Letters from My Father is Ginny Hawker’s solo album, released by Rounder Records on 23 October 2001 (11661-0491-2). Hawker, who lives in Tanner, West Virginia, and also records as a duo with Tracy Schwarz, made it in March 2001 at Trace Sound in Tennessee with Dirk Powell as producer. Powell also mixed it with the engineer Bradley Hartman, and he and Hawker wrote the liner notes. The sixteen tracks have a rotating cast. Darrell Scott plays guitar, steel and Dobro and sings; Tim O’Brien plays mandolin and guitar and sings; Ron Stewart plays guitar, fiddle, banjo and mandolin; Powell plays guitar, piano, fiddle and banjo; Dennis Crouch plays bass, with Danny Thompson on bass for “The Palace Grand”; and Kenny Malone plays drums. Kari Sickenberger sings harmony on several songs.
Hawker sings lead on most of the songs, including the title song, accompanied there by Powell’s fiddle. The program takes in Ola Belle Reed’s “Undone in Sorrow,” “Looking for a Place to Fall Apart” by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Freddy Powers, “Long Black Limousine” by Bobby George and Vern Stovall, and “A Heart That Will Never Break Again” by Edd, James and Russell Easter. On “I’ll Not Be a Stranger,” O’Brien sings lead with Hawker on tenor and Scott on bass, accompanied by O’Brien’s guitar.
Tracklist
- 1 Don't Neglect the Rose 3:24
- 2 Oh, Have You Seen That Turtle Dove? 2:52
- 3 My Warfare Will Soon Be Over 4:33
- 4 The Day I Lose My Mind 3:00
- 5 Silver Tongue And Gold Plated Lies 3:55
- 6 I’ll Not Be a Stranger alt version 3:06
- 7 Letters From My Father 4:29
- 8 You Don't Tell Me That You Love Me Anymore 3:35
- 9 The Gospel Ship Has Long Been Sailing 2:19
- 10 Undone in Sorrow alt version 3:20
- 11 Those Two Blue Eyes 2:34
- 12 Oh, So Afraid 2:52
- 13 Long Black Limousine 3:35
- 14 Looking For A Place To Fall Apart 4:09
- 15 A Heart That Will Never Break Again 3:55
- 16 The Palace Grand 4:29
