Where are the Womenfolk?

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: open mike
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 01:39 PM

It is wonderful to see the mudcat bringing people together like this...
hooray! and welcome to new members..and i am interested in hearing the Womenfolk....so will be watching for these recordings...and would like
to include them on my radio show...Laurel

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: zeppolien
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:17 PM

Laurel:

I'm new to The Mudcat Cafe; would like to hear more about your radio show. You can send me a message on the Mudcat Person Page if you like.

Zeppolien

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Mad Jock
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 07:12 AM

Taggart and Wright a very talented female duo used to call for "more women in folk" after hearing some call out "not more folking women".

you can hear them sing on www.sky-web.net/taggartandwright/ but it is best to see them live.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Mary Lott
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 10:03 PM

I want to tell you how much I have loved your albums. I have The Womenfolk and The Womenfolk At the Hungry-I. The music is wonderful and your harmonies great. Thank you for enriching my life.

Mary

Subject: RE: The Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Babs - Dear Mudcatters:
Date: 12 Aug 07 - 08:29 PM

Haven't checked in for a while now, but I'm happy to see that this train just keeps on a rollin.' I've been trying to get some of those other Womenfolk to pull up a chair and offer up some threads at the Mudcat Table; glad to get some nibbles from Elaine who, as you see, has been a long time gone.

I just want to let all of you cupids know that your arrows have reached their mark. We hear you. And special thanks to the following Mudcat Café contributors.

To: Andy the vinyl junkie - the collector of 1900 Century Berliner discs and Edison cylinders, and a classical music buff. Thanks for your story; it made me laugh, and for giving The Womenfolk another chance before booting us out the door.

To: Mary Lott - your appreciation of our harmonies is music to our ears.

To: Open Mike – I guess I was just too oblique previously. I was offering to help you get some of those recordings for your radio show; but we need to hear more about it first; what, why, who, where, when, etc. - that kind of info, you know. You can make contact via the Mudcat Personal Page as stated before.   

Knowing that all of you are listening to the our music definitely lifts my spirits. And for those of you who have expressed thoughts about reissuance of our recordings, let's just say "the idea is in the air." In the mean time stay tuned and link up with the "Tribute to The Womenfolk" blog for more Updates:

http://myporchblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/tribute-to-womenfolk.html

All of us in the group are aware of this forum now. Thanks for your continued interest & support.

Babs Cooper of
The Womenfolk

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: timoniumguy
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 06:05 PM

I have been posting threads for years trying to find The Womenfolk...I thought Leni Ashmore had the most amazing voice, When she sang lead on the Malvina Reynolds tune, I Wish your Were Here, I melted. And Babs' lead on Jinga Jing was wonderful. I loved the Hungry I album and I still laugh at "Never Wed an Old Man" And "One Man's Hand" and "Love come Tricklin Down" would still get to me if I had cd's. The harmonies on "Yesterday" from Man oh Man were great.

It is so good to see Elaine and Babs, Judy have been found.

I just wish somebody would bug RCA to release them again. They probably hate me by now!!

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Lalah
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 11:38 AM

How wonderful you are, all you lovers of The Womenfolk! Your comments and stories are a joy to read. I'm so happy to see all this interest after so many years. I hope you'll like my new music too -- check it out at jlalahsimcoe.com.

Many thanks and much love to you,
Lalah (Judy Fine)

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: timoniumguy
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 10:16 AM

I was serfing through MY space videos and there is a video of the Leni, Babs, Judi, Joyce and Jean singing, "My Heart Tells Me to Believe", my least favorite of all their stuff. But I did enjoy seeing it posted.

tom

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Jean Amos
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 11:22 PM

OK, well, I have been living in San Francisco since 1969. I taught guitar for many years - basic, ragtime and classical. It has been fun seeing this flurry of reminiscences on the web.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,DeeMischel
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 11:57 PM

Thank you for letting me know the correct name.. you are so right! I managed to find the song and now have the album it was on.. and I am so enjoying it... Thanks. Dee

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: zeppolien
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 02:55 PM

To Dee Mischel:

You are very welcome, Dee. We are currently in the process of pursuing the best possible arrangement for the re-issuance our previously recordings. It's a bit complex, but we're inching along. This is happening mainly because of people like yourself sharing your thoughts with us at The Mudcat Cafe, as well as, the fact that our group just keeps popping up on the Internet; like the TV Video currently running on myspace.com. So, stay tuned. Where's definitely more to come . . .

Babs Cooper of The Womenfolk
aka "Curiosity"

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Dee Mischel
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 07:46 PM

Thanks for the quick reply...I am thinking I've been pretty lucky.. I managed to find the following albums: We Give A Hoot with the Villagers; The Womenfolk; Never Underestimate the Power of; Man Oh Man; and At the Hungry I plus the 45 of the Last Thing On My Mind! Are there any others? All are in excellent condition and I am having so much enjoyment playing them! I am so glad I found this site so I could enjoy them once again..and keep up inching along..I have no doubt that more people would love to be able to listen to them as well! Take care.. Dee

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: zeppolien
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 05:19 PM

See the following link:

http://myporchblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/tribute-to-womenfolk.html

At the end of the blog there's a comment by KEES about additional recordings.

"A group that made a lot of good songs. My favourites One man's hand, and Love come a-trickling down.
Addition to the discography: besides the LP's, they also had a 45 on RCA, My heart tells me to believe b/w The way I feel (Gordon Lightfoot song). Two tracks not on LP.
I also have their live recording of Malvina Reynolds' song "You can't make a turtle come out", source unknown."

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Susan in Baltimore
Date: 16 Sep 07 - 02:40 PM

I stumbled upon this forum searching for the words to the Malvina Reynolds' song, "I wish you were here", as recorded by the Womenfolk. I was thrilled that so many other people still love this fabulous group. I discovered them back in the Napster days (I don't regret the larceny one bit - how else would I have found them?) and was crushed when their material wasn't available on cd. So I did what a lot of others have done. I bought the records on eBay and made my own very scratchy cds. Their harmonies can make me cry and their song selection was superb. I love them all like sisters. Unlike some other contributors to this forum, I would be willing to pay $80 for their collected works on a clean cd. I hope it happens!!

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,vinyl junkie
Date: 03 Oct 07 - 03:38 PM

Hello, Womenfolk. It's the Vinyl Junkie again.

Three months since last I wrote an entry (July 26).   Not only did your self-titled 1964 album make the cut during my night of "purging the superfluous" from that pile of unsorted records, but I'm still listening to it here and there, as the weeks go by. I even introduced (maybe more accurately RE-introduced) the Womenfolk to my oldest brother and his wife. Both have an affinity for folk groups and folk music.

They remembered "Little Boxes" and I have to admit that it was this title that really made me listen to the album, only because I remembered others in the family singing bits and pieces of this song over the years. Amusing social commentary aside, this is not what has held my attention all this time.

In addition to the titles that others have praised here, I have to say that the raw power of "Don't You Rock 'Em Daddy-O" is tremendous. And your arrangement of "The Gypsy Rover" is the best I've heard - possibly my favorite cut on the album. The harmony and blend of your voices is so warm over the lilting guitar work.

Thanks again, for putting the excitement of discovery back into what I feared was becoming a slightly jaded listener/collector.

Andy

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,jayjay
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 02:23 PM

The Womenfolk and Simon and Garfunkel were the first music I listened to at the age of 2. So their blend and harmonies are ingrained in my music vocabulary. I probably have gone more than 25 years without hearing any of the songs but still sing them to myself when something triggers the memory. This morning I woke up with "The Maybe Song" in my head and now I'm trying to search the internet for the complete lyrics. Nothing. That song was poetry and music combined. Can anyone help me? All I've found was this website and one album on ebay but it's not one of the three that I know by heart.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 08:50 PM

I saw the Womenfolk in concert at Texas Tech in Lubbock in either 1967 or 1968. They were the opening act for an up and coming new comedian named Bill Cosby.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Martha Woodroof
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 03:38 PM

I'm a public radio reporter doing a story on a recent Womenfolk get together. Could Mr or Ms Mudcat PLEASE e-mail me at [e-mail]? I'd love to chat with you over the phone about your blog! Thanks.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 04:17 PM

Can anyone please tell me where i can download any of there songs?

Many thanks

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: zeppolien
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 01:05 PM

To Our Mudcat Cafe Friends:

Listen for Martha Woodroof's Interview "The Womenfolk Reunite" on WMRA (NPR) Nov. 30, 2007:   Revisiting the past, musically, professionally, and personally, with four "really strong women."
http://www.wmra.org/

And please join us on myspace.com.
http://www.myspace.com/1960sthewomenfolk

To Bill re: Texas Tech concert in Lubbock with Bill Cosby. I think it was more like 1964, Texas Bill. That was a "sizzling" concert.
The crowd was wonderful, and we had a great time. Thanks for that memory.

The Womenfolk

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,momoreendel
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:17 PM

Holy Cow!! I have died and gone to heaven! I was givin my one and only Womenfolk album in Germany in 1967. I've just about played it thin. It was and is my favorite music by my favorite musicians. As a woman with a big deep voice, it was a revalation to hear that beautiful BIG deep sound comming though loud and clear. I was always hushed up and told to BLEND. I feel Blessed to own my one album. Will await a re-release on cd with great anticipation.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Kees
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 04:35 PM

A reunion, it seems...
see My Space

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,K
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 04:40 PM

Even a video on Myspace now!

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Barry T
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 12:49 AM

Like others in this thread, I applaud the sincerity of the discussion and celebrate the reappearance of the members of this wonderful group. I, too, hope that there may be an audible outcome in the form of a re-release of their music.

My favourite song? Elaine Gealer's 'Once Upon a Springtime'... a ballad about a young soldier going off to war, never to return. Stunning lyrics that are as relevant and evocative today as the day she wrote them!

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Harry Lime
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:32 PM

For decades I thought I was the only person who knew about the Womenfolk. I spent years getting the five albums that were issued. As far as I know there were only five albums. RCA should be pressured to release the albums on CD or, if not, allow Rhino or other similar labels to make clean copies. I'm tired of listening to the copies made from vinyl.
Pressure from the public helped Warner to release the four mid-70's Gordon Lightfoot albums on CD, the same could happen here.
Everyone who reads this thread, get on the phone to RCA management for nearly forgotten artists and say you wish the above to happen.
Incidentally, the best version of "Sunrise, Sunset" I've heard.
Harry Lime

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST, Chris :Guest
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:00 PM

I don't care where the Womenfolk are, but I do want to tell them how much pleasure their music gave me from the first time I heard their song 'Womenfolk' on the BBC back in the 60s. I wish they had recorded more in their folk vein though I don't think their last album I bought was one of their best except 'The Maybe Song'. There is no better verdion of 'The last thing on my mind.' Utterly outstanding. I hope one of them reads this to realise how much pleasure they gave.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Elaine Golden-Gealer
Date: 24 Jan 08 - 02:25 AM

Hi Barry,

Thank you very much for your comments about the first song I ever wrote..."Once Upon a Springtime".... I heard about your comments from Lala (Judy Fine) my Womenfolk buddy when we were on the phone the other day.

Best wishes and God's Speed for 2008

Elaine [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,paladin
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 04:28 PM

I was lucky enough to have seen the Womenfolk live at the Bitter End, in Greenwich Village back in the good ol' days of folk.
They really were a first rate group; good voices, good guitar (I think they had a bass backup player at the Bitter End, not officially part of the group.)

Sad to say, the Bitter End is now "The Longest running ROCK club in New York." (And the hungry i became a strip joint prior to my getting to San Francisco; bummer.)
If anyone buys the personally made $80 CDs from the previously mentioned site, you should make some copies and post their availability. Surely copyright has passed by now.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 08 - 07:56 PM

Check out this story about the Womenfolk in the Washington DC City Paper.

http://washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=34558

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: zeppolien
Date: 11 Feb 08 - 05:06 PM

LATEST UPDATES ON THE WOMENFOLK; THE SAGA CONTINUES.

The Womenfolk on MySpace

Last Thing on My Mind

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 08:58 PM

Let me try this again, with a proper link.

Check out this story about the Womenfolk in the Washington DC City Paper.

http://washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=34558

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Womenfolk Downloads
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 11:01 AM

Have you seen "The Womenfolk Store" and blog 3-11-08 on MySpace?

http://www.myspace.com/1960sthewomenfolk

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Womenfolk Downloads
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 10:24 AM

LET'S TRY AGAIN: Womenfolk downloads of our previously recorded songs are now available on our MySpace website . Here's the link:

The Womenfolk Store on MySpace

STAY TUNED: more songs will be added as we make contact with the publishers of our previously recorded songs.

The Womenfolk
Babs, Leni, Jean & Lalah

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Celtaddict
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 10:36 PM

Wow! Great news! I just saw this thread and was excited to think that I would hear again a song I heard only once, ever in my life. It was 'Womenfolk' and I have looked for it, and sung it (yes, it impressed me so much that I can sing a good half of it from one hearing 40 years ago); the harmonies were wonderful. I never had an album. Now I am eager! Thanks for making downloads available!!!

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Celtaddict
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 10:44 PM

The site sounds good; I eagerly await 'Womenfolk' (the song) being added.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Babs To Celtaddict
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 05:16 PM

Hang in there. We're working on making "Womenfolk" - as well as many other of our recordings, available for downloading. In the mean time, you can listen to "Womenfolk" for free on Myspace:

Sample Womenfolk Audios on MySpace
   

Thank You Mudcat Cafe.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 08 - 06:01 PM

UPDATE: The Womenfolk Vol.5: (1966) Man Oh Man! The Womenfolk - is now available on Amazon MP3 Downloads. This set includes Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind."

WOMENFOLK MP3 DOWNLOADS

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Amazon MP3 Downolads
Date: 06 Apr 08 - 06:05 PM

Link to Amazon MP3 Downloads

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00178FKX6/ref=dm_sp_adp?ie=UTF8&qid=1207508991&sr=102-12

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,The WF on iTunes
Date: 24 Apr 08 - 10:23 AM

"The Womenfolk Vol.5: (1964) Man Oh Man! The Womenfolk" is now available on the "iTunes Store".

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:53 PM

Yes, that is her - Leni Ashmore Sorensen.
She now has her phd and is the african-american historian at monticello.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 01:00 PM

The Womenfolk have a Myspace page with recordings here (click), and five albums of MP3 downloads are available from Amazon here (click).

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Ramona
Date: 09 Aug 08 - 03:25 PM

I am almost happy. Today I bought "Man Oh Man!" from i-tunes. I had never heard the record before. It sounds good.

My true mission is to download the Hungry i album. My late uncle had it (and the LP is probably in my aunt's loft). I loved it so much as a child. Yesterday I tried to download it from Amazon, but they refused to sell me it as I am in the UK!

I hope it will go on i-tunes as I think that's the only way non-US residents can access the albums.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,The Womenfolk
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 12:12 PM

Ramona:

Thanks you for your comment. All of our albums should be on iTunes UK/European Union, as well as iTunes Australia/New Zealand, Canada & Japan by now. We made two tours to the U.K. back then and certainly want to include all of British friends, (and all of our friends around the globe), in presenting our albums as downloads to be enjoyed in 2008. Let us know how it works out. The Hungy i perform is a "live" performance album and best demonstrate what we did "on stage."   Again, thanks for the update.

Babs, Lalah, Leni & Jean
The Womenfolk

p,s, To learn more of what we are about , check out our mypace site:
The Womenfolk on MySpace

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Ramona
Date: 16 Aug 08 - 09:20 AM

Hello

I have checked again. Only "Man oh Man!" is on UK i-tunes. If there is any way of checking up on them, I would love to buy the others.

R

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,To Ramona
Date: 16 Aug 08 - 11:42 AM

We will have our contacts check into it, and sent futher word later. Thank you for your perseverance. Its definitely a glitch.

Babs Cooper
The Womenfolk

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: GUEST,Ramona
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 01:35 PM

UK i-tunes now has volumes 1,2,3 & 5.

I'm still waiting for the live album, which I have not heard since the 60s.

Well done for getting the others on.

"Ramona"

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 08 - 01:45 PM

I downloaded all five albums at amazon.mudcat.org, and I'm really enjoying them (and Amazon paid Mudcat a bit for the privilege).

I'd like to see more reissues like this. There were so many good folk recordings on the Elektra label, and so few are available.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Peace
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 12:56 AM

Subject: RE: The Maybe Song
From: Roger Himler
Date: 08 Jul 98 - 12:44 AM

From the singing of Ernie Sheldon and Joyce James

Sure is today, with a kiss on the way,
Will there be more kisses tomorrow.
And many more kisses the day after that.
More kisses to lend or borrow.
Or will we be kissing in vain?

Maybe you and maybe me,
Maybe only yet to be,
Maybe yes and maybe no,
Maybe this alone to know.
Maybe thunder, maybe rain,
Maybe wonder, maybe pain.
Maybe once, maybe twice,
Maybe fire, maybe ice,
Maybe laughter, maybe tears,
Maybe moments, maybe years.

Time after time, without reason or rhyme,
My thoughts wing away with the swallow.
And then I start dreaming of you and of me,
And all of the days to follow.
Now will they bring pleasure or pain.

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Peace
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 12:57 AM

JayJay: They the lyrics you're looking for?

Subject: RE: Where are the Womenfolk?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 03:29 PM

100