The Folk Music Hall of Fame

Subject: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 07:27 AM

I am concerned about this organization inasmuch as it has been created by PR people.
My suspicion is that there may be some political objective involved here. The producer of the web-site is a Nashville based right wing Christian fundamentalist. There seems to be an emphasis on the commercial side of the music biz regarding the "folk singers" that are "Folk Stars", an oxymoron if there ever was one. I would like others to do some research on this project and find out the roots and the motivation of the people involved.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 07:29 AM

https://www.thefolkmusichalloffame.org/

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,saulgoldie
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 07:48 AM

Well, first of all, and obviously, any such list (which I did not see on the site)will be noted as much by who it INcluded as well as who it EXcluded. And even if I were to list mine own nominees, as sure as I am writing this at 0748 on Thursday, by noon, I will think of ten more. Having said that and in no particular order...

Woody and Arlo Guthrie
Pete Seeger
Peter Paul and Mary
Joan Baez
Schooner Fare (trio)
the Limeliters
The Kingston Trio
Harry Belafonte
Doc Watson,
Merl Haggard,
Robert Zimmerman
Tom Paxton
Mike Seeger
Peggy Seeger
Kathy Fink
Marcy Marxeer
Craig Johnson
Robert Johnson
John Jackson
Flora Molton
Theodore Bikel

And I haven't even finished my coffee yet!

Saul

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 02:51 PM

Utah Phillips

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 03:38 PM

I took a quick look at this puff. It seems to me that the people they are referring to are singer / songwriters and singers that sometimes sing folk songs. I don't see many (any?) folk.

If you are looking for an organization that really appreciates the Folk Music of the USA and promotes the real thing I suggest you go to the Field Recorders' Collective. They have put out numerous recordings over the years and have just launched a 15 album series with fantastic notes, research and photographs free to download. I have just recently received the Preview album and am amazed.

Check out fieldrecorder.org/nat   These people are serious. You will be amazed too.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: gillymor
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 03:56 PM

The whole idea of this seems antithetical to what I imagine folk music is all about. Reading the bios of the "Visionaries" I get the impression that they're the kind of music industry people who made their living screwing over, or at least taking advantage of, musicians. The best way to honor the music is to play it, sing it, listen to it and pass it on.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 05:42 PM

The U$35 baseball cap merch has a trademark bug on the "Folk."

IIRC they started up about ten years ago and put out a press release every couple of years. I still couldn't find an actual 'hall' or 'inductee' but confess, didn't look all that hard either.

The business concept isn't as odd as it might seem at first glance. One can actually tourist The Woody Guthrie Center which is really just a one man hall of fame... with U$30 t-shirts.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: PHJim
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 06:36 PM

I recall visiting the Flying Cloud Folk Club at the Tranzac in Toronto wearing a Shelter Valley Folk Festival T-shirt and being told that."It's a great festival, but it's not a 'folk festival'. It's a singer/songwriter festival."

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Malcolm Storey
Date: 17 Feb 22 - 06:44 PM

I think we would be best served leaving this bunkum to our American cousins!

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 03:49 AM

Now, Malcolm, this American was just about the nominate the remarkable Malcolm Storey.....
[the devil made me do it] [don't hit me, Malcolm!]

But how about Martin Carthy and Cyril Tawney and John Conolly and Martyn Windham-Read and a passle of others...

Come to think of it, I don't like Halls of Fame. But if I did, I would nominate Patrick Faux Chadwick and his songs about the Seven Deadly Sins....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Feb 22 - 04:17 AM

A plague on all your Halls?

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Joe_F
Date: 19 Feb 22 - 06:19 PM

I would be annoyed if anyone I admired were exploited by inclusion in such a thing.

Indeed, I think fame itself is an evil. It is an old evil, with deep roots in the foulest crevices of human nature, and there is probably no way to get rid of it. Also, it has some good uses, and some people manage not to be corrupted by it. All those things may also be said about war -- with which fame, historically, has an intimate connection.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Allan Conn
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 04:19 AM

There has been a Scottish Traditional Music Hall Of Fame in place since 2005. I get the idea of PR manipulation but I think a lot of the idea in the Scottish one is just to recognise people who have contributed over the years. Two people who have sometimes attended our wee sessions have been inducted. Both for basically giving their time over the years in bringing on young musicians in two local community groups. Really nothing to do with fame or PR - just recognising people giving their time. Yes there is the professional performers who have been inducted too but I think just a squint down the list of inductees for those show it is more about recognising achievements rather than purely pushing sales. So don't know about the US one but I don't think they are automatically a negative thing.


https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/hall-of-fame/inductees/

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: beachcomber
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 05:15 AM

As Groucho Marx nearly said "Who wants to be in a Hall of Fame that includes someone like me, anyway ??"

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Malcolm Storey
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 06:32 AM

I thought Groucho actually said "I would not want to join a club that would have me as a member."

I have used it a time or two - always acknowledging its origin.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 07:49 AM

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Malcolm Storey
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 09:14 PM

Cheers Dick
The sentiment's the same!
Let's leave it with them - it might stop them starting WW3!
Although thinking about it that could solve the climate change problem - bit drastic but they are strong on the greater good.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 12:36 PM

I there aren't names like Malvina Reynolds, Lily Ledford, Goebel Reeves, Harry McClintock, Sis Cunningham, Logan English, Bess Hawes, or Cisco Houston in the list before it gets to the obvious ones I have no interest.

Don

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 01:57 PM

I was going to say the same as Allan Conn about the Scottish Traditional Music version of the Hall of Fame, which sounds somewhat different from the American version. I cannot think of anyone on the Scottish list who is/was not entirely deserving of that recognition, and as the list of categories shown in Allan's link, this can be for a wide range of varying services to Scottish music, all of which are an integral part of it. And some have been made posthumously. I have heard of a couple of people who should be up there, but have turned down the award, but they are nonetheless revered for their contributions to our music.

Subject: RE: The Folk Music Hall of Fame
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 03:28 PM

Your comments sort of echo my feelings about it too. "Folk Star" seems like an oxymoron to me. I wanted to get feedback.

I think a Folk Music Museum that would recognize the real folk musicians would be welcome. In this, I think you have to include "folkies", non-traditional singers as well.

Where would the Great Folk Scare be without Pete Seeger? He was a one-man PR firm for honest folk music from the 1940's on. He introduced Bluegrass banjo to New York City before it was popular. He made people aware of international folk songs by including them in his programs.