Books about Folk

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: meself
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 11:10 AM

No, there was a follow-up book, which consisted of a series of short biographies of Cape Breton fiddlers. I may have the title a bit wrong. (My books are all packed up, so I can't check).

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: davyr
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 10:28 AM

"The Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler by .... (help me out here, George!). "

This appears to have been a TV documentary rather than a book:

http://www.capebretonfiddlers.com/history.html

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/3954

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: meself
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 01:09 AM

Before the Fame - Stompin' Tom Connors. A great look at life in the underclass of Canada in the 1950s.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,Matt
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 12:22 AM

Dazzling Stranger about Bert Jansch and friends, is a great read.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: meself
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 08:12 PM

Father of the Blues - W.C. Handy (okay, not exactly folk - but a terrific read).

The Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler by .... (help me out here, George!).

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: quokka
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:52 PM

One from Australia:

Sing For Me, Countryman by Neil Murray (1993)

"Murray is an activist, a hobo, a mover and a shaker, making music from the heart and conscience of Australia." - Soundtrax (quoted from the front cover of the book)

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 01:56 PM

Ok Folks an update:

Books about Folk

1.        'In search of the craic' by Colin Irwin
2.        Song for every Season - Bob Copper
3.        Early to Rise
Songs and Southern Breezes ....both by Bob Copper
4.        Folk - A portrait of English Traditional Music, Musicians and Customs by Bob Pegg
5.        The Ladybird Book of Folk Song,
6.        Deke Leonard's Rhinos Winos and Lunatics - The Legend of Man, a Rock n' Roll Band; the prequel Maybe I Should've Stayed in Bed - The Flipside of the Rock n' Roll Dream
7.        Come All Ye Bold Miners: Lloyd.
8.        English Folk Song Some Conclusions: Sharp.
9.        Last Night's Fun: Carson.
10.        The Fellowship of Song: Dunn.
11.        Song And Democratic Culture In Britain: Watson.
12.        Popular Music In England: Russell.
13.        The Ballad And The Folk: Buchan.
14.        The Stone Fiddle: Tunney.
15.        The Idiom Of The People: Reeves.
16.        Richard Lewis: The Magic Spring
17.        The Betsy Whyte - the lives and ways of the Scots 'Travellers'
18.        Bound for Glory - Woody Guthrie
19.        And a Voice to Sing With - Joan Baez
20.        Singing Family of the Cumberlands, by Jean Ritchie.
21.        Set Into Song, the story of the making of the Radio Ballads, by Peter Cox.
22.        English Folk Song Bibliography: An Introductory Bibliography Based on the Holdings of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
23.        The English Folk Song Bibliography is on-line at http://www.efdss.org/resind.htm
24.        See the previous Basic Folk Library thread
25.        Ewan McColl - Doomsday in the Afternoon - seminal book on travellers' music in general and Belle Stewart in particular
26.        'History and the Morris Dance' by John Cutting
27.        Joe Klein's "Woody Guthrie
28.        "Singing Cowboys and Musical Mountaineers" and "Sound of the Dove"
29.        "All That Is Native and Fine: The Politics of Culture in an American Region" by David E. Whisnant
30.        Strange Affair - by Patrick Humphries, bio of Richard Thompson.
31.        E.V.Thompson - 'The Music Makers'?
32.        Alan Lomax: The land where the blues began
33.        The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad by Wilentz and Marcous
34.        The Invention of Folk Music and Art Music - Matthew Gelbart
35.        Cerddoriaeth Draddodiadol yng Nghymru: Llyfryddiaeth - Traditional Music in Wales: Bibliography"
36.        David Atkinson: 'The English Traditional Ballad'
37.        MacColl & Seeger's 'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland
38.        Frank & Anne Warner's 'Traditional American Folk Songs'.
39.        Joe Boyd's 'White Bicycles

Chiz
L in C

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Brian Peters
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:53 AM

David Atkinson: 'The English Traditional Ballad'

MacColl & Seeger's 'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' is a song book really, but has a lot of interesting information about the singers and their communities. As does Frank & Anne Warner's 'Traditional American Folk Songs'.

Surely someone must have mentioned Joe Boyd's 'White Bicycles'? But I don't see it on on your list, Les.

And can I add to the chorus of acclamation for Carson's 'Last Night's Fun'. Informative, funny, gets under the skin of musical culture like few others.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:35 AM

title of this thread reminds me of a time I was watching the big telly screen in Harrogate LLoyds bank - waiting in the queue.

The telly is tuned to the news channel, and Ken livingstone's head pops up on the screen, and I said, ooooh! Livingstone!

A rather taciturn lady in the queue behind me said, Ah never watch tha news! Its nowt but talking about folk...

I expect these books are nowt but reading about folk...

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: sian, west wales
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 04:52 AM

I suppose I could/should mention a book about books. "Cerddoriaeth Draddodiadol yng Nghymru: Llyfryddiaeth - Traditional Music in Wales: Bibliography" is bilingual and quite a useful catalogue of main printed collections, research publications and research dissertations dealing with, well ... like it says on the label. I find it useful when I need a bump-start on looking something up.

ISBN: 1-84527-080-0

sian

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Sue Allan
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 07:10 PM

The Invention of Folk Music and Art Music - Matthew Gelbart

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,JimP
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 06:53 PM

The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad by Wilentz and Marcous. It had a companion CD too, with examples of the ballads discussed.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Burke
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 05:56 PM

Alan Lomax: The land where the blues began

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: quokka
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 02:34 PM

Does anyone remember the book by E.V.Thompson - 'The Music Makers'?
Set in Ireland in 1840's. Title from O'Shaunnessy's poem:

WE are the music-makers,        
And we are the dreamers of dreams,        
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,        
And sitting by desolate streams;        
World-losers and world-forsakers,                 5
On whom the pale moon gleams:        
Yet we are the movers and shakers        
Of the world for ever, it seems.        
        
With wonderful deathless ditties        
We build up the world's great cities,         10
And out of a fabulous story        
We fashion an empire's glory:        
One man with a dream, at pleasure,        
Shall go forth and conquer a crown;        
And three with a new song's measure         15
Can trample an empire down.        
        
We, in the ages lying        
In the buried past of the earth,        
Built Nineveh with our sighing,        
And Babel itself with our mirth;         20
And o'erthrew them with prophesying        
To the old of the new world's worth;        
For each age is a dream that is dying,        
Or one that is coming to birth.        

I've always loved this poem

Quokka

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,doc.tom
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 02:26 PM

"And another vote for Ciaron Carson's 'Last Night's Fun' - poetic, impressionistic, and beautifully observed. Quite simply the best book I've ever read about music, LNF captures what playing the music actually feels like, what traditional music means to people, and about the social aspects of music-making."

Abso-bloody-lutely - and from a man who was a Northern Irish part of The Arts Council!! - if only.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: quokka
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 02:00 PM

Strange Affair - by Patrick Humphries, bio of Richard Thompson. Very good book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Fairport or Richard.

cheers,

Quokka

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 01:36 PM

Hi,

It is a blatant advert - but I have a few of these. But at the end of a summer season of festivals - not many. I have 8, and 20 only. However if there is anything that people are looking for - I am already booked at two festivals next year; anyone near or passing through Sheffield is welcome to call as many do.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 01:04 PM

Thanks El Spleeno that's very kind

El Les

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 01:02 PM

I've got about forty at my house, Les, that I haven't got time to list. You're welcome to browse and borrow though, as you're only round the corner, which means the elastic attaching them to the bookcase will just about stretch that far... Email or PM me.

Cheers

Spleeno

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 12:38 PM

Books about Folk so far:

1.        'In search of the craic' by Colin Irwin
2.        Song for every Season - Bob Copper
3.        Early to Rise
Songs and Southern Breezes ....both by Bob Copper
4.        Folk - A portrait of English Traditional Music, Musicians and Customs by Bob Pegg
5.        The Ladybird Book of Folk Song,
6.        Deke Leonard's Rhinos Winos and Lunatics - The Legend of Man, a Rock n' Roll Band; the prequel Maybe I Should've Stayed in Bed - The Flipside of the Rock n' Roll Dream
7.        Come All Ye Bold Miners: Lloyd.
8.        English Folk Song Some Conclusions: Sharp.
9.        Last Night's Fun: Carson.
10.        The Fellowship of Song: Dunn.
11.        Song And Democratic Culture In Britain: Watson.
12.        Popular Music In England: Russell.
13.        The Ballad And The Folk: Buchan.
14.        The Stone Fiddle: Tunney.
15.        The Idiom Of The People: Reeves.
16.        Richard Lewis: The Magic Spring
17.        The Betsy Whyte - the lives and ways of the Scots 'Travellers'
18.        Bound for Glory - Woody Guthrie
19.        And a Voice to Sing With - Joan Baez
20.        Singing Family of the Cumberlands, by Jean Ritchie.
21.        Set Into Song, the story of the making of the Radio Ballads, by Peter Cox.
22.        English Folk Song Bibliography: An Introductory Bibliography Based on the Holdings of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
23.        The English Folk Song Bibliography is on-line at http://www.efdss.org/resind.htm
24.        See the previous Basic Folk Library thread
25.        Ewan McColl - Doomsday in the Afternoon - seminal book on travellers' music in general and Belle Stewart in particular
26.        'History and the Morris Dance' by John Cutting
27.        Joe Klein's "Woody Guthrie
28.        "Singing Cowboys and Musical Mountaineers" and "Sound of the Dove"
29.        "All That Is Native and Fine: The Politics of Culture in an American Region" by David E. Whisnant
30.        

I think Folkiedave might have a few of these?

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 12:14 PM

"All That Is Native and Fine: The Politics of Culture in an American Region" by David E. Whisnant

Heavy, but a classic, and very informative.

Russ (permanent GUEST and aging folkie)

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: sian, west wales
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 12:08 PM

My sister gave me Joe Klein's "Woody Guthrie: A Life" a few Christmases back which I enjoyed immensely.

A ot of my other 'faves' are Welsh language I guess, although I do tend to rattle on about "Singing Cowboys and Musical Mountaineers" and "Sound of the Dove", both of which I came across in the "Basic Folk Library" thread, link as kindly provided above.

(How does one find the old Permathreads these days?)

sian

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:51 AM

The BEST book I've ever read about folksinging and folksingers is Jimmy Longhi's WOODY, CISCO, AND ME, about his merchant marine voyages with them during WWII!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 09:05 AM

'History and the Morris Dance' by John Cutting - discursive and conversational but at the same time very informative, a book narrated with an enthusiast's voice seeking to disentangle the myths from the history.

And another vote for Ciaron Carson's 'Last Night's Fun' - poetic, impressionistic, and beautifully observed. Quite simply the best book I've ever read about music, LNF captures what playing the music actually feels like, what traditional music means to people, and about the social aspects of music-making.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,Suffolk Miracle
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 06:34 AM

Bob Pegg - Folk - not as basic as t first looks - and fabulous photographs
Ewan McColl - Doomsday in the Afternoon - seminal book on travellers' music in general and Belle Stewart in particular

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: davyr
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 05:39 AM

"Unfortunately it's in PDF, which doesn't make searching it very easy"

What's difficult about searching in a PDF file? You just use the "search" box for a word or phrase and scroll through the hits it finds.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 05:07 AM

See the previous Basic Folk Library thread

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 04:46 AM

The English Folk Song Bibliography is on-line at http://www.efdss.org/resind.htm . Unfortunately it's in PDF, which doesn't make searching it very easy. But the entries include useful thumbnail guides to the contents.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: cptsnapper
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 12:46 AM

I've just been browsing through the English Folk Song Bibliography: An Introductory Bibliography Based on the Holdings of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library which is also worth checking out.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From:
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 09:38 PM

Set Into Song, the story of the making of the Radio Ballads, by Peter Cox.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 07:38 PM

Singing Family of the Cumberlands, by Jean Ritchie.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: quokka
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 07:27 PM

Bound for Glory - Woody Guthrie

And a Voice to Sing With - Joan Baez

Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 07:18 PM

Then of course you could get in touch with me - I have a (very out of date) website and can sell you all the books you ever dreamed about!!

Blatant plug over.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: terrier
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 06:59 PM

The Betsy Whyte books give a vivid insight into the lives and ways of the Scots 'Travellers' between wars and just after the second world war. That's what 'folk' means to me.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 06:53 PM

Richard Lewis: The Magic Spring

If you fancy something lighthearted and fun...

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,doc.tom
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 03:32 PM

Come All Ye Bold Miners: Lloyd.
English Folk Song Some Conclusions: Sharp.
Last Night's Fun: Carson.
The Fellowship of Song: Dunn.
Song And Democratic Culture In Britain: Watson.
Popular Music In England: Russell.
The Ballad And The Folk: Buchan.
The Stone Fiddle: Tunney.
The Idiom Of The People: Reeves. - if I get time I'll go and look at the bookshelf as well!

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 03:17 PM

The Ladybird Book of Folk Song, which has a full page painting of that fateful moment back 1903 when Cecil Sharp heard John England singing The Seeds of Love. Alas, I do not have a copy myself, otherwise I'd scan it in for all the world to see.

Anyone???

My favourite book on music right now is Deke Leonard's Rhinos Winos and Lunatics - The Legend of Man, a Rock n' Roll Band; the prequel Maybe I Should've Stayed in Bed - The Flipside of the Rock n' Roll Dream is pretty good too. Essential reading for anyone who loves music and good, honest writing from someone who's lived most of their life in the trenches of real music and somehow lived to tell the tale.

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: nutty
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 03:15 PM

also
Early to Rise
Songs and Southern Breezes ....both by Bob Copper

Folk - A portrait of English Traditional Music, Musicians and Customs by Bob Pegg

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: GUEST,CSL
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 03:04 PM

Song for every Season - Bob Copper

Subject: RE: Books about Folk
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 03:03 PM

Pete Seeger
Tommy Makem
"In Search of the Craic"

come to mind immediately.

Subject: Books about Folk
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 13 Oct 08 - 02:52 PM

I have enjoyed a number of books about Folk / Folklore / Traditions including:
Folk Song in England, Stations of the Sun, The English Year,

Anybody recommend any other essential or good reads?

Cheers

L in C