Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers

Subject: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bluesman James
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 10:26 AM

It seems with all of the newly found interest in the 60's music scene, the contributions of African Americans have been totally ignored.
Does anyone remember:

Jackie Washington: (he first appeared with Joan Baez? I don't believe any of his recordings are available

Joe and Eddie: Incredible harmonies gutsy delivery Joe died tragically in an auto accident Their material is still in print and on I-Tunes

Len Chandler. If you go on youtube you will find duets of him and Pete Seeger as well as his own solo work. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=len+chandler&aq=3&oq=Len+C

Casey Anderson: Great soulful singer totally disappeared and forgotten

Brother John Sellers: MC at Folk City died in 1999 in NYC.

Julius Lester: WBAI host recorded some great recordings. He was one of the first contemporary singers to use a bottle neck. He converted to Judaism and is on the faculty at Amherst. His recordings are available on I-Tunes.

All forgotten so sad

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 10:40 AM

"All forgotten so sad"

No, they are not forgotten by everyone.

Folk radio still plays their music.

Most of the artists you mentioned also stopped recording after the 1960's. Out of sight, out of mind.

If you are talking about widespread recognition, there are very few folk singers of that era that are recognizable to anyone beyond the folk community.

Still, I agree with your premise - these are artists that deserve more recognition in general.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 11:31 AM

Honestly didn't think it really mattered.
We should pay special attention to people based on their race or colour?
That would be prejudice.
Not into that.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bluesman James
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 11:55 AM

I am not sure but I heard that Len Chandler had encounters issues because of his race. A contemporary singer Vance Gilbert has a song "country western rap" where he jokes about the issue
My managers says "You play good folk guitar but don't forget you'
re black" I don't want to believe race played an issue I played mostly in "Blues venues" Race was complicated and few wanted to discuss it.
Ask Eric Holder

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:08 PM

You make a very good point Bluesman James. I've often wondered why "blues" is a separate genre. It is folk music.   Without a doubt the individuals you mention encounted issues with race in the 1960's, and I would imagine that there are still issues with it.   I received a phone call during my radio program in January from someone who started shouting racist comments toward me after I played Odetta. I could tell it was an elderly voice, so hopefully much of these issues will die out.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:34 PM

No one's mentioned Richie Havens yet. He has a new CD that I just picked up last weekend. He's singing better than ever.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bluesman James
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:35 PM

Of course Blues is Folk Music. The problem is perception. I am part of a duo with another guitarist Dennis. We play traditional blues. I play several instruments 6-12 string dobro (needs fixing) and harmonica. We do a lot of material in the Sonny Terry/Brownie McGee and Cephas/Wiggins
vain as well as "jam tracks" When we do the coffee house/open mic thing, I see the "question marks" rise above people's heads. We are on the bill with singer/songwriter vain. I remember in the 70's when open mics were fill with Dylan/Young vein. You come on a do a Robert Johnson tune and some folks start freaking out. I use to play with another guitarist who hated cross harp. If it wasn't 1st position Dylan rack stuff, it wasn't harp.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:39 PM

One well known, and one well known but not as a folk singer: Leon Bibb and Lou Gossett, who sang folk and blues and accompanied himself on guitar in the early 60's. I heard him at the Gaslight Cafe as a solo performer about the time when he was in the play Raisin in the Sun on Broadway.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:40 PM

I also see those question marks when someone performs Irish music - as if to say it isn't "folk". There are some who will only listen to a sea chantey. Perception causes huge divides.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:44 PM

Leon Bibb is living in Canada. His son Eric Bibb is an excellent blues singer/songwriter He and his father did a really nice album with a great version of Balm in Gilliam. Check it out, its available

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:49 PM

Jackie Torrance-- Storyteller.

Josh White Jr.-- Singer

===

As far as forgotten, don't lose sight of the reality that many young adults came up in places where there was no visible Black culture, so it took awhile for some of us to widen our view, open our ears, and cultivate our minds. To "forget," first you have to "know." :~)

===

Sugar Blue, Harmonica genius

Taj Mahal-- Actor (SOUNDER)

And-- hello-- ODETTA. Not forgotten around here or anywhere else.

I'd have to count a bunch of AA opera singers too, for the way they brought spirituals into current culture-- that was folk music TOO. List too numerous to compile-- compiled elsewhere here. :~)


New AA discoveries await in the Digital Library of Appalachian-- one would be Sparky Rucker. In AppaLAchia?!?!? Uh huh. Go see-- he's not alone.


Bluesman, I think you must be new in these parts. Welcome!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: fretless
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 01:50 PM

Going back to the message that started this thread, Ron was on the right track in explaining why these names aren't household in most/many circles. Other African American folk singers were widely recognized during the 60s -- to the ones named or who should have been named above (Josh White, Odetta, Miriam Makeba, Leadbelly) -- add, for example Gus Cannon and his Jug Stompers, from a much earlier era but warmly embraced when they played NYC for the Friends of Old Time Music back in '63 or thereabouts. Most of the recognized African American musicians in the 60s were older and had started playing before the 60s. The younger folk musicians who began playing in the 60s were overwhelmingly white.

And as to encountering racism in America, either in the 60's or today -- now THERE'S a surprise! The only news would be if someone didn't encounter racism when interacting with America.

Subject: RE: Folklore: 60's African American Folk Singers
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 02:11 PM

Amen.