James Talley : The Song Of Chief Joseph

James Talley is an Oklahoma born folk-country-blues singer and songwriter, whose career spans forty years. His name has been mentioned alongside Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan, and he's been praised for the quality of his songwriting and wise, expressive voice. Noted author and music critic, Peter Guralnick has said of James' work, "There are few singer-songwriters who could produce a collection of such magnitude coupled at the same time with such lightness, beauty, and all-out social conscience. Woody Guthrie never wrote a more direct or affecting song than 'Richland, Washington,' Bruce Springsteen never wrote a more powerful one than 'Tryin' Like the Devil.'" Talley's "Song Of Chief Joseph" comes from his "Journeys" album. His website is www.jamestalley.com

Chief Joseph (1840 1904) was the chief of the Wal-lam-wat-kain (Wallowa) band of Nez Perce during General Oliver O. Howard's attempt to forcibly remove his band and the other "non-treaty" Nez Perce to a reservation in Idaho. For his principled resistance to the removal, Chief Joseph became renowned as a humanitarian and peacemaker. Joseph (the younger) succeeded his father as chief after his father's death in 1871. Before his death, Chief Joseph's father counselled him, saying, "My son, my body is returning to my mother earth, and my spirit is going very soon to see the Great Spirit Chief. When I am gone, think of your country. You are the chief of these people. They look to you to guide them. Always remember that your father never sold his country. You must stop your ears whenever you are asked to sign a treaty selling your home. A few years more and white men will be all around you. They have their eyes on this land. My son, never forget my dying words. This country holds your father's body. Never sell the bones of your father and your mother."

The painted images in this video are from a large collage that I constructed over a five-month period with the help of two adults with mental challenges. A number of the photographs are my own, from a camping journey through the Bitterroot Mountains this past summer, which included a visit to Yellowstone National Park. During that trip, at the summit of Chief Joseph Pass east of Darby, Montana, a doe jumped in front of our vehicle and was killed by the impact. We were 100 yards from the Continental Divide, within sight of the sign bearing Chief Joseph's name.

NOTE: I have borrowed photographs to make this presentation. If anyone objects to their use due to copyright infringement, please notify me, and the video will be removed and re-edited.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• James
• Talley
• Songwriter
• American
• Chief
• Joseph

[barflew]

Amazing song and video photo montage. I read Guralnick's " Lost Highway". It is where I first heard of James Talley.... I really think that if more people could have heard his music, his would be a name that would be known worldwide.

[mommenon1]

Brilliant, brilliant video... An intriguing song.....Thank you for sharing, I appreciate it so much.....TC Marianne.

[xxjessiexxgg]

i love you joseph rip allways xxx

[ndnsoldierboy]

this is a beautiful song...

[xxjessiexxgg]

I cryed as this song played I love this chief this man is like a god to me I follow his rules of life and will all ways love him tho I did not know him at all this may sound stuiped put I don't give a dam

[eulessgirl]

I love how you used your collages to help tell this story.

[eulessgirl]

These stories are heartbreaking but they need to be remembered. My hats off to both you and James.