Recently the present writer attended a CD release concert for Hilary Scott, and amidst her own compositions she and her band played a terrific re-invented version of Lee Ruth's "You Electrify Me," recorded for Lee's soon to be released tribute CD project. The first impression was that Hilary and her band had made this song entirely their own, and yet the words and melody clearly bear the stamp of Lee Ruth's wit and wisdom.. I wasn't at all surprised that they played this, even while the event showcased Hilary's original songs: Lee's compositions have a way of growing on you, making you want to claim them for your own. The most interesting moment for me, however, was when Hilary described the off-handed, self-deprecating manner with which Lee offered her the song - almost as if it were little or nothing at all. My ears told me that night that nothing could be further from the case!

I also had a similar experience when Lee offered me seven songs from which to choose. This was the bottom of the barrel, or so said Lee, but nonetheless there were some lovely songs. The one I chose, "The Birthday Party," struck me right from the start, and it has grown on me immensely in the recording process. Lee tells me he wrote it in 1977 and has never really performed it. Speaking for myself, "Birthday Party" has become a metaphor - something of a wry anthem - for the new political world order of the 21st Century. . .thematically, it appears to have been written recently. Lee's songs are generally lovely and often slyly humorous, but they also convey a timelessness that can only be the product of a keen mind and a great songwriter. I wish the bottom of my barrel ran so deep!

Apparently, Hilary and I are not alone in our admiration of Lee Ruth. As it turns out, 37 artists from mid-Missouri - and as far away as Colorado, San Francisco, and Hollywood CA. - have also rushed to record songs for Lee's tribute CD, due to be released in February, 2004. With a working title of "The Lee Ruth Project," the album has grown to two discs, and it includes performances by such local stars as Cathy Barton and Dave Para, Paul and Win Grace, Deke Dickerson, Bob Dyer, the Rank Sinatras, and a host of others. The song styles range from folk to rock, blues to techno pop, and the performers are united in their love for a true mid-Missouri inspiration and institution.

The producer of this project is KOPN's own Radio Ranger, a.k.a. Steve Donofrio, who recently related the genesis of this project. Attending a Mary McCaslin concert in November 2002 with Lee, Win Grace, and Bartholomew Bean, Steve suggested that a Lee Ruth Tribute album might be an interesting idea. In a response typifying his off-handedness, Lee wondered aloud if anyone would even be interested in such a project; Grace and Bean, however, quickly agreed that they would love to record a Lee Ruth song. Over the following months Lee was generous in giving his songs - and a huge chunk of his time - to this project, and many musicians followed Win Grace and Bartholomew's lead and quickly jumped on board. Lee's songbook extends back for four decades and includes songs he hasn't performed in many years. Slowly but surely Lee reconstructed these tunes, producing a demo for the other musicians to review that itself sounds worthy of CD distribution.

Meanwhile Steve Donofrio quickly recruited Pete Szkolka - Columbia's premier recording engineer who's probably better known for his piano and guitar chops with the Dynamics and Chump Change. Pete has been an integral part of Columbia's music scene for many years. It seems Pete had just opened a new state of the art recording studio, and he very generously donated the studio for the making of this project.

This opened up the album to be the perfect vehicle to benefit KOPN. Sales of the two CD set will be used to raise funds for the station; moreover, the station invites anyone interested to provide an advanced donation of $100 to the Patrons of the Pressing fund, which will pay for the first 1,000 discs. Everyone making this advanced pledge will receive 4 copies of the two-disc set, two tickets to the CD release concert and an additional data disc including lyrics, photos, musician's notes on Lee and his songs, as well as Lee's reflections on these productions and the musicians who have moved these songs in new directions. The proceeds from the sale of the CD go toward keeping community radio alive and well at KOPN.

Saturday night (11/08/03) found Lee entertaining along the banks of the Big Muddy at Cooper's landing, joined on stage by John Schneller and Jim Hellman of SRE and Dierik Leonhard of Ironweed. As usual, Lee was in fine form with his mandolin and assortment of six and twelve string guitars. Sitting erect and motionless on his stool, his trademark flowing hair, Whitmanesque beard, and work clothes establishing an austere yet reassuring presence, Lee generated a striking tone and powerful crescendos on the long jams surrounding the sung portions of the songs - a reminder of Lee's prowess as an instrumentalist. Like eddies in the river by his side, the ripples of Lee's style flow out to an estimated 2500 students taught over the last 38 years. He has also been involved with KOPN nearly from the station's inception, among many other things hosting his KOPN show "Radio Omega" continuously since 1976. Over the years, beginning when he moved to Columbia in 1963, alone and in groups of various size and shape, Lee has played everywhere from concerts in large theaters and downtown festivals to gigs at smaller venues such as Cooper's and the old Gladstones, progressing from rockabilly and rock to folk and blues and finally to a style that defies easy labeling - the Lee Ruth song.

A finger-picking master who at 63 definitely still knows how to improvise and rock out, Lee has written some 80 songs, and now a good number of these tunes have been reinvented by the 37 artists who grace this upcoming tribute. In a recent interview Lee confesses that he's "kind of overwhelmed with the written liner notes for the web site" - which requires his commentary on every song and artist contributing to the two CD project. In an otherwise busy family life, these preparations have been the occasion for many a late night as he "keeps chipping away" at this monumental task. Lee is mainly looking forward, he says, to the musical task of reviewing the actual songs, and conferring with Steve and Pete as they make the final production decisions - particularly the crucial task of sequencing the songs. These chores are time-consuming, but enjoyable, and while it would be too much for any single person to pull off, Lee has a lot of help from his producer and engineer - and from long time friend Jerome Wheeler as well.

Lee also reports that over the last couple years before this project arose, the busyness of his life, his teaching, and his KOPN commitments conspired to supercede his concert schedule. The new album, however, has proven an inspiration, and the methodical reconstruction of an entire songwriting career has brought many great songs back into his repertoire. Of course, Lee has always been great at coming up with interesting and off-beat material, but now more than ever his own songs can be examined, evaluated - and enjoyed - when this long-overdue album becomes available in a few months. Of almost equal importance is that Lee is once again playing multiple shows per week, really putting himself out there for all of us to hear. As Lee reflects back on his recent past, he's the first to point out that this project has "reinvigorated" his playing and his sense of his own broad pallet of songs, leading him down a path of re-discovery. In recalling the songs themselves, Lee muses: "What was I thinking back then? I realized a lot of songs I left behind, I still liked." Quite obviously, the same is true of his many musical admirers.

LIST OF ATISTS AND SONGS

Lee Ruth "Everybody's Got Love" Jim and Lee Ruth with Howard Marshall "Mondolina" Jerome Wheeler "Scorpio Love Song" Cathy Barton and Dave Para "Golden Years" Paul and Win Grace with Leela and Ellie Grace "Grow Garden Grow" Deke Dickerson "My Car" Bartholomew Bean "Willow Song" Rank Sinatras "Public Domain" Pete Szkolka "Oh Be Joyful" Mary Lou Williams "Playing it Pretty" Rocket Kirchner "Thief" Ken Shepherd "Ramblin' Woman" Bob Dyer "High Winds on the Hilltop" SRE "Hitchin' Post" Michael Cochran "Slate River Waltz" Jerry Foster "Third World USA" Plumb Bobs "For Better or Worse" Jack Williams "Sneakin' Up on the Blues" Celebrated Renaissance Band "Sometimes I Miss My Home" Dave Bandy "Arkansas Mud" Steve Jarrett "Persistence of Memory" Acoustic Swell "Happy Hollow Song" Matt Fockler "And Ever Shall" Chris Vallillo "As They Lay Sleeping" Bannastre Tarleton "Sweet as Spring" Eric Gies "Never Did See Dallas" Tracey Wickland "Ruby Anthracite" Steve Meyerhardt "Source" The T(h)oms "Smiling Bob's Bossa Nova" Roberta Weir "She Wishes She Were Gone" Thom & Sarah Howard "Who Will She Be?" Caravan "Spring Winds Will Blow" Carolyn Matthews "Candy From Delaware" Joey Pogue "The Company of Women" Rich McDowell "Leo Rising" Hilary Scott "You Electrify Me" Rick Hocks "The Birthday Party"