Redding's Putnam Park Featured In New Music Video [VIDEO]

REDDING, CT — A music video about one of Connecticut's most influential yet underappreciated sons is being released this week. It was filmed in Redding's Putnam Memorial Park earlier this year.

The song in the video is sung from the perspective of a Colonial soldier serving in Major General Israel Putnam’s division of the Continental Army, bivouacked in what is now the Redding park that bears his name, in the winter of 1778-79.

"Winter With Old Put" is one track on singer-songwriter Glenn Hall's new album "Clouds Turn Black." In the video, shots of Hall's performance are intercut with battle scenes recreated by Revolutionary War historical reenactment actors.

The Georgia recording artist grew up in Bethel, attending the local public schools there. As a teen, spending time at the park's museum and soaking up the American Revolutionary era ambiance of the guard house and officers' quarters which still stand there, Hall says he became fascinated with the early American military hero.

Putnam is, of course, a huge historical figure locally, with a Connecticut town and New York county, as well as the Redding park, all bearing his name. Outside our the area, he has not quite enjoyed the renown of his star-spangled contemporaries Washington, Revere and Franklin. Hall calls that a great injustice.

"Somebody should make a movie about this guy. His life is just extraordinary," Hall said.

Putnam not only made both British (and American) soldiers' lives hell during the Revolutionary War, but also ran with Roger's Rangers during the French and Indian War, when he narrowly escaped being burnt alive by Mohawks. He served with distinction at both the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Long Island.

When it came time to shoot the video for the historically-themed track, Hall, 54, and his filmmaker son hit upon the idea of heading up to Redding and filming at the actual site of the song — called "Connecticut's Valley Forge."

"We just kind of spontaneously drove up there and did a shoot right there on the site at Putnam Park," Hall said. "And it turned out to be perfect because I think it was the last day of cold weather up there, and there was snow everywhere."

After college, Hall moved to Georgia, where he signed a deal with a Christian music label. That contract did not result in a record release, but did pan out with a music director job at a large church in Strockbrige, GA. He has continued to write and record songs in other genres, but believes with "Clouds Turn Black" he may have found his niche, and an epiphany.

"I finally realized, I'm in my 50s here, and if I am going to release some stuff in this Americana vein, which I really enjoy, then I better get busy."

Hall said he has a backlog of Americana songs and "Clouds Turn Black" will be the first of a series of releases in that musical niche. These will include songs about Tony Conigliaro, the promising Red Sox outfielder whose career was cut short when he was with a baseball in the eye, and Marquis de Layfayette, a hero in both the American and French Revolutions.

"One cool thing about Americana is the artists that dabble in it, like Bruce Springsteen or John Mellancamp." Hall said. But by far most of the Americana recorded has been by artists who write and in that space exclusively.

For Hall, that space may just be the right place at the right time. Synchronization licensing has proven lucrative for the composers of Americana tracks, which have become highly prized by movie and TV producers. The "Golden Age of Scripted Television" in which we live is also a goldmine for Americana songwriters.

"Winter With Old Put" and "Clouds Turn Black," with performances by violinist/cellist Jenee Fleenor, who plays in Country star Blake Shelton’s band, will be released this Thursday on all the major music services. Hall says he hopes the Veterans Day drop will raise awareness for veterans in crisis. A physical copy can be had at CDBaby.