Ghosts of Read Island

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2 by Tiller's Folly

/

about

Jack Myers was an outlaw. Small but wiry, he had a short temper and was tough as nails. He'd been a member of an outlaw gang in Wyoming and boasted of having killed four men. 1893 found Myers in jail in Port Blackely, Washington for stealing logs, then, while being held in an Everett, Washington jail on forgery charges, he escaped. With a $100 bounty on his head, Jack Myers made his way to Tumbo Island in the Canadian Gulf Islands where he bought an 18 ft. sloop. He set sail for Burrard Inlet and the town of Vancouver, British Columbia, where he aquired ten cases of stolen "Gaelic" whiskey. Using the alias "Ben Kennedy", he set about bootlegging up the inside passage towards the Discovery Islands.

lyrics

GHOSTS OF READ ISLAND

Now here is a story of poor Jack O'Connor
And the tale that surrounds his untimely demise
Submitted in fact as just one like example
Of such gruesome history Read Island's comprised

The wind weathered rocks on the coast of Read Island
Guard over the mysteries of her own tragic lore
For it's said to this day that the ghosts of Read Island
Appear in the mist of her desolate shores

Jack Myers was a blaggart, a thief and a braggart
Who sold stolen whiskey from his sloop in the bay
When Tayor camp loggers bought up twenty-six bottles
Little they knew such a price would be paid

After a weekend of two fisted drinking
Jack Myers ran amok with an old forty-four
O'er a wager turned sour, on Monday's wee hours
Poor Jack O'Connor lay dead on the floor

The wind weathered rocks on the coast of Read Island
Guard over the mysteries of her own tragic lore
For it's said to this day that the ghosts of Read Island
Appear in the mist of her desolate shores

A magistrate came, Michael Manson by name
Who, along with Fred Hussey performed the inques
Those who witnessed the act testified to facts
And a warrant was issued for Jack Myers arrest

A posse was sworn in and with posted reward
They sailed from Nanaimo on the "Joan" and "Estelle"
When at last they found Myers hold up in Bute Inlet
They brought him for trial, his story to tell

The arm of the law is both strong and far-reaching
Though he swore self-defence, at the end of the day
Jack Myers was sentenced to a long life in prison
For killing O'Connor in a blind drunken rage

The wind weathered rocks on the coast of Read Island
Guard over the mysteries of her own tragic lore
For it's said to this day that the ghosts of Read Island
Appear in the mist of her desolate shores

The wind weathered rocks on the coast of Read Island
Guard over the mysteries of her own tragic lore
For it's said to this day that the ghosts of Read Island
Appear in the mist of her desolate shores

credits

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2, released June 1, 2015
Bruce Coughlan – vocals (all tracks) acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) wood flute (1, 5, 10, 13, 14) whistles (1, 5, 14, 20, 24)
Laurence Knight – electric bass (all tracks) vocals (7, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23)
Nolan Murray – fiddle (5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24) mandolin (4, 5, 6, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) 5-string banjo (5, 14, 22, 23)
Joby Baker – drums (4, 20, 21, 24) Whurlitzer piano (4) vocals (20)
Ian Cameron – fiddle (1, 11) mandolin (1)
Noel Chalmers – military drum (20)
Aaron Chapman – vocals (14)
John Cowan – vocals (15)
Doug Cox – dobro (21)
Jack Duncan – percussion (1)
Colleen Eccleston – vocals (21)
Bear Erickson – elec. guitar (20) vocals (20)
Geoff Eyre – drums (2, 8, 17)
Tatiana Hancheroff – vocals (17)
Daryl Havers – accordion (3)
Dave Keogh – vocals (14)
Larry Knechtel – Hammond (15)
Craig McGregor – acoustic guitar (7, 10, 13, 17) elec. guitar (3, 17) octave mandolin (8) mandolin (9)
Jim McWilliams – bagpipes (20)
Sandy Marshall – bagpipes (20)
Chris Nordquist – drums (14, 15, 19, 23)
Gord Maxwell – vocals (2, 3, 11, 18, 22)
Aiden O’Brien – uillean pipes & whistles (4) vocals (4)
Paul O’Brien – vocals (4)
Peter Padden – vocals (2)
Eric Reed – elec. guitar (23) mandolin (6, 16) vocals (16)
Phil Robertson – drums (5, 12, 18, 22)
Mike Sanyshyn – fiddle (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 22) mandolin (8, 12, 22)
David Sinclair – elec. guitar (4)
Victor Smith – fiddle (9) whistles (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13) silver flute (17)
Shawn Soucy – drums (3, 9, 10, 13) percussion (8, 9, 10, 13)
Robbie Steininger – acoustic guitar (1, 5, 22) elec. guitar (18) dobro (18, 22)
Chris Stevens – 5-string banjo (7, 9, 12)
Ed Wagstaff – bagpipes (20)
Valdy – vocals (24)

All songs, music & lyrics by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except: The Ballad of John Rae by Bruce Coughlan & Jim Smith (SOCAN)
All tracks produced by Laurence Knight except: Laurence Knight & Steven Drake (15, 23) Joby Baker (4, 21, 24) Bruce Coughlan (6, 14, 20) Mastered & re-mastered by Joby Baker Thank-you to our families, friends and fans for all your support and inspiration!!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Kickstarter Stirring Up Ghosts initiative. Special thanks to Rob Armstrong, Katharine Barrett, Bob Chenoweth and the Lexvolds. Special thanks again to Dave & Paula Reed whose initial contribution made this project possible.

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Bruce Coughlan Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Pacific Canadian-based recording & performing artist, Bruce Coughlan has spent decades making Acoustic Roots Music Music of all descriptions. An expressive singer and rock-solid guitarist, Bruce is driven by one guiding principle: It's all about the Song. ... more

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