Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring

Subject: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 08:27 AM

I found this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPW9siuSfoU of Sammy's Bar on You Tube

From "Flipping the Whale" (2000), written and directed by Sean Guinan, produced by Joshua Eckhardt and Sean Guinan. With Eddie Shin, Amy Bakos and Sean Guinan. The song was written by Cyril Tawney and recorded by the Golden Ring, a short-lived Chicago folk group from the early 70s.

Does anybody know anything about them?

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 08:38 AM

You should check the Folk-Legacy website which released a recording entitled THE GOLDEN RING in the early 1960's. It was and has been my favorite recording since then. Sandy and Carolyn Paton were the producers and also led some of the singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 08:47 AM

Villan, I think you will find that The Golden Ring was not a short lived Chicago band. If you listen to the recording, it is Ed Trickett, Sandy & Caroline Paton, and such. The Golden Ring recordings were a gathering of friends, at a Chicago radio station, recorded and released on Folk Legacy Records. Here is how it is described on the Folk Legacy website:

Actually, the "Golden Ring" has never been an established group of specific individuals; it has always been more a concept, an approach to informal, non-competitive music-making by a gathering of friends, often solo performers in their own right, who simply enjoy singing and playing together. Our first recorded example of this was the "original" Golden Ring, recorded at WFMT in Chicago in 1963 and now available as Folk-Legacy's CD-16.

There were 3 recordings. The original Golden Ring, and the New Golden Ring, part 1 and 2. They are available from Folk Legacy HERE, scroll down to them.   I have all three and they are wonderful.

Support Folk Legacy, they are a treasure that deserves it.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 08:58 AM

Thanks Charley & Mick for the info.

I was paticularly interested as Cyril Tawney & Martyn Whyndham Read were the first 2 Icons I saw back in the late 60's and have always held them in great esteem ever since.

I really like this version of Sammy's Bar.

Don't know if I would like all of their work, but I will have a look at the link provided by Mick.

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:00 AM

hmmm the link didn't seem to work for me Mick.

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:07 AM

Try Folk-Legacy.com, Villan, and use the search engine.

Mick

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:12 AM

Leader of the group on this song for the recording is Joe Hickerson, the head of the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress for many years.   He has also put out several records (now CD's) on his own, as well as with Golden Ring. And he is the source for many of us in the Washington area of many wonderful songs now in our repertoires, some we have since heard from other sources, some only from him.

His contribution to the Folklore Society of Greater Washington is huge.

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:14 AM

I have repaired the link in my original post. It will take you to a Golden Ring page. Scroll down to the recordings.

Mick

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:21 AM

Wow this is turning into an interesting thread. Thanks Ron.

I will try your link now Mick.

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:34 AM

Golden Ring, as I understand, was a bunch of--really talented--friends who liked to sing together----including Joe, Ed Trickett, Sara Grey, Sandy and Caroline Paton-- (heads of Folk Legacy, which, as noted earlier, is a wonderful label),-- Gordon Bok and Michael Cooney.

All of whom are wonderful individual artists in their own right.

And no doubt some others on the list are also--but I just don't know their stories.

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:36 AM

Just been listening to snippets from the Cd's. Some very interesting stuff there.

Its amazing what can be found in the Internet :-)

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Bernard Quenby
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 09:53 AM

An excellent version of this song on Martin Simpson's 'Bramble Briar'

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 10:09 AM

Villan, you would do well to poke around that Folk Legacy website. Some amazing stuff there. Some of the field recordings are to die for. And the site is run by Caroline and Sandy Paton, two of the most wonderful folks I have ever had the joy to meet.

Mick

Subject: RE: Sammy's Bar - Golden Ring
From: J-boy
Date: 19 May 11 - 09:15 PM

I just found that great little segment from "Flipping the Whale" on Youtube today. Worth watching. Even if you hate mime.