I can also feel I've "missed the good times".

I was listening to folk music in the 70s but it was only the commercial stuff on the radio. I never went to the clubs that were scattered around Sydney, my friends spent time in pubs (no live music, just juke boxes) & partying, listening to rock & folk & folk rock & ??

6 years ago I discovered live folk & now have friends & acquaintances who have been singing since the 60's & 70's. One friend made her first album in 1968 (I had almost finished high school), & has been continually writing songs & intermittently recording ever since.

I just love spending time with the folks who have been performing or just singing for decades - I feel part of the history.

I'm on the committee of Australia's oldest folk club (Bush Music Club, 50 next year) with Bob Bolton & our founders were in the forefront of the revival, collecting songs which are now in the National Library collections, and sung widely. Our members are still collecting & disseminating these songs. The walls of our hut are covered in posters advertising past folk clubs & concerts - a veritable history of folk around our city & surrounds. We have investigated painting as the ex-army hut (WWI vintage)is shabby, but whatever we do, we can't damage our heritage.

I hang around with a great lot of people & try to soak it all up, but at times get the poor me's cos I have only known these people for 6 years, not 30.

sandra