First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Amos
Date: 27 Jul 09 - 03:31 PM

I am grateful he got his star while he walked.


A

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jul 09 - 02:46 PM

Sad news..Sandy Paton passed away July, 2009.
His star still shines.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: olddude
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 11:35 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 12:24 AM

Okay! Everyone, all four of them, have now received their Star-Named-After-Them certificates and all VERY well received. The Patons were surprised and tickled, as Jean put it. There's still just a simple little thing I made up to get to each of them, after Max signs them and sends them on.

A BUNCH of Thanks to Rapaire for the great idea about the stars AND for taking care of the whole enchilada, with special THANKS to those who sent in donations to help pay for the star-namings.

Jean Ritchie, Sandy & Caroline Paton and Art Thieme - Official Recipients of teh First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure awards!! Congrats. folks and THANKS, again for being here, for sharing, and for teaching.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Alba
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 09:50 PM

Long may you be tickled by Starlight Jean.
You shine among us and now above us.
As a song I sing says.. "It is the same Moon rising everywhere". I suppose that would apply to the stars in the sky too?
So as it is always nightime somewhere on this Planet seems all we need to do, where ever we may be, is simply look up into the night sky and see our paths being lit by Friends! (Of course when coming to see you, face to face Jean in KY I take it we will just follow the Road Signs? ...(smile)
Love and Light Jean, Love and Light.
Jude

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 04:34 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 12:07 AM

Thanks for the story, celtaddict! My grandson and I just got the nicest package from the Patons. TWO limberjacks for us and oh boy are we having fun with them!

Jean! SO glad it got there to you. I cannot take credit for the star idea, though. That was Rapaire's doing. He coordinated all of it while he and I hashed out the text (they don't give a lot of space for the things we'd like have said about you all!) The other certificate I designed and printed will be on its way to you soon, commemorating you as a recipient of a First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award. It won't be as fancy as a star named after you, but it's "Mudcat good" a phrase my husband made up when something strikes him as fittin' for the Mudcat.

Anyway, I am GLAD you had another surprise that made you so giddy.*smile* Congrats on the "Jean Ritchie" roads, too! And, you deserve much more, imo!

Thanks,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Celtaddict
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:44 PM

'Ceilidhe' is the way he spells it on his CD, and I am not getting into that other thread; sorry about the typo.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Celtaddict
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:26 PM

Jean/kytrad, you and Art are among the 'Catters I most hope to meet one day! I have been privileged to meet a good number of my online favorites.
A Patons story: I had met Sandy & Caroline a couple of times at festivals, and had been told (by K.C. King I think) that they had some new, good Folk-Legacy releases (OK, so good and F-L is redundant). I was under the impression from what a couple of other musician friends had told me that they had, not exactly a store, but a place one could just browse over their stuff. I was visiting a friend (and one not even much familiar with music but interested in learning a bit more) in northwest Connecticut, and on a whim decided to call Folk-Legacy. Caroline answered the phone, and said, "I just drew a bath, give me an hour, then here are directions to the house." (Come to think of it, every time I call Folk-Legacy to order something, she has just drawn a bath.) We drove up, and Sandy met us at the door. I was not even sure they thought I looked familiar, but they invited us in, made tea, brought out boxes of CDs, and entertained us for a good deal of an afternoon with tales of their early days in music, some of the causes they have been involved in, many of the musicians they know (and luckily I knew enough musicians to maintain some participation in the conversation). Their young grandson Kaelan (for whom Larry Kaplan named his "Kaelan's Ceilildhe") had his trains set up in the room making tracks to race downhill, punctuating the tales. What gracious and fascinating people! No one sang a song any more than the line or two needed to identify a song or a variant in conversation, but that afternoon lives on as one of my favorite 'music events' ever. Thank you!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 08:17 PM

Kat- I printed this without re-reading and you'd better fix the first word in the 2nd paragraph should be One- instead of Pme! I guess that's how excited I am- gettin jittery!    JR

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 08:11 PM

And what surprises! Who owns the stars anyway, that they can be named by an earthly corporation? For a fee? Well I do wonder about it, but nevertheless I'm laughing and dancing (inside) that you thought of such a lovely outlandish thing, Kat! Say;, is this a thread? And just for your personal page? I think all should take part in the Mudcat Celebration of Stars....but perhaps you're planning another approach, so I'll hush and just say a private thanks to you and all who thought this up, dear. I'm so tickled! As a Kentuckian you'll know that expression. Speaking of KY, I just got home-again- from KY Music Weekend in Louisville and thence to The Woodsong Oldtime Radio Hour, in Lexington. A flying trip and a long weekend, to land home with this package arriving the next day.

One reason I'm so tickled: In 2007, three things happened, in succession: My uphill driveway going to our cabin in Viper suddenly sported a green roadsign, put up by the county, reading. "Jean Ritchie Lane..... Number two, soon after- the KY governor announced to the crowd at the groundbreaking for the little two-mile road between Vipr and Jeff (just rebuilding, but also it's moved higher on the mountain so is really a new piece of # 7) that it was going to be named for Jean Ritchie, local folksong legend. And now, number three, the idea has left Earth and sailed up to the stars..... I hear you're laughing too- it IS funny, isn't it?

Much love to all,    Jean

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 11:26 PM

LOL...I know a Secret, too! Can't wait for the Surprises to get there! Heeheeheehee!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 11:24 PM

I know a secret I won't tell,
I won't tell,
I won't tell,
I know a secret I won't tell,
La de da de da da.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 02:03 PM

How about Kat's Tribute to the Alive and Kicking Folks with the Mostest Gentility, Generosity, Stories, Music, and All Around Good Things to Share at the Mudcat Cafe?!

In Other words: KTAKFMGGSMAAGTSMC!!

Too long? Naw!!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 01:45 PM

Katlaughing's Big Mudcat Kahuna, perhaps?

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 12:42 PM

Proposed:

Katlaughing's Spontaneous Executive Decision Appreciation Award Honoring Living Mudcat Treasures.

I think the "Mudcat" in the award name may have been meant to honor the recipient Catters, not the awarder thereof.

(Cantcha just call it the Big Kahuna?)

~S~

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Alice
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 12:37 PM

I love and appreciate all you great ones who have given us this enduring treasure - folk music.

Love,
Alice Flynn in Montana

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 10:27 PM

Many years ago, I had the great honor of booking Jean for a concert series that I ran at the Stamford Museum, in Connecticut. I can tell you, no one was bored! It was a magical night... one of a handful that I'll always remember.

Also, many years ago, Hall Leonard publications came out with a songbook titled New Folk Favorites. I was greatly honored to have one of my songs included, as did Jean, and because of the blessed alphabet, we shared facing pages.

Gotta love the alphabet..

Jerry

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 09:20 PM

YEA Jean!!!! And Art, Sandy, Caroline, all the others too!
AND Kat for thinking of this and DOING IT!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 08:25 PM

Yes, yes, PLEASE, Jean! Would love to hear more!

As to your music..NOT boring and if the usual gangs don't like its quietness...more fools they...I would they come to know the beauty and peace of it, even the sad songs of it.

Thanks so much for posting, Jean.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 06:36 PM

Hey Everybody! We've been a month in Kentucky and our laptap refused to function there (stunned reaction to all the mountaintop removal going on, I think, so I got far behind with Mudcat. Lovely surprise to learn that my name was included for a Mudcat Award. I always have the feeling that our old family songs are so ancient and bland, compared with the entertainment-conscious music, or with. the exciting and different music from all round the world, which is the popular Folk Music of today- that it is being given a rest by most folks as they discover and enjoy the newer sounds. SO- I'm used to being left off lists, and not invited onstage at places where quiet stuff is lost in the presentation. That's all right with me; but just want to say that this is why I'm surprised at getting Awards

And this is the year for them-* I'm agog. And Kat- I DO think it's because I'm still living- just! I'm to be 85 in December and I can hear award givers saying to each other, "Geez- this may be her last year- we'd better hurry!" It's a giggle for me to think of this, and I certainly don't resent it. You young'uns, your time will come...

Katlaughing- my humble thanks for thinking of me, and taking this interesting action for Mudcat. Art, Sandy and Caroline are all good old friends- to be Awarded anything in their company is a joy for me.
And thanks to all of you for the above letter of congratulations and good wishes. The same to all of you!       Jean Ritchie

*Will tell of the others if anyone wishes to hear- I don't like to brag!!!   J.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 10:33 PM

Jean is back on line!! Welcome back kytrad!!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: BK Lick
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 11:54 PM

Nullum beneficium impunitum.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 11:20 PM

New name: Katlaughing's Spontaneous Executive Decision Appreciation Award with backing from the following sponsors: Rapaire, Jerry, Ebbie, etc., etc. (I'll look up all of the names if we do this this way!)*smile sort of*

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 11:17 PM

Well, I guess we could change the name, take off "Mudcat" and each person who contributes a "yea" vote and/or money for the "surprises" could sign the thing. Might take a while to get all of those signatures, but what the hell, I'm open for it.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: GUEST, Ebbie
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 05:55 PM

I hear what you're saying, Dick, but I think that sometimes we do belabor a point to the point of inertia. This is a great spontaneous idea with a wonderful surprise and I hope we just leap at it. As Jerry said, if Mudcat as a whole -is there such a thing? -decides later on not to go on with it, fine. The people who might have been chosen for the honor will be present for that discussion to take place thus avoiding any possible hurt feelings.

Frankly, I'm of the opinion that any persons considered for such an honor are of such type that their feelings wouldn't be hurt in any case. We have some special people here.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 05:39 PM

I won't belabor my point after this, but I still that it's a mistake for any individual or group to speak for Mudcat. My taste, or your taste, or Max's taste (for that matter) doesn't necessarily reflect the taste of Mudcat, if such a thing exists.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 09:15 PM

Jerry, I appreciate what you just posted. Thanks, very much!:-)

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 08:45 PM

Nahhhh... leave it the way it is, Kat. If you change it to an appreciation award, then if someone doesn't get it, they might say to themselves, "Huh! I guess they don't appreciate me!" The appeal of you starting it out of the goodness of your own heart Kat is that at least initially it doesn't have to get bogged down in endless discussions. I don't think that anyone could disagree with your first three choices. From that point on, if there even IS a "From that point on," there'll be time to formulate a way to review other recommended candidates in a way that is not offensive to anyone.

Give Art, Jean and Sandy and Caroline the roses while they live.

If it never goes further than that, it will still have been a wonderful thing.

Jerry

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 07:38 PM

I've thought of it as expressing appreciation, too and I know there are even more folks who deserve to be recognised, too. Maybe I should rename it to "Mudcat Living Treasure Certificate of Appreciation?" Let me know what you think, folks, please.

I guess it was me, Dick, at least this first time; it was spontaneously born of the gift of CDs I received from Art last week. I think of him and others, including yourself, as living treasures and wanted to show how much it meant to me.

Max has given it his okay. Yes, there will probably be a voting period for the next round, BUT I think it may be by PM so folks won't feel badly if they choose one person over another when they really care about both. This is all up for change as it is just starting, obviously.

So, if people think the title should be changed, say so, please. I can easily change the thing I designed, but I need to do it soon so I can get them out.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 07:12 PM

I'm with you, ebbie: Expressing appreciation never hurt anyone. Every recognition is subjective. If we need a vote on Jean, Art and Sandy & Caroline, you got mine.

Jerry

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 07:03 PM

I'm not thinking of the project as giving awards but expressing appreciation for the pleasure they have given. Fifty years from now Mudcat may well be expressing appreciation to today's most unlikely candidate!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 06:42 PM

Dick, I do understand. As I said, it's hard for me to get my head around awards, and to take 'em seriously.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 04:59 PM

WHile I agree that all the folks being honored are certainly deserving of honors, I'm a bit disturbed by the thought of Mudcat giving any awards. Mudcat has been, and remains a fairly anarchic disorganization of individuals; who has been annointed as the voice of the Mudcat?
Is a vote of some sort under consideration?

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 04:12 PM

Art mentioned that early Elektra recording of mine. I was more nervous than Jerry at his first Folk-Legacy festival. Tight as a tick (however tight that might be), sitting in a fancy recording studio with Freddy Hellerman preparing to add his fancy guitar licks to my minimal efforts. Lord! How his presence intimidated me! My hands were shaking so fiercely that my fingers could hardly find the few strings I knew how to pluck. After all, he was a WEAVER!

But what I wanted to remind you of, Art, is that the photographer who did the three-image cover shot for that album was none other than George Pickow, Jean Ritchie's extremely talented husband. His studio was called "Three Lions" (as I remember) and they did quite a few record jacket photos. That must have been back in 1959 (when you were only 18, Art!)

I was a bit older than that. The note on the back of the album makes that painfully clear.

Sandy

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 11:27 PM

Thank you, Ferrara and Jerry and Ebbie, etc. Jerry and Art, those are just the kind of stories we want!

I'd love to hear more about Jean and the Patons, too.

I am thinking when Jeff or Max or whomever has the time, a section about this award with a bio of each recipient would be neat and the stories posted to this thread and subsequent threads might be great material for a sort of Mudcat Hall of Fame part of that page. Just thinking out loud here, folks.

BTW, Max has give this his seal of approval and will be signing the certificates I've designed as soon as I get them to him! (Gotta go get new printer cartridges tomorrow...the refilled ones just don't do true colour from what I've seen.)

Thanks, everyone!! Can't wait for the reaction to the Surprises!! It's gonna be neat!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Ferrara
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 06:20 PM

Ohhhh.... Thanks Art, Jerry and Sandy, for the stories. And thanks Kat, for the whole idea. This is a good thing.
Rita

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 05:24 PM

as I was saying..

A few months later, I received a package in the mail from some guy named Art Thieme. When I opened it, it was a wonderful book of Folk Songs Of Wisconsin, with a one-sentence note saying that we'd met at the Folk-Legacy Festival. That's the kind of guy Art is. Someone who would see a book that he thought someone would enjoy, buying it and shipping it off. I was taken aback by his generosity. I wrote back one of my typical, endlessly wordy letters. A couple of weeks later, I got a response from Art. Two or three sentences long, saying that he didn't write letters. Not being easily intimidated, I immediately dashed off a three-pager and told him that I'd write to him as often and as long as I felt like it, whether he responded with three sentence letters or not. Thirty years and close to a thousand letters later (with Art's as wordy as mine,) Art and I knew each other about as much as two people can. We went through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows together. We didn't feel the same way about some things, but we respected each other. No, more than that.

We loved each other.

There is no finer man than Art.

Jerry

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 05:18 PM

Kat, PM me with your address too. I want in on this!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 05:16 PM

Here's a story about Art.

It must have been in the mid 70's, not that many years after I first met Sandy & Caroline Paton. In those days, The Sounding Board in Hartford, Ct.,in conjunction with Sandy & Caroline, did a Folk Legacy Festival. I was a new recording artist in their stable (and a wonderful stable it was, with Bok, Trickett and Muir, Bill Staines, Kendall and many other fine musicians in adjacent stalls.) Art hadn't recorded for Folk-Legacy yet, but Sandy & Caroline invited him to the festival in anticipation. It was my first festival as a performer and I was trying to be as invisble as possible, feeling very overshadowed by other musicians whose records I loved. Almost everyone there was a stranger to me, including Art. Art says that we talked in the hall somwehre along the line, but much to my embarassment, I don't remember it. Hopefully, I can be excused as the nervous novice (anybody remember Nervous Norvus?) I was.

Maybe I'd better make this a two-parter before Joe Offer Offs me for being too wordy..

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 04:55 PM

Daggone, Art. In 1959 I was...oh my...a whole lot younger than I am now....

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:39 PM

Never was real good at math. In 1959 I was not 19. I was 18.

Art

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:11 PM

It's exactly those kinds of "origins" stories we need more of in this thread!

Let's hear more on all of the recipients!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:41 PM

Thanks for the kind reminiscence Sandy. I think it was 1959, when I was 19 and still in high school, that you were the featured performer at a Sunday afternoon hootenanny at Chicago's GATE OF HORN. Your songs and music, recently acquired by you on a collecting trip to the British Isles, was truly inspiring and vividly transporting for me. I graduated that June and headed to Evansville, Indiana to work in my uncle's factory for the summer. In Evansville I ordered your first LP---still a favorite of mine no matter what you say about it. I waited all summer for that LP to arrive at the store, and on the last day before I was to head for college, it came in. ---- I still have it.

I don't know if Mudcatters know that your recording of "Wild Mountain Thyme" on "THE MANY SIDES OF SANDY PATON" was the first time that great song had ever been recorded in the U.S.A.

I can't believe how good it feels to know some of the people I respect most in this folk world----Sandy, Frank, Jean, and others don't mind my being a part of this. Love to you all,

Art

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 02:52 PM

:-)

SandyGramps, thanks for stopping by and for the story! I am still working on the certificate, but watch your mail around mid-July...luvyakat

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 09:28 AM

Strange there has been no mention of JOhn from Hull so far. Now, that man really is a treasure.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 04:44 PM

Caroline and I are deeply honored and proud to be included in such wonderful company. Jean and Art are two of our favorite people and are both artists we have admired for decades. In fact, Jean's very early 10-inch LP (was it on Elektra, Jean?) was one of the recordings that first drew Caroline to this music called "folk." That may well have been in 1953.
    I met Art while he was still working at Rose Records in Chicago, about 1960. I was at Kroch's and Brentano's. He was just a kid, really, and when he asked about learning more about the "folk" of America, I suggested to him that he might hitch-hike around the country, meeting folks and talking/singing with them. He took me seriously and when next I heard him sing (at a festival here in Connecticut) he was an accomplished spokesperson for the American people and their music. That was when I invited him to record for Folk-Legacy, which he did.
    I cherish both of these long-lasting friendships, and always will.
    I do wish I had more free time to visit the 'Cat forum, but I do drop in when I can.
    Sandy

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 12:02 PM

Anyone else interested in contributing a few dollars/pound/etc. to the surprise pot, please PM Rapaire or me. Thanks!

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 07:55 PM

Giok, LOL...Rick would appreciate that humour.

TJinSD...are either of them members of Mudcat? That's a prerequisite.

Subject: RE: First Annual Mudcat Living Treasure Award
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 06:12 PM

If you ever awarded it posthumously one year, you could call it the Mudcat Buried Treasure Award.
G.