Album Notes

Having been favorably compared with giants of the folk genre such as Dick Gaughan and Stan Rogers, former Gabriel’s Gate front man Frank Blair releases his first solo project: Evergreen.

Frank was a founding member of three Midwestern bands that forged a unique sound from a Celtic base and applied their myriad influences. Each were favorites at festivals and concert settings through the Midwest and Southwest and known for their driving, powerful arrangements of dance tunes and elegant arrangements of songs, featuring Frank’s vocals. Three of the members, including Frank, were composers, contributing many original pieces to the repertoire.

Now living in the Pacific Northwest, Evergreen is a collection of 12 of Frank’s favorite tracks of vocal and instrumental music drawn from the British Isles folk traditions as well as original compositions in simple, elegant arrangements.

"Besides the obvious references to the Pacific Northwest, where I currently reside and which is mostly green most of the time, there are others that just fit. Those things that are constantly in demand because they are constantly needed are referred to as "evergreen." There is a hint of the insistance of life through the dormancy of winter, most easily seen by the evergreens that keep vigil over the sleeping woodlands. These tracks are my evergreens - I've known most of them for years and years and yet I continually refer to them. Many of these songs are the first places I go when I pick up a guitar or when I'm asked to play something impromptu.

They are my constant, reliable, ever-living friends."