Who is yer favourite male folk singer?

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 02:39 AM

I find it interesting how people go off at a tangent and ignore the original question, answering instead a more general question in their minds, like "who do you like?". Paul Robeson was the greatest bass/baritone that ever lived, sure - but not a folk singer per se. Neither was Harry Belafonte. And a number of songwriters were mentioned for the strength of their songwriting rather than their voice qualitis, which is what the question was about.

In fact one is more likely to find good voices among non-songwriters; after all, performing alone is their strength.

I forgot earlier to mention one voice who is said to be among the closest to delivering traditional English song in the traditional unadorned way (so I am told, I wouldn't know as I have scant knowledge of traditional methods of delivery). I just love the quality of his voice and his unassuming, unaffected manner: Geoff Wesley.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Sooz
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 02:46 AM

You'd have to go a long way to find finer voices than our very own Goldengob and Strollin' Johnny (and Guest, Tom Bliss - who should join!)
I'm also very fond of many others who could never be accused of having beautiful voices but who are fabulous interpreters of songs.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Baz
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:02 AM

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread - your input is useful and I'm going to have a lot of fun tracking down some of the people you have mentioned!

Cheers,
Baz.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Blowzabella
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:04 AM

Tim Laycock

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Capo da Monty
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 07:59 AM

It has to be "Derbyshire's Finest" JACK HUDSON for me.
A masterful singer of his own songs (and interpreter of others such as Tom Waits, Guy Clark.....) A truly unique and voice.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: JulieF
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 08:10 AM

aAndy M Stewart and Paul Brady

J

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Mike Miller
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:02 AM

I assume that Paul Papavgeris is too young to remember Robeson and Belafonte. They were, each, in their time, the most popular folksingers in the world. Paul Robeson was a concert performer who presented, and recorded, what were known as Negro spirituals and work songs. His 78's could be found in every folk lover's collection. His classical training and world wide fame separated him from folksingers like Almeda Riddle or Doc Boggs but his songs were, well, within the limits of folk.
Harry Belafonte was, simply, the man who moved folk into the younger and most popular market. He was the first folk teen idol and he accomplished this without sacrificing musical integrity. Known, primarily, for his calypso songs, his concerts and recordings were eclectic and wildly successful. Like Robeson, Belafonte was a wonderful actor. It is interesting that so many folksingers have had acting careers (Burl Ives, Will Geer, Theo Bikel, Alan Arkin, Eartha Kitt).
I fear that these informal polls are more a test of generation. Altes, like me, are locked into our heros and young posters are often unaware of the great talents that shone before they existed. Well, perhaps we can all learn to expand our experiences.

                     Mike

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:46 AM

I am too young to rememember Paul Robeson, Mike, though I heard several of his recordings of course. It's his classical training that made me de-classify him from "folk singer". But I do - just - remember Harry Belafonte, my elder sister had a thing for him, I believe, as she did for several of the better looking actors of the day. Perhaps being the other side of the water has given me fewer opportunities to appreciate either of them in a folk context, so I stand corrected!

You mentioned Alan Arkin - I always admired him as an actor, but never knew of his folk links. Can you point me to somewhere where I can find out more?

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:51 AM

Well, blow me down with a feather! Forget it Mike, I just googled Arkin-folk, and guess what I found: He only went and wrote the very song that I learned to sing from Belafonte's record when I was 3 years old - the Banana Boat Song... That remained a favourite of mine well into my teens, though as I spoke no English at the time and had learned the whole thing phonetically I was singing stuff like ... no, too embarassing. But what a magic few moments right there: from doubting Belafonte and knowing nothing about Arkin's folk roots, to finding that they had quite an impact on me when young.... That'll teach me.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:56 AM

Martin Carthy, Stan Rodgers, Ian Tyson, Nick Jones. Lots of other great ones, but these are my favourites.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:59 AM

Ken Langsbury, Mike Waterson, Phil Tanner, Harry Cox, Gordon Hall.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,chinmusic
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 11:20 AM

When he was still a folksinger, Jerry Jeff Walker. Also, the great John McCutcheon and Chris Smither.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 11:37 AM

Elvis Presley

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Scoville
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 11:42 AM

Steve Earle

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Mrs Scarecrow
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 11:50 AM

Mick Ryan and Bill Caddick both very fine songwriters in addition to having lovely voices. Also Johnny Collins does it for me every time

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,celticblues5
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 12:35 PM

Oops, should have said, in addition to Bok, Rogers, & Paterson, of course, Christy Moore & Nic Jones.


George -

Alan Arkin also recorded, with Ed McCurdy, at least two albums of "naughty" folksongs, the first called, if I recall, "When Dalliance was in Flower & Maidens Lost Their Heads." I believe the second was something like "When Dalliance was in Flower 2" - or something on that order. You might be able to find them (on vinyl) from a vintage outlet. Don't know if they were ever reissued on CD.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 01:24 PM

John Hiatt

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Elettra
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 02:42 PM

Jim Malcolm, hands down. His Old Blind Dogs work was wonderful but have a listen to his solo stuff. Sublime, makes me weak in the knees! :~} Pure butterscotch. And a heck of a nice fellow.
E.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Mike Miller
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 04:54 PM

Alan Arkin was one of those Washington Square folksingers from the late 1950s. He recorded an album of children's songs with The Babysitters, a group that included Lee Hayes and Ronnie Gilbert. His brother, Steve, is a talented bluegrass banjo player who played with Bill Monroe for years. I saw Steve, recently, at a Washington Square reunion.
Quite a few well-known performers were into folk. Eddy Arnold, the Tennessee Plowboy, recorded an album of traditional songs that included the most beautiful version of "Wayfaring Stranger", and what a beautiful voice he had.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Mucky Pup
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:00 PM

I think that Graham O'Callaghan is one of the finest voices I've ever heard but also an amazing interpreter of songs.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 06:14 PM

Michael Jackson

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Anamika
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 06:20 PM

Jez Lowe & Chris Wood

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 08:50 PM

Richie Havens ...but also Andy Irvine, Ged Foley, Paul Brady,Dick Gaughan,the late Fred Neil and Shane MacGowan.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: CET
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 07:28 PM

There are definitely some people who haven't read the original question, which was about good "voices". Now, you can have all the respect in the world for Mike Waterson and Phil Tanner, their delivery, and style, and what they have done for folk music, but there's absolutely no way they could be considered to have great voices. Heresy alert: I would classify Martin Carthy and Ewan MacColl in that group too.

Running and hiding now.

Edmund

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Ythanside
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 08:23 PM

Luke Kelly, by light years; then Bill Alldrick, Stan Rogers, Cyril Tawney and Woody Guthrie, but I've only heard two or three thousand singers so far. Ask me again in thirty years. Cheers.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 01:49 AM

How could anybody compare these lightweights with the great Doc Watson?

You must all be mad dogs or Englishmen.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Mark H.
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 05:38 AM

Ronnie Drew. He conveys a ballad like his side of a conversation, you hear the tragedy in his soul and the glint in his eye, he's the man.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: concertina ceol
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 05:45 AM

John Kirkpatrick has a fantastic strong english voice, and doesn't hold back. I admire his talent greatly and can't understand why he doesn't get more recognition for his talent and his devotion to English traditional music. His solo albums are excellent as are the recordings he has done with Brass Monkey.

Barry Coope, Lester Simpson and Jim Boyes collectively make the finest unaccompanied English folk music at present. Their wonderful, surprising and complex harmonies are a joy. Love 'em!

Nic Jones also had a wonderful voice (I know he is still alive) and sang really beautifully. I've only recently bought "Penguin Eggs" and I just can't stop playing it, you hear somehing new each time.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,ME
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 06:01 AM

Reply to CET:
Are you sure you've read the original question correctly?
How do you get from "Who is yer favourite male folk singer?" that we are talking about "great" voices?
You don't have to have a "great" voice to be a good singer. A good folk singer is all about interpretation and communication.
And why should you run and hide after your "heretical" assertion. They may not be classified as having great voices (although this is very subjective) but they are great folk singers - you surely can't deny that.
Martin

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: 3refs
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 08:17 AM

Coming from Orillia, I guess it goes to Gordon Lightfoot(although don McLean's Starry Starry Night is my fav.

But did ya catch Elvis and Celine Dion on American Idol last night? I was stunned! Just imagine, to be on stage and sing with the King!

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 08:32 AM

3refs: you do realise that anyone can sing along to the television, CD, film etc.
I've duetted with Shirley Bassey and those three vultures off "Dumbo" so far this week.
It's not hard.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Rog Peek
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 08:57 AM

Phil Ochs by a country mile

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: 3refs
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 09:45 AM

Sorry I missed you with Shirley and The Vultures guest.

I've seen three such duets. Hank Sr and Hank Jr, Nat and Natalie and this one with Elvis and Celine. I think the standing ovation for the entire song says something about technological shock factor.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 10:24 AM

Robin Laing

sal

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: mrdux
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 01:54 PM

GUEST Martin asked a little bit ago (26 Apr 07 - 06:01 AM): "How do you get from "Who is yer favourite male folk singer?" that we are talking about "great" voices?"

Pretty easily. The original question was:

"all I want to know is, in your opinion, who has a really good VOICE - and why?"

michael

ps -- For what it may be worth, I know this only because just yesterday I was curious about the scope of the topic and went back and reread the original posting.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Will Drover
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 08:45 PM

must be the late great Hamish Imlach.

humorous songs, bawdy songs, traditional Scots ballads, Irish freedom songs, blues, and political songs - as a song interpreter no-one can beat him.   and he was hilarious !

listen to his rendition of Eric Bogle's 'Green Fields of France' on the Sporting Life live album and you will see what I mean.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,richlmo
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 09:19 PM

Might not be my favorite and might not be a great voice, but I love to listen to John Gorka.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: iancarterb
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 10:46 PM

Great voices (of various kinds) Jack Langstaff, Stan Rogers, Frank Warner, Larry Hanks, Louis Killen, Bill Monroe, Jody Stecher

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 11:23 PM

Murray,

I just today discovered Paul Brady on YouTube. How in heavens name did he miss my radar?

Don

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Big Phil
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 06:27 AM

The Late Great Luke Kelly, no competition really.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 05:48 PM

Don, If you invest in a recording by Paul Brady be aware that besides his traditional stuff he does a lot of Rock/Pop (I guess you'd call it). Some of his best traditional singing can be found on
"Welcome Here Kind Stranger", "Paul Brady/ Andy Irvine" (great album) and the more recently released "Liberty Tapes" a live mid- 70's recording which features a lot of his best known arrangements of traditional songs with great playing by a whole bunch of Irish heavyweights. "Nobody Knows" is a collection of his more modern self-penned tunes.vl

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 05:58 PM

Thanks Van,

I found him on YouTube. Lots of 1970's stuff. And a great version of Arthur McBride, maybe the best I have heard. I'll look for those CDs.

Don

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 06:20 PM

Since there are many different styles and cultures of folk singers, it would be difficult to pin point one favorite.

As to singing in the folk style, Burl Ives comes to mind. He could really sing.

Paul Robeson was a great basso but not necessarilly the greatest that ever lived. There was Chaliapin and Cesare Siepi. And I never considered Robeson to be a folk singer per se.

One of the best phrasing singers was Louis Armstrong who sang all wrong but all right.
He is closer to a folk tradition of jazz and blues and New Orleans.

In every aspect of a culture-derived folk music, there is someone who will excel as a singer. For me it would be difficult to single anyone out.

In the Old Time Appalachian style of singing I am partial to Buel Kazee because he had a sweet tenor and accompanied himself so well on the banjo.

In the blues style, Big Bill Broonzy and Josh White. Leadbelly had a unique style as well.

Horton Barker was an amazing singer who didn't sing in the conventional trained-voice style but was hypnotic in his Appalachian style.

In the African-American gospel style, the Golden Gate Quartet is one of the best. Also Lou Rawls with the Pilgrim Travelers.

I love the singing of Hoagy Carmicheal who absorbed much of the blues tradition.

Iron Head Baker was one of the best African-American chain gang singing exponents.

Riley Puckett could really carry the Georgia string-band tradition.

I like Bob Atcher, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry for the cowboy styles. Also Vernon Dalhart,
Bradley Kinkaid and Carson Robison although these guys were probably not real cowboys, with the exception of Robison.

There are undoubtably a great many more. There are those who I admired as good singers although I never particularly cared for their styles of singing. Richard Dyer-
Bennett comes to mind.

Jimmy Rodgers, the "Singing Brakeman" had a unique sound as did A.P. Carter with the Family.

I think as Kendall has stated, it depends upon the environment, time of day or night or how you are feeling at the moment.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 07:51 PM

I could give you a different answer with every round.
Cheers!
Jim

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Apr 07 - 08:42 PM

Guy who 'Did' Maidenhead Club last night - Dick Frost - he has been singing for longer than I have been aware of folk music . And has never been a 'PRO' singer and despite his advanced year ( He is older than ME !) he did a wonderful varied evening of unaccompanied Songs .

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: GUEST,cliff
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 08:57 AM

Fred Holstein
Séan O'Sé

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 11:02 AM

Myself.http://www.dickmiles.com

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Frogette
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 11:29 AM

I go for Jim MacAdam and Bill Long (oh and Les Sullivan of course).

My Bill Long CD was stolen at Barnsley and I dont know how to get another copy. I'll have to Google.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 01:02 PM

Harry Cox.

Subject: RE: Who is yer favourite male folk singer?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 02:42 AM

Check out Dave Gravis for a few minutes, when you get the chance. He'd be one more on a very long list for me.