FOLLOW YOUR PAST Premieres

The Travel Channel has finally set their schedule for the genealogy/travel program called Follow Your Past. 

As many are aware, I have been working on a television program but have not been able to share much about it (part of that is because I didn't even know what they were going to call it until recently). I know that this is not much notice, but here are the dates as they are set to be shown. There are 13 in all. I can guess which ones I worked on (about 99% certain numbers 101 and 102 are in that list), but won't tell you here about the others because it would be just a guess . . . they had other genealogists also doing research (only three of which I knew about). So check your cable or satellite provider to schedule your recorder as my guess is, most folks won't be home to watch at these times. These are Eastern Times so you need to adjust that, as well (here on the west coast, I presume those 9:00am showings are 6:00am . . . when all the genealogists are up and watching TV). But that is just a guess as my satellite provider (DirecTV) does not yet display this program. Hopefully they will be rerun a number of times and/or offered for viewing on the Internet. Do spread the word as we would like the program to be successful and that is likely only if there are viewers!

Air Order is as follows:

March 21, 2016
9:00AM 104 – Vikings and Kings
9:30AM 107 – Crusaders to Castles

March 22, 2016
9:00AM 108 – Is There a Doctor in the House?
9:30AM 102 – In-Laws and Outlaws

March 23, 2016
9:00AM 112 – Grandpa and The Greatest Generation
9:30AM 113 – Writing History

March 24, 2016
9:00AM 103 – Haunted Family History
9:30AM 109 – The Frontiersmen

March 25, 2016
9:00AM 110 – Founding Fathers

9:30AM 105 – Queens and Castles

Wednesday, April 27, 2016
8:30AM 106 – Creators of Cool

9:00AM 111 – A Family of Explorers

9:30AM 101 – Road to Freedom

History Immortalized in Song

I am going to go out a limb here and state that most, if not every, major event in World History has been immortalized in song. Now, some of those songs might not survive much beyond the event, but many are retained in the annals of folklore for centuries. Almost before the dust had settled (will it ever settle?), 9/11 was the subject of a number of ballads, most providing some sort of solace or therapeutic means of dealing with the horrific event. At least 2, that I know of, are still being performed. Singing about an event helps people remember the lessons learned, the feelings felt, and the specifics of the situation. In years past, school teachers used songs to teach the details of history to their pupils. I remember making up songs about historic events to remember the dates and names (then would sing them in my head while taking a test . . . unfortunately, I have always had a bad memory for lyrics and such an action did not guarantee me a good grade in history by any stretch of the imagination).

Next weekend (12-13 June), Family History Expos will have another one of their amazing seminar events (maybe I should write a song about them?); this time in Loveland, Colorado. I am honored to be their banquet presenter and, with my saw-playing husband Butch, we will do a musical "walk through history," highlighting events that formed our country and then were made more memorable as ballads. Not all songs will be traditional (created at the time of the event by people now nameless); some just remind us of the historic account. So, if you are coming to Colorado or are already in Colorado, come to the banquet and hear songs about our country's beginnings, wars, sad times, triumphant times, and more! Check this out at and, even if you aren't able to attend the banquet, stop by booth #316 and say hello!