Forming a folkmusic society

Subject: Forming a folkmusic society
From: Matty
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 08:18 PM

Bakersfield suffers from a lack of community in the folk music scene. At a house concert last year, the band I was in put out an appeal for volunteers to help establish a folkmusic/folklore society. Respone was minimal, and there was no follow up. There are infrequent bluegrass and Celtic jams. Tomorrow night I will ba addressing the audience of a Taylor/Doyle Dykes workshop, once again asking for interested parties and volunteers. Your suggestions would be most helpful.

Thank you.

Subject: RE: Forming a folkmusic society
From: Alice
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 08:48 PM

Matty, here is the website of the Bozeman Folklore Society. Bozeman is a small town, but the society has existed for quite awhile. You can contact someone from the website.
click here

Alice

Subject: RE: Forming a folkmusic society
From: GUEST,ddw
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 09:12 PM

Matty,

I've always found that people don't like to START things themselves — that means they'd have to take some responsibility for it. But if you offer them an organization to join, they'll come.

How 'bout you and one or two friends starting the society yourselves — with full understanding you may later lose control over it, if you want control in the first place — then tell your audiences that it's there and invite them to join. I did that with a couple of things I was interested in and it worked. I got a ski club going when I was in college and some friends and I got a folk club going when I was in grad school. Both turned out pretty well.

Hope that's helpful.

cheers

david

Subject: RE: Forming a folkmusic society
From: GUEST,El Presidente
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:27 AM

Check out this site and send an Email to receive help http://members.xoom.com/lakefolk/

Subject: RE: Forming a folkmusic society
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:53 AM

Hi, Matty - I think I'd start with a song circle or jam session, whichever is more interesting to you. If you have four people who come regularly, you've got enough for a start. Just keep inviting more people until you've got a fair-sized group. Start small, and keep building. After a while, you may have a group big enough that you can invite performers for house concerts. Bakersfield is big enough that I think you should be able to do it.
Good luck.
-Joe Offer, your neighbor in Sacramento-