'Hall of Fame' Folkies

Subject: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 01:42 PM

There's been a bit of a debate going on in a local listserve about honouring influental folkies. They're focusing primarily on the Folk Alliance "lifetime achievement" thing. I can't off hand remember who's been "honoured" so far, but I think Pete, Woody and Ramblin' Jack are there and possibly Huddie Ledbetter. A number of folks are suggesting some Canadians warrant recognition and are throwing out potential submissions. I'm afraid my cynicism for all kinds of beauty contests and Oscar awards shows is getting in the way of any objectivity I might have, but so far the suggestions for Stan Rogers, James Keelahan, Nancy White, Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson (which have all been well-received) seem a trifle silly. They're all fine roots-oriented songwriters, but hardly pioneer folk people.
Edith Fowke, Marius Barbeau, Alan Mills, Ed McCurdy, Estelle Klein, Madame Bolduc, and Helen Creighton, would be naturals, but my guess is that very few of the voters would be aware of their contributions (let alone their names)
I guess it's a kind of nostalgic popularity contest, and it makes a lot of people happy to be involved in it though. Tell you what, when they get around to honouring Sandy Paton, I'll be in the front row!

Rick

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From:
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 01:56 PM

I think you're missing the most important, Jeannie Robertson and Kenneth Goldstein.

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: JR
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 02:26 PM

Rick I will share your views of "awards" till there are awards for accountants, janitors, plumbers, etc. As far as appropriate people to be on the list, seems to come back to that oft dicussed problem of univeral definition of "whats folk". I think the larger community has a much different definition than this community.

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 02:48 PM

I hate them too, but 30 seconds of tribute to the contributors of the past is possibly better than total obsession with now. Maybe not -- maybe we are just trying to assimilate them to our particular version of a celebrity culture. What the hell: Hank Snow and Wilf Carter (not folkies either). yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Bill Cameron
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:00 PM

Nancy White roots-oriented? Oh, right...her hair...

Seriously, these things are of course silly when the criteria is so broad (see "song of the millennium" thread), but I think Alan Mills fits in well with the previous recipients, as a performer/collector.

"Lifetime achievement in service to folk"...I'd really have to vote for Tommy Douglas--he got us Medicare!--which has proably done more to preserve & maintain the (Canadian) folks that do the music thing, than any one actually involved in the music biz!

Bill

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: sophocleese
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:09 PM

What about Jackie Washington for lifetime achievement?

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 05:22 PM

So far this list is rather US-heavy. What about Ireland? England? Scotland? Wales? Brittany? etc. etc.
For Germany my vote would go - off my head - to Hein & Oss Kröher and the deceased and sadly missed Peter Rohland, who almost single-handedly revived the tradition of political folksong in the early Sixties. - Susanne

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 07:17 PM

Don't forget dear old Martin Carthy MBE, not only has he kept the folk trad going over 40 odd years, he's started the next generation well on it's way with Eliza and her crew, and he is not too stuck up to have the piss taken out of him in public either!

LTS

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 07:29 PM

Hi Anon. Actually Jeannie Robertson and Ken Goldstein would be excellent choices, but my point was that if Canadians want representation, it would be more appropriate to submit the names of some very prominent collectors and popularisers from the early days rather than current singer-songwriters. As far as the American representation goes: I've certainly nothing against Ramblin' Jack...but BEFORE Ralph Rinzler? or Paul Clayton? or Jean Ritchie? Just seems silly.
Hall of famers is a silly concept anyway..so screw it.
Rick

Subject: RE: 'Hall of Fame' Folkies
From: raredance
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 12:44 AM

There seems to be a dichotomy between the "performers" and the "collector/documentor" types. I suppose it depends on the nature of the group making the decision. I would guess that the larger the group involved, the greater the emphasis would be on the performers. The category seems to be "accompanied or unaccompanied music not rock or classical" which is quite broad. Fowke, Creighton, Lomax, Asch et al. deserve greater recognition for their contributions. I personally think that Lightfoot and Tyson are clear Canadian treasures. It's a long stretch to call them traditional, but then that may not be a requirement for recognition in a wide "folk" category. Tyson actually did a fair amount of traditional music in his early days. I have a hard time coming up with any traditional Lightfoot recordings, but there may be a song or two out there. Between the two of them are a lot of fine songs, some of which might be on the road to "traditional". Keelaghan & White have written some good songs too, but hardly qualify at this stage for a Hall of Fame lifetime achievement. Stan Rogers could likely bring up all the pro and con arguments that shadowed Roger Maris. If the Canadian goal is to show some respect for historical tradition with a worthy nominee, then go for one of the collectors. If the hope is to crack a US dominated Hall of FAme list with a Canadian electee, then maybe you should gather around Lightfoot. It's nearly 10 November plus 24 years.

rich r