May Day Archives - The Bluegrass Situation

Artist: The Lonesome Ace Stringband with The Andrew Collins Trio
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Song: “May Day”
Release Date: May 1, 2024

In Their Words: “Andrew and I wrote this tune together about 20 years ago. It was the first of May and we spent it in the sun, picking fiddle tunes, looking at flowers, and getting in the groove with the mycorrhizal network. This melody revealed itself to us in the early afternoon, setting the vibe for the rest of the day. I’ve always found this tune beguiling. It’s hard to put your finger on its mood; to me, it’s ultimately hopeful, but it has to go through a lot before it gets there! I’ve recorded ‘May Day’ three times now; each version is very different. I can’t seem to keep away from this tune! It was so wonderful for John and me to have the chance to collaborate with Andrew, Adam, and James on this release!” – Chris Coole, the Lonesome Ace Stringband

Track Credits:

Andrew Collins – Mandolin
Chris Coole – Banjo
James McEleney – Bass
Adam Shier – Guitar
John Showman – Fiddle

Video Credits: Edited by Chris Coole. P.D. archival footage filmed by Arthur Edward Pillsbur from the Prelinger Collection.
Photo Credit: Andrew Collins Trio by Andrew Collins; the Lonesome Ace Stringband by Jen Squires.

Artist: Trapper Schoepp
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Song: “May Day”
Album: May Day
Release Date: May 21, 2021
Label: Grand Phony

In Their Words: “After this long, hard winter, the music of May Day marks the arrival of spring. The album title is a nod to the ancient holiday that’s historically celebrated by dancing around a maypole in the spirit of rebirth. The title track addresses the struggles of starting over with the tale of a transcontinental relationship that has come to a standstill. The pandemic allowed me to hit reset on certain parts of myself that had gotten lost in the last decade of touring. For all the brightness surrounding the holiday, there’s a dark side that inhabits the characters on the record — ghosts haunt the ‘Hotel Astor’ and lovers become disillusioned in ‘Paris Syndrome.’ The isolation of lockdown found its way into tracks like ‘Solo Quarantine’ and ‘Yellow Moon.’

“The watchtower is located at a secluded nature preserve in Mequon, Wisconsin. You can see for miles in each direction and I found it to be a tranquil environment right outside the city. One of the themes running throughout the album is the natural world and I wanted to highlight that with this video. Despite a cold wind blowing up there, it was also a joy to reunite with some videographer friends I hadn’t seen since COVID took hold.” — Trapper Schoepp

Photo credit: Abby Artish

Tag: May Day

LISTEN: The Lonesome Ace Stringband, “May Day” (with The Andrew Collins Trio)

WATCH: Trapper Schoepp, “May Day”