Folk Musicians ..er..defined

Subject: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: John Hardly
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:35 PM

Knowing how you enjoy being placed in a box I thought I'd share this.

From Acoustic Guitar Magazine, November 2001 NO.107

A.G.LETTER section, article "From the Folktrain" by Whittney Smith.


Mr. (Ms?) Smith quotes Charlie Hunter as he "...shares his definition of a folk musician with me. "He or she must belong to three of the following five categories...

The folk musician has no economic connection with a multinational corporation,

makes music that is part of a larger tradition,

plays instruments that require no more than one trip out to the car,

makes a living touring secondary and tertiary venues whose labor forces are largely composed of volunteers,

and/or makes records that are probably too raw to be appreciated by a mainstream audience."

Whew! Glad we cleared that one up.

Of course he might have added that they don't like being classified or defined.

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: GUEST,Ned Ludd
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:39 PM

Hey! 3 out of 6! Does that mean I'm half a folkie?

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:42 PM

OH yeah? You try carrying a banjo, mandolin, 6 and 12 string guitars and a fiddle and dobro in one load! And that's when you leave the dulcimer and autoharp at home!

Ricck

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:48 PM

Each instrument only requires one trip, so you're OK! Anybody remember Tom Lehrer saying something about the piano not being a folk instrument "so just imagine, if you will, that I'm playing an 88-string guitar!"

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 01:48 PM

What about touring on secondary and tertiary roads that were built by volunteer labor forces?

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:16 PM

Well, we don't make a "living" touring those places, but we do make some extry cash. And this weekend, we're actually being billed as "folk musicians." Heeheehee.

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Mooh
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 03:31 PM

Phew...I'm in!

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: GUEST,Ned Ludd
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 04:06 PM

No, seriously, to qualify I gotta make a record! (And tour!)

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 04:09 PM

Glad to know that I exist in the larger scheme of things!! Cute definition - I think I'd add that most of what is done is done for pleasure. I've certainly never made any money at it - and my attempts at money were failures - but my attempts at fun have been purely successful!!

Back porch pickers unite!!!
Steve

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: MMario
Date: 02 Oct 01 - 04:29 PM

Of course - this disbars any folk musician who might work for a multinational corperation yet sing/play/research on his own time; those who don't record/tour/play for money.

etc. etc. etc

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 12:31 AM

Ted, turn in your folksingers card! Imagine using the word "tertiary" in a group of musicians.

Actually, where I come from, that's a meat pie. (it's a Quebec joke)

Rick

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Mudlark
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 01:53 AM

Front porch picker, here...close kin to back proch picker. I thot tertiary was the epoch when folk-singing placental animals roamed the earth...

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: M.Ted
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 12:19 PM

I just took it from the original source material--it says I can do that in the fine print on the back of the folksingers card--That's why I can say "corbie" and "mojo"--

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: GUEST,Steve Parkes
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 12:23 PM

Hey--I work for th Open University, which has recently opened a branch in the US: does that make it a multinaitonal corporation?

Steve

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Grab
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 12:51 PM

Well, I work for a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford, I make my living working for said wholly-owned subsidiary, and my only record is "most peanut butter sandwiches eaten at this company". And I play the piano. Bummer...

Graham.

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: wildlone
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 02:58 PM

I aint got a car

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Art Thieme
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:07 PM

95% of what folk musicians do is driving. (Mainly, I DRIVE for a living (or I used to.) 5% is music making.

As I've always said, "Most of life is just showing up."

I was pretty much on the road 4 decades. Got sick of the travel after about 30 years. Continued on until I couldn't.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: mousethief
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:36 PM

I got the first 3 covered (who's a one-man tradition? I mean besides Bob Dylan of course). Must be a folk musician.

Where do I send for my card?

Alex

Subject: RE: Folk Musicians ..er..defined
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 03 Oct 01 - 03:39 PM

I'm sur this is not the first time this sentiment has been expressed on this forum, but

WHO GIVES A FOLK????