Sweet Lorena/Sonny Garrish

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 25 Sep 2002 6:41 pm

PBS is running the ten year old series on the Civil War this week. They told a story about a coronet player who brought silence to both sides of the conflict each evening as he played Lorena. (Both titles seem legitimate..)

My introduction to this beautiful old song of the land was by Sonny Garrish on a Po' Folks/Bill Anderson album in the late 60s. I was so struck by his rendition on pedal steel guitar that I woodshedded it for weeks before I got that half A to whole A pedal raise down properly. Then I played it on our TV show in Raleigh, NC and got a nice compliment from Senator Jesse Helms who then was a VP for the same company.

The song is by HDL and JP Webster in 1856 and some of the words I like are:

The years creep slowly by, Lorena
The snow is on the grass again
The sun's low down the sky, Lorena
The frost gleams where the flowers have been.

Small wonder it has lasted so long and touched so many young hearts in the 1860s. I also saw where Johnny Cash recorded it once upon a time in his carreer.

Regards, Paul

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 25 Sep 2002 6:44 pm

Right on! Fine job by Sonny. One of the first pedal instrumentals I sat down to learn.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 25 Sep 2002 7:13 pm

"Twas not the woman's heart which spoke
Thy heart was always true to me;
A duty stern and piercing broke
The tie which linked my soul with thee.

Yes, it was a beautiful song...about a man who lost his love when he became a soldier. It was the most popular Confederate love-song during the Civil War, and was also used as the theme song for the John Wayne movie, The Horse Soldiers.

It's been done by many singers, but Sonny's instrumental version is still the best.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 29 Sep 2002 6:24 pm

Where is Sonny these days?

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 29 Sep 2002 7:02 pm

Yeah great song.In the Civil War series it is done by the late John Hartford.The music from that series is available on CD and I recommend it.
Brendan
I just checked my copy it is on Columbia
#ck 48607.[This message was edited by Brendan Mitchell on 30 September 2002 at 12:05 PM.]

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 1 Oct 2002 12:32 pm

WHERE is Sonny Garrish these days? Alive? Crossed over? Surely somebody knows....

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 1 Oct 2002 1:09 pm

Skipper...
I believe that Sonny is one of the busiest session players in Nashville these days.

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Where the Sun Always Shines