Search - Off to California, Andy Alexis, Dorothy Hawkinson :: Hard Times in the Promised Land

A musical journey through historic California, this recording was inspired by the gold rush of 1849 and the lesser-known Sacramento cholera epidemic of 1850. In a few short weeks, cholera claimed an estimated 5,000 lives in the region, a tragedy of immense proportions in its time. Off to California--performers of gold rush music since 1991-- developed this project out of their work on soundtrack for a documentary about the epidemic. Themes of voyage to the gold country and excitement about the prospects of a bright future combine with the despair and disillusionment that most inevitably encountered. A musical sampling of the melting pot of cultures drawn to California is reflected in the material. Traditional miner songs blend with Sacred Harp gospel traditions; Stephen Foster meets Irish, Appalachian, Scandinavian and Hispanic melodies.