FolkLaw Productions

In a non-musical context, John has established a blog, which you may access by going to “folklawandmore.” On the blog, John addresses issues great and small, funny and serious. Most importantly, he welcomes viewer feedback, and will respond to each comment personally.

For those of you who have heard John either on the radio or from his CDs, here’s a recent video just uploaded to youtube of John singing “See Alice” from an appearance on the Shannon Taylor cable tv show elsewhere referenced on this website. (That’s Lee Drexler featured giving some kind post-performance kudos and a reference to this website. Thanks, Lee!) “http://www.youtube.com/watch?=3oHTfabr_G8″> You can also, of course, go to youtube, “search” for John Sprung and find it that way. Enjoy!

John appeared live on Shannon Taylor’s September 8th “Conversations” program on New York’s MNN Channel 56, along with artists Jim Cohen and Ed Cusati. John, introduced by Lee Drexler, opened the show with his moving tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, “Remember Me.” Jim Cohen followed with his song of healing, “Tikun Olam” (“Repair the World”), accompanied by Ed Cusati, who followed it with a solo of another song by Jim, “Dreaming of You.” Ed then performed a song of his own, “Carried By Angels,” a touching remembrance of a friend who died in the Flight 800 tragedy, and particularly apt for a 9/11 tribute program. Ed closed with another original song, “Pearl Diver.” The show concluded with John’s explanation of how “Remember Me” came to be written. John also taped his humorous song, “See Alice” for a future “Conversations” program. (Both of John’s songs can be heard on his most recent CD, “Side Effects.”)

“The Red Sox Lament,” John’s “tribute to the once star-crossed baseball team who, after their 86-year drought, staged an historic comeback against their arch-rival New York Yankees and went on to win the World Series in a four-game sweep. John (now it can be told) is a Yankee fan, who wrote “the Lament” from the perspective of a multi-generational Red Sox fan, completed his recording in August ‘04, less than two months before the Red Sox “reversed the curse.” He did, however, update the song to include the Sox’s 2004 turnaround, and, whenever he performs the song “live,” includes the version with the happy (for Red Sox Nation) ending. “The Red Sox Lament” remains (by far) John’s most popular download, and has been included on the iTunes “Baseball Mix.” To hear John Sprung’s updated version, please go to “Hear John on the Radio,” from his 2005 appearance on Ron Olesko’s “Traditions.”

John was Ron Olesko’s guest artist on the May 10, 2009 program of “Traditions,” the long-running (and excellent) folk music show Ron alternates hosting with Bill Hahn of WFDU.FM. This “Mother’s Day” visit included live performances of “See Alice,” “The Gift,” “Joshua,” and “The Folk Singer’s Sweet Bye-and-Bye” from John’s latest CD, “Side Effects.” In addition to these songs, John performed the Jimmie Rodger’s classic, “Mother, the Queen of My Heart,” in honor of his own late mother, and mothers everywhere. Over the course of the past year, John was contacted by Fred Pape, one of the members of “The New London Trio,” a group John belonged to during the mid-60’s. Fred had sent John a CD of some of their old songs, and–for a touch of folk nostalgia– Ron played “Chilly Winds” and “Make me a Pallet on Your Floor” from this old recording John had not even known existed! This was John’s third appearance on “Traditions,” the show on which he introduced his 9/11 ballad, “Remember Me.” Ron was kind enough to describe John as “a marvelous songwriter in the tradition of Tom Lehrer.” This website will soon be posting a podcast of the program, so please be on the lookout for it. (In the meantime–for those not yet familiar with John’s music–samples may be heard by clicking on either of the two CDs pictured below.)