Amplifying the stories of our Wisconsin veterans through modern music is exactly what WVM’s Archivist, Russ Horton and Curator of History, Kevin Hampton have accomplished by lending their expertise to Ken Fitzsimmons of Madison band, The Kissers for their recently released album, The Foe and the Fallen: Songs from the Greatest War. The tenant of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, “It Still Matters,” could not ring truer thru this collaboration.
Horton and Hampton shared stories and assisted Fitzsimmons as he combed through the letters and diaries of six Wisconsin veterans. The research provided Fitzsimmons inspiration for at least three songs on the album. “Dear Mother” mentions Arthur Cantwell, Shawano and John Haddock, Milwaukee. “Happiest Mortal” was inspired by Madison nurse, Helen Bulovsky, “The Best That You Can” also includes poems collected, and altered, by Bulovsky. Edward DeNomie, Milwaukee, Paul Chase, Rock County, and Maurice Togstad of Madison are included in “The Greatest War” track.
The album debuted on November 9th at the Burr Oak in Madison during The Kissers recent rock and roll history show, The Greatest War: World War One, Wisconsin, and Why It Still Matters. The museum provided banners from its traveling exhibit, WWI Beyond the Trenches: Stories from the Front to provide additional context.
Learn more about The Kissers and hear their music here.
