2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK

Subject: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 10:04 PM

Here's something fun if you're in the area this weekend.

2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, Okemah, OK

I've been there several times and always enjoy it, and will be heading for Okemah this week as soon as I can escape my day job. It's been dry and well over 100F (fine with a top near 40) for the festival the last couple years, but should be a bit more temperate this year with the rain and cooler temperatures we've been having.
- Phil

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Celtaddict
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 09:45 PM

Wish I could get there! Is this a fixed weekend? (Such as, always the second weekend of July?)

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 10:35 PM

The festival is always on or right around Woody's birthday on 14 July. Their website gives a good account of the festivities and all the performers. Arlo, Eliza Gilkyson, and Tim O'Brien are among the performers this year.

I was watching the weather radar in that part of the planet today and they got hit with another big line of thunderstorms. I'd better pack my boots.
- Phil

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 05:36 PM

AND your waterwings, Uncle Phil. It's been flooding all over the place in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas for the last week or so.

Nice and green, though...

Lin

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 10:10 PM

Hi Lin,
Yup, and it's raining here around Dallas again right now. Of course, if we insisted on ideal conditions before leaving the house we'd miss a lot of great music. The two daytime venues in Okemah are indoors and the evening venue is the top of a hill so we should be ok.

See you in September.
- Phil

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: Stringsinger
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 11:41 PM

Most of the folks who sing Woody's songs today didn't really know him personally. Their association with him is as a post office stamp on an envelope. There will probably be a Woody Guthrie craze in a few years where he is elevated to the status of some folk-god.


The Woody that I knew in Topanga Canyon in the 1950's would probably be amused at the fuss made over him. He was a damn fine songwriter and an arresting performer who received little recognition in the early days. Pete Seeger promoted him. Alan Lomax hired him to write songs for the TVA. The idea that Bob Dylan patterned his performance after Woody is not true. Bob got it from Jack Elliott. Dylan didn't know Woody any more than most of his boosters at folk festivals today. One thing, he did steal the harmonica rack bit from pictures of Woody from earlier times.

Here is an example where the show-business myth obscures the artist and the man.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: 2007 Woody Guthrie Folk Fest, Okema, OK
From: JJ
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:11 AM

Frank, do you think Jack Elliott patterned his performance style on Woody Guthrie's?

Honest question, no snark...