Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?

Subject: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: SharonA
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 12:17 PM

I was just chatting with a business colleague in Orlando, FL and she jokingly (?) said I should think about moving down there (from southeastern Pennsylvania) to work. So, while I'm entertaining the thought, I'd like to know what the folk music scene is like there. Are there many folk clubs? Places to perform such as coffeehouses, house concerts and other non-smoking venues? Folk festivals?

Just curious! I'm not going to up-and-move tomorrow or anything, but with the "war" and the "recession" and all, it may be time for me to at least consider some alternatives to living between New York City and Washington, DC! Thanks in advance for any info.

SharonA

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: John J
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 12:37 PM

I would also be quite interested; my father spends half his life in Clearwater, Florida. The next time I visit (perhaps next spring) I will bring my melodeon and my voice if there's a folk song / music scene.

John

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Wesley S
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 12:46 PM

Sharon and John - I've been out of touch since I've been living it Texas since 1979 but you might check out the website of the Friends of Florida Folk. www.foff.org

John - I grew up just a few miles south of where your Dad is - Largo Fla. Roger McGuinn lives near there now.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: SharonA
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 06:02 PM

Thanks, Wesley S, for that website. According to the Friends of Florida Folk info, the pickings (and strummings) seem somewhat sparse there compared to my area: check out the Philadelphia Folksong Society's site at www.pfs.org and the Bucks County Folk Song Society at www.bucksfolk.org (they've got a picture of me in there!). And those are just two counties in the lower-right-hand-corner of the state of PA!

Surely Florida must have more folk websites, and more folk activities going on than those the Friends of Florida Folk have listed... I hope! Does anybody have more info to pass along?

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Deni
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 12:57 AM

John from Celtics Ways, has a lot to do with the folk scene in florida. I don't know if that's any help.

[e-mail] Cheers

D

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 29 Sep 01 - 06:08 PM

I happen to have been forced to be in charge of information for Central Florida (including Orlando.) I send out a monthly 4-page summarized e-mailing to over 1100 addresses. It has all the venues plus e- & web-addresses to the gig guides. Current one went out on the 27th. The local org is now "Central Florida Folk, Inc." since foff de-chapterized. Send me your e-mail address and I squirt you a copy. BTW, other areas - South FL, Sarasota, Tampa-St Pete also have strong local organizations. Charley will likely post here too.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: GUEST,tequilaron
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 06:03 PM

Sharon and John, FOFF is a good place to start, but do not expect a similar Folk environment to Pennsylvania. I have found Orlando to largely be obsessed with the rat and the tourist dollar. Tampa offers far more alternative music opportunities. Skipper's Smoke House is a great venue. Check out WMNF88.5 radio's web site. It is one of the best community radio stations in the country and they promote concerts including everyone from John Prine to The Red Elvises. A good friend of mine promotes some wonderful concerts in Lakeland, FL. He books local musicians to open for nationally known performers. His Winter concert series includes: Pierce Pettis, Rod MacDonald, Steve Young, Eric TAylor, Roy Book Binder, Richard Shindell, Harvey Reid, and Vance Gilbert. There are also some pretty good festivals in Central Florida: Wings and Strings in Lakeland, Fl, The Will Maclean Festival near Dade City, Fl, and The Gamble Rogers Festival at St. Augustine. The music is there, you just have to search it out and failing that there is always my back porch. Ron.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Robin2
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 10:05 PM

Thanks to all!
Ten Penny Bit is touring through FL in mid-febuary, and if it's permitted to ask, we are looking for venues to play as well. Lots of leads above, and we thank you!

Robin

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 01:07 AM

I'm living in Pasco County, Fl right now (transplanted from MI). Glad to get together with anyone who would like to jam. Left behind several years of performing mostly Scottish/Irish folk in and around southeast Michigan. Willing to do the same in Florida or branch out a bit. Really fond of old-time, Appalachian and early "country" stuff. Love to sing everything from Carter Family to Van Zandt to Gillian Welch. I'm about 40 minutes from Clearwater Beach, 15 minutes from Tarpon Springs. How long to Tampa depends on how lost I get trying to get there. Ditto the above comments about Tampa and WMNF. E-mail me at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: harpgirl
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 09:05 AM

gee Big Daddy, you live in my favorite county in Florida! I go to the Sertoma Ranch to play regularly. I'll be at Sunshine State Music Camp next weekend in Tampa as a special guest. Do you know my old friends Dave and Linda Siglin? My email is [e-mail]...harpgirl

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: SharonA
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 05:42 PM

Thanks, everyone! Please keep the info coming!

tequilaron: Philadelphia's best folk-community radio station is WXPN-FM out of the University of Pennsylvania... ALSO at 88.5 FM!!

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 10:40 PM

As the current President of Friends of Florida Folk and a performer and a (now)occasional poster here I will chime in. The FoFF site depends upon artists and venues to notify us of their event, so it is always incomplete. The Orlando Folk Club has a web site in addition to their newsletter -- perhaps someone who knows it will post their URL here. The Orlando area has MUCH music of interest that doesn't involve "the Rat" or similar nearby plastic distractions. Same with the Sarasota club. Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale) has a huge and very active folk club and presents the annual South Florida Folk Festival. For more on south Florida try www.singerfolkmusic.com Bob and Saralyn Singer host many house concerts and keep track of what's going on in their region. There are frequent festivals at the Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, FL (north FL). The week of the 19th is Magnolia Fest. I believe they have a web site as well. magmusic.com or magnoliamusic.com. St. Augustine, up here in my neck of the woods is alive with folk and acoustic music on a regular basis. It's the home of Gamble Rogers and a host of his still picking proteges(sp?). Here in Jacksonville we're getting ready to host the 14th annual Folk Alliance conference in February. I'm chair of the local conference committee. Cheryl Wheeler is here tomorrow night. Allison Krause was here last weekend. My little redneck city is coming along...Our state is rich ith folk music and other forms of folk art. It's not all that hard to find that our heritage goes light years beyond Disney, MGM, and condos on the beaches. And how could I forget the nations longest running state folk festival, the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial Day weekend in White Springs. Did I mention one of my songs is being released on a compliation disk of Florida Environmental music? Yeah, that too...

Paul

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: harpgirl
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 12:08 AM

...so Paul...will there be a picket line in front of the hotel or what? I haven't turned in my application to work. I think I'll go play mountain dulcimers at the Sertoma Ranch instead. Aren't they the same weekend? hg

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 07:52 AM

Harp:

I can't predict what the outcome of the NAACP case will be. or if there will be pickets at that point in time. Each person will need to follow their own direction in that regard. The Jacksonvile Adam's Mark is not the target of picketing at this point in time.

Paul

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: harpgirl
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 03:19 PM

...gee Paul...you are so diplomatic in your remarks! Have you thought about running for a real office?*wink* How about running against K Harris? I'd vote for you!!! LOL

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 04:10 PM

Well, Harp -- I've been tagged a "Liberal" elsewhere in this forum recently. How many votes will that get me? I suppose that depends on who's couting, eh?

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Wesley S
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 04:17 PM

Paul - It doesn't matter how many votes you get. It's the Supreme Court that gets to decide. { running and ducking }

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: SharonA
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 05:05 PM

Hee hee hee! Good one, Wesley!

Paul G: So how long has the Florida Folk Festival been running?

Thanks, Florida Catters! Tell me more!! (Maybe it's time to start packing to move... but what would I do with all my Christmas sweaters?)

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Wesley S
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 05:17 PM

On a serious note if anyone has any idea what will be going on in Key West around the 1st of November please let me know. The Mrs and I are planning to be there that weekend.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 06:27 PM

SharonA...The 2002 Florida Folk Festivel is the 50th. Mudcat's own Joe Offer paid us a nice visit last year.

Wesley S...Key West is kind of a planet unto itself. Trust me, you won't be bored, nor will you likely find much traditional music. You will have a full plate of bar music, singer/songwriters, etc. I'll sniff around a bit and see if I can find out about any special events in the Keys when you're there.

Paul

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 06:27 PM

The 1st of November is in the middle of the week Wesley, but the big Key West shebang, "Fantasyfest" ,takes place the previous week, culminating on Saturday 28th Oct.

The Bacchanalian excesses of this event make Mardi Gras in New Orleans look like something the Taliban might organize to celebrate Ramadan.

This years theme is astrological, dress up and go as a planet or other heavenly body. ( Believe me, there will be plenty heavenly bodies on view that weekend, of all shapes and sexes )

If you want accommodation for that weekend I suggest you start looking NOW.

Murray

Murray

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 06:29 PM

Looks like Murray has you covered. All I can say is good luck...

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 08:24 PM

Hi, Paul. Yes, Orlando actually has at least four web sites related to folk, but especially Stuart's (unofficial) Orlando foff pages. All this is laid out in the newsletter, Folking Around. Just ask if you want it.

SharonA: Just mentioning for the sake of bragging or name-dropping or nostalgia or something, you may be interested to know that I was the one what invented folk music on the air in Philadelphia. I was the first to tape & announce & program, etc. a weekly show on WXPN am & fm way back in the dark ages when radios had tubes and the station was 100% student run & volunteer. We'd go to all of the many gigs in town - Farina, Brownie & Sonny, McCurdy, MacColl - them guys - and not only tape the show and interview the artist but we'd also get in free. And often have the artist back to the apartment for the party. Good times, indeed.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Robin2
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 09:39 PM

Abby,

Any chance I could get a copy of your e-letter as well? My email is [e-mail]

Thanks!

Robin

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 04 Oct 01 - 10:13 PM

Abby -- I haad no idea about your pioneer days in Philly. How cool! I get up that way on business occassionally (though not much these days) -- you'll have to direct me to an old spot or two for my next trip up (November).

Paul

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 10:06 AM

Robin: Thanks for asking. It is en route right now.

Paul: :-) All the old spots, venues, coffee houses (ya know, it's 40 years) have been dug up & removed. Still, there's a huge lot going on. John Lupton has been doing an old-timey/folk show on WXPN for many years and is quite knowledgable & a decent guy. (Gene Shay's been doing a folk show over 20 years but I don't know him.) And, of course, there's the Philadelphia Folksong Society which does the Festival & other stuff http://www.nothinbut.net/~pfs/. Including, it should be said, one of the very few grants to DigiTrad.

A friend recently checked out the bar-b-q ribs joint (4 tables) we used to go down to at 4th Street. It used to be "ethnic." Now it's yuppie. Such is the way of things.

The Guilded Cage is long gone but Ed & Esther Halpern still organize a thing or two.

I'll send you their e-mails but I'd have to check venues out meself as a newbie. Robin2's certainly much more aware than I am.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: SharonA
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 04:12 PM

Abby: WOW!! Very cool, indeed. BTW, don't forget "The Point" in Bryn Mawr, PA, which has tried to revive the days of the old "Main Point" (alas, I never had the chance to go to the "Main Point"). Indeed, the Halperns do organize "a thing or two" (or two thousand!). And how long has The Cherry Tree (at the University of PA) been around?

Paul G: In addition to the places Abby and I mentioned, you can find links to a lot more "spots" in the southeastern PA and central-southern NJ areas on the Bucks County Folk Song Society website: www.bucksfolk.org (come to a BCFSS meeting if you can — we'd love to have you!) (that goes for everyone reading this, too!)

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Robin2
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 07:36 PM

Abby,

Haven't received the e-letter yet, and I see you sent it this morning? Perhaps it will come later tonight (waiting with excitment!)

Sharon,

Thanks for the link to the Buck County group...hubby and I drive through Buck County about twice a year to visit my son in NJ....is it open to any and all? We'd like to stop in sometime.

Robin

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Paul G.
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 08:58 PM

Sharon: Nice web site for the Bucks County group. I'm usually not there on Sunday's, but I'll see what I can do about arranging a trip up so that I can get there. Will let you know if that happens. Maybe I'll drag Max along with me...

Paul

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:16 PM

Kat: Yes, Manfred does excellent work, a labor of love. I'm sure it was he that recently posted the excellent research on "Lili Marleen" here but I couldn't find it in a Search.

Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:21 PM

:-) Sorry, wrong thread.