Bucky’s trio, Johnsburg 3, just released a new CD in the summer of 2010. For years Bucky had collected folksongs from around Illinois and noticed a large number songs related to death, disaster, and dying. Well, he couldn’t resist recording a batch of these great songs and letting people in on a bit of “Illinois song noir.” He recruited his musical comrades Don Stiernberg (mandolin/fiddle/vocals) and Tom Piekarski (bass/voclas) and after an afternoon rehearsal they went into the studio and did this recording. Spontaneous and energetic performances. A trainwreck in Chatsworth, the assasination of Lincoln, the Mt. Vernon Cyclone, a fire at the Belleville Convent, the hanging of gangster Charlie Birger, the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok and more. What history and what fun. Johnburg 3 invent a new genre—Death Folk. Listen to the album.
