There will be Christmas carols, Hanukkah songs of light, and children’s favorites all month long here in Confetti Park, as well as sweet stories to make you smile. Thanks for joining me, your host, Katy Hobgood Ray!
On this episode, Snow Bank, we start off with the delightful Fats Domino, singing about everyone’s favorite reindeer.
The we hear from the one and only Elvis Presley, singing “Here Comes Santa Claus.” I bet kids of all ages, even young ones today know that voice… Now, while I still call New Orleans home, I recently took a wonderful job at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s where Elvis lived and first recorded!
So let’s hear another song from the Volunteer State… enjoy Amy Grant and Kid Pan Alley with “Christmas in Tennessee,” followed by the great jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong with “Christmas in New Orleans.” How fun to compare the lyrics! They both begin with verses about the distinctive trees of the regions.
Christmas in Tennessee The leaves are changing colors, they’re falling off the trees I know it won’t be long now till it’s Christmas in Tennessee. I hope somewhere that Santa Claus is thinking about you and me. He’s gonna bring us lots of toys when it’s Christmas in Tennessee.
Christmas in New Orleans Magnolia trees at night, Sparkling bright, Fields of cotton look wintery white When it’s Christmas time in New Orleans A barefoot choir in prayer fills the air, Mississippi folks are gathering there, ‘Cuz it’s Christmas time in New Orleans.
Next we hear from the marvelous Cajun musician Michael Doucet with “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, followed by a jazzy version of “Blue Christmas” by Louisiana chanteuse Linnzi Zaorkski (who was raised in Alexandria and Shreveport and now calls Bush, Louisiana home). Last we hear a Hawaiian Christmas song, “Mele Kalikimaka,” performed by singer Debbie Davis & sousaphonist Matt Perrine, a married couple who are busy musicians in New Orleans (as are their musical kids).
Also featured in this episode are two delighted holiday stories. One is a fun little tale from Justin Wilson, an old Cajun cook from Roseland, with “Santa Claus and the Mouse.” And we hear “The Kitty at the Manger” told by Mary Jean Chester of Des Allemands, Louisiana.
This is a road trip from North Louisiana to South Louisiana, represented in an essay called “Panorama” by Gypsy Damaris Boston, and narrated by her granddaughter, Katy Hobgood Ray. The essay is from her collection of published nature observations, Dear Louisiana, Love Gypsy.
Gypsy’s mantra has always been, “Stop, look and listen…. Nature is at work for you.” Some excerpts from this essay:
From the pine-covered red clay hills of north Louisiana, to the moss-draped live oaks of the black and coffee grounds-land of south Louisiana, I watched Nature’s pageant of beauty and look at our state with pride and delight.
….
The rains that caused so much trouble made everything lush and green. The water hyacinths are beautiful!
….
Young boys tell of filling sandbags to protect the levee. When the water would wash the sand out of the bags, bags of shells were used to slow the water and the sand bags were placed behind them. An additional problem developed when the continuing winds pushed the tides inland on the bayous and would not permit rainwater to drain anywhere.
….
I look at a small pirogue hewn out of a cypress log. I am surprised to see it painted…It is shallow, slightly pointed at the end, and the smooth walls look no thicker than a bread board. There is a trick to paddling a pirogue.
——
I eat seafood gumbo cooked as the French do and served with French bread. The loaf weighs only eight ounces but it is over 30 inches long.
This is a road trip from North Louisiana to South Louisiana, represented in an essay called “Panorama” by Gypsy Damaris Boston, and narrated by her granddaughter, Katy Hobgood Ray. The essay is from her collection of published nature observations, Dear Louisiana, Love Gypsy.