More male folkies: Why?

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 13 - 04:06 AM

I think that most of the singing sessions I have attended in the U.S., have had a majority of women. I rather like it that way...

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 08:12 PM

Sometimes the lack of editing has happy results. I rather fancy the notion of a "sinaround". Do they have those in Hell?

There are of course many exceptions, but I suppose for biological & cultural reasons women are less likely to be social deviants then men, whether in musical tastes or otherwise.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: PHJim
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 03:25 PM

Claire, as a banjo player, I too have an interest in getting my nails done. As a jug band player, I also have an interest in clothes...you should see my collection of hats and Hawaiian shirts. Jewellery...not so much, but I do have some festival buttons on one of my guitar straps.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Claire M
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 02:31 PM

Hiya,

I (from UK) love blues, too Men tend to admire said female singers in a different way.

Men are a lot more fun to be around anyway – they don't seem to bitch as much. & they've actually got interests. I can meet a group of them, no matter what age group, & within half an hour we're deep in conversation about said music, the best fantasy novels, pork scratchings, etc. I can't do that with many women (or maybe it's just the women I know)

As a woman I do have an interest in jewellery, clothes, getting my nails done etc. I thought once I hit my 30s I'd grow up a bit.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 05:01 AM

Senga McGlumpher is a sort of stereotypical hypothetical politically incorrect image of a probably rather large and loud middle-aged or older Scots woman from "the schemes" (housing estates) as far as I know. Perhaps a bit like Musket's Middlesbrough ladies? Johnny J might provide a better definition from such characters as he met in his past life?

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: GUEST,Musket sans cookie
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 04:41 AM

Well for starters most women can't grow decent beards. Although I once played a club in Middlesborough. ......

Also, they don't look absurd in sandals.

It is an art you know, truly living the dream.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 03:52 AM

Ahem!!

Contrary to my usual observations/ experiences, on going to my regular sesh last night, there were about a dozen folk there of which 4 were female singer/instrumentalists + 1 female singer

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Marje
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 03:27 AM

PHJim, there are similar patterns in the UK. Males tend to outnumber females when the instrument is the important thing, but females outnumber the males when it comes to singing either unaccompanied or with a (usually male) accompanist. Singer-guitarists are mostly male, and males outnumber females in most instrumental sessions, but females do at least as much or more of the singing in clubs and singarounds. Females far outnumber males in choirs of all sorts, including the many folkier "community choirs" that have spring up in recent years. I think that at most gigs and concerts, audience numbers are fairly balanced between the sexes.

I'm not attempting an explanation, just commenting on what I see.

Marje

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: PHJim
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 12:19 AM

I've found that it depends on the genre of folk music.
Bluegrass seems to be mostly male.
Blues is mostly male.
Singer/songwriter is pretty even.
Irish trad is pretty even.
British acapella ballads seems to favour females.
Country is pretty even too.
These days there seems to be a lot more acoustic eclectic groups that feature both sexes.
This is a southern Ontario observation.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 09:38 PM

There seem to be more female than male ballad singers.

I noticed, back in my undergrad days 50 years ago, and it still seems to hold, that there is an affinity between folk music and science/math/engineering types, at least in the northeast US. There are, of course, more men than women in those fields, at least among the age group in which most folkies fall. (I am a science type)

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Joe Nicholson
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 02:42 PM

Excuse my,ignorance but who is Senga McGlumper?

Joe N

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 02:12 PM

Well there are certain sessions some of us females avoid: big guys with big guitars, big strum for every song, big egos, big voices (even when they're not singing) - I could go on.....!
I get my own back by playing a loud instrument (very sensitively, you understand....!)
And my real name is not Senga McGlumpher!

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Claire M
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 02:03 PM

Hiya,

I don't know. Seems to be a bit of a pattern – more men seem to share my/our tastes, men seem to be into their music a bit more than women are, that's if those I know/have known even have/had favourites at all. Nearly all my male relatives love it. I always wondered why I got on better with men.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Johnny J
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 01:38 PM

It's the other way round up here. Aside from the plethora of community choirs whhere women predominate, there are any number of Senga McGlumpher types in folk clubs and singarounds.

There also many serious and good players/singers on the scene and in the better sessions who are women. Usually, more talented than the men!

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 12:55 PM

Lids? I always forget that Mudcat is the one board that I visit that doesn't let you edit your own posts.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 12:53 PM

Considering the demographic profile of most clubs and sessions that I have seen kids aren't an issue any more.

Historically, however, women have probably got out of the habit of going to clubs and sessions when the lids were an issue and never got back into the habit. Also there is still a reluctance among some women to go into pubs on their own.

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 12:52 PM

Coz women aren't as daft as us blokes? I mean, who in their right mind listens to folk music...

:D tG

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 12:45 PM

I like the sound of sinarounds! (though not if it's all blokes!)

Subject: RE: More male folkies: Why?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 12:17 PM

It's a lot easier for us to get a night off. Many women, who might be interested in participating are stuck at home with kids. There's not as many spouses as willing to have them take a night off to play music. This is not based on scientific data, just a supposition on my part.

Subject: More male folkies: Why?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 12 Jun 13 - 11:54 AM

Don't know if it's the case all over, but seems to me most participants at sessions, sinarounds, fc's etc are blokes.

Any suggestions why?