26 Comments

https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/harve-presnell-birth-1933-death-2009/86756652#introduction

Fun fact! Sept. 14 was Mr. Presnell’s birthday. That rendition of Maria is a singing lesson, along with many other wonderful things.❤️

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Love that song brings tears to my eyes. Thank you. I loved the theme of paint your wagon.

The entire town was destroyed by greed, immorality and betrayal. A wonderful lesson.

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Thank you Debra for another great article. I look forward to learning about the people you write about. This one about Harve Presnell was another top notch work. Like you and so many others, I never cared for the movie and lost interest after a few minutes. I have never heard this song sung by Mr. Presnell. He was so talented!

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The song was in a film I saw at least twice in school as a child. I don't remember the film at all (it was about a storm, I think) but I remember the song giving me chills.

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

It is a beautiful song, and very well performed in this video. To say that the film was troubling is an understatement. I couldn’t stand it. I never saw the play, but, like you said, it has its own problems. But this song is a jewel.

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

I love this song. The memories it brings are wonderful.

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

Thank you. I used to sing that song all the time as a kid. I never got to see the Broadway play, but my father bought the albums, and we memorized all of it. I was so disappointed to see the movie. It wasn’t anything like I expected. I guess Hollywood can ruin anything.

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

Thank you for directing us to this stunning Harve Presnell performance! Years ago, talking to our banker in Montana, my husband and I noticed another customer in the bank who looked maddeningly familiar. How did we know this guy? Was he someone we knew from church? Had we worked with him sometime during the years when we lived in Yellowstone Park? He was dressed like a rancher, and looked like a man, well, who lived in Montana. Hours later, maybe days, we remembered how we knew him. He was the actor from the movie Everything That Rises, which had been filmed locally some time before. And we learned his name was Harve Presnell, and that he eschewed the Hollywood life but commuted to work there from his place in Montana.

And the way he sings this song…..as the people say, it gave me goosebumps.

Word.

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

I first heard this song listening to my father's Smothers Brothers records when I was five or so. What a great song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFHh0Rs34v0

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

Maria is heralding the outer bands of Hurricane Lee now in Cape Breton. She is stirring the sea with white caps and bowing the trees in royal curtesies. Hopefully she blows beneath the power lines and ignores houses. She certainly demands respect and recognition

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Sep 16Liked by Debra Esolen

Thank you for "Maria" and all the beautiful, inspiring posts on your site. There is so much in this world that is anything but beautiful, inspiring or even worthy of public display. You are like the fresh water in a parched and drying land. God has blessed you with gifts to lift up His people. Thank you for responding to those gifts.

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A powerful performance and perfect fit for last Monday's Word of the Week, "Nature."

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