Some people come quickly into our lives
And quickly go
Some stay for a while
Leave footprints on our hearts
And we are never the same

FRANCES ELIZABETH SHAEN-CARTER

A memorialplaque I had made by Lady J.J. to honour Eliza.

Eliza was born on 1948-02-15
and she died of cancer on 2000-03-04.

Her farewell celebration was at Friday 2000-03-10,

which was a great spiritual happening of
love, peace,friendship and music.
Just as she wished

Like Eliza always said;
^^^"If music is the food of love play it on..,"^^^
{Shakespeare}
As she had put it on the ceremonycard.


^^^"Eliza's own story"^^^

Eliza her father was head of an old Irish family and her mother was British.
An ancestor of hers is songwriter/entertainer and artist Percy French.
Eliza was an English/Irish folk and country singer with songs from
Ireland, USA and Britain and with own songs.
She accompanied herself on the guitar.
She first began singing folksongs on the beach etc.(mainly Joan Baez)

In her mid teens and then occasionally in folk clubs
in the London area like the "Folk Barge", Kingston, always a-capella.
Her mainly interest was in art and after
the third art college she finally graduated as sculptor in 1979.

Since then she has been exhibiting work in England, Ireland and the Netherlands.
She began to sing more regularly in 1978,
when she met the London folksingers John and Del Dwyer.
In 1979 she decided to learn to play the guitar.

From then on the music world opened up,
creating a constant tension between art and music.

Since then she has played in England
(mainly in the south, particularly in "The Crypt", and "Centre Folk" in London),
Ireland, Dublin and Mayo,
Greece, Spain, Gibraltar, the Canary and Channel Islands.



From 1981 she lived in Holland.
She came to the Netherlands at the end of 1981 and in 1982 she had her first experience playing with a band.
In 1983 she had her debut on radio.
She met 5string banjo player Paul van Gelder in 1982
and later they teamed up with Joop Eisenberger on the mandolin to form
"Diamonds and Rust" in 1985.



Playing folk, country, old time, and bluegrass music.
Performing all over the Netherlands and occasionally in Germany.
Some songs she wrote are:

~"Free Way"~
~"Water"~
~"A place in my Heart"~


Eliza played gigs at all kinds of locations,
varying from pubs and clubs to folk and country festivals.
She was a descendant of the famous Irish songwriter, entertainer and artist Percy French.

Eliza performed solo or with accompanying musicians like,
Paul van Gelder-(banjo),
Joop Eisenberger-(mandolin, melodeon),
Steve Bradshaw-(fiddle)
Joris Sluyter-(electric guitar).



In 1995 Eliza ran a weekly folk session in Amsterdam,
meeting musicians from the blues and rock traditions as well as folk and country.
Since then she has played with musicians of a variety of disciplines.
She used a mixture of folk and country material
from both sides of the Atlantic as well as some of her own.

Eliza about her choice of songs:

"There is usually some part or all of the text,
that makes a statement
that I really feel
and wish to express.
As a folksinger I have no qualms
about renewing or reviving
good songs".
The song you are listening to is;
*FREEWAY*
Written by Eliza Shaen-Carter

Eliza Shaen-Carter-Lead vocal/guitar
Paul van Gelder-Backvocals/banjo
Joop Eisenberger-mandolin.



FREEWAY
(Eliza Shaen-Carter)
played in E

Traveling with my friends,
we're trucking down the road.
Easy round the bends,
we're flying down the freeway.

Freeway , freeway ,
riding along that freeway .(2x)

Sunrise in the east,
belle skies so clear.
High out in the mountain,
We're feeling free and easy.

Sing now mountainsong,
wind and birds are whistling.(2x)

Driving with my friends,
we're trucking down the road.
Easy round the bends,
and we're flying down the freeway.

Freeway , freeway ,
Riding along that freeway.(2x)

Take a little work,
in the city now and then.
Like crushing to and fro,
now we're singing in the cafe.

Sing a city song,
lights and the people are dancing(2x)

Banjo solo

The sun is setting out,
al red across the sky.
Down by the ocean's edge,
there crushing over the waves , oh..,

Sing a love song,
sing it for the love of our planet.(2x)

Traveling with my friends,
we're trucking down the road.
Easy round the bends,
and we're flying down the freeway.

Freeway , freeway ,
Riding down the freeway .(2x)
riding down the freeway .

~^*Used with permission*^~