Shawn Camp The Ghost of Sis Draper
The Ghost of Sis Draper is not merely a great album—it’s something rarer, richer, and far more enduring. For anyone weary of overproduced gloss, digital perfection, or the creeping sterility of AI‑smoothed recordings, this record feels like a return to the campfire: banjos and fiddles ringing in the dusk, acoustic guitars breathing, and a voice warm enough to light the dark.
Shawn Camp has always possessed one of those voices you’d bargain with the devil for, but here it’s paired with material that elevates him even further. Many of these songs were co‑written over more than a decade with the late Guy Clark, and the quality shows in every line, every turn of phrase, every melody that feels both timeless and startlingly alive.
Listeners who treasure old‑time country standards—“Tennessee Stud,” “Old Dan Tucker,” “Shady Grove”—will find The Ghost of Sis Draper slipping into their collection as naturally as a well‑worn glove. The musicianship evokes the spirit of Transatlantic Sessions: effortless, intuitive, and deeply rooted in tradition. Arkansas fiddle master Tim Crouch animates the legend of Sis Draper with fire and finesse, joined by Mike Bub (bass), Chris Henry (mandolin), Jimmy Stewart (dobro), Cory Walker (banjo), and Camp himself on guitar and vocals.
The project’s origins are as compelling as the music. Sis Draper was a real travelling fiddle player who made a profound impression on a young Shawn Camp in the hills of Perry County, Arkansas. Decades later, when Camp and Clark were searching for their next songwriting spark, Camp shared the memory. Clark simply said, “Well, there’s your song.” From that moment, the Sis Draper cycle became a recurring creative touchstone—part folklore, part truth, and entirely irresistible.
Recorded in a single day at Clement House (formerly The Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa), the album plays by its own rules. It’s a concept record, but one guided by instinct rather than architecture. Characters drift between songs; stories echo one another; and fragments of old fiddle tunes stitch the whole thing together. It’s a world where temptation and salvation share the same fiddle case, where beauty and danger walk arm in arm, and where the central figure—a wandering, fiddle‑wielding woman named Sis—feels mythic and vividly human all at once.
Choosing standout tracks is nearly impossible on a first listen because each one lands with its own authority. “Magnolia Wind,” “Soldier’s Joy 1864,” and “Grandpa’s Rovin’ Ear” all hit the nail squarely on the head, but the truth is that every song earns its place in the story.
A fabulous album—rich in craft, heart, history, and humanity.
Get your copy here: https://shawncamp.store/products/the-ghost-of-sis-draper-cd