Platform Moccasins

Listening to 'Many A Mile' by Buffy Sainte-Marie for the first time in what seems like ages, but it's probably only a couple of months or so. It's quite a rare CD and not generally available in this country (I got it on eil.com). It's great to hear her voice swooping and diving on 'Los Pescadores' and then moving into traditional folk mood for some old ballads, the love song of 'Until It's Time for you to go' and the stripped-down spiritual of 'Lazarus' (sampled by Kanye West, the thief) . There's no pow-wow singing on this album (she was still a '60s folky in those days) but it's one of my favourites. Click on the album cover to go to a Buffy site where you can hear samples of the songs (click on discography and select the album).

I was thinking about Buffy this morning and what a nice person she is. I heard Donovan talk about her in an interview about his new biography and how she introduced him to other people at the start of his career - she gave him his first big hit as well ('Universal Soldier'). Later she got her manager to manage Joni Mitchell and get her recognised (Buffy also recorded some of her songs, presumably to get her a wider audience and some money, as well as being good songs). She helped lots of people find and develop their own voice, their own talents. I saw yesterday that a CD is being issued next week from Patrick Sky who wrote 'Many a Mile' and, I think, had a thing going with Buffy. I wonder if she's on the CD at all...

She's still helping people find their own voice through her educational work and developing digital curriculum materials through the Cradleboard teaching project. I love (but also deeply regret) that she turned down playing at Morrisey's Meltdown in 2004 because she was busy with her curriculum work.

A very admirable person with high principles and a heart big enough for the world, but with a great sense of fun! She can wear her black leather platform moccasins anytime she wants to! If I meet her again I think I might be able to have a proper conversation with her rather than the excited babble that I'm sure came from my lips in Belleville... I really hope there is a next time.