Folk music broadcasting

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 11 Sep 09 - 02:50 AM

Unfortunately John Shaw's skills at present appear to be confind to the other side of the microphone on the technical side of things. Not long after the demise of "Here Be Dragons" he was presenting a similar programme of alternative music for both BBC Radio Nottingham and Derby during the nineties. More recently he presented a late Sunday night programme for Saga Radio, although less adventurous than the others mentioned, before it became Smooth Radio.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,AndyC
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 03:58 PM

It's true that commercial stations in the UK had folk and other specialist music shows in their early days. I discovered a lot of great music through listening to 'Here Be Dragons' with John Shaw on Sunday nights on Radio Trent in Nottingham.

At the moment I'd recommend Folkwaves on BBC Radio Derby (Mondays 7-9pm) and there are a lot of specialist music and singer-songwriter shows on BBC Radio Scotland, eg Iain Anderson's late night show.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 01:22 PM

I missed this thread first time round.

In London Resonance104.4FM has "The Traditional Music Hour" on Thurdays 2pm-3pm, been going some 6 years with very few breaks. Regular presenters currently Reg Hall, Simon Ritchie and myself with occasional guest presenters.

"Usually" repeated on Sundays 5-6pm.

Outside (or even inside) the London area you can listen online at www.resonancefm.com

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: brezhnev
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 01:10 PM

Among the television shows there was the massively popular the white heather club (BBC TV, 1958-68)

and julie felix ('britain's first lady of folk')was always on the telly at the end of the sixties, early 'seventies, mostly on the BBC.

so too were robin hall and jimmy macgregor, especially on The White Heather Club and Tonight (both BBC).

and in 1963 there was ABC TV's Hullabaloo, which was, er, fab.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 09:20 AM

My goodness Vic, you were thorough there!! :-)

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Vic Smith
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 08:52 AM

Vic, if you read this, could you correct anything I've got wrong here?

All correct, Valmai, and of course I would expect nothing less from you!

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: nutty
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:53 PM

Stuart MacFarlane (Teesside Fettlers) produced a regional folk programme in the 1970/80's on Radio Tees

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:47 PM

Hey Rog ! I beat you to it on the old thread !

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=34448&messages=100!

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: bubblyrat
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:22 PM

Here in Buckinghamshire, "Marlow FM" have recently started coming to "The Pegasus" in Marlow Bottom,to record various artistes / groups,including,dare I say it,Karen (WFD) and me ! You can only hear it on line at the moment( Mondays and Saturdays 1800-1900), but the station will go "on air" in,we think,May.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Bernard
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 10:36 AM

Sounds of Folk, presented by Ali O'Brien (Alio on Mudcat) and produced by me was on BBC GMR (now Radio Manchester) from May 2003 to April 2006. We were on air every Monday (sports coverage permitting) from 8.00pm to 9.00pm, and I have archive recordings of almost every broadcast, and a complete list of all the guests we interviewed.

Nowadays we broadcast on Oldham Community Radio 99.7fm (also online) on Mondays from 7.00pm to 8.00pm, repeated at the same time on Fridays. I have archive recordings of all but one broadcast (equipment hiccup!), and the guest list.

Tonight our guest is Brian Preston - listen in if you can!

Rob Dunford maintains an up to date listing in Folk North West magazine, and Mark Dowding mirrors it on their website: Wireless Waves... you'll also find archive photos from Sounds of Folk, too!

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 08:44 AM

I usually listen on the "Listen Again " feature.

It applies to a lot of specialist music programmes (including mine!!!).

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 08:16 AM

Sadly I can seldom hear Radio Scotland's Reel Blend now, because its medium wave transmitter is nearly always taken over by football at the crucial time. Presumably all the other listeners in Northern England are in the same boat. Even in Scotland the VHF signal is not always audible.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:48 PM

I was in his last band, Boulavogue.
Sadly missed.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:43 PM

Sheffield Irish I think.

But yes.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:25 PM

The one on Hallam was done by Tony Irvine. (Folkiedave)

Was that Tony Irvine the Irish singer?

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 05:40 AM

Vic Smith of the Royal Oak Folk Club in Lewes used to present a weekly hour-long programme called 'Minstrels' Gallery' on the BBC local station in Sussex, Radio Brighton. It ran from 1971 to 1996 and was the longest-running folk programme on British radio, according to Clive Bennett's well-researched book 'Sussex Folk'. As well as playing commercial recordings, he made and broadcast recordings of local singers.

Vic also presents several hours of folk music on Rocket Radio, an independent station which broadcasts for about three weeks in Lewes during the Bonfire season.

Vic, if you read this, could you correct anything I've got wrong here?

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 04:47 AM

The one on Hallam was done by Tony Irvine.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Sue Allan
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 05:59 PM

In the course of my researches in to Cumbrian folk music I've found there was a BBC TV programme called 'Barn Dance' which went out regularly in the early 1960s. The Spinners, Jacqui & Bridie, Wally Whyton et all appeared on this as well as local acts, with presenters including Brian Redhead and Frank Bough. Not sure without checking whether this just went out in NW region or nationally.

There were also programmes broadcast in the 1950s and early 1960s on the BBC Northern Service (earlier version of regional radio, pre-dating local radio stations)across the NE and Cumberland. I only know about the Cumbrian programmes, Merry Neet and Barn Dance, but I think there were NE versions too.

If you're doing serious research then I suggest you contact the BBC Written Archives Centre in Reading, which is open to anyone doing serious research(academic, researching a book for publication or a programme for broadcast).

PM me if you want to know any more about these.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 05:27 PM

When I was on holiday many years ago in the early 80s I tuned in, by chance to what I think was a three hour folk programme presented by Shep Wooley

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 05:22 PM

Benny the Whale, Benny Graham presented a programme in Newcastle on MEtro Radio, And I believe there was one in the Middleborough too. There was certainly one in Sheffield ((Radio Hallam) but as Graham says they disappeared under deregulation.

One of the less well-known downsides of Thatcher. Shame the Labour government could't be bothered to restore.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 04 Apr 09 - 02:34 PM

It is not strictly true to say that it is just the BBC that does folk broadcasting.

There are a few commercial stations still doing it, and when commercial radio was first introduced in the UK in the late 1970s, most of them had folk programmes. This was because at that time they had a requirement to serve 'community interests'. So there were also jazz, rock, classical, c&w etc., and religious broadcasting.

I presented a folk programme on Mercia Sound (now Mercia FM) in Coventry from 1983 to 1993, when they finally axed it - despite very good listening figures. This was when commercial radio was de-regulated, and they no longer had to maintain the community service brief. Also, at that time, the small ones were being taken over by the big corporate conglomerates, so that we are now at the point where most commercial stations in the UK are owned by just 2 or 3 corporations.

The Programme Controller at that time made the comment, "If they could get away with playing the test signal, and still sell the advertising, they would. These people are phillistines who have no interest in music, and are only interested in selling ads and making money."

Nuff said, but nothing has changed!

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 04:25 PM

I remember a similar thread from awhile back, here it is

Regional Folk Radio Shows - Jim Causley

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: matt milton
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 03:40 PM

"Then there are the community stations currently broadcasting folk programmes.

Too many to list at the moment"

Does anyone know of a list online anywhere?

I'd also appreciate a website radio list too.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Folkiedave
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 02:05 PM

Local radio did folk programmes in the regions.

Radio Sheffield had John Leonard as producer.

Radio Newcastle shut their programme down (presented by Ali Anderson) a year or so ago.

Radio's Derby and Nottingham have "Folkwaves" Monday

Radio Sheffield and a few others combined into a programme based in Hull and presented by Henry Ayrton. And when that was shut that was that for two/three stations.

Liverpool still has a programme done by Stan Ambrose.

Peter Kennedy had someone studying his broadcasting career. You would need Ian Russell/DFavid Atkinson's book on the 1998 Conference to celebrate the founding of the Folk Song Society. I was at the lecture and it covered Kennedy's broadcasting activity. "Especially "As I Roved Out".

Then there are the community stations currently broadcasting folk programmes.

Too many to list at the moment. But I can recommend "Thank Goodness It's Folk" on "Sheffield Live" 93.2 FM.

I understand the presenter has a perma-thread on this show on Mudcat and will be posting details of this week's playlist as soon as he gets from his Friday night curry and pint later this evening.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 10:47 AM

Patsy Seddon (the harpist) did her postgraduate thesis on the early days of Gaelic broadcasting in Scotland, you might ask her about the musical content of it. (Though she might have long since blanked it out of her mind, I talked to her about when she was doing it and it wasn't a fun experience).

In Scotland, Radio Scotland (part of the BBC) has always been the most important broadcaster of traditional music, with the rest nowhere. The private broadcasters (both local radio and national TV) have always been utterly hostile to it.

The weekly Scottish dance music programme "Take the Floor" is probably the longest-running folk music broadcast series in the world - it goes back (albeit with a change of name, but not much in format) to the 1930s. Robbie Shepherd (the current presenter) would probably be happy to talk about it.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 03 Apr 09 - 10:21 AM

Thank you for the comments so far. Are there any books / articles at all on this topic?
N

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 10:34 AM

My interest in folk music was stimulated by the pirate station Radio Caroline North in the mid-sixties. That was where I first heard the Dubliners. Other folk artists they played included Bob Dylan, David McWilliams, Donovan, Dominic Behan and the Go-Lucky Four.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 08:33 AM

Radio 210 (Reading area) had a regular folk programme in the 1980s.
There was also a regular folk/'roots' programme with Ian Anderson on the local Guildford radio station (I can't recall the name).

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 08:11 AM

Tyne-Tees Television around 1969 did a couple of series "Walk Right In" which was networked nationally.It was pretty much the main folk acts of the time e.g Spinners, Campbells, Johnsons and was hosted by Wally Whyton. Not a lot of traditional folk there however.

Subject: RE: Folk music broadcasting
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 07:50 AM

Up until quite recently the BBC was the only broadcaster of anything at all inside the UK, although broadcasts from Ireland or other European countries could be received.
There were some occasional folk song broadcasts (but not usually by traditional performers) from regional BBC stations in the 1930's - BBC Northern Region produced a series of 'Folk Songs of the North' in 1933 which included performances by Tom Clough on the Northumbrian smallpipes. There were some recordings made of singers such as Phil Tanner in 1937, singers at the Eel's Foot in Eastbridge, Suffolk in 1939, and Louie Hooper in 1942. In 1949 Jim Copper heard somebody sing How Pleasant and Delightful on the Country Magazine programme so he wrote to the BBC to tell then they'd got the song wrong which led to Francis Collinson broadcasting the Coppers in 1950 on Country Magazine.

A very interesting topic; good luck with your research.

Matthew Edwards

Subject: Folk music broadcasting in the UK
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 07:09 AM

I'm looking for info about folk and traditional music broadcasting in the UK, TV or radio - has the BBC always been the main promoter / broadcaster of traditional music? Was "As I roved out" the first dedicated radio programme? Also, does anyone have any info / memories of independent folk broadcasting on radio?

Thanks,
N