best male folk singer?

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From:
Date: 03 May 03 - 12:20 AM

Best is a subjective term. There are lots of subdivisions of Folk. I prefer Irish, Scots and Canadian. My favorites include Stan Rogers, Tommy Makem, Eric Bogle, Seamus Kennedy, Ed Miller, Jim McCann and Alex Beaton.
They all have qualities I admire.

                                  Ted

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,big john
Date: 03 May 03 - 02:07 PM

Im new to this internet thing one of you crazy lot must have told me about this site try this my vote the wilsons just because i want to hear them fight over witch one pat gets an exemtion im not that brave

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: kendall
Date: 03 May 03 - 03:44 PM

If I were to make a list, Art, you would be on it.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: kendall
Date: 03 May 03 - 05:44 PM

Sinsull, you might wish to explain "They wore me out." Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 03 - 12:17 AM

!!!!WAYNE NEWTON!!!!

Catspaw turned me on to him with the Bonanza episode and "Scarlet Ribbons For My Hair."

Sincerely,

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 04 May 03 - 04:17 AM

Allan Taylor (nobody else mentioned him - WHY NOT?)
Stan Rogers
Harvey Andrews
Lester Simpson

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Chris/Darwin
Date: 04 May 03 - 07:34 AM

Hard to disagree with most of the offerings. I present a folk program on the local community radio station, and I often play songs by female singers because of a combination of song and voice quality. Karan Casey, Maddy, Kate Wolf, Kate Rusby, Sandy, Eva - all great singers who also sang (or sing) folk songs.

With male singers, I am usually moved by something different - I love the song overall, and the quality of the voice somehow seems less important. John Hurt at the 63 Newport was wonderful, but if you listen to his voice, it was nothing special. Many other examples.

When you do come across a male singer with a technically good voice, you sometimes don't even recognise it, because you are not looking for it. Dick Gaughan, Martyn Wyndham-Read (in recent years), Bob Fox, Vin Garbutt, Doc, Chris Smither, etc., all have good voices, but all give a truth to the songs they sing, and that's what you remember.

Someone I heard nearly 20 years ago playing with Byron Berline in place of Dan Crary on an Australian tour. That was Vince Gill, and he sang a song about an old black man that sent shivers up my spine, and brought out the goosebumps all over. Fantastic soaring tenor. Not bad on guitar and mandolin either!!

Chris

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 14 May 03 - 06:42 PM

Martyn, Roy and Bob Fox..............

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 14 May 03 - 08:01 PM

Very fond of Bob Fox myself , also Tim Laycock, Louis Killen, Dick Miles, Jim Eldon - have to say you can keep The Wilsons, Big John, they don't (as they say) float my boat at all.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Waldo
Date: 14 May 03 - 11:18 PM

Well, OK, I'll take the bait....
ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Musicman
Date: 14 May 03 - 11:55 PM

umm.. my favs...

Stan Rogers
bill Staines
tommy Makem
gordon Bok

to name a few.......

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: sweetfire
Date: 15 May 03 - 07:33 AM

this thread has just made me realise that i now to listen to more 'folk' music....I don't know any male folk singers except Richard Thompson and that's only from an album with his wife Linda. But even then, is he counted???

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 15 May 03 - 02:32 PM

Vocally--well, gee, there's Gordon Bok, Gordon Bok, and Gordon Bok, followed closely by Stan and Garnet Rogers and Dick Gaughan. I also really like Hank Cramer. For songwriters, Bob Franke, Stan Rogers, and Eric Bogle.

And of course, dozens of others.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Bukoo
Date: 15 May 03 - 04:02 PM

Have read all the entries, and see no mention at all of Peter Bellamy. Such a distinctive voice and incredibly passionate delivery. It may not have been a 'beautiful' sound, but had the capacity to be immensely moving.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,JB
Date: 15 May 03 - 04:51 PM

My favorite tenor is Geoff Kaufman, based in Connecticut, USA.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: mutineer
Date: 21 May 03 - 02:23 AM

Hmm...i'd have to say:
Liam Clancy would have to take #1, but also-
Gordon Lightfoot
Stan Rogers
Johnny Cash - if you consider him folk!

Cheers;
Paddy

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Steven
Date: 21 May 03 - 07:56 AM

My all-time favorite folk singers are Stan Rogers and Gordon Lightfoot.

Steven

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Lidy
Date: 21 May 03 - 08:03 AM

er, mr folk revolutionary Jim Moray is well worth checking out if you want to hear new spins on traditional folk. not everyone's cup of tea, mind... but he's got one heck of a voice.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Captain Kirk
Date: 21 May 03 - 08:17 AM

Spock plays a mean harp (especially to Uhuru)

But seriously, is anyone better than Tom Jones?

Have you heard his Albatross

Not the 'do you get wafers version!'

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: InOBU
Date: 22 May 03 - 08:25 AM

I am changing my vote from Seamus to Kendall, because of the porn and sheep boots crack, and selling Seamus' sheep boots to the boy scouts and donating his porn videos to Catholic Charities... and cutting a wee bit off my vote to give to Dich Gaughan and RIchard Thompson, and by the way, I am playing more guitar these days, so we will see what happens with next years votes! I actualy played the guitar and sang live on WBAI at six thirty in the morning yesterday, so I have to vote my self the most idiotic challenge to a modern male folk singer award... got to the studio at six, began practicing without a capo trying to find where my voise was snoozing, and brought it up a fret at a time until I was finally able to reach my proper rainge... I guess it was alright, as I was asked to sing another after the interview.... well after all that, I am feeling forgiving towards Seamus, so I am dividing the remaines of my vote between Kendal and Seamus and Rick Fielding who gets three votes for not only being a WONDERFUL singer and writer, but being an all around nice guy who doesn't lend out his porno OR his sheep boots.
Larry

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: kendall
Date: 22 May 03 - 09:42 AM

Well, thanks....I think.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 22 May 03 - 10:03 PM

Larry, if I can't have your vote, can I please have your pipes now that you don't need them since you're playing guitar.
Wait, I wanna change my vote, too.
Is it too late?
Seamus

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Lana
Date: 22 May 03 - 10:38 PM

Here's another vote for Stan Rogers. If the man was alive and my age....well...my boyfriend would probably get upset with me. ;-)

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: InOBU
Date: 23 May 03 - 08:16 AM

FOX TV is going to have a show, American Folk Idol, wherein Kendall, Seamus and I are going argue about who we like among the three of us as the American Male Folk Idol. Unfortunately in the reality TV ethic, the eye gouging, hair pulling and bleeped explitives are what sell the show, so we are not going to get to sing, but, we ARE going to wave the porno tape boxes around and sniff the sheep boots.
Tune in
Larry

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 03 - 08:33 AM

Well. How long have you got?
(NOT NECESSARILY IN ORDER)
Steve Knightley,
Phil Beer, (always noted for playing, rarely singing),
John Wright,
Jim Moray,
Colum Sands,
Eddie Daley,
Paul Downs,
John Jones, (Oysterband lead singer),
All Tanglefoot (CAN) members,
The list is endless!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Zany Mouse on Mick's PC
Date: 23 May 03 - 09:56 AM

I need two votes please:

Martin Wyndham-Reed and Mike Nicholson.

I suppose if you pushed it to one vote then it would have to be Mike. Voice like chocolate (and you know how women LOVE chocolate!)

ZM

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: kendall
Date: 23 May 03 - 10:44 AM

Guest, I've never heard of any of those you mentioned. Where do/did they work?

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: InOBU
Date: 23 May 03 - 03:25 PM

Hi Kendall, at one time or another, they were all members of Sorcha Dorcha, just like half the world of music... (just kidding for those ready to flame me on this...) Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Lidy
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:04 AM

kendall, i guess GUEST's list are mostly UK-based. I know for a fact that Jim Moray is working out of Birmingham UK but will soon be London based, you can stream some of his stuff from the music section on his website (see link).
john jones is also a brilliant frontman with Oysterband, a UK folk/roots band, who have been doing great things to refresh folk over here in Blighty, including the Big Session tour earlier this year, with Eliza Carthy (i know she had some success in the States!).
Cracking UK folk coverage is available at the BBC (also below)
which is a pretty well researched site and links to lots of artists, but also streams a lot of stuff too- check out the folk awards footage in particular for john jones.
enjoy- after all, English folk, though it may seem to be in a sorry state, does have innovative and excellent performers... i'm just trying to bear up our national pride!
cheers,
Lidy
Jim's Site
The BBC Folk and Acoustic Page

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Lidy
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:07 AM

oh, and by the way, am i allowed to nominate Billy Bragg? not necessarily the best technical singer, but capable of bottling a ton of emotion into that Essex accent!! or maybe it's just the songwriting...

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:32 PM

Pete Bellamy....absolutely!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Phot
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:42 PM

Tom Lewis, but the early stuff, gutsy, soulful, and from the heart, a true mariners singer, and not quite folk, Bruce Dickinson, ...anyone with a four and a half octave range deserves recognition!!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Moi
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:55 PM

John Jones, yeah!
I love Richard Thompson's voice.
Simon Nicol has a marvellous voice.
Bob Fox.
Chris Leslie.
Clifford T. Ward!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Santa
Date: 24 May 03 - 01:00 PM

Mrs sez Jez. Barry Coope. John Kirkpatrick. Tim Laycock. Tanglefoot's "sex and chocolate" Al Parrish.

I say can we get back to talking about Isla and Kate.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 May 03 - 03:57 AM

Hi Kendall.
Lidy was right. All the names i put down are uk based (with the exception of Tanglefoot).

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 27 May 03 - 11:05 AM

Ewan MacColl, Dick Gaughan, Martin Windam-Reed, Pete Seeger, Hank Cramer, Merritt Herring, Richard Dyer-Bennet, and Stan Rogers.

...for starters...ttr

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Big Tim
Date: 27 May 03 - 11:10 AM

Luke Kelly, obviously!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 03 - 03:04 AM

I can't belive that of all those people i mentioned (Steve Knightley, Phil Beer, Jim Moray ect) I forgot to put one of first & lasting favourites, Jackie Leven! What a SUPERB voice!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: captainbirdseye
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 06:37 PM

Tony Rose not only did he have a great voice,but he was afine interpreter of a story in a song,in my opinion he is the best I have ever heard.Dick Miles.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 07:52 PM

If we're talking technique, and they don't have to be alive, and they don't have to sing in English, Ruhi Su would be hard to beat. The only classically trained folksinger I know of who could use his classical technique instead of it using him (which is what happens with all British singers like that).

I like Alistair Hulett as much as the previous poster (he is a superb songwriter) but among Scottish singers I prefer Rod Paterson for expressive power. Maybe Hulett's voice will develop the darker tone his songs often need when he gets older.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 04:03 AM

I still love the voices that 'defined' folk for me when I first started listening way back as a schoolboy....
still use those sounds as a benchmark...
Nic Jones and John Kikpatrick always being the first two to come to mind.
Tony Rose, I heard later - but he hit the spot for me straight away too. Bless.
......m'pal Ali Hulett.... 'when he gets older'!!! Hah!
I'm gonna phone him up right now and point that out - it'll mek the awl scunner laff, for sure! Hah!
Cheers - Duncan

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 04:07 AM

No reply from Ali - still tickled here! - later then! - D

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: old salty
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 05:39 AM

sean keane and ralph mctell,me thinks!

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Janine
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 11:09 AM

English: Nic Jones
USA: Cisco Houston (hasn't anyone mentioned him yet?)

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 11:15 AM

Impossible question, I couldn't stand Kenneth McKellar most days, but his unaccompanied version of 'She Moved Through the Fair' is unbeatable.
Horses for courses as they say.
Giok

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Big Tim
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 12:26 PM

Many of the above mentioned were also great songwriters and I think that has swayed opinions.

Luke Kelly didn't write songs but if anybody knows of any one with a better, richer, deeper, more committed, singing voice; please tell me. I would love to hear such a voice.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 01:26 PM

only because I've een listening to my relatively new set of Cds from Time-Life, The Folk years Collection - I;d have to say the voices I love the most are:

Jesse Colin Young
Tim Hardin

I vote yes that Johnny Cash is folk and further wish that Vince Gill would cease singing silly country fare and start singing more Irish music since he has such a lovely voice for it. This is the second time I've said this in a Mudcat thread so you know I mean it.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: van lingle
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 05:35 PM

Paul Brady mostly does, I suppose you'd call it original pop, these days but it's hard too think of someone who handles traditional material as well as he does, IMO.
His old mate Andy Irvine ain't to shabby either.
Then of course Fred Neil...

DW, wow haven't thought about JC Young and the late Tim Hardin in a long time. A couple of fine singers.

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Northwind
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 07:32 PM

I think ... Phil Callery, Chris Wood, Graham O'Callaghan, Ifig Troudec do it for me ....

Stevie

Subject: RE: best male folk singer?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 09:16 AM

Mike Harding.