sarahillis's blog

Yes, it's another encore presentation of Mushroom Fm's premier Celtic music show, and in honour of New Zealand, the home of The Home of the Fun Guys, I thought we'd revisit a show from October 14, 2018. As they head into winter, I thought I'd pick a show with an autumnal feel to it. It's also a reminder for us here in the northern hemisphere not to take summer for granted.

So enjoy this look back, and I'll be back with a very special new episode in June. Watch this space!

This week on Mushroom Fm's premier Celtic music show, we'll be focusing on the music of Mary Black, as her birthday is on May 23. We'll be playing music from the soundtrack to her autobiography, "Down the Crooked Road," as well as other favourite songs from various points in her long career. While starting out as a straight folk musician, on her own as well as with The Black Family and De Dannan, she became a wonderful interpreter of other people's music and enjoyed great success. She stopped performing a few years ago, but she leaves a legacy of great music behind her.

It's supposed to be spring here in the northern hemisphere, but we're in the midst of a silly April cold snap just now in my part of the world. However, I'm still feeling springish, and spring always makes me think of Mr. Mole from Kennith Graham's masterpiece "The Wind in the Willows." Mole suddenly decides one morning to stop spring cleaning his little hole and to just wander away across the fields and into a brand new life. He is infected by spring and "its spirit of divine discontent and longing." This seems also to be what calls that staple of folk songs and romances: the rover.

Yes, it's time for another encore presentation on Come by the Hills! This time, we're replaying the botched John Barleycorn episode from August 5, 2018, in its corrected Friday morning incarnation! I hope you'll enjoy it!

Yes, as I am battling a cold this week which is robbing me of focus if not of my voice as yet, I thought I'd take the opportunity to replay a very special episode of Come by the Hills from September 16 of 2018. This was a tribute show dedicated to my friend Shannon Marie Smith, (may her memory be eternal,) who died on that date the year before.

Yes, it is that time of year again, time to get out the green beer, the corn beef and the cabbage and get a little bit Irish--well, a lot Irish actually. We'll have three hours of Irish music this week on Come by the Hills: music to make you laugh, music to bring a tear to your eye, and likely everything in between.

It is indeed that time of year again! We've got two Celtic cultural days in the month of March, and Friday was the first of them, being the feast-day of St. David of Wales! So, before we get to all the green beer and such later this month with that other saint, let's take some time to honour the Welsh culture and especially its language and song this week on Mushroom Fm's premier Celtic music show!

Yes, the middle of February means that it's time once again for our annual Loreena McKennitt special, and seeing as her birthday is on Sunday, it seems only logical to celebrate it in style! Loreena McKennitt is someone who has been a role-model for me in music and in life. She's a very patriotic Canadian and yet, in some ways, is truly a citizen of the world.

As Friday was Robby Burns Day around the world, we at Come by the Hills have decided to hold a virtual Burns Supper tonight. There'll be songs, poetry, and even a virtual haggis! So join me at 8:00 PM Eastern tonight, or catch the replay on Friday at 4:00 AM Eastern, 9:00 AM in the UK and ireland! Also, check out the archive of past shows at http://www.mushroomfm.com/sarahillis. Enjoy, and Happy belated Burns Day!

No, Billy Joel hasn't gone Celtic or anything, but tomorrow night, there's going to be an interesting lunar event taking place. It's apparently called a Super Blood Wolf Moon, which is to say a full moon which is especially close to the earth and which is also in eclipse and so is red in appearance, and which occurs in January, the Wolf Moon being a name traditionally associated with the full moons of this month.