Barry Finn - Old Dollar Mamie (Prison song)

Saturday March 14th 2009, South Portland Maine. After my House concert at Mary Sullivan's.

Obituary
Barry Finn
Barry was not feeling well a couple of weeks ago on a Friday evening so he was transported to the hospital on the following Monday for observation and tests. It was diagnosed that he had had a recent heart attack. By Thursday evening all seemed to be well and going in the right direction. He took a drink of water and all ended for him...his heart just stopped pumping and he died Friday October 16, 2009 at the Elliot Hospital, Manchester, NH. He was born on February 5, 1951 in Boston, MA a son of Elizabeth (Barry) Bent and the late Eugene Finn.

He formed a duo with Neil Downey whom he first met in the mid seventies while singing and playing at the Irish Music session in the Village Coach House in Brookline, Ma. They performed primarily a cappella songs related to heavy work and hard labour, specializing in the performance of traditional sea songs, shanties and work songs originating in the southern prison system.

A gifted songwriter, together with Neil they performed at the Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival, New England Folk Festivals (NEFFA), New Hampshires Great Bay Festival, the Gloucester (US) Maritime Festival, Bostons First Night, the San Francisco Maritime Festival, the Salem Maritime Festival, the Boston Antique & Classic Boat Festival, for Sea Revels in Boston, at Sail Boston Tall Ships Parades 88 and 92 and at the Massachusetts State House for the Welcoming of the Captains during Bostons last Tall Ships Parade. They have also performed on board the USS Constitution, the USS Eagle, the USS Salem, the Unicorn, the Schooner Adventure, the Brig Carthaginian, the Polish schooner Zawisza Czarny, the Larinda, Canadas schooner Empire Sandy, the Shenandoah & Nova Scotias Bluenose II. This very year he sang with Neil at the Scarborough Sea Festival and wrote to me afterwards thanking me for recommending the fish and chip shop on the main front just across from the performance area.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to meet him when we toured America earlier this year; and I was able to film him after the concert I gave in South Portland, Maine.

He is survived by his wife Justine Donovan of Derry; his daughter, Natalie Finn and his son, Gabriel Finn, both of Derry; his mother, Elizabeth Bent of W. Dennis, MA; two brothers, Daniel Bent of Walpole, MA and Earl Moore of N.H.; one sister, Cheryl Finn-Poole of Carlisle, MA. He also leaves behind countless friends in and out of the music community.
Joe Stead.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Prison
• song
• Old
• Dollar
• Mamie

[josereygarrido]

man, this song is one of the best versions of one of my favorite songs and I constantly keep coming back to Barry's version. I don't know him, but I'm sure he was a great guy.

[TakamineLTD]

You won't know the difference, when the,

When the sun goes down, well-a.

This is so great.

[JudyAGoddard]

How wonderful to see Barry here! I only saw him once a year but I sure do miss him!

[taylorgarrido]

@MrFermium100 if you google dollar mamie lyrics the first one will have it, but he just sings in a slightly different order and a few alterations.

[migmaq2011]

I use too work for barry finn during the 90s on roofing construction he was one funny and crazy lad he will be missed by many...... to the family of barry im so very sorry for your loss YOU WILL BE MISSED BARRY FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS IN CANADA ALL YOU NATIVE INDIAN FRIENDS R.I.P NITAP

[Zodiac855]

best man i have ever met in my life.

tons of knowledge he gave to everyone he ever met in his life

[MrFermium100]

@fjchild could someone post the lyrics???

[DamianNixon]

Mighty stuff.

[HandyBillySeaMusic]

Thanks for posting this video and information about Barry's passing. We greatly enjoyed his music at several Mystic Seaport Sea Music festivals and at chantey sings following the festival performances late into the night. He will be missed...but his influence will be felt for a very long time.

[chanteysing]

Oh, sorry, that should read "Neil," not "Niel."