FRAZIER: Welcome to "One Voice: The Songs We Share".
I'm Luke Frazier, the Founder and Music Director of the American Pops Orchestra, and I am so glad you can join us.
It's particularly special filming an episode about roots right here in my home state of West Virginia.
In designing this episode, I wanted to showcase many traditions, highlighting the power of music to build bridges and bring people together.
And now I am so excited to welcome our host, an artist who uses his music every day to bring people together, Frank Waln.
WALN: Wopila, Luke.
We acknowledge that we are here on the traditional land of the Massawomeck and Lenapi people.
The "One Voice" series celebrates songs that we share across genres, cultures and histories, combining classic pieces and new arrangements performed by guest artists from studios and stages across the world.
Known to many for her performances in the documentaries of Ken Burns, here to perform "Danny Boy" for solo piano and orchestra, please welcome the distinguished pianist, Jacqueline Schwab.
(piano solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WALN: Welcome Mexican Recording Artist and Broadway star, Mauricio Martinez.
♪ MARTINEZ: Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Como si fuera esta noche ♪ ♪ la última vez.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Que tengo miedo a tenerte y perderte despues.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Hold me my darling and say that you always be mine.
♪ ♪ Quiero tenerte muy cerca, mirarme en tus ojos, ♪ ♪ verte junto a mí.
♪ ♪ Piensa que tal vez mañana yo ya estare lejos, ♪ ♪ muy lejos de aqui.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Que tengo miedo perderte y perderte despues.
♪ ♪ Quiero tenerte muy cerca, ♪ ♪ mirarme en tus ojos, verte junto a mí.
♪ ♪ Piensa que tal vez mañana yo ya estare lejos, ♪ ♪ muy lejos de aqui.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Como si fuera esta noche la última vez.
♪ ♪ Bésame, ♪ ♪ bésame mucho.
♪ ♪ Que tengo miedo perderte, ♪ ♪ perderte despues.
♪ WALN: "A City Called Heaven" dates back to the 19th century American South.
Now a voice of the next generation makes it her own.
Please welcome Amber Merritt.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MERRITT: I am a po' pilgrim of sorrow.
♪ ♪ I'm tossed in dis wide world alone.
♪ ♪ No hope have I for tomorrow.
♪ ♪ I've started to make heav'n my home.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I am tossed ♪ ♪ and driven, Lord.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I don't know ♪ ♪ where to roam.
♪ ♪ I heard of a city called heaven.
♪ ♪ I've started to make it my home.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ My mother has reached that pure glory.
♪ ♪ My father's still walkin' in sin.
♪ ♪ My brothers an' sisters won't own me.
♪ ♪ Because I am try'n' to get in.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I am tossed ♪ ♪ and driven, Lord.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I don't know ♪ ♪ where to roam.
♪ ♪ I heard of a city called Heaven.
♪ ♪ I've started to make it my home.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I am tossed ♪ ♪ and driven, Lord.
♪ ♪ Sometimes I don't know ♪ ♪ where to roam.
♪ ♪ I heard of a city called Heaven.
♪ ♪ I've started ♪ ♪ to make it my home.
♪ ♪ ♪ WALN: The flute and the drum are two cornerstones of Native American music that I incorporate within my music.
♪ ♪ (flute solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (flute solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WALN: Our next performer has sung on opera stages around the world, but her musical journey began with this beloved song about cherry blossoms in the spring.
Please welcome Asako Tamura.
♪ TAMURA: Sakura, Sakura.
♪ ♪ (singing in Japanese) ♪ ♪ (singing in Japanese) ♪ ♪ (singing in Japanese) ♪ ♪ Sakura, Sakura, ♪ ♪ blossoms waving everywhere.
♪ ♪ Yoshina, the cherry land.
♪ ♪ Tatsuta, the maple trees.
♪ ♪ Karasaki, pine tree grand.
♪ ♪ Sakura.
♪ ♪ Sakura.
♪ ♪ Let all come ♪ ♪ singing.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Chi sara?
♪ ♪ Chi sara?
♪ ♪ E come sara giunto che dira?
♪ ♪ Che dira?
♪ ♪ Chiamera "Butterfly" dala lontana.
♪ ♪ Io senza dar risposta ♪ ♪ me ne staro nascota, ♪ ♪ un po' per celia, ♪ ♪ e un po' per non morire ♪ ♪ al primo incontro.
♪ ♪ Ed egli alquanto in pena chiamera, ♪ ♪ chiame ra Piccina mo gliettina ♪ ♪ olezzo di verbena, ♪ ♪ i nomi che mi dava al suo venire.
♪ ♪ Tutto questo avverra te lo prometto.
♪ ♪ Tienti la tua paura, ♪ ♪ io con sicura fede.
♪ ♪ l'a spetto.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WALN: I am proud to share with you one of my signature singles, written for my mother.
This is "Like A Rock".
(bass solo) (flute solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ '89, we said hello, he said goodbye.
♪ ♪ Daddy left when I was three and made us cry.
♪ ♪ You and I, we had to make it, ♪ ♪ you found a way.
♪ ♪ Drama came and friends left, but mama stayed.
♪ ♪ Through everything, all the fights and all the shame.
♪ ♪ All the change.
♪ ♪ I hate that man.
♪ ♪ Don't want his name.
♪ ♪ Told my mom that I'm a Waln, ♪ ♪ couldn't understand.
♪ ♪ All the things going on between her and my dad.
♪ ♪ But I was stubborn.
♪ ♪ I know that it made things hard.
♪ ♪ You always said, "Son, I know you're gonna take things far."
♪ ♪ Believe that, I need that in dark times.
♪ ♪ I think of what you did for me and my heart shines.
♪ ♪ You took my hand up this mountain, ♪ ♪ made it your climb.
♪ ♪ So when I shine, mom, you shine.
♪ ♪ Yeah, a single mother with the odds stacked.
♪ ♪ You found a way, one day I'll bring it all back.
♪ ♪ Lived all my life, just me and you.
♪ ♪ Every single storm that you see me through.
♪ ♪ 'Cuz I ain't have a dad and we ain't need no man.
♪ ♪ Raised by a woman, you made me a man.
♪ ♪ I gotta leave home 'cuz my heart will roam.
♪ ♪ I gotta let you to know that you're not alone.
♪ ♪ Our love is like a rock and you will be my stone.
♪ ♪ Forever in my heart, forever you're my heart, ♪ ♪ you are my stone.
♪ ♪ You always gave me what I needed, ♪ ♪ somehow always found the time.
♪ ♪ Single parent, it's apparent that you ♪ ♪ stayed up on your grind.
♪ ♪ I remember you would put me first.
♪ ♪ It was hard, but you said, ♪ ♪ "Son, it could be worse."
♪ ♪ And you were right, ♪ ♪ it's funny, looking back the days were sunny.
♪ ♪ You kept me smiling even though ♪ ♪ we didn't have the money.
♪ ♪ That other people did, ♪ ♪ somehow you made it happen.
♪ ♪ I promise Mama that I'm gonna do it when I'm rapping.
♪ ♪ You took me everywhere, ♪ ♪ bring my cap in my backpack.
♪ ♪ 20 years later now I'm rapping in snapbacks.
♪ ♪ I'm rocking these long braids, ♪ ♪ we came a long way.
♪ ♪ You kept me on the right road, ♪ ♪ away from the wrong way.
♪ ♪ Forever I'm grateful for the life you gave.
♪ ♪ Tears that we cried, the sacrifice you made.
♪ ♪ Yeah, single mother with the odds stacked.
♪ ♪ You found a way, ♪ ♪ one day I'll bring it all back.
♪ ♪ Lived all my life, just me and you.
♪ ♪ Every single storm that you see me through.
♪ ♪ 'Cuz I ain't have a dad and we ain't need no man.
♪ ♪ Raised by a woman, you made me a man.
♪ ♪ I gotta leave home 'cuz my heart will roam.
♪ ♪ I gotta let you to know that you're not alone.
♪ ♪ Our love is like a rock and you will be my stone.
♪ ♪ Forever in my heart, forever you're my heart, ♪ ♪ you're my stone.
♪♪ FRAZIER: We are so fortunate that we had so many incredible artists on the program, but I am particularly grateful to this incredible artist next to me, Frank Waln.
WALN: Thank you for having me Luke.
Remember to check out the other episodes in our "One Voice" series here on PBS.
(music plays through credits)
