The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #17502 Message #175162
Posted By: GUEST,Petr
08-Feb-00 - 04:15 PM
Thread Name: Folk music is definitely on the way back
Subject: RE: BS: Folk music is definately on the way back
McGrath's earlier comment on line dancing and Karaoke is spot on - the increased popularity for organized dancing and individual singing along with a general resurgence of roots music (fiddle camps springing up everywhere) indicates a return to the homespun or homemade entertainment that was always there until it began to be killed off by radio and gramophone in the early part of the 20th century. When musicologists went around collecting tunes in the 20's they found that even 20 years later many songs were forgotten. Here in Vancouver BC there has been in resurgence in contra and ceili dancing in the last ten years brought about by a handful of people. I recently saw an old video from Don Messers last tour across Canada The show had been on for something like 20 years and was cancelled in the mid 70's (by the CBCs Knowton Nash) at the height of its popularity because it was too square. All the episodes but 9 were thrown in the garbage. The 9 that were saved, were picked up by a janitor whose wife was one of the dancers. A real shame as the show featured some of the best folk performers at the time. Now that a lot of old tv series are being rehashed I would much rather watch Don Messer than the Brady Bunch or some other tripe. Anyway, thats my gripe for the day. Perhaps one day we can recapture the broadcast as we go into space. Cheers Petr