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Stranger Songs
Tuesday October 14th, 2025 with Mike Regenstreif
The Dutchman and Songs of Michael Smith (1941-2020)

The theme this week on Stranger Songs is The Dutchman and Songs of Michael Smith (1941-2020). The photo of me and Michael Smith was taken in 2014. Click on LISTEN NOW to hear this show. Click on LISTEN to hear the current CKCU broadcast.
fragment of The Stranger Song
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy Canadian
The songs on this show were all written by Michael Smith, one of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters. Michael passed away in 2020 at age 78 from colon cancer.
Coffeehouse Days
Michael Smith - Michael Margaret Pat & Kate - Wind River
Ballad of Elizabeth Dark
Anne Hills - Every Town: More Songs by Michael Smith - Hand & Heart Music New
Sister Clarissa
Michael Smith & Jamie O'Reilly - Songs of a Catholic Childhood - J. O’Reilly Productions
Hobo’s Mandolin (This Here Mandolin)
Tom Rush - Ladies Love Outlaws - Columbia
Roving Cowboy (Ballad of Dan Moody)
Steve Goodman - Words We Can Dance To - Red Pajamas
Such Things are Finely Done
Michael Smith - Such Things are Finely Done - Tales from the Tavern
fragment of The Stranger Song
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy Canadian
Almost 25 years ago, I was talking to Tom Russell – another of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters. Michael Smith’s name came up in the conversation and I mentioned that Michael’s song, The Dutchman, was one of my favorite songs. Tom said it was one of his favorite songs, too. Tom then recorded The Dutchman on Modern Art, his next album.
The Dutchman
Tom Russell - Modern Art - HighTone
Crazy Mary
Bonnie Koloc - You’re Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning - Ovation
Spoon River (with John Gorka)
Anne Hills - Every Town: More Songs by Michael Smith - Hand & Heart Music New
Rondi's Birthday
Michael Smith - Love Letter on a Fish - Tales from the Tavern
Stranded in the Moonlight
Skyline with Tony Trischka - Ticket Back: A Retrospective - Flying Fish
(When I Lived in) My Grandmother’s House
Josh White, Jr. - Delicate Balance - Silverwolf
Waving to Picasso
Jamie O'Reilly - Swimming Deeper - Bird Avenue Publishing
There
Michael Smith - Such Things are Finely Done - Tales from the Tavern
Memory of August
Anne Hills - Every Town: More Songs by Michael Smith - Hand & Heart Music New
I Brought My Father with Me
Small Potatoes - Time Flies - Folk Era
A Real Good One (Every Town)
Barbara Barrow - Remembering Fred: A Tribute to Fred Holstein - The Remembering Fred Group
Love Letter On a Fish
Michael Smith - Love Letter On a Fish - Tales from the Tavern
Before I moved to Ottawa, I hosted a show called Folk Roots/Folk Branches on CKUT in Montreal. One of my favorite memories from that show was having Michael Smith & Anne Hills together in the studio in 2005 and I was thrilled when they sang their duet version of The Dutchman.
The Dutchman
Anne Hills & Michael Smith - Paradise Lost and Found - Redwing Music
fragment of The Stranger Song
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy Canadian
Interactive CKCU
John Coleman
Just a great show and I have only listened to 6 songs !! Great version of Sister Clarissa !! and the version of The Dutchman from Tom Russell. The first time I heard it.. it was Steve Goodman !!

6:54 PM, October 11th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
Thanks John.

12:49 AM, October 12th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
CKCU's annual Funding Drive - celebrating our 50th year on the air - is from October 24 to November. But I'd be very happy if you were the first on your block to support Stranger Songs and CKCU at this link. https://www.canadahelps.org/me/6rUTtTVJ Thanks for your much needed and much appreciated support.

2:41 PM, October 13th, 2025
Frank Toedter
Hi Mike, great show ! The Dutchman is such a fantastic and compassionate song, it is one of my favourites, too. I didn‘t know the version by Tom Russell ; my favourite version is the one by now almost forgotten folk duo Cashman & West.

2:03 PM, October 14th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
Thanks Frank.

2:15 PM, October 14th, 2025
Carole L.
I'm a longtime Michael Smith since hearing him in a bar in Chicago maybe 50 years ago. So many great songs and "The Dutchman" is the greatest of them all. Thanks for this great show.

4:05 PM, October 14th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
Thanks Carole.

4:06 PM, October 14th, 2025
Benoît
Send me a love letter on a fish! Great song!

4:52 PM, October 14th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
Indeed, Benoît.

4:58 PM, October 14th, 2025
Joanne Hurley
Very good show this week, Mike.

5:28 PM, October 14th, 2025
Mike Regenstreif (host)
Thanks Joanne.

11:07 PM, October 14th, 2025