The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #155357   Message #3657682
Posted By: Phil Edwards
06-Sep-14 - 04:36 AM
Thread Name: What makes a new song a folk song?
Subject: RE: What makes a new song a folk song?
People enjoy folk music. So sad that you don't. Especially after all the work you put into it. But you know what ? Those you dismiss are those taking it to the next generations.

Not really. I used to enjoy going to my local folk club - I was a regular performer there for several years, doing cover versions, my own songs & the odd traditional number. I went off it in a big way when three things happened:

a) I heard a lot of traditional songs
b) I realised I liked them
c) I realised that traditional songs were the one thing you very rarely heard at that folk club

I go back every so often & I can confirm that the club's thriving. But you're about as likely to hear a traditional song - any traditional song - as a song by Donovan. Traditional songs aren't going to get to the next generation that way.

In my case there's a happy ending - I've found other venues where you can hear traditional songs half the time or even more. But giving up on folk clubs is totally understandable to me, and it's certainly got nothing to do with giving up on folk music.