I am sorry to say that Phil Shapiro died last night. For more than 50 years, he hosted and ran the Sunday night radio show Bound for Glory on WVBR-FM, in Ithaca, NY. A live show broadcast from the Cornell University campus, BfG hosted probably hundreds of performers during its lifetime. In one 1970s high point, the Boys of the Lough played on his show, and some of the members of Fairport Convention, who were in town for a different gig, came to listen. Phil also collected songs, taught guitar, helped run the Cornell Folk Song Club, and performed himself - often with Carrie Kerr. Probably many of you will never have heard of Phil. But his efforts and those of others like him are essential to keeping folk music alive. wg
|