Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive

Subject: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 17 Aug 24 - 12:54 PM

I have kept working to search for and disinter interesting tracks of Scottish singers in the Ole Miss Goldstein Archive, with the kind permission of archivist Greg Johnson.
I have just added tracks of
Ray and Archie Fisher at an English festival in about 1971,
a distinctively Scots rendition of Old Timey song The Baldheaded End Of The Broom,
young Fetterangus sisters Elizabeth and Jane Stewart in 1960 singing beautifully, including the original that Ewan MacColl drew on for 'Come Aa Ye Fisher Lassies', and Elizabeth singing in Philadelphia in 1972.
And more.
I hope to get around to uploading Jean Redpath demonstrating various Scots accents to the Philadelphia Folklore Society. She includes quite an effective imitation of how Billy Connolly sang 'Salti-coates Goodeebyee'. Hear the tracks at https://goldsteinandscotland.com/listen-to-these-gems

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 Aug 24 - 01:19 PM

I think that he recorded Cameron & Jane Turriff in Fetterangus when he was in Gaval Street with Lucy Stewart, Jane's cousin. Was there ever a road that had so many fine singers living in it? We spent a week camping in the Turriff's garden in 1971.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 17 Aug 24 - 02:27 PM

Yes, and Jane's mother Christina Stewart too. I am puzzled that Christina gets no mention in Elizabeth's book.
By the way, Vic, though I have recently got very good interest in the Irish material from ITMA, queries to Cecil Sharp House seeking interest about the mound of English Revivalist material have not been answered. Any ideas on who might want to listen and try to identify singers in clubs and at festivals?

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 03:32 AM

Kenny Goldstein was a good acquaintance, and I stayed with him and his family in Philadelphia, while working in his Folklore and Folk life department at the Uni. We swapped stories in his Folk life class. It's good to see his collection made accessible. I am not quite sure what the 'Ole Miss Goldstein' reference is. His daughters were both involved in Folklore, although one moved on to other things. Kenny died about thirty years ago, and the more research I undertake, the more his name crops up. I spent three days in his library, but I was very young and inexperienced. How I wish etc. etc.
The last conversation I had about him was with Margaret Bennett and had an update on the family. I remember him telling me how fond he was of his collection from Newfoundland, but alas he never mentioned his Scots songs. By the way we were both fans of working with wood. He was very accomplished and I spent a pleasant hour in his garage while he worked upon a DVD/TV cabinet.
Good memories.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 04:03 AM

Just been to the Mississippi Uni page. I had no idea Kenny had recorded my old mate Bill Price God rest him. Has there been any other publication of his collection. Are you publishing yourself Ewan? I am all in favour of your work, however you present it.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: Reinhard
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 04:21 AM

'Ole Miss' is the nickname for the University of Mississippi, so 'Ole Miss Goldstein' probably refers to the Goldstein collection at that uni and not to any relative of Goldstein's.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 05:48 AM

Though he didn't talk about the Scottish material, Nick, his year in Buchan was when he got the knowledge for his Handbook on collecting. Nice little examples of his experiences in there. I chose some excepts for the website I keep building up about his Scottish material, hence first message above.
Elizabeth Stewart of Fetterangus tells much about him in her autobiography, 'Up Yon Wide And Lonely Glen', published by Uni Press of Mississippi. And there is 'Fields Of Folklore', essays about him.
My Goldstein website is at goldsteinandscotland.com
Not surprised he was pleased with his Newfie work, thousands of songs!

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ken Hudson
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 05:59 AM

Hello Ewan - thank you so much for making these recordings available and easily accessible. This is a fascinating collection. Ray developed the sound of the mill using fingertips and elbow on the back of her guitar placed on her knee - when singing 'I Am A Miller Tae Ma Trade'. Interesting to hear The Stewart Girls and the sound of the mill they use. Brings back many memories of Ray - and The Bridge in Newcastle, and Archie regularly visiting The Marsden Inn, South Shields - I believe the Fisher Family lived in Monkseaton for a while.
I'd like to use a couple of tracks for my monthly radio folk show - (Roving Folk - the 4th Sunday Folk Show on Phoenix FM - and on t'internet) if you don't mind.
I gave a brief mention to 'They Sang Bonny' in the last show.

With all good wishes - Ken.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: Vic Smith
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 06:10 AM

Ewan wrote: - "Yes, and Jane's mother Christina Stewart too.
Yes, and Blin' Robin Hutchison as well

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 07:44 AM

Vic, I have more than once thought about Blin Robin Hutchinson, was it he who had a twin also a singer? Plus, in 1980 Goldstein recorded Alex Willox in Fetterangus. Not yet found out anything about him. Ring a bell?

Ken, please use tracks etc as you wish. Delighted. Do you need me to sedn mp3s? It was Ray I had in mind about the mill effect on a guitar. My mother-in-law Ishbel also did the mill imitation, without any song attached.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: Vic Smith
Date: 18 Aug 24 - 08:28 AM

Vic, I have more than once thought about Blin Robin Hutchinson, was it he who had a twin also a singer?
Not that I know of. I only met him once briefly at a party at Lucy Stewart's and never heard him sing live. I have some recordings of him and of his sisters Teenie & Lizzie Mary that were made by Peter Hall.
I can remember Davy Stewart telling me that when he first ran away from home at the age of 14, that he travelled and busked with Robin who he held in the highest regard.
Over the years I have been very surprised in listening to the recordings of the residents of Gaval Street that their versions of songs and ballads could be so different. Of the ones that I have heard, the ones whose versions and timings seem most similar to me are Blin'Robin and Jane Turriff who lived diagonally opposite one another.

Subject: RE: Scottish Gems From K Goldstein Archive
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 19 Aug 24 - 08:32 AM

I have now added to the 'Listen To These Gems' some more tracks - Norman Kennedy talking about and singing 'blue' songs of various strengths, and Jean Redpath talking about Scots accents and singing - including her imitation of Billy Connolly singing 'Saltcoats Goodbye'.