Fiction Books about folk singers

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Vicki Kelsey
Date: 04 Mar 13 - 01:14 AM

I discovered Manly Wade Wellman's "Silver John" books a number of years ago. I think I read all of them before they aged out and don't seem to be available anymore. There was a strong touch of magic to them as well.
    Regarding Jeffrey Deaver (see Roger the Skiffer's post of Sept 10, 2010, I wasn't aware of his folkie background until I read one of his books with a female character who was going progressively deaf. She still had records in her collection that she could hear because of the singer's bass voice--Gordon Bok.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Songwronger
Date: 03 Mar 13 - 09:10 PM

Did a search, this looks like an approximate match. "Fiction" "folk."

There's a story about folk singers in a new Seattle literary review, here. The story's called "What Ha'e the Dobkins Willy?"

I was going to start a thread pointing out the story and then ask if anyone could think of other works centered on folk, but there are several titles here. Never mind.

Since I already went to the trouble of googling up a link--Manly Wade Wellman. His John the Balladeer stories are excellent.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers from Burke.
From: GUEST,Lin to Burke
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:20 AM

To Burke:

In your post of 22 Sept. 10, Yes, it was definitely the only story in the book.

I was visiting my grandmother, who when she was alive, lived in the Cricklewood area of London. I was a teenager and I took a short walk to a small library in her neighbourhood to borrow books in the early 70s. I do not live in UK but live in California.

What do you mean by reading level? Do you mean, teen, young adults, adults, etc?
The libraries here wouldn't have a clue as this was just a book (not a well known book even then) and I think it was probably published in UK. I do remember a young woman (a drawing) playing the guitar
on the front cover of the book but not a photo or drawing of a real person. It might have even been in the teen reading shelf of the library but like I said, this was so many years ago now that I couldn't say for sure where I found it in this library. It was a small library. I never saw the book anywhere after the time I borrowed it from that library. I was in London for several months at the time during the summer vaction.

I hope this post makes sense. It's pretty late right now and I have to get some sleep.

Thank you,
Lin

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Burke
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:27 PM

Lin, if your story was in a collection, it might be indexed in "Short Story Index." Check larger libraries if your local does not have it.

What was its reading level? Was it the only story in the book?

Did you try searching Google books?

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 12:27 PM

Julia Hawkes-Moore's book (a collection of pages with words on them)
Dancing in Circles, has a lot of folk influence. Well worth a read.
Published in 1995.

Andy

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 08:06 AM

I've just started this thread below the line - 'Fiction Books' that aren't 'Novels' with this post:

In a thread up above the line called "Fiction Books about folk singers " a discussion has developed about the distinction between the term "fiction book" and "novel".

Since following-up on this would mean drifting that thread away from its original purpose - someone hunting for a particular story - I thought I'd start this spin-off thread.

The immediate reason is that I happened to be reading something by Ursula Leguin, in the introduction to a collection or (mostly) linked stories, "The Birthday of the World", in which she touched on this, and chimed in with somethong I had been thinking:

"Once more I plead for a name, and thus recognition, for this fictional form (which goes back at least as far as Elizabeth Gskell's Cranford and has become increasingly frequent and interesting): a book of stories linked by place, characters, theme and movement, so as to form not a novel...It does things a novel doesn't do. It is a real form, and deserves a real name."

She goes on to suggest calling it "a story suite". I have a feeling that we might be able to find a better term for it than that. Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 04:19 PM

This thread reminded me that James Michener included a character who sang Child ballads in The Drifters, as mentioned in a previous thread
by Jaze on 29 November 2004!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,David E.
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 07:56 PM

"I heartily recommend "Edson", by Bill Morrissey."

Absolutely.

David E.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Ref
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 07:18 PM

Can't help with your search, but I heartily recommend "Edson", by Bill Morrissey.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:38 PM

Do you know the site abebooks.com? They have a forum called Booksleuth where people can post what they remember about a book they're trying to find. There's a pretty good success rate of identifying books - worth a try. http://forums.abebooks.com/abesleuthcom

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Guest - Lin
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:01 PM

To Lin in Kansas:

All I can remember is that is was a short story about a young woman living in London who wanted to become a folk singer, but it was not a mystery or fantasy book. It was such a long time ago when I read this book that I borrowed from a very small library in London, England. It was also not related to anything Scottish (some people have posted about a Scottish related book or story).

Just a story about this young woman wanting to be a folk singer and going to different clubs (all fictious club names) and I guess about her life in London but definitely not mystery or celtic, etc.)

I only wish that the library in Cricklewood area of London would have been able to track it down but it was a book that they probably didn't have on the shelfs anymore and the librarian said there was no one working there now that was working there in the early 70's.

You know it was just a little book that I checked out of the library because of the cover (showing a drawing of a girl with long black hair playing guitar) and no, it was not Joan Baez or Buffy St. Marie as this book was a fictional story and no actual real folk singer's names were mentioned. I was and am a hugh Joan Baez fan and also like Buffy St. Marie but this story was not about them at all.
It was not about a real folk singer.

But it was not anything related to Scotland as I do recall that in the story the girl lived in London but she was not from England or America. It seemed like she was from India or some other country but not UK, not Canada and not America, and once again it was not about an actual folk singer who was real. (also not Shusha Guppy either).

I really wish I had more to go on but I only just recently thought about this book again and at the time I read it, (I was a teenager), I didn't write down the name of the book, author etc. not thinking that some day, 30 plus years later that I might be curious about it again.

So I appreciate all who have tried to help out but I have read all the posts and none are the right ones. Lot of posts about books that were published many years after this book would have been.

This book would have been published around the late 60's or early 70's (AT THE LATEST)! Many people have been posting messages about books that were published a long time after this book would have been.

However, I do appreciate learning of other related books.

Thank you,
Lin

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 05:40 AM

"The Singing Englishman" is available free on the web, but it's a very long way from what the original poster was looking for. (It's a gripping read but badly wrong in a lot of ways, which Lloyd himself later acknowledged - his "Folk Song in England" is the updated version).

The Scottish fiddler/singer Brian McNeill has a couple of crime novels that feature folkies - "The Busker" and "To Answer the Peacock". Another Scottish one is Peter Kerr's "Fiddler on the Make".

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Richie Black (misused acct, bad email)
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:54 AM

One of the best books I read was "The Singing Englishman" (Workers' Music Association) published in 1944.I just obtained a copy of the Penguin book of English Folk Songs, written in 1959.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 12:41 AM

Guest Lin,

Can you remember anything about what KIND of story it was? Mystery, fantasy, other? As evidenced by the many suggestions above, it all depends on what sort of book/story/novel/fiction you read.

Lin in Kansas

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: chazkratz
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:33 PM

In the vein of thread creep involving novels not possibly the one Guest Lin was seeking, banjo player/fiddler John Pederson's novel _Scroll and Curl_ , "an oldtime bluegrass mystery," tells of an old time string band on tour on the east coast, a tour complicated by the leader/flddler unknowingly acquiring a fine old Cremona violin which has a variety of bad guys chasing the band from stop to stop on the tour. John is the owner of a fine folk music store, Amazing Grace, in San Anselmo, CA., and a member of the band "The Roadoilers," so he knows whereof he speaks. I really enjoyed Jon's depiction of the band dynamics and the club gigs and festivals on the tour as well as the suspense involving the violin. Amazon carries the book, and it's also available from John (autographed, of course) at http://amazinggracemusicmarin.com/

Charles

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lighter
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:47 PM

Joe may want to move this part of the discussion to the BS section.

For those who care, a "nonfiction novel" is different from the ordinary "novel," "fictionalized account," "(semi)-autobiographical novel," or "historical fiction." At least in theory, the "non-fiction novelist" invents nothing; he or she merely uses techniques associated with fiction to enhance the immediacy and resonance of the material: the difference between the "N-F N" and ordinary journalism lies in style not factuality.   


Capote spent six years researching the story, including getting to know the killers and every living person importantly involved with the case. His claim was that nothing in the book was invented - except, obviously, what his sources may have invented, misremembered, distorted, etc.

Writers of "historical fiction" invent or simplify whatever they need for various reasons: to make the story "make sense," to simplify complications, to support their own theory of what "must have happened," to round out historically shadowy characters, to include a completely made-up character to hold the story together, and so on.

"Historical fiction" is marketed and understood to be fiction mixed with fact. The story's the thing, and the historical facts that inspired it can generally be found elsewhere.

The "nonfiction novel," on the other hand, is supposed to be a true story based on intense research, including extensive original interviews. Its facts (in theory) come from the writer/journalist's personal investigations. Its conversations are all direct quotations from sources. And in the "purest" nonfiction novels, the writer never appears: it's all told in a third-person, usually omniscient style.

Before "In Cold Blood," everybody seemed to agree that a "novel" was fiction and, on its own, automatically unreliable as a factual source.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:12 PM

Tempted to start a new thread: Music Objects for folk singer wanted..

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:55 PM

"where these people get off making an issue of that description...is beyond me."

Well it does help to narrow things down. "Short story" instead of "fiction book" would have said everything needed without people presuming it was a novel the OP was looking for. "Fiction Book" does suggest a big single story, which only a novel fits.

My comments on fictionalised true stories were simply in response to a comment about the genre of 'Non-Fiction Novel' created by Capote. I got that second hand from a lecturer in Creative Writing, and would be interested if anyone else has thoughts on the notion of a "Non-Fiction Novel" where non-journalistic creative elements such as imagined dialogue are blurred with factual details. Where does the supposed Non-Fiction Novel differ from or cross-over with Historical Fiction that draws strongly on sound historical documentation for example? Robert Graves for example, maintained that pretty much everything in his Claudius novels, was directly drawn from historical sources.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: peterD
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:35 PM

I can't believe the inanity of some of the responses you've had to this Lin....though the 1967 book that someone mentioned sounds promising...?
Your spirited reply to the zombies cheered me up!

hope you find your FICTION BOOK and where these people get off making an issue of that description...is beyond me.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:18 AM

Although the novel In Cold Blood is based on a true story the form of novel is what we would call a 'fictionalised' true story, rather than it belonging to any category of 'non-fiction' as such.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:02 AM

Thriller writer Jeffrey Deaver was once a folk singer (according to his jacket blurb) but I don't know of any of his books that reflect this.

RtS

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lighter
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:53 AM

Jack, part of the problem, if that's what it is, was the invention of the phrase "non-fiction novel," mainly as a marketing ploy for Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."

In theory, the "non-fiction novel" is non-fiction, but uses a "fictional" style.

For year one used bookstore in town has had sections called "novels" and "non-fiction novels." (Other kinds of non-fiction, like essays and poetry and science and so forth, are in their own categories.)

U.S. libraries, including most high-school libraries, often divide all books into sections of "fiction," "non-fiction," and "biography." University libraries often follow the Library of Congress system instead, which sorts everything into a single A-Z system and makes those distinctions only at a much lower level.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that even in high schools, "non-fiction" often includes books about literature, including poetry and story anthologies.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,oaktree
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:51 AM

Psst... Jack, if the thread drift is from finding a specific novel to linguistic pedantry then you might want to consider:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novella

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelette

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 07:04 AM

The book I read long ago, WAS NOT A NOVEL! It was just a story about a girl who wanted to become a folk singer. Not a long story; not a novel at all.

You mean it was a short story, in a magazine or a collection of other stories?

I asked eight people today when they go to libraries or book stores are they looking for "Novels" and all replied, "No", they either look for fiction or non-fiction sections of the book store or the library!

I've no idea what distinction you're making. Nobody would have labelled anything as a "fiction book" in the 1960s. You can't insist that publishers 50 years ago should have described their products the way Amazon does.

"Novel" means there was only one story between the covers, "short story" means there were more. That's all there is to it. (Length is secondary - some short novels are shorter than some long short stories). Which do you mean?

Finding a short story is a lot harder, since indexes won't often describe the stories in a collection separately.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Deni C
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 03:33 AM

Thanks a lot for this thread. I'm going to write them all down, give up music and read through as many as I can before I die.....

I must say I agree with the Merrily Watkins novels by Phil Rickman. Hugely entertaining!

Cheers
Deni

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,David E.
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:49 AM

Maybe the problem, Lin, is with the title of the thread: "Fiction books about folksingers." People post but don't always read the entire thread and perhaps in this situation think: "Oh, I read a fiction book about folksingers once!" and give a title. (guilty.) Going back to your first post I can see you were very specific about what you were looking for, and I hope you find it, but I think you are just a victim of "thread drift." Happy hunting!

David E.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Jo Hiestand
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 08:02 PM

I'd like to thank Paul Davenport for the very nice remark about my mystery novels. McLaren, the folk singing detective, is a new series. The British customs and traditions are the Taylor & Graham mysteries -- both set in Derbyshire. I just stumbled upon this website and Paul's comment -- what a nice surprise! I'm well chuffed -- thanks again! jo

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 06:42 PM

Probably should include most of the biographies and autobiographies.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lighter
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 05:58 PM

It's true that kid's books of fiction are not usually called "novels," even if they tell a single story.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: EBarnacle
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 04:18 PM

Consider Spider Robinson's Callahan series. In addition to outrageous punning, there are frequent references to folk songs and the narrator is a blues musician.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: open mike
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:07 PM

Manly Wade Wellman had a book, or series of books, set in the Appalachian mountains that had a hero character who banished evil and
created good. His name was Silver John and he played a guitar with silver strings. not the book you were looking for, but definately a book with a folk singer character in it.See more about John the Balladeer here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_John

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 10:19 AM

thread.cfm?threadid=71837

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 09:10 AM

Jo Hiestand's novels, set in UK feature McLaren, a folkie detective based in Derbyshire. Jo's books are based in customs and tradition. Not to be missed!

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Guest - Lin
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:53 AM

I have read through the posts here but none of the books mentioned are the correct ones for the book I am looking for and not about Buffy Saint Marie. The book was about a girl (not a real person) and the story was that she wanted to become a folk singer but nothing about Buffy Saint Marie.

Others mentioned books that were out way after the time this book would have been published (late 60's to early 70s') so those books would not be the right one either.

In regards to people who mentioned about these books are "Novels" well, I can go to any library in my state or book stores and there is a hugh, hugh section for books under the heading, "FICTION."

The book I read long ago, WAS NOT A NOVEL! It was just a story about a girl who wanted to become a folk singer. Not a long story; not a novel at all. I asked eight people today when they go to libraries or book stores are they looking for "Novels" and all replied, "No", they either look for fiction or non-fiction sections of the book store or the library!
Perhaps they might find "Novels" in that section but it is definitely in the "FICTION" section and the entire section is not called, "Novels".

Perhaps where you live you call ALL these type of books, "Novels" but let me tell you, "Not all fiction books are novels" and that is a quote from the manager of a book store near me. :-)))

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Reinhard
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 01:14 PM

"Fiction book" is such a bloodless word of politically correct speech that I wonder if any example of that species has any fiction in it.

And it's not what the original poster was looking for but Terry Pratchett's novels hat lots of references to folk music and especially Morris dancing, e.g. Granny Weatherwax in Witches Abroad: "You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you."

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,David E.
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 12:10 PM

Northern Sky by Mark Radcliffe

The Rose of the Ribble Valley by Graham Dixon

Both are good reads.
David E.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lighter
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 12:03 PM

True enough, McGrath, but I spent decades teaching the stuff and never heard the phrase "fiction book" from anyone, students included, till recently. Maybe because "novel" is now applied by some to any book-length narrative, fiction or otherwise.

In the Cretaceous we generally described the sort of books you mention as "(short-)story collections" and "novels." "A book of fiction" was possible, especially for borderline cases.

But wotta ya gonna do?

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: MikeL2
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:31 AM

hi

Peter Robinson the English author who lives in Canada includes music in most of his Inspector Banks series.

Click Here

He certainly included a female folk singer in one of his novels ( sorry can't remember the name). He also included investigations of a murder at a rock festival in another.

In the novels is son is a budding rock singer and guitaris and several novels feature descriptions of performances.

I find him a good read especially for his descriptions of North Yorkshire.

Cheers

Mikel2

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 08:33 AM

Robert Heinlein wrote a story called "The Green Hills of Earth which features a blind, space-going, accordion playing folksinger named Rhysling. The story title is also the name of one of his songs. Heinlein included snippets of the song including the closing line: We pray for one last landing/ On the globe that gave us birth/ Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies/ And the cool, green hills of Earth. Members of the Filk (folk music with Sci-Fi themes) community have fleshed it out and it has actually been recorded by real musicians like Paul Winter.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 07:48 AM

I urge you to read the Merrily Watkins mysteries by Phil Rickman which my chum S'OP put me onto. Read them because they're a cracking good read, but in terms of this thread, Merrily's "love interest" is a slightly screwed-up Nick Drake-obsessed singer songwriter called Lol Robinson, whose backstory includes playing in a band called Hazy Jane. And to prove that fiction can encroach on real life, you can get a CD from Phil Rickman's website of the fictional Hazy Jane playing real songs. Cool!

I'd also like to give a mention to the wonderful "Soldier's Joy" by Madison Smartt Bell, during which the Vietnam vet protagonist spends most of the novel trying to perfect his bluegrass banjo-playing skills. In fact, I'd recommend just about anything by MSB, folk angle or not...

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,Donal
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 06:50 AM

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Sharyn McCrumb, while she may not be the one in question she has written quite a few books with a folksinging theme.
HERE

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 06:27 AM

"when did people switch from "novel" to "fiction book"?"

Not all "fiction books" are novels. For example, books made up of collected short stories, or linked episodes.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: raymond greenoaken
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 03:35 PM

"Charles De Lints' fantays novel 'Widdershins' has a couple of fiddlers as protagonists. I believe that they appear in other books of his, too, though I've only read one of 'em."

Folk music runs like a silver thread through the books of Charles de Lint. He's a fiddler himself, and often uses quotations from the lyrics of, inter alia, Robin Williamson, Richard Thompson, and Trad, as chapter headings. His novel The Little Country mentions Kathryn Tickell (but only in passing).

"The novel Bimbos of the Death Sun has a Scottish folk singer character."

I've waited a long time to read a sentence like that.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 02:24 PM

One of the two protagonists is a lady fiddler and folksinger, modeled closely on the former Heather Alexander - the character's name is Juniper Mackenzie.
the former?Heather Alexander is alive and well and living in Stowmarket, she is still playing her fiddle, and also her piano accordion.
furthermore her parents used to be in a band called the mix olydians

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,erbert
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:45 PM

"The Folk Singing Detective" ???

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Pibydd
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 01:42 PM

Charles De Lints' fantays novel 'Widdershins' has a couple of fiddlers as protagonists. I believe that they appear in other books of his, too, though I've only read one of 'em.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Howard Jones
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 12:03 PM

In Kingsley Amis' novel I Want it Now, first published in 1969, the hero Ronnie meets a girl at a party:

Ronnie was wondering who the hell she was. And what she was. Not that that really mattered. He would forgive somebody who looked like that anything in the world. Even if she turned out to be a folk singer he was going to screw her.

She wasn't. He did.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: GUEST,The Zero [http://www.vachss.com]
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 11:43 AM

Andrew Vachss' Burke novels--which frequently mention Judy Henske, as well as numerous other blues musicians--didn't come out until 1985, so that can't be what you're looking for, Lin. Having said that ... not sure what the book is, but it sounds like the artist you're looking for is Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Your friends at The Zero [vachss.com]

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: Lighter
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 09:38 AM

No offense, Lin - but when did people switch from "novel" to "fiction book"?

I've been hearing it quite a bit in the past few of years.

Subject: RE: Fiction Books about folk singers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 10 - 05:22 PM

In a couple of books by Ellis Peters (who is best known for the Cadfael stories) folk music is quite significant - particularly so in "Black is the Colour of My True Love's Heart"( 1967): "A folk music course at a remote mansion turns deadly after a woman sings a threatening song to someone in the audience--and Inspector Felse is left to piece together the broken tune of murder."