The survival of traditional folksong :
Jeff Gillett
It’s easy to feel negative about the
survival of traditional folksong.
It’s certainly true – but it’s been true for a
long time – that there are so-called folk
clubs where you seldom hear a
traditional song (although I know one
such club where the appearance,
independently, of two newcomers on a
regular basis changed the situation
considerably for the better in that
respect)
Poetry and song from my namesake:
Tony Phillips
There’s two of us out there in the folk world! Meet North Staffordshire’s version of me. This Tony is a poet and songwriter and regular member of the singaround at Tuesday Folk in Bridgenorth.
My life is music and music is my life, I’m 76 young and write songs and poems each day. I’m a folky, sing and play guitar at the local social club and i’ve just completed a song about Eric the green Leprechaun and a poem about Bomb Disposal.
A Musical Journey :
Stephen Cook
What about the musical journeys of ordinary people? I’ve had a few musical highlights in my life, but for the most part I’ve been a strum and finger pick guitar and uke player, who sings a few songs at the pub. I’ve enjoyed the journey tremendously. Here’s my story – perhaps a few others may care to share theirs?
Round the fireplace at the Dukes Arms:
Bob Whale
Stevie Pooles ‘Round The Fireplace Acoustic Session’, Dukes Arms, Woodford last night. It struck me when we’d finished, that if Del Boy had attended, on his return to flat 368, Nelson Mandela House, Peckham, he’d have said “It was Blinding Rodney!”
40 years of singing:
Hazel Underwood
Pennymoor Singaround recently held a weekend of celebration to mark its fortieth birthday attended by over 90 current and past members. There was plenty of singing, memories shared and concerts or talks from invited guests.
Appreciation, encouragement and courtesy:
Pauline O’Brien
The first folk club I went to in my teens was run by a great MC, appreciative of all performers and particularly encouraging to those starting out. He took the view (which I share) that everyone must start somewhere, and it isn’t until you perform in front of others that you know how your efforts will be received.
From Bard to Bastard: Tracey Rimell
I was born into a family of songwriters and music producers, with a published poet for a grandma to boot. It’s not a huge surprise then that I ventured down the same path. My love of music started aged seven, when I learned the classic childhood joy that is primary school recorder. I’m not sure why I enjoyed it so much when my school had a somewhat rigid approach to learning. In fact, if you forgot to bring your recorder to class, you were made to ‘play’ a ruler to get the practise in. And practise was needed; there’s nothing like the resounding squawk of a choir of plastic recorders in dissonance with each other. Delightful.
It’s your turn: Alison White
My dad has been in many bands throughout his life, playing not only the guitar and harmonica, but in at least one band, the blown bottle. He is a natural performer and he loves to perform; as he would tell you, he’s not the best guitarist or the best singer in the world, but he knows how to sell a song.
My mother used to play the piano for our primary school assemblies, but aside from that I know very little about her relationship with music as, as far back as I can remember she has only listened to Radio 4 and classical music.
Finding my Voice: Peter ‘Captain’ Edwards
I arrived with my parents in a small village called Newton near Cambridge from South Africa in 1960, after a period of acceptance by the villagers and school children, I became friends with among others another a young man called Robin from Sawston who convinced me that going to a folk club called ‘The Rob Roy’ upstairs room and sitting on cushions with the Cambridge Crofters performing was the best way to meet young girls especially foreign ones keen to learn English.
I was made for music: Chris Walls (Cee Dub)
I believe we probably come into this world fully formed and if life allows, we follow our path – though sometimes life gets in the way…I remember as a small kid growing up in Enfield North London, listening to music on the transistor radio I had saved for. We had a tape recorder to send and listen to messages with friends in Australia. I would record songs from the radio and I would record my voice.
Musical Wanderlust: Les Ray
Like the other contributors to this page, my life has had its own musical soundtrack. In my case the songs were those to be heard as I was growing up in a Northamptonshire village, losing my innocence at Reading University, spending a decade in exile in Italy and Argentina, to then return to the UK in the 1990s and embark on my own musical adventures with a band and a radio show.
Guitar Addict: Philip Rundall
I’m now 71 years of age have been addicted to guitars since the age of 14, when I was misled by Bert Weedon into thinking that you can learn to play in a day. With 3 chords under my finger tips I formed a pop group with a school friend on lead guitar, my pal over the road bought a set of drums, a school friend of his played bass guitar and the first Roman Catholic I came into contact with, became the singer. We called ourselves The Stonemakers. This name became a little embarrassing later on when the Rolling Stones suddenly came on the scene. I played rhythm guitar on a second hand Harmony Meteor arch top guitar that I bought in Charing Cross Road, down in London.
Session Poet: Annie Wilkins
Oh why when it’s my turn to sing
I can never think of anything.
Use the internet to broaden my choice,
What can I find to suit my voice?
My Folk Family: Maggie Culver
Hello, my name is Maggie, and I live in a small village in Leicesershire. For the first 26 years of marriage, my life centred around bringing up 2 children, and my social scene was motor bike rallies, race meetings and club meetings. At the age of 54, my husband and I were driving through a village near to where I live, and we saw a sign outside a pub which said “FOLK MUSIC ON SUNDAY 8.30. We decided to give it a try, and that was my very first introduction to “Folk Music” .
I wanted to be a concert pianist: Andrew Martin
But as I couldn’t manage the 4 hours daily practice, I decided to become a drummer.
The mid sixties were an exciting time for British music. I was a boarder at King Edward VI School at Bury St Edmunds where I remember the first two Beatles albums being played to death in the common room. As the sixties advanced music became ever more sophisticated especially when pirate radio was able to broadcast it to the nation while the BBC limited it to about one hour a week.
In search of Duende: Penny Waterhouse
I sing because I am. At that moment of stillness, before the music starts, I am waiting for something to arrive. Something transformative. To take me, other musicians and the audience to another place. Something that is of me, and not me. What am I waiting for?
About Singing: Sheri Kershaw
Some one recently said to me that I sang as if I was performing even when I was rehearsing. A dear friend asked those coming to her 70th birthday celebration to bring an offering, a poem, a piece of writing, music to share. I played and sang , people clapped.
I had wanted to give my singing self to and for my friend. It got me thinking……
50 years folking about: Dave Henderson
When you are 15 in 1967 and living on the West Coast of Cumbria your dreams can seem a long way away , particularly when they are not centred on rugby league or punching someone with gloves on. Don’t get me wrong , it wasn’t a town where we suddenly launched attacks on unexpecting glove-wearing pensioners , more a mining town; boxing culture.
The Travelling Life: David and June Wendon
Concertina players. David and June spend their time touring clubs and sessions all over the UK:
We have to-day returned from another month away in which time we have been in twelve counties from Essex along the south of England to Somerset and been singing our way along, or as our van is named ‘Meander’ along.
We have been to four folk clubs and four sessions, its my way of fighting dementia but some will say its too late! Surprise is that we have been welcomed every time considering our limited ability.It’s good fun and of course we are meeting like minded people and even asked back probably because they know the distance and that it is not likely to happen!.
Then we are going to Suffolk Song and Ale, Sussex SA and The Wail at Verwood with days with the Folk section of the Camping and Caravanning Club and then off to France in September for a couple of months and I have lined up three folk clubs over there. If only we could have started this life style earlier but you can see we are making the most of it now.
South Africa: Pete and Savannah’s story
Pete Knottenbelt, lover of folk music and life itself, and grand-daughter Savannah have added their voices from sunny South Africa…but thats only the tip of the proverbial iceberg in terms of a headline story. Read on……
Having miraculously survived a close encounter with a crocodile, in which he sustained life-threatening injuries and lost the lower half of his right leg, Pete, 71, has made a remarkable recovery. Throughout his ordeal he has remained amazingly positive and upbeat: