No Direction Home: A Song History
"No Direction Home" is a Butch Ross tune from his album A Long Way From Shady Grove, which his Bandcamp page lists as released on May 9, 2009; there it shares a single track with his version of "Goodbye Liza Jane."[1] Ross's own note on that track explains that in those years he arranged fiddle tunes on a pop-song model, and that his unconventionally chorded "Liza Jane" seemed to call for a bridge; rather than add one, he composed an entirely separate piece.[1] Ross says he borrowed the title from a Bob Dylan biography, and adds that it suits a melody that, in his words, "never resolves back to the root chord."[1] The track credits list Ross on bass, guitar and dulcimer and give the intro and outro guitar to Steve Brehm.[1]
Eugène Cuvelier, Road in the Forest, salted paper print from waxed paper negative, 1860–1863. Shown for its empty road; it has no connection to the tune.
Ross's book A Long Way From Shady Grove, published by Fingers Of Steel, transcribes the CD in sheet music and tablature, guitar parts and electric dulcimer solos included, and gives this tune in DAD tuning.[2] In the book's song list it comes right after "Goodbye Liza Jane" and, unlike a few entries such as "Baskets," carries no composer credit.[2] His DulcimerDownloads biography portrays a player who has taken the dulcimer through repertoire as varied as Bach and Radiohead and who is in demand as a festival teacher and performer in the United States and overseas.[3]
Sources
- Butch Ross (Bandcamp): "Goodbye Liza Jane/No Direction Home".
- Fingers Of Steel: "Butch Ross, A Long Way From Shady Grove".
- DulcimerDownloads: "Butch Ross".
- Image: Eugène Cuvelier, Road in the Forest, salted paper print from waxed paper negative, 1860–1863. The Cleveland Museum of Art.