Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend

Subject: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 12:16 PM

Halsway Manor are advertising a traditional song weekend for Friday 17th April 2015 - Sunday 19th April 2015.

It is hosted by two people called Bill Crawford and Meg Rose. I confess that neither name rings any bells with me. Neither can I see any information about who else is likely to go, or what's likely to happen.

Can anybody enlighten me?

Many thanks.

Subject: RE: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: RTim
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 01:02 PM

60's Folk Song Revival Weekend - 50 years on...

ABOUT

Following the success of last year's 60s Folk song Revival Weekend, Bill and Meg are back to host another weekend of traditional song for all!

Join them, and friends old and new, for a weekend of informal song sessions and big sings - all day and into the night - plus a glimpse into the archives. Bring your voices, instruments and walking boots for an optional circuit of the 'Halsway Loop' to blow away the cobwebs!

The Weekend Leaders

Bill Crawford was in a folk club the night Kennedy was assasinated - and on a great many more nights too! An Exeter Folk Club stalwart from the early days, Bill has run clubs and sessions across the South West, and he's a regular MC at Sidmouth Folk Week. A fine singer with a broad repertoire, Bill currently sings with accapella group The Claque.

Meg Rose is from a family of keen folk dancers, and grew up going to Bill Rutter's Folk Camps and Sidmouth Festival in the early years. She even worked at Halsway Manor in school and college holidays! Discovering folk song in her teens, Meg attended regular events at Halsway, including the South West Folk Club Federation meetings as a member of Yeovil Folk Song Club, meeting one Bill Crawford along with many other fine singers! Since then, her interest and love of folk songs together with an enthusiasm for singing in company has never ceased.

THis from Halways Manor web site Events for April 2015

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 08:29 AM

Tim. Thanks, but that's what it says on the website. What I need to know is who else is going and whether the quality of singing and the songs performed will be worth shelling out the best part of 200 sovs for.

Like most musical terms, the word traditional can cover an awful lot of ground. Not all of it passes muster with this daddy of a dyed in the wool down home dinosaur, I'm afraid.

Subject: RE: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: BillE
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 10:00 AM

Fred,

The event last year was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the South West Folk Club Federation and attracted many of the great and good from the Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, as well as exiles from the north.

It was well enough received to demand a second meet this year. I certainly enjoyed it as much as Drax, though less "formal", and will be going again this time.

Bill Crawford now sings with the Claque and is very well known in the south west. Meg was married to Tony Rose.

Hope this helps

Bill

Subject: RE: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 10:11 AM

I enjoy Bill Crawford's singing and his company - so I'd imagine that you would too, Fred.

Subject: RE: Halsway Manor Trad Song Weekend
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 07:02 AM

Thanks folks. I now feel that I have something of a handle to the event, and a favourable one at that.