A long, long time ago, Tania Opland thought that after recording four collections of mainly traditional acoustic music, it would be nice to do one that focused more on songs written by the many wonderful musicians she'd been meeting on her travels. But with those travels seriously eating into the funds, the project ran out of financial steam before the studio work was done. She turned it over to a well meaning music fan who had set up a small, independent publishing company, and took off travelling again. With classic bad timing, the publisher's life chose that moment to get all complicated and the business folded. One small batch of CDs had been made, paperwork and royalties were left undone, distribution never happened and most of that first batch was lost in the confusion. Meanwhile, Tania had teamed up as a duo with Mike Freeman, the two of them had gotten busy with their own projects and their collaborations with author Anne McCaffrey, and there wasn't time to figure out how to pick up the pieces and rescue the lost CD. Until now. Inside this re-designed cover of recycled cardboard and vegetable inks, you'll find all of the original tracks, carefully re-mastered and normalized: Ketchikan - a song that popped into Tania's head after a short but unforgettable conversation with a homeless man on a Seattle bus. La Bastrigue / Gaspé Reel - traditional Quebecois tunes played untraditionally on hammered dulcimer and Northumbrian smallpipes. Rosemary's Sister - Welshman Huw Williams' anthemic classic of rebuilding life after unimaginable tragedy. Pair of Bears - Tania's off-beat fiddle tune written to the rhythm created by two soggy teddy bears in a tumble dryer. Not Too Late - from New Hampshire's Peg Loughran. A gentle reminder that we must take chances. Barbara Allen Blues - a not so traditional rendition of a very traditional ballad. Inspired by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's Songkiller Saga. Somewhere in America - Scottish/Australian songwriter Eric Bogle paints a realist's picture of life on the road. The Oregon Trail - Seattle's KW Todd looked back to an historic road trip, and many of the travellers who didn't survive it. Trip to Mabu Ridge - is the name of one of these Cape Breton or Scottish fiddle tunes. Whatever it's called, it's a good excuse to get some friends in the studio! Tonkaya Ryabina - a favorite old Russian song of love, longing and trees. There are usually trees in old Russian songs. Why Does Love... - TR Ritchie, in Utah, rewrote this one somewhat after I'd learned it from him, so its official title is now "Love Makes me Stupid". You can find the final lyrics and TR's recording of it from his webpage: trritchie.com. Last Call - Another Tania Opland original, this one inspired by the hubbub and confusion of the airport departure lounge. Lefty's - by Robert "Lefty" Head in Oregon. I learned this one from Gary Haggerty, now of San Francisco, and it has long been a favorite tune among many of my Pacific Northwest musician friends. Roads - Brian Bedford, in North Yorkshire, wrote this one. It's the perfect closing track for a collection that, to me, is all about the roads I've travelled and the people along the way who have shaped my life.