How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)

Subject: How're my friends doin?
From: GUEST,Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 May 21 - 10:21 AM

A few days ago, I came back to Mudcat, and I was very excited about it. Over the years, I made many good friends on here, and we had interesting discussions. I started a thread "Around the Kitchen Table" which people enjoyed participating in. I ran a folk concert sweries for 27 years, among many other folk activities. One of the things I treasured most was that we were a folk community. WHat happened to the community on here? It looks like the only options are to post threqads on song lyrics or announcements. I want to know how folks are doin' and what they're up to, other than just a concert listing or the lyrics to a song. Where has the diversity gone. I don't care to discuss or argue about the definition of folk music. However you want to define folk music (horses don't sing it, is a little too loose for me.) Folk music has always come out of a community making music that grew out of everyday life, socializing, and friendship.

I've been excited to see names of old friends popping up whom I haven't heard in years. How ya' doin' Beil Rossi? you may not even remember me, but I remember you. I'd enjoy talking with you, or at least having a way to have kitchen table, or front porch conversations on a broader scale than a request for a song lyric, or knowing where you're playing. I'd enjoy getting to know you as a folk. What's going in your life? I'm interested in you, not just a song lyric or a concert announcement.

Maybe this isn't what Mudcat is, anymore.

And where are conversations about southern mountain music, or string bands? I don't see anyone comparing Black Bottom Blues and Riley the Furniture Man and Black Lives Matter. This feels more like a reference library.

I'm a friendly man, and I would love to get back in touch with old friends like Jimmyt, Bob Harrison and all my friends down in the D.C. area. Facebook does that well. Us old timers rarely get together anymore. Six hours drives are not as easy, anymore.

This post doeswn't even fit in a category on here. By tomorrow it will be off the screen.

Take care of yourselves. There are so many fine people on here I care about. What's happened to my Shellback Friends?



I write this, not as a criticismn or judgment. Mudcat is doing what it wants to do, and is a valuable resource.

Here's to all my old friends, and new ones I'd like to meet. I love being in contact and sharing thoughts with my folk friends on Facebook. Drop by and say hello sometime. I'd like to hear how you're doing.

All good wishes to Mudcat. I'll drop by once in awhile and check on the doin's.

Jerry

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin?
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 04 May 21 - 10:25 AM

Hello Jerry! We are all still here. We miss you. Why not join us on the Mudcat World Wide Singaround on a Monday? We would all love to see you. Now there's a thought to conjure with!

Pete

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 21 - 10:42 AM

Jerry, please log on to post general conversation. This needs to be posted below the line. I extended the subject line of your last post so they would know it was from you (the Ch ch changes one).

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin?
From: GUEST,Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 May 21 - 11:45 AM

Thanks, Pete. I'll work on that. I have a good camera and a good mic, but haven't taken the time to get set up. I'll see if I can do that this week. I still wish there was a forum for talking abouty music and our lives in a general way. A song swap would be good, and I'd enjoy seeing people and hearing them. I want to put the Folk back in folk music. :-)

Jerry

The folk music scene seems much more vital in England. Over here it feels like the folk community has diminished so much we're like survivors marroned an an island (with Facebook.) :-) Maybe it's because we've all aged in the woods. Maybe we should call it Old Folks Music. :-)

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin?
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 May 21 - 12:02 PM

Jerry, I hope you are aware of the change
below the line: members only are permitted to post there,
meaning that for the BS section one has to log in in order to post.

Yes, since Pete Seeger's passing,
the US contingent has been quieter, in more ways than one.

Of course, they get on in years in the UK as well.
Martin Carthy has his 80th birthday coming up, and
just this past weekend he did a live-streamed performance
watched by quantities of us Mudcatters and others.
His voice is sadly diminished but he is as vigorous as ever.

True, Jerry, your original Kitchen Table thread is closed.
I have in the past
posted to your Son of Kitchen Table thread which is not yet closed.

The Mother of All BS Threads, on the other hand,
still has some long-timers active on it; and another place
to look for longtimers is the
Declutter thread in the BS section.
Actually the original MOAB thread got so long that
it wouldn't show up like it was supposed to,
so something new was started.
I think the word is MOAB annex, not Son of MOAB or some such.
We even hear from Little Hawk from time to time.

For example with long-timers,
Gnu had a hard time of it after his mother finally died.
We didn't hear from Gnu for quite a while.
This New Year he has been posting again.
I guess Olddude is okay but it's been a long time since his last post.

And before my gossiping goes from bad to worse,
I shall shut up and send this post.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin?
From: Jeri
Date: 04 May 21 - 12:16 PM

The thread to chat about things is BS: Check in Mudcatters world wide. We're trying to get rid of so much fighting.

It's in BS, and you need to log in to post in BS. We had too many spam messages, and trolls, so Max made it members-only. Email [e-mail] if you need help signing in. If you sign in and take a look at the BS section, you'll see what happened. I have theories, but I'm pretty sure other folks are sick of hearing me complain.

If thread subjects aren't here, it's because no one started the threads, or no one wanted to talk about them. So get your cookie back, and start a thread, or threads.

Here is Son of Kitchen Table.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasumssen)
From: cnd
Date: 04 May 21 - 04:21 PM

Glad to see you coming back, Jerry. I joined in the years you were off, so I can't say I know you well, but I'd be glad to talk southern mountain music with you. I revive old threads periodically (State of Arkansas) and have started a few of my own (Baptist Shout, for example). So if you want to take part, feel free!

There are young people in folk music, but I find most of them don't know about this site. The popular places to go seem to be larger, more centralized sites like Reddit or YouTube, where they can reach a larger audience.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasumssen)
From: Donuel
Date: 04 May 21 - 06:14 PM

The family decorum and friendly flair of the 'kitchen table' is fondly missed but its son is welcomed back.
My actual kitchen table is more like a pantry this year so the dining table is finally being used.

I suspect the person of leading the kitchen table into oblivion is still here causing discord and thread closures. Why? "We need the eggs"

This site is resplendant with union history, feminist music, historic greatest hits, political campaign songs going back hundreds of yaers and so much more.

PS "My brother Steve believes he is a chicken but we don't want to get him committed. Why?" ....

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasumssen)
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 May 21 - 08:07 PM

Is he afraid to cross the road?

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 05 May 21 - 09:14 AM

This is not BS. It is about the Mudcat.

There is a proliferation of music threads below the line. There are people who only look above the line. Let's get all these threads back up where mudcat music folks will see them.

I am thinking of the Kitchen Table and the Worst Song threads, besides this one.

I was trying to stay in my lane but failed dismally. Sorry.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: gillymor
Date: 05 May 21 - 09:20 AM

it's because Groucho and Woody Allen need the eggs.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 May 21 - 10:29 AM

Jerry, you will remember
Gargoyle, the Man Without A Cookie,
perennial guest status.
Gargoyle is still very much around.
He can't post below the BS line, of course.

A thread that I started to add the lyrics to a
Rodgers & Hart song,
"I Wish I Were In Love Again," for example, is
a good example of a music, above-the-line thread
and today
these are the only threads to which Gargoyle can post --
and post to it he did.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 05 May 21 - 12:01 PM

Hi Jerry - away for a few years myself before 2019, I remember "Around the Kitchen Table".

Re cnd's comment, I think quite a lot still check Mudcat: sometime I read what seems quite an esoteric post, then come back a few hours or days later to find - out of the woodwork somewhere - several replies from those-who-know.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Bill D
Date: 05 May 21 - 05:12 PM

Bob Harrison, aka 'Bobert' is doing fine in N. Carolina. He dropped in here at Mudcat briefly awhile back, and is sometimes on Facebook.

My wife, Rita, is having some difficulties with mobility and diet... and her own computer has problems, so she is not on FB currently... we'll see.

I am doing okay for being 82, but our local live festival and sings have not been happening with COVID...maybe next year.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 05 May 21 - 10:49 PM

How good to hear from you, Bill. You and Rita remain two of my favorite people. I am very good health and enjoying life.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 05 May 21 - 10:49 PM

How good to hear from you, Bill. You and Rita remain two of my favorite people. I am very good health and enjoying life.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 05 May 21 - 11:00 PM

I'm enjoying reading all of these posts. I may not be able to respond to each one, as I usually do on Facebook, but I appreciate hearing from all of you.

Subject: RE: How're my friends doin? (Jerry Rasmussen)
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 May 21 - 11:16 PM

Jerry, as you know, I'm still around. I have some arm surgery next Wednesday but it's in-and-out and bring someone to take you home. And I'm glad you're doing well.