WFDU's Traditions - 25 years of folk!

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 01:48 PM

Thanks again for the kind words.   We need the encouragement! It is greatly appreciated - today is the last day of our fund raiser and it is nice to have some inspiration as we beg our listeners for help!

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 09:02 AM

Djs like you are a special breed! Thank goodness you are here to support the music and it's community with such passion and commitment! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Arnie Naiman

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: oldhippie
Date: 16 Feb 08 - 04:43 PM

WFDU is a wonderful resource in the NY/NJ area. It was listening to them one afternoon some years back while visiting in Lyndhurst that introduced me to an area singer named Shirley Gilliam. I was able to make contact through WFDU in order to add a cassette by her to my collection.

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 10:33 AM

Thank you Stephen. It is all a team effort.   Bill and I have been very lucky.   I really think that the internet has greatly enhanced the folk scene, at least here in the U.S.   I would say over the past 5 or 6 years, we have been exposed to some of the most amazing artists. In the early days of the show, we relied on mostly the New York City area folk scene to provide the direction of the show.   In recent years we have been able to open up the scope because of artists we've met in places like the Mudcat, Folk-DJ and the Folk Alliance. The future looks bright!!

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 11:40 PM

Congratulations, Ron!!

Keep up the good work!!

Radio programs like yours have been a very large part of kepping the music alive.


Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 05:01 PM

Thanks for the kind words, Ron. It is a pleasure and an honor to be doing this. Jerry R., your words, too, are so well taken---I guess we all need each other, since I alway feel we are merely the conduit for the talent. But--as the cliche goes---it takes two.

Ron, mentioned the web site:

http://www.wfdu.fm

If you care to pledge---any amount just click on "on line catalog" and then when it opens click on Traditions. A 35.00 pledge gets you a CD (our 25th anniv one--is the usual choice). You can also click on no thank you gift and pledge less if you like. Everything is appreciated.

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 04:54 PM

Reminds me of a song from Mustard's Retreat (who were guests of my co-host Bill Hahn) - the Volunteer Song. They wrote it for all the volunteers at coffeehouses and festivals who give their time and devotion to keeping this music alive and thriving. It truly is a community effort.

Thanks again Jerry!

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 04:41 PM

You know, Ron: It's the performers who get all the attention, but it's really people like you, Steve Winters up here on WSHU and all the other folk show hosts who give the performers an audience and keep the music alive. Same with the people who run the concert series. You rarely even hear their names and yet without them, there'd be no performance venue for "artists." With financial reward as a non-existent motivation for keeping the music alive, it takes LOVE to do it. And most of that love never makes it onstage.

You can add the people who run the sound without pay, and often at their own expense, too.

Jerry

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 04:34 PM

Thanks Jerry! Somewhere in my archives I have a wonderful tape from your appearance on the show. I remember we talked about the great festivals you used to put on at the Museum. Seems like yesterday!!!

Subject: RE: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 04:30 PM

Congratulations Ron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's a wonderful accomplishment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Big WAYTAGO!

Jerry

Subject: WFDU's TRADITIONS - 25 years of folk!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 03:27 PM

I apologize for using this forum as a "plug", but the recent conversations about WETA prompted me to mention this.

Back in 1980 I started a radio program that I called TRADITIONS on WFDU-FM in Teaneck, NJ. I had not heard of Mary Cliff or her show called Traditions - these were pre-internet days and the folk community did not communicate as well as it does now!   In recent years I met Mary and it seems that we had similar intentions when we chose the name "Traditions".

My goal was to celebrate the world of folk music - it's roots, the artists of the revival, and the ongoing scene. Folk music has always been a living entity in my eyes, not a museum piece.

After 25 years of hosting the program, I am very proud.   I invited Bill Hahn to join me on the journey about 10 years ago, and together I think we have done some good work. I can't believe how lucky we have been to have the opportunity to share our studio with incredible guests - people like Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Odetta, Dave Van Ronk, Ed McCurdy, Tommy Makem, Erik Darling - the legends of folk music. When the show began, the Fast Folk scene was just taking shape and in our early years it would be common to have people like Jack Hardy, Suzanne Vega, Christine Lavin, Rod MacDonald and John Gorka drop by for a visit. Today, we are honored to introduce new names like Antje Duvekot, Joe Jencks and many others.

At the moment, we are in the midst of our annual fund drive. Bill and I have prepared a CD that we are giving as a gift for a $35 donation. Part of the reason that I am writing this is to appeal to those of you who might be listeners to help us out during our fund drive. Our website is www.wfdu.fm.

Even more important, I would like to stress how important it is to support public radio. Situations like what occured at WETA can be very disturbing, and it cause people to hesitate about donating. My answer to that is - the change at WETA may have occured many years ago if it weren't for the fact that people supported the radio station.

My station and many others have not gone down the slippery slope that stations like WETA have found themselves on.   Many stations still react to listener response, and fund drives are the perfect time to "vote".

I urge you to continue to support public radio and YOUR local folk music show/radio station. These are tough times, and the FCC and public opinion make it harder. I would hate see more stations fall by the wayside, but I truly believe with your support public/community radio can survive.   Folk music needs to reach audiences through radio.   Please don't get discouraged - give till it helps!

I hope that our show can continue for many more years. It is refreshing to see that many folk shows have been on the air for many years. We will surive with your help!