I wrote “Louisiana Makes Me Smile” many years ago and it became the title song on one of my sister’s albums. It really needs a Cajun accordion or fiddle in the break, but, alas, I play neither. Not to worry, though–I’ve thrown some Louisiana flavoring into the video to spice it up. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (If you’re interested in hearing the fully-produced album-version video, you can find it here: https://petermarcantel.com/2014/10/14/louisiana-makes-me-smile/)

I posted this John Denver gem a while back, but I wasn’t happy with the quality of the recording, so I took another run at it. Whether you’re a JD fan or not, if you’ve ever reached for your guitar like an old friend to share your joys or sorrows with, you know what this song is about.

Here’s a simple little song with a special nod to our Canadian friends. Ian Tyson wrote “Four Strong Winds” in 20 minutes (or so he once claimed). He recorded it with his wife Sylvia (of Ian & Sylvia fame) and it quickly became a staple of the folk music scene of the 1960s. It was covered by fellow Canadians Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, and, well, just about everybody else who had a guitar and a recording contract. Twenty minutes well spent, I would say. As always, thanks for listening and commenting–hope you like it!