Number 47, April 1, 2023

Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow – City of Heaven

The Appalachian sacred tune “Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow” was a tune sung in the mountains as a song of disconnectedness, loss and mourning from the depths of the soul.  It was sung un-accompanied and plaintively.

I was made aware recently of a different and new (to me) version of this same tune, this one titled “City of Heaven,” performed by my colleague Michal Connor, bass/baritone soloist and composer.  From the African-American tradition, Michal stuns with his powerful gospel rendition.  I spoke to Michal after hearing his performance and we endeavored to try to blend our versions in some appropriate setting.

We were given that opportunity recently at All Saints Church, Pasadena, where Michal’s beautiful voice and lovely original music composition for the interlude for piano and violin created a brand new piece from my simple “Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow.”  Here is the performance:

Our pianist is Dr. Weicheng Zhao, Director of Music at All Saints Church, Pasadena, and our violinist is Fang Gao. Thanks to Keith Holman and Ken Gruberman for the video, and to All Saints Church.

One personal note about my choice of lyrics:  years ago, when I learned the song from a Jean Ritchie album “Sweet Rivers,” I noted that she originally sang “my mother has reached the bright glory…”.  At the time that I learned the tune my father had died and my mother was still living.  So I switched the words then.  Since then my mother has also passed away, but I’ve kept the lyrics the same. 

Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow
I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow
Cast out in this wide world to roam
I have no hope for the morrow
I’ve started to make Heaven my home.

Sometimes I’m tossed and driven
I know not where to roam
I’ve heard of a City called Heaven,
I’ve started to make it my home.

My father has reached the bright glory
My mother is struggling in sin
My brothers and sisters won’t own me
Because I’m trying to get in.

Sometimes I’m tossed and driven
I know not where to roam
I’ve heard of a City called Heaven,
I’ve started to make it my home.

 

A note to readers:  I will be moving my blog posts to just once a month beginning April 1st.  Please visit my older blogs for content and watch for my new writing on the first of every month.

As always, thanks for reading and listening!  See y’all next time.
Love and Blessings,

Susie

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Award-winning recording artist, Broadway singer, journalist, educator and critically-acclaimed powerhouse vocalist, Susie Glaze has been called “one of the most beautiful voices in bluegrass and folk music today” by Roz Larman of KPFK’s Folk Scene.  LA Weekly voted her ensemble Best New Folk in their Best of LA Weekly for 2019, calling Susie “an incomparable vocalist.”  “A flat out superb vocalist… Glaze delivers warm, amber-toned vocals that explore the psychic depth of a lyric with deft acuity and technical perfection.”  As an educator, Susie has lectured at USC Thornton School of Music and Cal State Northridge on “Balladry to Bluegrass,” illuminating the historical path of ancient folk forms in the United Kingdom to the United States via immigration into the mountains of Appalachia.  Susie has taught workshops since 2018 at California music camps RiverTunes and Vocáli Voice Camp.  She is a current specialist in performance and historian on the work of American folk music icon, Jean Ritchie.  Susie now offers private voice coaching online via the Zoom platform.   www.susieglaze.com