The Greatist Recordings of All Time

54."I Dreamed i saw Joe Hill Last Night"-Joan Baez

Joan Baez was the 2nd performer at Woodstock 69.Ritchie Havens opened
the festival with his awesome guitar and vocal style;which at Woodstock
he seemed to even be more intense-if that's possible-than ever.He's a huge
talent with incredible ability's to improvise and mix a multitude of world
folk style's into his own unique sound.In short-he's a tough act to follow.
Joan came on the stage next and performed an incredible version of
the folk standard "I Dreamed i saw Joe Hill Last Night".Her voice is
so clear and powerful that in a sense-Joan Baez is in a class by herself.
She has the skills and power of a great opera singer-yet she choose's to
sing songs about the common working people of the world with just an
acoustic guitar to accompany her vocals.There is a purity to Joan's
performance of this classic and mesmerising folk song that the audience
at Woodstock clearly recognized.Standing in front of 500,000 people
alone on stage in the spotlight would be pretty intimitdating for the
average solo performer-but there's nothing average about Joan Baez.
She takes total command of the stage singing with such power and
confidence that i can't think of another performer who could have
taken a solo performance,under these conditions,and deliver the kind
"tour de force" performance that Joan does.Astounding,i believe,would
be the best word to describe of her performance at Woodstock.
Astounding and transendant-She take's the song to another level of
intensity and power that is truly masterful.Joan Baez gets her
message across and then some with a grace that is truely an
unforgetable expierience.

The Work of a Shepard and The 23rd Psalm

In biblical times if you were not a Soldier,a King,a pharisee,a stonemason,
a carpenter,an artisan,a slave,a farmer,a scribe,or a merchant-chances are you
were Shepard.The terms of a shepards work are found throughout the Bible.The
most well known is surely "The 23rd Psalm".It's one of the most well known pass-
ages in the bible and one that is often quoted.
"The lord is my shepard" it begins,"i shall not want".The rest of the psalm is
full of referances to the work that a shepard does-"Thy rod and thy staff comfort
me","thou annointest my me with oil"-both of these statements are truely a part
of a shepards everyday duties.The shepard carries a rod or a staff with a hook on
the end.At the end of each day the shepard counts and inspects each sheep and if
he finds anything unusual he will use his rod to pull the sheep aside.He will then
tend to it's wounds and annoint it's head with olive oil.
"He leadeth me beside still waters".Strangly sheep will not drink from a running
stream or any moving water.They will only drink water that is still.So this line in
the psalm is a perfect description of this special need which the shepard provides
to his flock of sheep -because he knows exactly what thier needs are and it's his
duty to provide them.
The Great book "The Oregon Desert" describes how the sheepherders in the old
day's noticed how "The 23rd Psalm" was an exact description of thier duties as a
shepards.It became a tradition to pass this knowledge on from generation to
generation,in this part of the west.
As perfect a description of a shepards work as the 23rd psalm is-it's plain to
see that the language is pointing to something much bigger than the work of any
single man or woman.It's place in the bible has a much wider meaning for all
Christian people's of the world."The lord is my shepard,i shall not want"."Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me the rest of my days of life and i will dwell in
the house of the lord Forever".

Merry Christmas and may God Bless,

Pete Holly 12/24/2009

Jesus Christ-Spiritual Teacher-The Beatitudes

Christmas is the time when christian people of the world over celebrate the birth
of Jesus Christ,"The Son of God" and also a man who walked this earth 2000 years ago.
Christ is by far the most influential spiritual teacher the western world has ever known.
Some christian religions focus less on the teachings of Jesus and more on the "Fire and
Brimstone" and the "Hellfire and Damnation" found within the pages of the Bible.While
other christian sects believe that one need only accept "Jesus Christ" as thier and the
worlds Savior in order to be saved.Unfortunately,between these two extremes the
Genuis and Wisdom of Christ's personal teachings is often tragically forgotten and/or
completely overlooked.
Fortunatly there is a fairly simple remedy for this oversight and it can be found
within' "The Beatitudes" which Christ delivered to his followers in his "Sermon on the
Mount".
In eight brief statements-Jesus Christ illuminated his Spiritual Teachings with
what many would call the most rightous words ever spoken on this planet.If you want
to know why we still celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ;then the words that Jesus
Spoke in "The Beatitudes" can give much insight and inspiration in a short ammount
of time as to why people are still amazed and enlightened by "The Man from Galilee".

1.Blessed are the poor in spirit:for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven-

2.Blessed are they that morn:for they shall be comforted-

3.Blessed are the meek:for they shall inherit the earth-

4.Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after Rightousness:
for they shall be filled-

5.Blessed are the Merciful:for they shall optain mercy-

6.Blessed are the pure of Heart:for they shall see God-

7.Blessed are the Peacemakers:for they shall be called the children of God-

8.Blessed are they which are persecuted for Rightousness Sake:for thiers is the
kingdom of heaven-

Merry Christmas-and may God Bless,

Pete Holly-Dec. 20th-2009