About the 1976 Song Book

THE TRANSCRIBER-ARRANGER
Lee B. Thomssen was born on the high seas during a dramatic rescue. She studied music and literature at the University of Hawaii and at U.C.L.A. While raising her family Lee teaches piano and makes piano and choral arrangements. When she met Bob Schmertz through her architect-husband, Richard L. Thomssen, Lee was taken with his music. Discovering that Bob could neither read nor write musical notation and that only a few of his songs were in print, Lee suggested that she transcribe and arrange them. Bob called her "my amanuensis".

Beginning the project in 1968, Lee has now completed a total of 55 of Bob’s songs. As a folk-performer, Bob tended to vary the melody and meter from verse to verse, which made the task of transcribing them difficult. Lee has tried to make all the verses scan alike. [The editor has in some instances put them back as Bob usually sang them, confident that you can adapt to and will enjoy the variations.] Lee pitched the songs into the normal voice range, created interesting accompaniments suitable for the parlor pianist and finally drew the manuscripts from which this book has been printed. The countless hours of work with Bob and at her piano were a labor of love for Lee. As she recalls, “We did have such a good time!”

THE EDITOR
Jo Davidson had the pleasure of performing with Bob Schmertz and his friends hundreds of times over the past twenty-five years, singing and playing guitar and banjo. His father, the late Eero W. Davidson, played ‘cello with the original group. Jo has performed at the National Folk Festival and the Pittsburgh Folk Festival. He is automotive mediator for Allegheny County Consumer Affairs and has been, among other things, a mechanic, grad student in history and square dance caller.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
All the many friends of Robert W. Schmertz have helped to make this book possible, each in his own way, but special thanks are due to Jack and Mary Ann Schmertz, Robert Schmertz Jacob, Myra Elmers, Dave Bergholtz, Bob Milligan, Bob and Ellen Porteous, Vivien C. Richman, Dan and Ann Muss, Carol Saunders, Fred and Sandy Haller, Phyllis, Mariann, Gordon and Warren Davidson, Chuck Cubelic, Jody McIlvain, Charlotte Johnson, George and Ruth Swetnam, Anne Shipiro, John and Eileen Fabrick and to Jake and Mildred Evanson who helped bring us together.

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