A Real Folksinger

Subject: RE: A Real Folksinger
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 07:16 PM

It's interesting how this topic is reminiscent of the way some talk about jazz. What is jazz? This can also start a lively debate. Some say that any arranged swing oriented dance band can be called jazz. Others say that jazz is only based on improvisation. Even the term "classical" music is ambiguous. I guess labels seem to trigger reactions.

The solution is to go with the style of music that you like. As a consumer of music, it doesn't do any good any more to group music under any different label because the terms "folk", "jazz", "classical" have be appropriated by the recording industry to sell the kind of genre they think the public will buy. It becomes important to know more about what record labels produce and their artists.

The frame of reference for dealing with these musical terms has deteriorated because there are no standardized definitions that people can agree upon.

For those like me who like a certain kind of music that we used to call folk, the solution would be to follow the culture that created the music that you like. Take a folklorist or anthropologist view of the music and you'll find what you're looking for. You probably won't find it in the popular music field.

Frank

Subject: RE: A Real Folksinger
From: Suffet
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 12:51 PM

Good people,

If you reread the initial message in this thread, you will see that I never discussed what folk music is and isn't. That's an entirely different matter from what I wrote about.

What I did in the first message was name several characteristics of what I called a real folksinger. Taken as a whole, being a folksinger is more a question of attitude than of repertoire. That's why I continue to hold that any song can be a folksong, and that folk music isn't a genre.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: A Real Folksinger
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 06:09 PM

Never sings a real folk song as it was traditionally sung. Always has to change it so it will be known by his/her name.

Subject: RE: A Real Folksinger
From: Suffet
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 06:46 AM

Which explains why Elvis just couldn't leave "Aura Lee" well enough alone!

Actually, I do sing "Love Me Tender" once in a while. I'm holding off on "Aura Lee" until I do a musical about the Clinton/Lewinsky affair.

--- Steve