Goines eyes European tour - January 4, 2008
Headline management in the UK has selected Rev. Giones as one of the artist to promote in Europe. Negotiations are underway.
Rev. Truman Goines: Home
The Rev. Truman Madison Goines is New Jersey's Sourland Troubadour writing and performing songs about New Jersey and hte Sourland Mountain area. Winner of the NJ Folk Festival songwriters Award, he is credited with establishing the Sourland Sound of central New Jersey and he Sourland Music Festival. The Sourlands is a New Jersey's largest continguous old growth forests smack in the middle of the state, 60 miles in either direction from New York City and Philadelphia. Renown for its rural beauty and "live and let live" culture, the Sourlands are a treasure of American history and attitude. The Sourland Sound is a mixture of pure Piedmont folk/blues with a twist of Philadelphia soul and New York City jazz. Goines is reminiscent of Dave Van Ronk and Tom Waits with a touch of pure country blues. Rev. Goines songs stretch from blues to plain folk, and geared to adult tastes with stories about his childhood home: the poor farm on Poor Farm Rd, a romantic ambivalence that stalks him, and a life in pursuit of the truth or its best approximation. Prepare to dance and sigh, and wipe a tear from your eye.
REV. GOINES - SOLO CD & TOUR - August 2, 2007
GOINES ALONE
Upon request, Rev. Truman Goines has recorded an intimate guitar and vocal only CD of his original tunes. Look at the calendar for current tour dates.
Straight and to the point, this CD touches your soul and captures the unique style of the Reverend. You can get the CD: The Legend of Rev. Truman Goines, Vol. 1 - Livin' & Lovin' in the Sourlands at cdbaby.com/revtrumangoines
Upon request, Rev. Truman Goines has recorded an intimate guitar and vocal only CD of his original tunes. Look at the calendar for current tour dates.
Straight and to the point, this CD touches your soul and captures the unique style of the Reverend. You can get the CD: The Legend of Rev. Truman Goines, Vol. 1 - Livin' & Lovin' in the Sourlands at cdbaby.com/revtrumangoines
2007 SOURLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL - July 2, 2007
Save the Sourlands
Fourth annual Sourland Music Festival aims to protect mountains' ecology and heritage
By BILL NUTT
Correspondent
According to legend, the original German settlers of western New Jersey found one section so unsuitable for farming that they called it the Sourlands. The Sourland Mountain area, which spans Somerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties and is about 60 miles from both New York City and Philadelphia, may not have been able to sustain many crops, but it has been fruitful source of cultural, historical and ecological pride. John Hart, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, made his home there. So did aviator Charles A. Lindbergh.
And many hike the Sourlands' scenic trails every day.
That rich and varied heritage will be celebrated Saturday, when the Sourland Planning Council holds the fourth annual Sourland Music Festival at Hillsborough Golf & Country Club. All the performers either live in or have ties to the Sourlands.
"We hear about the Skylands and the Pinelands," observes Rev. Truman M. Goines of Lambertville, one of the founders of the festival, as well as one of its performers. "But the Sourlands have been a forgotten area to most people in the state."
Goines, a history buff who specializes in folk and acoustic blues, has written several songs about the history and people of the Sourlands that he will perform at the festival. "Minnetown" tells the story of an African-American enclave near Hopewell. "Highfields" is named after the Lindbergh estate in East Amwell, where Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. was kidnapped and killed in a case known as the "crime of the century."
Promoting awareness about the region was one of the intentions of the festival, says Tom Kilbourne of Hopewell Township, trustee of the Sourland Planning Council.
"We wanted to raise money, but we also wanted to raise consciousness," explains Kilbourne. "We have this green swath, the largest contiguous forest in Central Jersey. We want to encourage preservation of the land and studies of the region."
The Sourlands is a special place in New Jersey that deserves such attention, says Jim Popik, a Hopewell resident who is both a trustee of the Sourland Planning Council and a performer with the eclectic Ten Foot Tall Band.
"On one side is Flemington, on the other side is the Princeton Corridor," Popkik says. "In the middle is this remarkable area."
Popik, along with Kilbourne and Goines, came up with the idea for a music festival as a benefit for the council in 2004. That first event was held at Joe's Mill Hill Saloon in Trenton. The following year, it took place at Hillbilly Hall, a larger venue in Hopewell.
Last year the Hillsborough Golf and Country Club hosted the festival for the first time. Although inclement weather kept some patrons away, attendees and performers were enthusiastic.
"The kind of music was rather unique," observes Donald Payne of Hopewell Township, who attended with his wife, Adrah. "Some of the songs were actually written about this part of the state, so we felt a connection to it. It was a very enjoyable time, and we plan on going again this year."
Though Adrah Payne had been recovering from a stroke at the time of the festival last year, she and her husband had no difficulties.
"It was at the top of the hill at the country club grounds, so it was easy to get to," says Donald Payne.
John Sonntag of Lambertville performed last year, and he agrees that the event was special.
"It had an intimate feel for a festival. Everyone was very relaxed and very personable," he says.
Sonntag adds that he is glad to be part of the festival with his new backing band, the Tall Tones. He and his family moved to the area from Hoboken about four years ago, and they quickly came to appreciate the unusual character of the Sourlands.
"The joke is that New Jersey has a love affair with concrete, but that's not true here," says Sonntag. "I love taking the back roads around here. It doesn't feel like New Jersey, it doesn't look like New Jersey. Anything we can do to preserve it is a good thing."
Another musician who is a fan of the Sourlands is Tom Marshall, longtime lyricist for the jam band Phish and current leader of the group Amfibian. Marshall was born in Princeton Township and now lives in the Skillman section of Montgomery.
"I hike in the Sourland Mountain Preserve (with my children) all the time," declares Marshall. "We're very interested in nature, and when (the Sourland Planning Council) approached me about playing, I was happy to agree. Any charity that helps a cool cause like this, we'd love to take part in."
Amfibian usually plays as a "loud electric band," in Marshall's word, and that's how the act will close the Sourland Music Festival. But at the request of the organizers, the group also will play an acoustic set earlier in the day.
"I've been wanting to play a broken-down, unplugged version of the band, and this will give us the chance," Marshall says with a laugh. "I think the acoustic set will blend nicely with the other guys, but by the end of the day, the audience will be ready to rock."
The lineup, which includes jam-band rock, blues, jazz and folk, is the most varied in the brief history of the Sourland Music Festival, Goines says.
"This will be the breakthrough year for us," he declares. "We have a family-oriented event with good food and good music. I think after this, the festival will be known and respected, and it will help people pick up on the magic of the Sourlands."
Fourth annual Sourland Music Festival aims to protect mountains' ecology and heritage
By BILL NUTT
Correspondent
According to legend, the original German settlers of western New Jersey found one section so unsuitable for farming that they called it the Sourlands. The Sourland Mountain area, which spans Somerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties and is about 60 miles from both New York City and Philadelphia, may not have been able to sustain many crops, but it has been fruitful source of cultural, historical and ecological pride. John Hart, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, made his home there. So did aviator Charles A. Lindbergh.
And many hike the Sourlands' scenic trails every day.
That rich and varied heritage will be celebrated Saturday, when the Sourland Planning Council holds the fourth annual Sourland Music Festival at Hillsborough Golf & Country Club. All the performers either live in or have ties to the Sourlands.
"We hear about the Skylands and the Pinelands," observes Rev. Truman M. Goines of Lambertville, one of the founders of the festival, as well as one of its performers. "But the Sourlands have been a forgotten area to most people in the state."
Goines, a history buff who specializes in folk and acoustic blues, has written several songs about the history and people of the Sourlands that he will perform at the festival. "Minnetown" tells the story of an African-American enclave near Hopewell. "Highfields" is named after the Lindbergh estate in East Amwell, where Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. was kidnapped and killed in a case known as the "crime of the century."
Promoting awareness about the region was one of the intentions of the festival, says Tom Kilbourne of Hopewell Township, trustee of the Sourland Planning Council.
"We wanted to raise money, but we also wanted to raise consciousness," explains Kilbourne. "We have this green swath, the largest contiguous forest in Central Jersey. We want to encourage preservation of the land and studies of the region."
The Sourlands is a special place in New Jersey that deserves such attention, says Jim Popik, a Hopewell resident who is both a trustee of the Sourland Planning Council and a performer with the eclectic Ten Foot Tall Band.
"On one side is Flemington, on the other side is the Princeton Corridor," Popkik says. "In the middle is this remarkable area."
Popik, along with Kilbourne and Goines, came up with the idea for a music festival as a benefit for the council in 2004. That first event was held at Joe's Mill Hill Saloon in Trenton. The following year, it took place at Hillbilly Hall, a larger venue in Hopewell.
Last year the Hillsborough Golf and Country Club hosted the festival for the first time. Although inclement weather kept some patrons away, attendees and performers were enthusiastic.
"The kind of music was rather unique," observes Donald Payne of Hopewell Township, who attended with his wife, Adrah. "Some of the songs were actually written about this part of the state, so we felt a connection to it. It was a very enjoyable time, and we plan on going again this year."
Though Adrah Payne had been recovering from a stroke at the time of the festival last year, she and her husband had no difficulties.
"It was at the top of the hill at the country club grounds, so it was easy to get to," says Donald Payne.
John Sonntag of Lambertville performed last year, and he agrees that the event was special.
"It had an intimate feel for a festival. Everyone was very relaxed and very personable," he says.
Sonntag adds that he is glad to be part of the festival with his new backing band, the Tall Tones. He and his family moved to the area from Hoboken about four years ago, and they quickly came to appreciate the unusual character of the Sourlands.
"The joke is that New Jersey has a love affair with concrete, but that's not true here," says Sonntag. "I love taking the back roads around here. It doesn't feel like New Jersey, it doesn't look like New Jersey. Anything we can do to preserve it is a good thing."
Another musician who is a fan of the Sourlands is Tom Marshall, longtime lyricist for the jam band Phish and current leader of the group Amfibian. Marshall was born in Princeton Township and now lives in the Skillman section of Montgomery.
"I hike in the Sourland Mountain Preserve (with my children) all the time," declares Marshall. "We're very interested in nature, and when (the Sourland Planning Council) approached me about playing, I was happy to agree. Any charity that helps a cool cause like this, we'd love to take part in."
Amfibian usually plays as a "loud electric band," in Marshall's word, and that's how the act will close the Sourland Music Festival. But at the request of the organizers, the group also will play an acoustic set earlier in the day.
"I've been wanting to play a broken-down, unplugged version of the band, and this will give us the chance," Marshall says with a laugh. "I think the acoustic set will blend nicely with the other guys, but by the end of the day, the audience will be ready to rock."
The lineup, which includes jam-band rock, blues, jazz and folk, is the most varied in the brief history of the Sourland Music Festival, Goines says.
"This will be the breakthrough year for us," he declares. "We have a family-oriented event with good food and good music. I think after this, the festival will be known and respected, and it will help people pick up on the magic of the Sourlands."