Nathan--

depending where in New York you are, I can think of lots of folks who would love to have you meet them and sing ballads with you. Statistically, you're llkely to be in New York City. I can think of lots of folks in New York City (get in touch with the Folk Music Society of New York http://www.minstrelrecords.com/fmsny/ ). But if you're elsewhere, there are also welcoming balladeers I can think of in places like Albany/Schenectady, the Adirondacks, Rochester, Fredonia, and Ithaca, among other cities. ALL these folks are into other kinds of folk music, too, and would welcome your hymns and spirituals.

--Charlie Baum, who lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, in a neighborhood where ballads are still sung socially