Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.

Subject: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,Greg F.
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 03:48 PM

If these folks were still producing songs like they did in the late 60's and early 70's- would anyone care, would anyone listen?

Or have the majority of US citizens simply gone over the the fact free universe of the Trump Cult.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,GUEST, Rara Avis
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 04:31 PM

There are no places to hear folk music, at least in Philadelphia. The clubs have closed and there are no radio stations that play folk. If folk music exists, I don't see it advertised in the newspaper. Joan Baez will be performing here as part of her farewell tour.   That's it.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,Busker On A Budget
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 04:35 PM

The only difference is that there's no widespread commercial market for songs/recordings like those.

That's not to say that there aren't important songs being written and sung, nor is it to say that there are not important relationships and connections being made by people who still give a damn.

I, for one, am a member of the IWW, and am working on a campaign to organize the musicians and artists in my region and stop the profiteering of the venue owners who refuse to subsidize arts offerings.

There are plenty of thoughtful, aware, active people out there who can, will and do listen to important, relevant songs. They just won't be going to the mega-mall CD store to find them.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,BOAB again
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 04:37 PM

@Rara Avis,

Give me a way to contact you directly and i can help point you to folk oferings in our region. I'm in NJ.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 05:06 AM

There certainly are still U.S. folksingers making a living by singing political songs. John McCutcheon and Si Kahn are foremost, but there must be more. But yeah, they're performing at house concerts and not at big venues.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 05:59 AM

"If these folks were still producing songs like they did in the late 60's and early 70's- would anyone care, would anyone listen?"

Let's not forget that in the late 60s and early 70s, folks elected Nixon – twice. It's easy to overestimate how many people were listening, back in the day. Ochs, I think, was quite well-known on the coasts, but hardly a household name in middle-America. Paxton was probably better known for Last Thing On My Mind and Rambling Boy than for We Didn't Know and Lyndon Johnson Told The Nation.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: Jeri
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 08:58 AM

I was going to mention John McCutcheon, too. Here's one: Forgotten

I don't think folks are not producing the songs. I think in the 60s and 70s, songs got played on mainstream media, and now, it's mostly factory-produced music. Find the folk stations, and while clubs may have closed, house concerts are all over.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: Elmore
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 10:22 AM

Sorry to hear Philadelphia is without folk music. The Boston area is still pretty busy. Celtic music is going strong. Tom Paxton has mellowed out somewhat, but much of what he has written in recent years is as good as his sixties material. If you're looking for topical songs, Joe Jencks, and Emma's Revolution might interest you.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: open mike
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 11:45 AM

Tom Paxton is actively recording and performing.....bless his heart!! http://www.tompaxton.com/ He often performs and records with Anne Hills...Tom Paxton's web site

And John McCutcheon often performs at sizeable venues, not always at intimate house concerts. Thanks to the many folks in the house concert network, there are many musicians performing in these types of venues. This allows money to go directly to the artists, instead of being gobbled up by venue rental and hall costs.         

There are also many music festivals and concert series and recording companies that feature artist with points of view that are critical of the current administration.

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: open mike
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 12:45 PM

Baez released “Nasty Man,” her first new song in 25 years. With the familiar elements of 1960s topical folk—mournful, stevedore fingerpicking and verbose wordplay—she excoriates this “future dictator” who is now childishly “stompin’ through the famous Rose Garden.”

interesting article about protest singers

https://www.thoughtco.com/best-political-protest-folk-music-artists-4122694

Subject: RE: Ochs, Paxton, Sky, et.al.
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 07:26 PM

Daniel Kahn writes and sings a lot of songs of social commentary, e.g., March of the Jobless Corps, The Destruction of New Orleans, The Butcher's Share, Freedom is a Verb, many of them available on YouTube.