Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 12:03 AM

Okay, that's it. Just got back from the Sunday evening at Mariposa.

More great stuff. Saw fine performances (and hilarious back and forth stage banter) from Murray McLaughlin, Garnet Rogers, Cindy Church, Ron Hines, Del Barber, and numerous others. Some very lively French/English songs from Yvan Volle and some other Francophones.

Above all, I must mention again Ron Hines who is truly the "man of 1000 songs". What a terrific songwriter and performer this man is! He does Newfoundland proud, and he's been playing ever since 1966.

Peter Yarrow finished off the show with a fine set full of social idealism typical of what Peter, Paul and Mary always stood for. This was only the 2nd Canadian folk festival he's ever played. He's getting frail with age, you can see that, but he still put on a fine show.

And that wraps it up. What a great weekend.

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 12:01 AM

Amelia Curran (the mistress)

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 02:53 PM

Thanks, Little Hawk, for describing what's going on.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 09:19 AM

More great stuff was heard on Saturday. Standouts in the evening concert were John McDermott and Emmylou Harris.

McDermott is a simply incredible singer with a golden voice, and his band is utterly superb. Every single song they did was a gem. As for Emmylou, the headliner, I could say the same about her and her band. Just perfect. She did a lengthy set, 2 songs on the encore, one of which has her memorial song for Kate McGarrigle and the other was a lively number called "John the Baptist". She looks wonderful with her silver hair, truly a wondrous performer.

I also got to meet an old friend from the Toronto folk scene of the '70s, Marie-Lynn Hammond. Marie-Lynn did a couple of workshops during the afternoon, and sang "Canadian Love", of course, as well as an interesting song about the rugged little horses that are part of Canada's history.

Now I'm off to the final day of Mariposa/2011.

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 12:39 AM

Hi Charlie,

There's less folk music than there used to be and more rock bands, but there is still some fine folk music to be heard. Most of the rock bands and other eclectic stuff are good to hear too. They're trying to bring in acts that will pull in a younger crowd.

I saw several really fine acts today, including...

- Katherine Wheatley and Wendell Ferguson, who did their usual brilliant stuff.

- Amelia Curran, a young woman from Newfoundland. She did a superb song of hers called "The Mistress". Fantastic lyrics. No use describing it, you just have to hear it.

- Dell Barber, a young folksinger from Winnipeg. Man, was this guy good! He was like the young Bob Dylan combined with John Prine. Absolutely terrific guitar playing, singing, stage presence, and the whole bit. Couldn't be better.

- The main stage closed out with a rock band led by Josh Ritter. He put on a fine show if you like dramatic rock bands. I'd say it was a fair bit like a Bruce Springsteen show...though I'm not implying he's a Springsteen clone or anything like that. His lyrics are quite interesting, he does a wide variety of songs, and he really puts on a super stage show, though the loud rock music might not appeal to a lot of the older folkies. I liked most of it, and I really liked some of it.

There were other fine acts too, but I couldn't see them all. More of this tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today 8 July 2011
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 08:40 PM

LH-

Do they still play any folk music? Do Friends of Fiddlers Green still hold forth?

We used to attend these festivals in the 1970's when I was resident in Michigan. I have great memories of singing on the ferry to and from the islands, when the festival was on the harbour islands.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, now resident in Maine

Subject: RE: BS: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:38 PM

Blasme the monkey.

Hope you have a wonderful time, LH. Best to you.

Subject: RE: BS: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:10 PM

Ah...and this should be in the music section above.

Chongo made me do it.

Subject: BS: Mariposa Folk Festival starts today
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 11 - 01:09 PM

I'm off shortly to the grand old Mariposa Folk Festival, one of North America's oldest folk festivals. The headliner this year is Emmylou Harris! Should be great. Fun in the sun on the shores of Lake Couchiching, Orillia, Ontario, Canada.

The weather predictions are for good weather all weekend.