Liberty & Union
Presidential campaign songs of the 1860 & 1864 elections

I am a troubadour and raconteur who takes the audience on the campaign trails of 1860 & 1864 through song and story. I tell of the characters and issues which shaped the most crucial elections in our history. These songs give us an insight to the candidates' positions and how divided Americans were at the time.

Music was the main form of campaigning�used by�the Presidential candidates.�At rallies, organized groups of supporters�of a candidate, such as Lincoln's "Wide-Awakes", would�hand out song sheets which praised their candidate and ridiculed their opponents. Tough campaigning is nothing new. John Bell's campaign song calls Lincoln a "traitor", and a "Tory". Some songs may seem familiar still, but many have been long forgotten. I have brought some of these forgotten songs back to life. In fact, I can say with certainty that some of the songs on my CD have never been recorded before.

The music I perform was written by the people in response to the events unfolding around them during those terrible years. This is authentic American folk music. This music is the music of the people, by the people and for the people.

"Illinois" Doug Tracy