by Roger McGuinn, former member of The Byrds band
Don't be confused, there is another song called "May the Road Rise to Meet You, an Irish Blessing" which follows the entire text of the well known blessing.
ROGER McGUINN the song's composer
Roger McGuinn singing this song Roger McGuinn YouTube video If you are at all familiar with The Byrds, you'll hear Turn Turn Turn, Hey Mister Tambourine Man...in his playing and singing. He explains that he wrote this song with his wife.
However, I first heard this song, sung by Cathy Ryan, an Irish American singer. You can search for it on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify...your player of choice.
CATHY RYAN
If you are unfamiliar with her work, take a listen....exquisitely beautiful and tasteful
Cathy Ryan collection of songs on YouTube
Some of my favorite songs of hers are:
Callín Deas Cruíte na mBó (Pretty Maid Milking Her Cow)
Rough and Rocky
Ned of the Hill
Somewhere Along the Road
SONG SHEET
Here is my SONG SHEET of this song, with 3 verses and the beautiful refrain. I play it tuned in a 1-5-8 tuning (D-A-D) in the key of 'C', which just means I choose to use chords found in the key of C (C, G, F, Am) and I have a 1+ fret on my dulcimer which makes it easy to do a C (3 1+ 1) and F(1+ 1+ 1+) chord. You can easily transpose the chords to play in the key of D (D, A, G, Bm), if you don't have a 1+ fret.
May the Road Rise to Meet You PDF SONG SHEET
This is a chords and lyrics SONG SHEET...not tablature. I rarely play a song I sing, with tablature these days. For the introduction I am playing a fingerpicking pattern that follows the melody in the first half of the verse, and then the refrain. For the ending, I just fingerpick the chorus melody. I tried finger picking through the entire song and I sing it, but it sounded too busy...so ended up strumming through the singing parts.
MY YOUTUBE VIDEO
May the Road Rise to Meet You - Janene Millen
I am playing on my koa McSpadden dulcimer, tuned up a 1/2 step that day (D#-A#-D#). I needed it a little higher than usual to do the song when I sat down to record. That happens to me all the time.
