Pioneer Society

Each member of Pioneer Society loves traditional acoustic music, which leaves room for lots of different songs and styles. Our eclectic tastes include old-timey, Celtic, gospel, shape note hymnody, blue grass, New Orleans jazz, as well as originally composed tunes and songs. All choir members at the United Presbyterian Church, Cassopolis, MI, we were called on to provide special music and thus discovered our common roots in the folk tradition. One thing lead to another, and we formed a band. We took our name from our first gig “out” at the Pioneer Log Cabin (shown left) on the shore of Stone Lake in Cassopolis.

Bill Bosler plays hammered dulcimer and percussion. Kristine Bosler covers rhythm guitar and tin whistles. George Purlee does all sorts of banjo styles and blows the harmonica. Beverly Smith plays guitar, clawhammer banjo and fiddle for the band. We all love to sing the round tones of four part harmony.

1. Autumn Stroll/Sally Ann (Bill Bosler/traditional) – 3:20

2. Blacktop (Beverly Smith) – 3:50

3. Promised Land (traditional) – 2:03

4. Big Red (Beverly Smith) – 3:27

5. Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie/You Wore a Tulip/Good Old Summertime (traditional) – 3:11

6. Hard Times Come Again No More (Stephen Foster) – 4:46

7. Every Heart Has a Silver Lining (Beverly Smith) – 3:29

8. New Years Waltz (Bill Bosler) – 3:05

9. Break in the Heat/Seneca Square Dance (Bill Bosler/traditional) – 3:08

10. Like a Mountain Railroad (traditional) – 3:32

11. The Trees They Grow So High/O'Keefe's Slide/Road to Lisdoonvarna (traditional) – 4:57

12. Swallowtail Jig/Morrison's Jig/Irish Washerwoman (traditional) – 4:49

13. Letter Home (Beverly Smith and Mary Jones) – 3:20

14. Golden Slippers (traditional) – 2:05

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