Attracting Young Folk to Folk

Subject: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 12:28 PM

An excellent article is herewith:

http://www.morphmagazine.co.nz/component/content/article/40-articles/78-young-folks.html

What are the parallels elsewhere?

Chris B.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Acorn4
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 04:15 PM

What about these - from Coventry area - I think combined age is not much over 40:-


http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=60722671

Band are called Tri and can be seen at this year's Bedworth Festival in November.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 04:16 PM

A comment was made at Sidmouth that some of the sessions were not so well attended all the time , but The Ship always seemed to have a good crowd - true - an they were the younger players , having a greattime without being bothered by us 'Old Fogies' .
THe Folk scene seems still to be in good hands !

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 04:57 PM

This may stray a little, but the intent is in the same direction. In my little country school, we always had instrumental music and singing. From at least the 3rd through 8th grade, both were considered valued parts of a rounded curriculum. Sadly, that is not the case today with many schools. It is up to parents and grandparents who love the music to share it with their children and grandchildren from an early age. That is how we need to plant the seeds for the next generation. My five-year-old grandson has heard folk songs his entire life. He will develop other tastes and interests as he grows older, but he asks for favorite songs now and, I believe, he will remember them when he has his own family.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 09:22 PM

No lack of young folk at Clifftop this year.

The kids kicked butt in the contents.

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: open mike
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 09:44 PM

we wonder that in our folk society, and have been inviting younger musicians to entertain for us at our meetings..and welcoming them to come to our jams...they said the best way to get them to come is to have free food for them!! As the school system removes the arts from the curriculum, i believe the world will be in a sad state...it is up to us to encourage the music to continue on!!

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,eliza c
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 10:07 PM

they like cider
xe

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 11:47 AM

Young people and folk seem to be pretty safe down here in Maidstone. When our singaround was on at the Greyhound, soon to be moved to The Old House at Home, there were always quite a few people between the ages of 15-21...about 15 or so of us at a time.

And we have a few young folky bands down here... Wheeler Street who played at Cambridge, Sidmouth, Glastonbury, Broadstairs, Warwick, Rochester Sweeps, etc... www.myspace.com/wheelerstreet

We also have The Quays, who I haven't personally seen but are supposed to be alternative folk, so I'll try to check them out.

I've also been to a couple of sessions around Tenterden and Faversham where there were a couple of younger musicians.

:)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 12:24 PM

nobody made any attempt to attract young people to folk music when I was a teenager,the fact that it was not the chosen music of most adults made it more attractive.
we did have folksongs in primary school and folk dancing[it was always the fat girls that I didnt fancy who asked me to dance],but it was sung along with the headmaster on the piano.
the other sort of folk music with guitars,that was happening in folk clubs like les cousins,was much more exciting[it was not the music of our boring parents].
I think the solution is to make it as readily available to people as possible,and then just let them get on with it or not as the case may be ,you can bring a horse to water but you cant make it drink.
if Folk music is taught in schools[a lot of thought must go into prersentation],there is no point making the same mistakes that were made 50 years ago,during my childhood.
looking back, I am surprised I was not put off it totally,perhaps it was marginally less boring then all the other lessons.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 12:26 PM

This project will hopefully help please let anyone know who maybe interested in the Hull area? Cheers

Humbersound "Groove Crew" are recruiting for 12 to 20 year olds……

Tuesday 1 to 6 September 2009 @ Wilberforce Museum 10.00 – 4.00pm

Music ~ Singing ~ Filming ~ Interviewing ~ Laughing and much more……..

Humbersound are looking for more young people to join their crew and help manage and develop the Heritage "Groove Crew" Project . This will involve a series of music, singing, filming and personal skills workshops leading up to the 2009 Hull Maritime Festival (Shanty Festival). This project will investigate the musical heritage that links Hull to the sea and the cultural heritage that surrounds the city. An education package will be developed to deliver to a wider audience for future years.

These will take place predominantly at Wilberforce House which is situated in the Museum Quarter in Hull. Heritage Groove Crew will be researching into local maritime history and heritage by interviewing people and capturing their memories and stories with sound and film recording.

The project is funded by Heritage Lottery Young Routes and we would like to hear from anyone 12 to 20. If you are interested, or you know anyone who maybe, and would like further information please contact either:

Dave Watts 07980 282266 [e-mail]
Jennie Beasty on 07968 231560 [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Flashmeister
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 09:23 AM

two pennies'orth on this...
I'm the tender age of 25 and run a thriving, wonderful, diverse, folk session near Luton in the UK. (see 'What's on in Herts/Beds' permathread and look for The Globe!!) I know lots of young people who enjoy the music, play the music and there is almost a reneissance of folk bubbling away at the moment....get the word out, make sessions more accessible. i think a lot of younger people have a misinformed view of the folk scene thinking it's all old farts in bad jumpers when clearly that is not the case, i'm a young fart in a very nice jumper indeed thank you :-)!

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: theleveller
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 11:44 AM

Well, my 9-year old daughter is already a confirmed folkie and wants to play and sing along with everything we do. My 18-year old son wasn't interested until, the other day, he heard me playing around with amplifying my Lowden through an old Fender twin reverb amp. When I started playing a psychofolk version of Reynardine he went straight upstairs and started playing drums along with me.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: JohnDun
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 12:57 PM

I'm with Frauline Flashmeister on this...   I too run a music session near Luton in the UK. (see 'What's on in Herts/Beds' permathread and look for The Old Farm Inn!!) We often joke about Flash being dragged over to the dark (trad) side.   But if she didn't enjoy it she wouldn't do it.

As for the Old Farm Inn we have a couple of 11yr olds, several teenagers and another load in their 20's players/singers who attend regularly and are always well received. Our audiences are always attentive when they play and more importantly take them seriously.

Flash and Captain Birdseye are right about making sessions more accessible and fun. The dirges and lengthy child ballads have their place but the youngsters of today need tunes and songs they enjoy and relate to.   You have to dangle the right bait!!

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 02:25 PM

I have no concerns about a shortage of younger performers. The problem is that so many seem to be performing to their parents' generation.

With any hobby or interest there there needs to be an "entry level" that encourages people to stay. That needs venues with entertaining performers plus an attitude that you can have a go yourself if you feel up to it, but if you prefer to just listen then that's fine.

That description fits rather fewer clubs than we would really like to imagine. If you are visiting a strange club, leave the guitar in the car and walk in as a stranger coming off the street just to listen. How to the regulars react to you?

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: stallion
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 04:16 PM

The session at the tap & spile (york) was lead by the youngsters last week, they come for themselves, maybe to learn as well. hate to bang on about this but it has to be fun and hassle free, shed the labels and the noses stuck in the air and get on with having fun

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Flashmeister
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 06:44 AM

Lengthy Child's have their place JD? and here was I about to launch into all 14 minutes of Famous Flower of Serving Men!!! :-P
It's also about making the music more accessible and sessions more relaxed - one thing that does happen in my Globe session and John Dun's Old Farm Inn is friendly banter and talking between songs as well as gentle encouragement from the session leader. it relaxes people, makes them feel included and also gives people a chance to find out the names of songs that people have played so then they can go and explore that song further or discover new ones that they can then do.
I feel it is crucial to make younger people feel welcome in sessions and nurture that, all the best players/singers started as young people with an ear for folk so we need to not lose out on a generation of people who are out there and perhaps put off by misinformation and assumed snobbery about the scene.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Kosmo
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 07:34 AM

I feel almost out of place - I'm a young folkie!!!

I'm the only person in my current folk clubs under 30 (I'm just twenty myself) and have been in those folk clubs since I was 12. I love the scene and I find it no bother playing to any age.

I'm starting a folk club at uni, and hopefully I'll get all the younger freshers to come along.

I love threads like this.

Luv Kosmo

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,SallyM
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 07:36 AM

Just a few observations, having attended sessions for several years now and run a few myself – and realising that I have now become part of the older generation ! Yes we were all young once and we all remember that nerve racking time when we first played a song or tune at a session amongst people we didn't know, and especially when they didn't join in because they didn't know the tune either. But please don't assume we don't want to hear new songs and tunes, we more than welcome and need new blood to liven us up. Sessions are well known for getting 'stuck in a rut' with playing the same old tunes and songs that the regulars know, and I have known a few sessions die because of this. However what I do love about the scene is the unpredictability of it. You never know who will turn up on the night, and it is always great to have new faces appear with new tunes, songs and instruments (and seeing the steel drum at The Globe the other week was a first for me!).
Yes I totally agree, there is a responsibility on the session leader/facilitator (whatever you want to call them) to try and make it relaxed and welcoming as possible, and this can be tricky sometimes. I can quite understand that youngsters coming into a roomful of wierdy-beardy-folkies-in-woolly-jumpers may well assume they are not welcome. But I can assure you this is not so, we more than welcome and would love to see and hear from more younger people with their songs and tunes that we may well not know, and may not be 'folk' (whatever that means). We still appreciate good music and playing.
My only minor gripe I do have though, is that if you want people to listen to your tunes and songs then do please have the courtesy to listen to others performing theirs as well – even if you aren't too keen on them yourself - as they too will have spent many hours practicing as well. (oh dear, maybe I am turning into a grumpy old folkie now).

Sal the Gal

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Cats
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 05:20 PM

Last week at Liskeard's Barley Sheaf folk Club about a third were under 30. Predominantley musicians, late into the night I had a conversation with 2 of them, but they may well be musicians first and come to song later when they have found their feet, so to speak. Initially they have an instrument to 'hide behind'. If it is just them and someone doesn't like what they are doing it is a criticism of them, not their instrument so they need to be comfortable peforming music first and singing afterwards.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 07:38 PM

Our (Gerry Milne and I) session at The New Tavern in Sidmouth has ALWAYS been welcoming to young performers , something we are carrying on in memmory of Bill Eddy , who was very encouragi of the younger musicians and singers

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Amos
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 09:02 PM

Here's a lovely young person working her way back by way of the Beach Boys. She'll get there!


A

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Kev The Clogs
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 05:51 AM

I agree Terry - The Newt is Great for that. I found two young (about 14 or 15) lads this year playing in The Swan - they didn't know about "the protocol" of when you can and can't play or sing and were playing a little too near an existing session (there were some raised eyebrows and muttering from some of the oldies) - I took them to one side and suggested The Newt as I knew you would welcome them - what'ya know - I arrived at The Newt a couple of hours later, and they were sitting right next to you, playing away to their hearts content, and gave me a huge thumbs up when I walked in!!! We've GOT to keep them!!!!

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: JemmaGurney
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 08:15 AM

Can I also point out the wonders of facebook???

admittedly - it isn't the best site for non-folkies to discover the music, but I'd like to think that between the pictures I take and the pictures others take of me, I'm giving a good visual representation of what the folk community bit of my life is like to all my non-folky friends. This may not instanteously convert non folkies to folkies, but I hope it (in a small way) opens up what folk-i-dom is about, so that if they stumble across it in the real world, they are less likely to brush it aside as something they are not interested in.

Also - with a lot of my folky festival friends being geographically spread out - it's great to keep in touch with them and see the pictures of what they are getting up too elsewhere. It increases the sociable aspect of the folk community, which I think is incredibly important to young folkies who don't have many others living close by to play music with etc, esp in those cold wintery months...

Jems

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 08:37 AM

Having young people around folk is the best way to attract young folk. Jemma does a good job on that level.

Once they are there make sure they are included. Talk to them, if they hover with an instrument make sure they know they are included in a (say) session. I usually tell them jokes but you have to get the age range right. It works to some degree.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,Still kinda young
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 09:26 AM

Been playing great music with young people all summer at many different fests and sessions! Yay...

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 03:30 PM

This seems like a good thread for this:

Subversive Grandma Fills MP3 Player with Folk/Trad. Says, "Ya gotta start 'em young!"**bg**

My grandson turned 6 yesterday. He's heard folk and trad and a lot of other kinds of music since he was born, esp. at our house where he first lived and has been nearly every day all of his life.

He wanted an mp3 player for his b-day which we gave him, though I had some reservations. He was thrilled, esp. that I put his FAV. song on it, A'Soulin'. I will be putting more on it, but he said he slept with it on, it has an auto shut-off after a certain time, and he's had it on all day. I was thrilled when I heard him, while he was playing with toys, singing along at the top of his lungs. He didn't have all of the words (there's more about that in my BS thread), but when I sang it with him, he got almost all of them and now that he knows what they are, I know he will get them down. He'll do this with the other songs,too. I have to add more of his favs., but what a great way to really get him into it. As he is in kindergarten, he's not quite ready to be able to read the lyrics, so this gets us over that snag, too. We have fun when we just sing along to CDs, but this way he can listen over and over to learn it well and that will make the busking he already wants to do so much better!*bg* This seems like a great extra for the young ones even those who have their own instruments. He will want to play his uke and dulcimer more, I think, after hearing the tunes over and over at will. This put the music right there in HIS hands. That makes this grandma really happy.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 03:44 PM

I went to a concert on Friday night and whilst a lot of people there were over forty there were plenty under 20.

I sat with three 16 year olds (all fiddle players) and they thought the whole thing was really cool. (Their word not mine!)

One thing - there was a huge contrast between the price people paid (a not inconsiderable £14.00) and the young person price an affordable (I would have thought), £3.00.

And we agreed to meet up again on Tuesday (Spiers and Boden). IT all happens in Sheffield :-)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Peter Stockport
Date: 15 Nov 09 - 04:17 PM

There's a folk club in Manchester where no one is over 30.
Room full of people, about 60 people.
And no grey hair, it's at the Bay Horse and was previously at Teacup.
When I went a few weeks ago Ember were booked and it was a great night.
I was the oldest there and felt a bit like everyones Dad. I'm just 50.
It's run by people who look like they are about 20. So it attracts a young enthusiastic audience, it's the future and I've tasted it.
Lets face it folk clubs run by old people are boring for young people.

Peter

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 10:06 AM

Lets face it folk clubs run by old people are boring for young people.

That is not a given - just the perception of a lot of young people. And there is enough evidence to make them think it is universal. But then when we were young there was this arguement about upstarts like Bob Dylan et al and didn't Peter Kennedy have an argee bargee with the establishment about the use of the word ceilidh instead of barn dance &/or folk dance?

Plus ca change.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: matt milton
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 10:23 AM

Peter - what's that Mancunian folk club called?

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Peter Stockport
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 01:51 PM

Matt it's called "For Folks Sake"
It's very succesful there's a facebook page here
http://www.facebook.com/forfolkssake
There's a good clip of Ember and the floor spots who are all "Young" and no one was patronised.
I saw Ember at Sidmouth and I squirmed on my seat as they were introduced as "Young People" They've been performing 10 years to my Knowledge--
No wonder "Young people" stay away when they get introduced that way regardless of whether they are 14 or 40.
I run The Midway folk club look here
Midway Folk Club
Like most folk clubs we have the odd person who is on the right side of thirty but look at the pics we're all old!
Not a "Young Person" in sight!
We can get up to 80 people on a good night, so it's not lack of popularity of the club- Young people attract young people.
We offer out free tickets to local youth groups so it's not like we don't try...
Peter

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 02:07 PM

A bag of sweeties? One could get arrested.
Seriously though, let's differentiate between attracting young folk to folk and attracting them to folk clubs. The second might be harder.

What I am interested in is attracting young folk to folk song. It seems a particularly tough proposition these days.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 02:55 PM

I doubt you will get young people into folk clubs unless they run them themselves. (Mostly).

And when you discover the answer to the singing conundrum George let me know, we can bottle it, and give up work. (Well I have....but you know what I mean......) :-)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: SophFFS
Date: 17 Nov 09 - 10:10 AM

Hello everyone

Thanks to Peter for saying such lovely things about For Folk's Sake - I'm glad you enjoyed the night. Though we have a lot of local singer songwriters on, it is traditional music I love and aim to expose Manchester audiences to so there will be more in the future.

We're hoping to be organising folk arts workshops at Band On The Wall next year so I will keep you all posted.

As well as our facebook site, you can find us at myspace.com/forfolkssake and on twitter: forfolkssakemcr

Thank you!

Sophie x

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Marje
Date: 17 Nov 09 - 12:06 PM

I think part of the problem with singing (which I've just mentioned in another thread) is that many young people in Britain don't sing in school, or indeed anywhere else, after the age of about 7. Music lessons may not entail much singing, and most schools don't sing hymns in regular assemblies.

Some schools are very good at keeping kids singing, but many are not. My grandkids seem to do very little singing in school, and their mum, my daughter, is now actively working at getting them to sing in the car, etc, and paying attention to getting them to sing in tune. As she says, with all these targets and boxes that have to be ticked, why is the ability to sing in tune not regarded as just as important as multiplication tables or being able to do a forward roll?

So if by the time a youngster gets an instrument and starts attending folk sessions and festivals, they may not have sung anything in years except "Happy Birthday". It's no wonder if they lack the skill and confidence to sing, and tend to keep clear of events where singing is expected.

Marje

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Girl Friday
Date: 17 Nov 09 - 03:31 PM

"I doubt you will get young people into folk clubs unless they run them themselves. (Mostly). " Take note of that last word. Kit's Cutter Club in Deptford is run by young people. If you look on their Myspace, you'll see that they're booking folkies old and young alike. I believe that if young people really want to play in folk clubs they will go along to their local one, regardless of the average age. There's a lot that they can learn from the older generation, and no doubt, they could show us a thing or two as well. Testament to this is 16 year old Ben Little, who was exposed to folk music because his dad and I run a club. He has fallen in love with folk music, and is now a very good performer.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: paula t
Date: 17 Nov 09 - 07:31 PM

Hi Marje,
There has been an initiative in schools over the last year or two, called "Sing Out". Our primary school (I'm the music teacher)has joined the scheme (It's free) . There is a website and teachers can get free singing resources and a regular magazine. We really enjoy singing at our school. We have been revising our curriculum and are continuing to embed singing into our new curriculum so it carries through to history, geography, science etc....
Some of us are trying - honest!

Paula
x

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: paula t
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 03:39 PM

Hi Marje,

Sorry, I meant that the scheme is called "Sing Up". Oops!

Paula
x

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: skipy
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 04:53 PM

White horse ceilidhs ( has website ) is doing very well attracting youth, good job really as this is what we are doing them for! Then they attend the folkforms ones & the White horse folk festival ones & it's working! We are getting local youth interested.
Skipy

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: SophFFS
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:04 AM

Just a cheeky little reminder - it's the last For Folk's Sake of the year tomorrow (Wednesday 2nd) and they'll be mince pies aplenty. And good music, of course!

We're at the Bay Horse in Manchester's Northern Quarter from 6.30pm:
www.forfolkssake.org.uk

Soph
x

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: GUEST,Kit & Cutter
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 12:19 PM

Thank you for the shout out to our folk club in Deptford Girl Friday. We are indeed young and we book young and old acts who play to a mixture of young and old audience members. The way it should be!

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: SylviaN
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 01:50 PM

Kit & Cutter (H & K) - I just love your attitude!

We need to get you doing stuff in schools - two lovely lasses like you will show how much fun folk music can be - not just for us oldies!! :-)
xxx
Sylvia

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:21 PM

Maybe if we worried less, and let them find it for themselves it would be more attractive to them.

The one thing I didn't want when I was a lad was to be interested in what my parents enjoyed.

That attitude among the young of the fifties led to Rock and Roll, Skiffle, the folk revival, and everything else that has happened since in the world of music.

Perhaps we just need to keep quiet and enjoy listening to the new twists that they put into our old favourites, and the new stuff they invent for themselves.

Trying to steer youngsters onto our preferred path is akin to pushing on the end of a piece of string, nailing jelly to the wall, or knitting fog.

I don't think I'll bother. I'll just enjoy Jackie Oates, Jim Moray, Wheeler Street et al, along with those of my age whose work I also love, and those of the past who started the whole damn show.

Having decided that I don't have to single handedly save it makes Folk so much more enjoyable.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:24 PM

I wonder if ageing Teds, Hippies, Punks etc. worry about attracting the young to their particular fading idiom...

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:25 PM

Lovely post DonT! ;-)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:30 PM

Folk? Fading?

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:51 PM

Here's some Folk I play music with in Boulder, and they don't come a lot younger!
Abos' Pizza Jam

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 03:00 PM

If anything is worthy of 'preservation' as such, it's not 1954 'folk' but the culture of homemade music in pubs. Media imposes an increasingly unattainable idealised and fraudulent perfection upon the collective consciousness for anything that is deemed aesthetically jugeable. The 'songs' themselves are now preserved in aspic, no danger to them.

The ageing culture of the amateur music and song session, is however something worthy of support and promotion, as it holds something quite precious to the human community, and it does not (unlike most contemporary Capitalist newspeak modulated 'culture', have anything to do with the ever-present "consumer" who naturally predicates a provider of some "product"). People like me can just turn up and sing a song and we don't need a degree in musicology to do so. And nor do we expect a recording contract from Simon Cowell & international fame for our efforts.

That's not to suggest that song and singing has not ever been bartered or sold for a singer's sustenance throughout the history of human community, but the community value of non-professionals simply sharing their mutual enjoyment of music and song, deserves support considering the increasingly oppressive grip that media now has upon the collective 'folk' mind-set.

Mind you - Karaoke & Rap & other forms of autochthonous folk music abound, so I'm probably just idealising a specific *form* of eternally resurrected musical community sharing that I currently partake of... :)

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Rasener
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:00 PM

Well afew months ago, we had Bram taylor on at Faldingworth Live for the second time.
He did a brilliant night entertainingg the audience.
So much so, Dave the chairman of the village hall asked me if it would be a good idea to book him for his private party for his 70th Birthday.

We did and most of the poeple had never been to a supposed folkie night.

His party consisted of ages ranging from about 12 up to 70 odd.

We were a bit concerned as we were introducing and artist that nobody knew and we could have fallen flat on our face.

Anyway, Gwenda & Terry Cater did a wonderful hilarious 30 minutes to warm up thsi non folkie audience.

Bram taylor came on and had the audience eating out of his hand including the young ones.

Why? Becuase he was an entertainer and was funny and he is a very good singer and guitarist and aint too bad with the squeezebox.

He involved the audience and brought the younger people into it as well.

If you want younger poepl to enjoy, you need to entertain and Bram did.

The reports I have back from Dave's party was that they were surprised at the quality that Bram delivered and they thought the folk scene was all about people sticking their fingers in their ears and singing A Capella. They also loved Gwenda and Terry Cater. Dave who is very discerning was full of praise and said that his party really enjoyed the evening.

Shame that on normal nights at Faldingworth Live we very seldom see younger people.

By the way Folkie Dave.I spoke with the owner of the pub in Faldingworth on Staurday evening and she welcomed anybody who wants to use their premises to park their campervans or even tents, provided they are well behaved later on after the concert. She also said that if poeple want to use the facilties for parking and camping and want to have food after the concerts, that was OK provided it was ordered and paid for before the concert. The meals would be kept warm in the kitchen until they get to the pub after the concert. No charge for parking or camping.

So anybody feels like doing that, this is the Diary for next year. I think its a good one and a good variety.
http://www.faldingworthlive.co.uk/

Anybody wanting to take up the above facility need to get in touch with me first to book. 01673 843036

Cheers
Les Worrall

Subject: RE: Attracting Young Folk to Folk
From: Rasener
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:14 PM

Sorry about the spelling :-)