Where Have All The Americans gone?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Betsy
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 08:23 PM

Hi Jerry , are you happy that everyone is talking to each other ??

Cheers
Betsy

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 12:35 PM

I'm definitely an amateur. Unless you count being paid to stop singing! An amateur is someone who never gets paid.

One thing I have noticed over here is that most of the Americans (and Canadians) I see turn up and do a song or tune or two (which is not a huge number, I admit) are technically better than most of the similar Brits. There are some Brit amateurs who are shit hot (Jeff, for one), but it isn't really all that many round here. Mind you there is one guy with a pair, yes, I said a pair of Zemaitus acoustics, and never mind what he does I just listen to the guitar! There are some semi-pros who are OK and some who are good.

But of the pure amateurs, the non-locals seem to be technically better. This may of course be because they who are truly hopeless do not travel to play.

How about that? I said something nice about the Americans! Do you all feel welcome on your own site now?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 12:15 PM

Barry, while it is true there are a lot of 'amateurs' who post here from the US, many of them, you included, are definitely performers with some expertise in either the lore of the genre you are involved in, and also with some musical 'technique.' I don't think there are as many opportunities for many of us in the USA who are strictly 'back porch' singers or instrumentalists to congregate in public domains like pubs or folk clubs. We don't have the tradition. And so there is not as much to post about. I tend to agree with Tootler's remarks on how this may effect the number of music threads posted by USA'ers.

Geoff, Your point is well taken. I notice there are not many of us who tend to respond to threads about banjo or 'stringband' or jugband music. My sister is a fiddler. She is a bit of a purist when it comes to the style of fiddling she does (old-time Appalachian, especially West Virginia style fiddling.) Although she likes lots of different music, she limits how much other kinds of fiddle she listens to, because she says it unconsciously influences her own fiddling. This really isn't a bluegrass site, and other stringband musicians tend to be pretty narrowly focused. Also, this is much more of a song site than a tune site, and a lot of fiddle and banjo music are 'tunes' with any lyrics or singing very secondary.

So, there is a large contingent of folk musicians in the USA who are not much drawn to this site.

Janie

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 09:58 AM

Steve-O, you can put yourself on whatever list you like - it is all a matter of choice. It doesn't matter what list any of us are on.

I am not a "fan" of the navel-gazing songs either, but the problem is you create a stereotype when you say that and end up dismissing some great songs - songs that have the potential to stand up with all those great songs that you feel comfortable with. There are some amazing writers among us and we are only cheating ourselves. As we get older, we tend to stick with the music that we "grew up" with and becomes comfort food for the soul. Hearing an old ballad might bring us back to happier times.

It is really like anything in the arts. Every generation will wrap their arms around a style and it becomes hard to replace. As individuals I would also hope that we find something to hold onto. I have a friend who is a huge fan of ragtime. Another Jersey boy loves bluegrass music and you would think he grew up in the South instead of Bayonne. What about all those white college students that adopted the blues of African-Americans during the folk revival?   

It all comes down to an individual finding something that appeals and speaks to them.   Hopefully that does not require the person to methodically tear down other styles that are out there. One mans ceiling is another mans floor to quote a great song.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST,Patrick Costello
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 08:53 AM

> There have been a number of threads started by Patrick Costello

Yeah, but they were just posts pointing to a free workshop. If there ever had been a full-blown thread I probably would have ignored it because, to be totally honest, I'm not really into talking about what I'm doing. The material is there and you can use it or not. I don't care either way because we're having a hard time handling the traffic we already have.

Hell, I just had to take the new Daily Frail series offline this morning until I can add some more bandwidth to our account.

The one thing I am seeing across the board when it comes to web forums is that things are boiling own to a collection of private clubs. "Normal" people stop by, see that the forum in question is a private club and move on.

The Internet is a great place to gather and distribute information, but it sucks ass as a tool for bringing people together.

Turn off your computer, go outside and make some music. The real world is a lot more interesting than the Internet.

-Patrick

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 08:07 AM

One thing which I never understand about Mudcat is that when there are questions on Old Time American or clawhammer banjo it is often as not Banjo Ray or myself trying to answer, and both of us are Brits.
There have been a number of threads started by Patrick Costello (U.S.) offering online resources, podcasts, Banjo and guitar classes (Online Video) which have scarcely been commented on.
I sometimes wonder why the Americans do not seem interested on stuff from your own side of the pond. I certainly am interested to find out about what makes you tick (Musically - I get bored with all the politics threads in BS).
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Bert
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 11:11 PM

I just looked at Ron Olesko's site. It's kinda scary how many of the same things I like. But Ron, I clicked on "Full Size" on your picture, and you know you must be a pretty small guy.

Big Mick has the answer though, it's 'cos they participate.

Steve-0 is just a little harsh in his condemnation of singer/songwriters. But I'll forgive him this time because I have been to some songwriter meetings that he must have been to.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 10:52 PM

I really can't even consider myself an amateur musician, unless you count playing alone as amateur. I play for myself (and my wife, who endures it). I play because I enjoy it, a reason sufficient in itself. I am a professional librarian, and I'm not going to give up my day job!

There are good songs being written. It's just that, like every other time in history, they have wait until the dross washes away.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 08:43 PM

Re: the size of the US: when I was in Korea, our "auntie" thought she'd visit us Americans when she visited her cousin in Chicago. We were from California, Arizona and Washington. Her plan was to just jump on a cross-country bus, as she would when travelling from Seoul to Pusan. We could not convince her of the distances involved; she clearly thought we were having fun with her when we explained how many days of travel by bus all of that would entail.

Anyway, as the saying goes, "A Brit thinks a hundred miles is a long way. A Yank thinks a hundred years is a long time."

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 08:07 PM

Hi Tooler

I'd say that most of the Americans that post here are not professional or full time performers, though there are a fair handful of them. Semi-professional performers & amateur musicians probaly make up the bulk with the amateurs maybe being a bit more represented than the semi-pros.

It depends on what you call amateurs & semi pros though. Semi pros, working most weekends or a lot of week nights but still holding down a full time job & having a good few CD's or are they only a once in a while performer doing maybe a few festivals a year along with a few concerts & maybe 1 or 2 CD's? Would you consider that latter an amateur or one who never performed for payment?


Barry

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:38 PM

the current crop of singer-songwriters

Thwere are plenty of good songs being written and sung today. Plenty of bad ones too, sung by people who don't recognise when they've written one of them. But slapdash categories like "the current crop of singer-songwriters" which bundle the good and the bad together and throw them out - that's just lazy thinking.

All the good old songs were good new songs one time. (Or sometimes they weren't that good to start with, and got better along the way.)

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Tootler
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:34 PM

A gut feeling and I have no hard statistics to bear it out, but the impression I get is;

Americans posting here are more likely to be professional or semi-professional performers.

A larger proportion of the Brits are amateur musicians. Many of the threads on venues in the UK are for sessions or folk clubs where people get together simply to play the music and sing the songs they love with friends and other like minded people.

This is not to say there aren't announcements for professionals performing from the UK, but we seem to see less of the announcements from the amateurs in the US for their events. I'm sure they are there.

Please! let's hear from you.

I'm in the UK, BTW and one thing I noticed when I visited the USA for the first time were the distances. You had to set aside whole days to go between places. You can see the difference in the way the we talk about distance. Ask "How far is it?"

USA response "About four hours drive"
UK response "About 200 miles"

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Big Mick
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 06:34 PM

It's only brit centric because they participate.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: wilco
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 06:29 PM

I'm in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the south-eastern USA. I'm at "ground zero" for appalachian music, two hours from Nashville (Country Music), and five hours from Memphis (blues), etc.
    I run an acoustic music store, and I am pretty aware of music related events.
    There are at least fifty festivals this weekend, within an hour's drive.
    The mudcat is Brit-centric, and many of American traditionsl music genres don't quite fit.

Wilco48

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Steve-o
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 06:04 PM

Ron O: Please put me at the start of a list of "folkies" who ARE NOT likely to be listening to the current crop of singer-songwriters! The old stuff does not wear out, no matter how many times you play and sing it or listen to it. Navel-gazing, angst-ridden, open-tuned strummers get worn out really fast.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Pete_Standing
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 12:58 PM

Something else to consider, maybe Brits (like me) feel more comfortable in Mudcat than any of the other forums hosted in the UK.

Although my musical focus is mainly on British trad and the scene in the UK, I hope my sights aren't so blinkered that I can't appreciate stuff from elsewhere.

I've been interested in the concept of house concerts as they happen in the US. They are beginning to happen in the UK too and I can see the value in them.

As an amateur musician, it is also interesting to discuss things, especially aspects of playing, technique and equipment on a wider basis than purely with folk from the UK.

Mudcat is unique in that it seems a natural place for people around the world to talk about roots based music. The more the merrier IMHO but I hope you guys from the US don't retreat or feel as though you are being pushed out.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 10:08 AM

Dick, I did not notice your earlier post. You had mentioned publicity being a factor with our low turnout for Guy Davis. Yes, I am sure that was part of the problem. We have been doing publicty basically the same way for the past 25 years - sending out press releases to the local papers, running ads, sending out flyers, etc.   We have a website and an e-mail list (we do need to push that more) and frankly we do depend on word of mouth. I also posted a notice about the show here on Mudcat and on my own website - ronolesko.blogspot.com

Perhaps there are other methods of publicity that we have not been looking at, and perhaps that might be an issue with other groups as well. What worked well for us in the past may need some new ideas and fresh blood.   That might also be one of the reasons why U.S. postings on Mudcat have been sparse as well.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 10:00 AM

"He stood on the corner with a fag in his mouth..."

Isn't language wonderful. If he smokes it down, by the same token he'd be left with a " butt" in his mouth.

Doesn't that conjure up a wonderful image?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 09:09 AM

And here's an even more immense thought:

Canada's even bigger than the US.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: kendall
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 08:40 AM

I've done enough traveling in the past 4 or 5 years so I hardly notice the nationality of the poster. I'm interested in most of the posts I see here.

The part about this being a big country is a good one. Last April I did a show with Utah Phillips in Grass Valley California, and Amos drove up from Southern California to see us. I don't know how far he drove, but it was a long old sonk.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:47 AM

! 100 !! And long may they continue coming over

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:46 AM

Where have all the Americans gone ? Over the last couple of months it seems they have all been touring over this side of the pond - And they still are !!

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 06:12 AM

Well Jerry -
It seems you Colonials ;@) are still here, you just don't start as many threads as them bods from 'Ull do.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 02:10 AM

When I think of how many 'catters' I've met, I'm bowed over. And I'm a bit shy (go ahead laugh), though I do compensate well, especially when I start to feel comfortable & I do try hard, I'm not a big talker either. A big part would be because of the FSGW Getaways that I've attended, along with many other reasons. I met Pam Swan her 1st & only year there at the Getaway & when invited to perform at the San Francisco Maritime Music Festival by mudcatter Chanteyranger, I stayed at her & her husband's place & met more catters a few I had known from before there was a Mudcat & some whom I never knew. Did workshops with unknown catters Alaska Mike & Roger In Baltimore & Big Mick (after I knew him) & Liam's Brother (who I already knew) got to meet, even got to perform on stage with treaties & get my ass pinched by her while singing (can't beat that), had the Johnson Girls sing by my death bed (can't beat that one either), met a slew of Brits, some Canadians & an Icelander, some Irish, even got to leave a phone song message with Bob Bolton, an Aussie & PM back & forth with him. I've met some catters at my local session in Portsmouth, NH at the Press Room sessions & some at our other catters at the (RIP) Boston Traditional Singer's Club, from Texas to the UK & Ireland & some at other festivals & after all this I have got to say, TRUTHFULLY say, I have never met a "mudcatter in person that I didn't truly like", really, never. Why wouldn't I be interested in the music they like & play & sing & the type of music of where they come from? Yes, America is huge & Australia's far away, the UK"s closer but smaller & I'll probably never get to New Zealand or Guam but reading here about all your music on mudcat makes me want to visit all these places & hear all the music from all the places where we all come from & I can't (hopefully I can at least visit a few of the places before I go), so hearing about your music is the next best thing if I can't go hear what you do & like in the places where you come from. This has grown into an international collection of like mined folk music lovers & I believe we are all the better for it, at least I know I am. So what if it's lop-sided or flop-eared from time to time it has always paned out at least since I've been here & that's been since very early 97. Some of us here have died here having & leaving friends we'd sometimes would've never met & some we never did meet & some of us (myself included) have been cheered on past death & have met with those that have helped to cheer us on & have been happy to see us breathing when we do meet. When it's all said & done with, you just gotta love this place, like a family.

Blessed Barry

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST,Bee
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 12:01 AM

I suppose just know the lyrics - otherwise we'll start seeing rules about having to be able to play melodeons or bouzoukis en' such.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 11:50 PM

Do we gotta be able to sing 'em? 'Cause that would leave out them that can't speak.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST,Bee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 11:34 PM

Perhaps the proper course of action is to declare Mudcat to be a Soveriegn Nation, inhabited by diverse and wondrous Folklanders. Everyone a Singing Citizen, immigrants of all description welcome, so long as they know all the lyrics to at least one mutually agreed upon traditional folk song. ;-D

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Gurney
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 11:02 PM

Geordie Song, 'Still I Love Him' I think it's called.

'Fag' is/was colloquial for cigarette, along with 'Gasper'.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 06:22 PM

Channel Islands not "England".

Americans 1943 - part of my history, not part of my tradition.

Irish, 1840s, servants, not masters.

Spaniards 1588, prisoners.

Bhangra, part of my tradition?

You asked what was my tradition.

"A fag in his mouth" - traditional? Etymology of "fag" in this context?!

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 06:07 PM

So there weren't any Yanks in England in 1943? and the Irish stayed in Dublin in the 1840s? and none of those Spaniards made it ashore in 1588? and there were no Germans on the Channel Islands in the 1940s? And there are no curry shops in Lunnun now?

There are many kinds of invasions....

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Gurney
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:57 PM

Things change, don't they. When I first found Mudcat, I thought it would be all blues, but it wasn't, and then some of it was a bit incomprehensible because I didn't know the artists, and some was incomprehensible because the thread was headed "Punch the Horse.....", but what I've really come to value is the cosmopolitan nature of the place. If I need technical help, it often comes from Kansas (thanks, John), if I need words, from Japan (how is that for incongruity! And scholarship) And fellowship from anywhere in the world.

It would be easier for Americans than Britons to become parochial, because of the difference in journey times. When I lived in the English midlands, there was seldom a evening without a folk-club available, and at weekends, perhaps 7 or 8 within 30 miles/1 hour's driving. But that was in the 60/70's.

There are Americans who include English Trad in their repertoire, and a very good fist they make of it too, with an unusual take on language. "He stood on the corner with a fag in his mouth,,,,"

Just random thoughts.   Chris.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:53 PM

Oh no! Not "overlaid" (or even "overlain") - in most cases the English were on top old man!

And the last time the English were invaded by a foreign power (apart from the Dutch getting close to ashore in Gravesend and Chatham) was 1066 and most of English folk music is a lot newer than that so it can justifiably be called the English tradition.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:49 PM

well, I have been reading this and musing on it....and I find I'm mot so worried about relative numbers of any particular areas....the truth is, folkish music is not a major force in most of the areas we have heard from.
    I think we need the cross-fertilization that sites like Mudcat can help provide. We on the East Coast of the US have met a LOT of people, especially from the UK, but also from Canada and some other amazing places! in recent years due to the FSGW Getaway, and I know that some of us have gone to the UK...partially because of invitations and friendships started at Mudcat!
Lots of points have been made about the distances, the types of 'folk clubs', the variable sense of 'identity' in various countries and the 'history' factor of the music. I find that I have learned much from reading about music from those who have had certain aspects of for several hundred years...and I know that stuff that grew largely in the US has made its way abroad.

....so, even though it may well be that more Brits have joined and a few Americans have dropped out, it's not exactly a process we can control easily....(as Yogi Berra said, "If folks are gonna stay away in droves, you can't make 'em!")...but I think the WHOLE is better than it would be without Mudcat, the DT database, and the technology to interact quickly and cheaply with like minded people from all over the world.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:45 PM

English. A combination then of British, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, Norman, Provencal, French, Manx, Cornish, Breton, Viking, Saxon, Angle, Dutch, and Norse overlaid with Indian, Zulu, Arab, Maori, Inuit, Yupik and a few other nations and races....

Pretty close to being as bad as us folks in the US of A or Canada.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 04:59 PM

My tradition is English - you remember, George the Third, Tea Party, and all that (even if he was really German).

And, Dave's wife, a good harmony singer is a very useful person. In harmony it's the notes and the train of them that counts. I can hit simple harmonies off the bat as it were, but my late wife used to be able to find the funny ones in between that made melody too.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 04:55 PM

I'm here in the US ...AND.. in Los Angeles no less. However, the nearest mudcatter to me would be Amos and that's about a 2 to 3 hours drive depending upon traffic.

e that as it may - any mudcatter passing through please PM me. Also, any mudcatter who knows of any musicians in my area that need a harmony singer, please PM me. A joint condition limits my ability to play any instruments well these days but my voice is decent when i get warmed up. It's not what it used to be, but whose voice is?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Amos
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 04:31 PM

Not to worry, you TOmmies -- we'll be around if you need us. A bit late.


A

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 03:52 PM

And with fear and trembling he asked, "And WHAT exactly IS your tradition?"

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Scrump
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 03:49 PM

And what was wrong with McGrath's post, exactly? >:-(

:-)

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 03:17 PM

May I (as one who has been known to express a preference for my own tradition rather than the American tradition or the contemporary American cultural experience) say how much I liked the few posts before McGrath's?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 03:14 PM

Most of the best songs come from the worst times. Or at least from times which seemed pretty bad at the time. (That goes for both individuals and societies I think.)

Subject: Lyr Add: BREAD AND ROSES (James Oppenheim)
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 03:13 PM

BREAD AND ROSES
Words by James Oppenheim, music by Caroline Kohlsaat

As we come marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing, "Bread and roses, bread and roses."

As we come marching, marching, we battle, too, for men—
For they are women's children, and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes—
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread but give us roses!

As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient song of bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew—
Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too!

As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days—
The rising of the woman means the rising of the race—
No more the drudge and idler—ten that toil where one reposes—
But a sharing of life's glories: bread and roses, bread and roses!

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 02:43 PM

Janice - remember the words of Emma Goldman:

"I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from convention and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy. I insisted that our Cause could not expect me to become a nun and that the movement would not be turned into a cloister. If it meant that, I did not want it. "I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody's right to beautiful, radiant things." "

While we face stress and change, we need to keep life in perspective.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 02:33 PM

We Americans are still here, but we're totally stressed out. Forget about getting ahead in life. We're working harder and longer just to keep from slipping. Decent housing, health care, and education are no longer affordable, except by the very rich. Our good paying jobs have gone overseas. Our pensions have evaporated. Our basic public insitutions have become decrepit because our tax money is being pissed away on military adventures that benefit no one but a handful of corporate insiders. Our political, business, cultural, and spiritual leaders are worse than morally bankrupt. They are venal, self-serving panderers and hypocrites whose only creed is "Gimme, gimme, gimme!" Amid all this, is it any surprise we Americans have less and less time to spend on chat rooms, bulletin boards, and discussion groups, and possibly less time to spend on music itself?

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 01:11 PM

Here is an interesting site that explains a lot - houseconcerts.org

and here is one more - houseconcerts.com

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 12:58 PM

House sessions have also become increasingly popular in Ireland thanks to a combination of the legislation on smoking and drinking/driving + plus the ridiculous difference between supermarket and pub prices for alcohol. Those who want to smoke can do so in the garden. Those who want to drink can crash somewhere before driving home the next day.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 12:39 PM

The house concerts I've been to, we passed a hat for the musician(s) and brought pot luck to eat. Beer was available, but you were limited to only one or two. Advertising was word of mouth, mostly.

Getting together in the kitchen, on the lawn, on the back porch or anywhere else was called "getting together in/on the __________." Beer, coffee, tea, whatever was available to eat, good talk, singing, playing with the kids, tellin' lies, etc. were the primary recreations. Advertising was limited to "Hey, come on over" or a knock on the door and maybe somebody would go out for a jug of beer.

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 12:17 PM

Very good Dave - Gone to Eye-rak every one....

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 11:01 AM

"Where have all the Americans gone?"

Long time passing.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Where Have All The Americans gone?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 10:50 AM

Speaking of Kitchen parties etc, where I come from, Nova Scotia, they we often called times; as in Jack is having a wee"time" at his place. Has anyone else heard them called that ? And if so, where are you or where have you heard it ?