Great Lakes Folk Singer Russ Franzen Folk Singer from Toledo, OH

I perform mostly my own songs about Great Lakes history. There are lots of songs about lighthouses, lake boats, shipwrecks, and life along the Great Lakes. I sing only a very few, select, cover tunes. My programs work well at maritime-themed events, schools teaching Great Lakes history, senior centers, and other groups. Before I was a songwriter, I was a historian and writer. Writing songs about my subjects combined my loves of history and music. Many of my songs are ballads, because it is easier to hear and follow the stories. In addition, I talk about each of the songs before I sing them.