I really like it when this happens...

A couple of weeks ago, after my Folk filled 'Star Tracks' in May, I got an email from Roy Maggs. He'd enjoyed them and asked if I'd heard of the singer Kate Wolf. I hadn't and promptly gave a listen to the songs he suggested I check out. And so here we are today.

One of those songs 'The Redtail Hawk' from a live release in 1983 is just wonderful. 

Kate Wolf, who sadly passed away in 1986 aged just 44, performed with Nina Gerber from 1979 and a number of her songs have been covered by Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris among others.

‘Redtail Hawk writes songs across the sky’ - is a song written by George Schroder and is the main part of the track ‘Pacheco / Redtail Kite’. As a 9 minute mood scape, it's 2 mins of 'Pacheco' then we're into Kate singing 'The Redtail Kite' with some fantastic mandolin playing from Nina Gerber, a violin solo from David Balakrishnan, while long time collaborator Bill Griffin is also on the track.
'Pacheco' refers to Pacheco Pass on Highway 152 which runs east - west between the San Joaquin Valley and Highway 1 south of Santa Cruz. Yes, we're going to sunny California ! And Sonoma gets a name check too. 

Further listening links >

There is a 'live' video performance (without the violin solo) of 'Redtail Kite': Click Play

And I'd recommend her song ‘Across the Great Divide’: Play 

Also a video of this song performed by Nanci Griffith with Nina and guests: Play

Kate Wolf also sings a great version of Jackson Brown's 'These Days': Play