Best cities in USA for folk music

Subject: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 02:50 PM

I am relatively new to this site, and I wonder where in America do people feel is the best area to find live performances of either traditional or folk music. Any thoughts?

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 03:04 PM

Bloomington, Indiana and Gainesville, Florida are tops on my list. Both are college towns but a lot of folkies never went back home after college and they've been spreading the message for years. Huge folk communities in both cities.

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 03:10 PM

Boy, Bee dubya ell, I'll have to admit you sure surprised me with those selections! I'll sure keep that in mind when in Florida fishing next time!

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 03:46 PM

Boston's great, Washingto, DC, is too. Albany, NY, and environs are good, thanks to Andy Spence and to the Cafe Lena in Saratoga Springs. Lansing and Ann Arbor, MI, have regular venues for folk music, trad and contemporary, and San Francisco has the wonderful San Francisco Folk Music club with programs, festivals, etc., while Freight and Salvage is right across the Bay in Berkeley. Seattle has a very active folk community and also should be rated highly. Hell, anywhere you light could prove to be among the best. All you have to do is seek it out.

Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 04:20 PM

probably Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver (not US, I Know), Philadelphia, NOT Cleveland, nothing happening here, not much locally, and no body stops here when they are passsing through, because I cannot convince anyone to sponsor them, and no real venue for it anywhere in town anymore. USED TO BE

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: musicmick
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:40 PM

I think that Philadelphia has an incredible folk scene, fueled by the Philadelphia Folksong Society's extensive calander of events. Membership in the society (just $30 for a year) includes nine concerts, monthly house concerts and workshops and discounts for their two folk weekends (The Spring Thing and The Fall Fling) and the Philadelphia Folk Festival, one of the oldest, and biggest. Philly, also boasts regular folk curcuit venues and a buffet of concerts. We have dozens of bars and restaurants with acoustic music, several with open mikes (for the more adventurous). I have been a full-time folksinger for forty years and I rarely have to travel more than an hour to a job. Even Sandy Paton has to go on the road, occasionally. That's because he doesn't live in Philly.

Mike Miller

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:42 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:46 PM

Thanks for the info, musicmic, sounds like a good place to spend some time. I am 100 miles from Atlanta, and the Scene there is poor. Eddies Attic is a nice venue, but otherwise, pretty thin pickins!

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:52 PM

See the thread on Mountain View. The Ozark Folk Center has about 150 concerts of traditional music and dance between April and October and there is an abundance of music practically every night on the courtsqare in informal groupings where anyone can listen or play, whichever they choose.

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 05:53 PM

whoops.... hit something wrong..

anyway...I had a friend FROM Philadelphia who moved to Wash DC temporarily and fell in love with the varied folk scene here, so when she went BACK to Philadelphia, she decided to join the Philly society...and was VERY disappointed, as she couldn't find people who wanted to 'sing'...she said all they did was plan the festival, DO the festival and re-hash the festival! Now this was 18-20 years ago, and I sincerely hope it has changed since then..*smile*

But we STILL have a huge variety of stuff going on here in the DC area, as can be seen at http://www.fsgw.org/

We 'think' we are the largest folk club in the country, but that is not a big deal...it's just that because the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution are here, it has supported a lot of knowlegable folkies and festivals in the area...

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Venthony
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 06:01 PM

D.C.; Denver (oddly enough); Portland, Ore.; Wheeling, W.Va. (still), Quincy, Ill., and of course anywhere along Highway 65 south of Branson and north of Little Rock.

LOL, Tony

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 11:47 PM

Irish music: Boston. New York a close second. Scottish music: San Francisco bay area. Alasdair Fraser's strong influence reaches far and wide, with the bay area as the epicenter. Many pipe bands in the area, too, and the long-eastablished (and huge) highland games held in the Easy bay. Singer/Songwriter: Boston, perhaps? That's my impression, though I'm not plugged into the singer/songwriter scene. Sea music: Mystic and Connecticut in general, New York City, San Francisco, parts of Maine.

That's what I'm most familiar with. That leaves out bluegrass, blues, cajun, etc. There probably is no one answer for an overall best place for folk music.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: JedMarum
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 12:44 AM

I gotta second Boston and DC areas. Dallas (where I live now) is OK but your folk will probably have some Texas or country bite to it (and that's OK) but I've been spending most of my time with the Celtic folk ... they don't seem to mind American folk-style Celtic!

I gotta feeling the music's mixed where ever you go. I see differences everywhere I've been. And I love it!

I have to say, some of the finest folk I've seen/heard in America is in Canada! Toronto ... great town, lotsa great players and seems to be a vibrant folk-style scene.

Now if we could just keep those garbage workers on the job, they'd have a pretty damn nice place to live!

Subject: RE: BS: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: musicmick
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 01:43 AM

You'll get no argument from me, Bill D. I have been to enough Getaways to have a world of respect for the Washington area singers. I dont know who is singing there now but if they are anything like Andy, Helen and those wonderful chanty singers, your area is unsurpassed for singing. I seem to remember that there was a healthy bluegrass community, too. I, still, contend that Philly has more opportunities for folksingers and that no society, not even yours, offers the number of high level programs as the PFS but I do concede your dominance in the area of traditional singing. Are they still doing Getaways? I'd love to get down there for another. To tell you the truth, our Spring Thing was inspired by your Getaway (but ours is held at a regular summer camp, while yours was at that park in Virginia or that Boy Scout facility in Annapolis).

Mike

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 02:48 AM

Hey, Mike. Take a look at the Getaway 2002 thread somewhere in the long list of current discussions. Camp Ramblewood is more comfortable than the earlier locations, and just across the river into Maryland -- right handy for those who live in Philadelphia. Y'all come!

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 04:29 AM

It's heartening to know that Washington DC has such an active folk scene. The fiddler with whom I used to play is moving to Washington in December so I hope she will meet plenty of musicians there.

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Asheville NC yet, surely the center of traditional American music.

Murray

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: InOBU
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:21 AM

Murray! I was just about to say Ashville! Good on ya., Larry

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Memphis Mud
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:30 AM

JimmyT, Mountain View Ark is 3-1/2 hours from Memphis. There's music in the square 7 days/wk. Arkie mentioned the Ozark Folk Center, very nice facility. You'll want to stay several days. Don't forget Blanchard Springs Caverns and swimming in Sylamore Creek. Camp at State Park (has everything you'll need) or Gunner's Pool (bring everything you'll need).

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: chip a
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 10:20 AM

jimmyt, We're 90 miles from Atlanta......75-575-515 and you're here! Blairsville, last stop before NC line! Where are you?

Chip & Tish

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: wilco
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 11:01 AM

Chattanooga, Tennessee. This weekend for example: Old-time and blugrass "oprys" every week-end (Ringgold and Signal Mountain), Dulcimer and Autoharp Clubs Monthly Jam, Friends of Folk Music Day festival (Harry Hudson, Down Yonder, Tom Morgan, Dismembered Tennesseans, Laura Boosinger & Tim Abell), Charle's and Myrtle's Coffeehouse(Dana Cooper), Nightfall with The Nashville Blugrass Band, Robert Mirabel (Native American),several gospel shows, several music festivals (Tri-state in South Pittsburg), Jom Hurts and Missy Raines at Barking legs theater, and the Georgia Moutain fair nearby as is Museum of Appalachia Homecoming in Norris. And, next weekend, amny of the same with Leon Redbone, Merle Haggard, the Spinners. And, my high-school aged son has a football game tonight!!!! And, I'll miss lots of this!!!!

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 11:10 AM

chip a and wilco48.

I am about embarrased to tell you that I am in Dalton, GA, and all this stuff so close to me! As I said, I am new to this music, but hope to start and make up for lost time ASAP. Was in Asheville 2 weeks ago, and a terrific music venue is Jack of the Wood Pub right downtown. Heard a terrific group called Parsons with a self described Uptown Hillybilly Swing style. Very very good!

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 06:09 PM

Houston, Texas.

EOM

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:17 PM

"Best cities" - but what about away from the cities? Where are the best places?

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 07:33 PM

It would be terrific if we had music venues out in the middle of nowhere. I was in Doolin, County Clare , Ireland that is only close to the Atlantic Ocean, and is a tiny village with 3, that's right 3 separate music pubs. Eat your heart out, North America!

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: musicmick
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:03 PM

Yeah, right. County Clare! I am sure that for music per square inch, Doolin may be the cat's meow but for all its urban crass content, there is nothing like Dublin for musical variety and a multiplicity of venues for players and for listeners. It has been a lot of years since I lived in Dublin but I can recall the miriad of music pubs where I worked and jammed. Dirt ethnic, they might not be but for the spectrum of virtuousity, you cant beat the big city. I am sure you know about the tradition of the culchie come to Dublin. When a musician from the bogs comes to Dublin, he stands on the Ha'penny Bridge and throws a brick into the Liffy. If it floats, he goes home.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:15 PM

Well if it's a spectrum of virtuosity you're after I'm sure the cities are the place to look.

But are there parts of the States away from the cities where there's still a live music tradition with roots, analogous to what you can find in many parts of Ireland and some parts of England. (Up in the North East for example.) Reinforced maybe by musicians who've moved out from the cities?

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 10:19 PM

That is what I am getting at, McG of H, When I am travelling in the UK or Ireland, I can about always ask a couple people in any town or villagwe or city where I can go to hear some traditional music, and most of the time I am given a place or sometimes more. You do that in the states and people will normally just look at you with a blank look. In the last year or so it has seemed to get a little better.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 03:30 AM

Reminds me of something a friend told me after I came back from ireland and recounted this incident: My travelling companion and I were hitchiking to Doolin, standing on a small road leading out from a town called, I think, kilshanty (sp?). We were picked up by someone who, while driving us, adsked about our fiddles. I mentioned that a friend back home told me to look up a fiddler named James Cullinan. he gave me a funny look. I asked if he ever heard of James Cullinan. He said, "I AM James Cullinan." This was about four days prior to Willie Clancy week, in '89. I recounted that to a friend back home, and told him how incredible a coincidence that was, that we were in the middle of nowhere hitching a ride into Doolin, and that happens. He told me - "Look, if you were in Dublin at that time, you would have been in the middle of nowhere. Around that part of Clare, you were in the thick of things."

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:48 AM

But the United States are a big big place, jimmyt. I wouldn't give up on the hope that there are places where things might be better. After all, there are such places in parts of Canada as I've heard, in Newfoundland for example. If so, I'm hoping that asking through the Mudcat might be the way to find out.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 11:05 AM

Let me add my vote for the New York City metropolitan area, including Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, Long Island, Westcher, and Rockland. But please consider folk music in the broader sense of the term, and not just the folknik scene. For example, you can hear some of the best fado in North America in Newark, NJ, and wonderful jibaro in Wahington Heights, Manhattan, and Bushwick, Brooklyn. You can also find Russian, Polish, Indian, Afghani, Arabic, Andean, Haitian-Creole, Yiddish, and almost every other kind of folk music imaginable in the New York metro area.-- as well as all the regular folkie stuff.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 11:13 AM

Toronto's got a LOT of stuff happening for folkies. Right from the late fifties when "The Fifth Peg" started.

Good city, if you have to live in a city (which I do)

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 12:00 PM

Thanks for the input, Rick, I sent you a personal note.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Hollowfox
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 05:17 PM

Guest Bill Kennedy, whenever I listen to the folk music program on WKSU (weekends, 8-midnight) there seems to be stuff going on in Cleveland. You could always go down to Kent; there;s more there. If you want to have real slim pickings, move here to Youngstown. One concert a year.4(whimperwhine)

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 06:06 PM

Thanks for the input, Rick, I sent you a personal note.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: johnross
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 02:38 PM

Obviously, one person's "best" might not be another's. Depends on how you want to make or consume the music. If you're looking for a place where you can go to see and hear performances in concerts, clubs and festivals, you might not care about finding a place with an active song circle or regular jam sessions. If you're a singer, a great old-timey scene might do nothing for you. Or if your taste in songs runs toward singer-songwriters, then shanteys and other participatory stuff will not make you happy.

Another element in the mix is radio. Is there a local radio show or station that plays local artists and announces local events? Not those canned NPR shows like "Thistle and Shamrock" and "American Routes", but a show that's produced and presented by people who are part of the local scene. Lots of people won't pay to hear an act they've never heard of, but they'll go after they've heard somebody on the radio.

That said, I'd agree with the list of cities already in this thread--Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, maybe Denver, and much of the west coast are all good places to find active folk music communities.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 04:33 PM

And still no news of anything away from the cities?

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,lardingo
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:13 PM

Mt View, AR gets my vote. There are a few other small towns in north Arkansas that have acoustic music sessions: Bentonville (That's where WalMart started, you know.) has lots of music on the square every Friday throughout the summer and fall. Rogers does the same on Saturday nights. Eureka Springs has festivals, but nothing that happens on a regular basis that I know of.

It also depends on what you call folk music. The sessions at Rogers and Bentonville are mostly bluegrass or country before 1960.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Jim Krause
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 05:52 PM

What's going on in the heart of America? Well, I know about the Songwriters Circle of Kansas City. There's also a group of folk who call themselves Crosscurrents Culture Unlimited. Unfortunately, I can't find their website. But anyone can find out about them through Songwriters Circle.
Jim

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:19 PM

That link was interesting enough Jim. I'll have fun finding out about the songwriters of Kansas City.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 08:43 PM

Can there be any question? Clearly, Washington, D.C. is the greatest!

Jerry

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: musicmick
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:40 PM

In reply to the question of the best non urban folk centers, I remember playing at a very small town in England called Ascot on Wychwood (forgive my spelling). In a community that seemed smaller than a decent sized concert audience, they put on a folk festival with five or six performers including such lumineries as Cyral Tawney, Dave Calderhead and Royston Wood. The whole damn town showed up for the concerts and the parties. The next day they formed into teams for Morris dancing. It was my first job in England and I'll never forget that weekend.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: Jim Krause
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 10:10 PM

Now there's an idea for a pub crawl. Go to the UK fiddle in hand and play for beer.
Jim

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 10:38 AM

I'll second the Mt View Ark vote, please be aware that Stone County is dry! No booze permitted on the square nor electric instruments.

Though I am not a big fan of BG, there's lots of that there, I love OT Gospel. Running 7 days a week all hours from late morning till way into the night - often 1AM, Signal Hill Mtn View has no equal IMHO. Lots of places have open jams but none are dedictated only to that.

The only disadvantage is being so remote, about 4 hours out of Lt Rock Ark, and surprise 5 from St Louis Miss.

Original live traditions like the early BG or OT culture are hard to find anywhere in the west today; however for what it's worth South Texas hosts the most dynamic and growing genre. Called Tejano ( pronounced TeHano ) includes a little, Latin, Americana, German and other influences. Instruments include Accordion - this is NOT CAJUN! - Guitar, Brass etc. One possible reason why it has such following is the quality of singing. I never hear bad vocals so turning off a CW station to Tejano is an easy choice.. lol.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 01:43 PM

That might work quite well, Jim Krause - a wandering Yank with a fiddle would probably go down well in lots of pubs, even the ones that don't like folk music, or think they don't. And until they "reform" the Public Entertainment Licence system there'd be no legal hassles.perefromer

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: curmudgeon
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:17 PM

Yes McGrath, there is folk music outside of big cities, to wit, Portsmouth NH, a very small city in a very small state, but overflowing with musicians.

It's not, however, the vibrant center it once was some dozen years ago when lots of clubs offered gigs to lots of musicians -- folk, acoustic, trad, blues and jazz. But over time, many club owners realised that they didn't need live music to draw a crowd so most of the gigs dried up. But the musicians stayed finding it to be a good area, not too distant from Boston, but far enough away to be pleasant..

And Portsmouth still has its crown jewel, The Press Room. Founded by the recently deceased Jay Smith as a pub with good beer and good music this club has become a musical center, now more as a gathering place for musicians and music lovers, rather than a venue. There is still great music though; jazz on Tuesday evening followed by an open "micke", and the Friday evening trad sessions. There is music there seven nights a week, though these days tending toward, blues, jazz, and acoustic groups. Sadly but true, traditional music just doesn't attract large paying audiences.

A reebirth may yet be coming. Last April saw the opening of Jack Quigley's, an Irish pub which holds traditional Irish sessions on Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons and may be adding a singing session as well. And Saturday week will see the Third Annual Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival with a great lineup of musicians from all over the Northeast. If you want to know more look here.

A lot of Mudcatters have visited and sung here and we'd love to have more of you - Tom

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:24 PM

That's the kind of thing I was hoping would turn up Tom.

I have a gut feeling there's more of that sort of thing than people realise.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 07:25 PM

Let me add Shepherdstown, WV to the list. If you stay home on any given evening it's your own damn fault. With a population of less than a thousand, eighty miles up the Potomac just past Harpers Ferry, and across from Antietim, Shepherdstown has had a thriving folk music community, since the sixties. A college town, selected as the Smartest Town in the Washingtom Metro area, three years running (due to the number of graduate degrees in the population) it has hosted everything from Alister Fraiser and Martin Hayes to Ladysmith Black Mombasso, Brian Bowers, and Dervish.

This week we have the Upper Potomac Hammered Dulcimer Fest (200+ coming), next week the Folly (another fest, mostly blues), the week after, a bluegrass fest with Patent Pending, and the next week, the Appalachian Festival with Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger, and Critton Hollow.

Last month, I sang on stage with Tom Paxton and Bill Danoff during the finale of the two day Country Roads Folk Festival four miles from my home (and got the pictures to prove it). In the next couple of months I will do sound for Liz Carroll and Billy McComisky, Bonnie Rideout and her group, Cephas and Wiggins, Harmonia (Hungarian) and several other lesser known groups. In the next month Melvin Wine will conduct a OT fiddling work shop at O'Hurleys General Store, followed by a similar workshop with Robin Kessinger in flatpick guitar. Did I mention the Milbrook Symphony, the nationally known Contemporary American Theater Festival with runs all summer long, the Shennadoah Coffee House series, and three three-star restaurants in a 1/4 mile?

I've been to Doolin, played McGanns, and stayed at the Alle River Hostel. The music was not all that remarkable, the food was passable at O'Conners, and the scenery beautiful, but we have the confluence of the Shennadoah and Potomac, more music than one person can attend, and if you live in town, you walk to every venue. And by the way, for most folk events, the tickets are ten dollars, and a few fifteen, no more... ever.

You can see why I only go to DC to play in the Open Band Contra Dance at Glen Echo on the second Friday nights of the month. I can't afford to miss what's happening in town.

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: curmudgeon
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 07:48 PM

Claymore, you are describing an artistic heaven. I only saw Peggy Seeger once, in concert with Ewan MacColl back in '70 when I lived in Alexandria.

What kind of circle/community do you have there for when there are no major concerts/festivals? -- Tom

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: jimmyt
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 11:05 PM

That does it! We will all be movin' to Shepherdstown!

Subject: RE: Best cities in USA for folk music
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 12:57 AM

For those wanting away from cities and music in the middle of nowhere, again let me suggest Mountain View, Arkansas. We are about 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Little Rock, 3 1/2 hours from Memphis and about 3 hours from Springfield, MO. We began to modernize the town a couple of years ago and put in a stoplight and two one way streets. A population of 2500 people make us the largest town in the county. Actually the only town in the county. Here a person is in more danger of phyical from a family member than a stranger. Ya'll come.