Days of Gold! brings you the rousing songs of the Gold Rush as sung by the miners and immigrants who came to California to seek their fortunes. These songs were sung aboard ship, on wagon trains and around campfires. Gold seekers traveled to California from countries throughout the world and this multicultural collection includes music from Asia, Europe, North and South America and the Pacific Islands. African American and Native American songs are also featured.

Days of Gold! presents 57 authentic songs which provide a valuable glimpse into this dramatic era of California history.

On a double compact disc, all songs are performed by groups and soloists, accompanied by traditional instruments.

Days of Gold! includes:

• Authentic songs of the period

• Background notes for each song

• Brief historical summaries and information about the gold rush

• Primary quotations

• Graphics, maps and illustrations

• Games and dances

• Guitar chords

• Simple two-part arrangements

• Culturally diverse material

• Easy to sing translations of songs in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese, and Hawaiian

• Glossary and Bibliography

Sections:

I. Getting to the Gold Fields
II. Life in the Diggings
III. A Mix of Cultures

"Studying the gold rush in our classroom has a new flair. Thanks for collecting songs reflecting the diversity of cultures that were drawn to California at this formative time in our history. Calicanto has struck gold."

Bev Schmidt, Fourth Grade Teacher