Americana Highways presents this video premiere of Gordie Tentrees’ song “Every Child,” from his recently released album Mean Old World, which was produced and engineered by Bob Hamilton at Old Crow Studios in Whitehorse Yukon. The song was written by Keinas Axh Ldoo Johnson (Socan) and Gordie Tentrees (Bluewater Music Publishing).
“Every Child” is Patrick Hamilton on kick drum; Bob Hamilton on electric bass, pedal steel, and percussion; Gordie Tentrees on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; Keinas Axh Ldoo Johnson on Tlingit male vocals; and Deer Hooves Marilyn Yadultin Jensen on Tlingit female vocals.
Gordie Tentrees expresses massive love for the Bond family for the use of cabin and property in order to make this dream possible and thanks to Yukon Media Development for helping to fund this project. The video was filmed in the Yukon with the help of Jason Wolsky and Mark Kelly, and Kelly Milner of Shot in the Dark Productions. The Gibson acoustic guitar was provided by Hamilton & Son in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
Confronting the legal system will send a cold shiver of fear through anyone, and most especially when a child is involved. This song is a folksong grounded in the old fashioned style, with unique instrumentation and focused tribal percussion in a spacious arrangement. Within the spaces it’s somehow richly layered. Check out the unique accent vocals for something you won’t likely have encountered before.
This song is inspired by my personal journey in navigating the child welfare system both as a child and a parent. Thank you to my beautiful friends Keinas Axh Ldoo Johnson & Marilyn Yadultin Jensen for singing and dancing with me. I will be forever grateful to Keinas Axh for helping me to write and transpose the lyrics into the Tlingit language. This song is dedicated to the best interests of every child. — Gordie Tentrees