Information on a few 'folkies'

Subject: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: babypix
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 06:44 PM

Gentle folkies,

I am seeking information on the whereabouts of the following performers:

Susan Reed
Cynthia Gooding
Bonnie Dobson

If anyone has any notion of where they might be, I'd appreicate knowing how to contact them.

Thanking you in advance for your kind assistance.

Deborah Robins
Nut Hill Productions, Inc.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Backstage Manager(inactive)
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:07 PM

It's been two or three years since I was last in touch with Bonnie Dobson, but she's been living in England for many years and working in the administration of a university there.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:32 PM

I might well be WRONG, but I think I remember hearing that Cynthia Gooding (incredible singer) passed away some time ago. Bob

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:48 PM

Information on three time newbie

babypix

Post quickly ... so the trace is positive.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Folks...there is a new generatiion of "BOTS" and they are working overtime and under-slime.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Anglo
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:53 PM

Bob, you're right. Cynthia passed away a while ago (10 years? I'm not good with numbers and dates). Cynthia.s daighter lives just outside Princeton and I get to see her every once in a while.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: babypix
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:52 PM

Please, Gargoyle, I don't understand your message about posting quickly before I fade away...please explain or contact me directly at

[e-mail]

there's obviously something I don't understand about this forum, and I'd like to stay!

Thanks

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:54 PM

Anglo ...I don't suppose it will ever fit a comfortable conversation, but Cynthia Gooding made a HUGE impression on me when I was a youngster. Her recordings with Theo Bikel were, and still are, spellbinding. Part of my attraction to her music was the fact that one of my closest friends grew up with her in Idaho. He had, and still has, marvelous stories to tell of their youth.

Another quality I always enjoyed about her music, as well as Theo's, was their use of many languages. I loves languages. I don't speak, or read, nearly enough to please myself. But, their recordings of the traditional folk music of something like 15 different languages still thrill me. Think about it ... if we ALL could speak and sing in fifteen different languages, would this world be in the trouble that it is today? CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:55 PM

FOLKS - search the data-base - what do YOU know about babypix....and why should you trust her?

She is asking for more than she has given

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: JennyO
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 11:13 PM

Gargoyle, what ARE you on about?

Not understanding Gargoyle's messages is pretty normal around here, I'm afraid.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: SueB
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 12:13 AM

I think Gargoyle is making sense, of a sort - generally, if someone you don't know wants contact information for someone you do know, the smart thing to do is to contact the person you do know, and let them know that the stranger is inquiring about them. Then your friend can make her own decision. Gargoyle's point may be that this deborah robins person has not said why she or her company - sbcglobal, whoever or whatever they are - want to locate said folkies.

What do we know about Nut Hill Productions? Has anyone tried googling them?

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 12:19 AM

Nut Hill Productions
Location:

Berkeley, CA

Phone:

510.848.0969



Email:

Nut Hill Productions



Link:

www.nuthillproductions.com



Description:

When you need clearance of intellectual properties such as:

- film clips
- stills
- music publishing
- master recordings
- celebrity name/voice/likeness
- literary works

---

The website 440s out (not found).

A

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: SueB
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 12:24 AM

Google search turns up:

Basic Listing
Name:Nut Hill Productions
Location:Berkeley, CA
Phone:[phone]
Email:Nut Hill Productions
Link:www.nuthillproductions.com
Description:When you need clearance of intellectual properties such as:

- film clips
- stills
- music publishing
- master recordings
- celebrity name/voice/likeness
- literary works

OR

need "due diligence" verification of your Public Domain production elements for use in

-FILM
-TELEVISION
-CABLE
-CONVERGENT TECHNOLOGY
-INTERNET
-ADVERTISING

Nut Hill Productions will find it, negotiate it, clear it, administer your licenses, and deliver you a fully-executed contract for your program files.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: BK Lick
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 12:30 AM

We know a lot more about Deborah Robins of Nut Hill Productions, Inc. than we know about the twit known only as Gargoyle -- she's quite self-disclosing:
clickety-click

      -- BK

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: babypix
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:10 AM

Wow, you guys, this is saddening. I am a television producer working on a series about American Folk Music. Many of the better known folk performers and experts have either been interviewed on-camera by me or know me/have provided me with factual information so that I can do the best job possible.

If I have approached this board wrong in some way, please excuse me and advise about how I am supposed to enter correctly.

It seems to me that if I am willing to post my e-mail address on the board, then I am ready and willing to accept personal e-mails from those who need or want specific information about me, etc.

Now then, can we get on with things here? If anyone is in contact with either of the two performers we've discussed and would like to contact them, then they can decide if they'd like to contact me.

Thank you for your kind assistance.   Our aim is to do the folk music community proud with this project. We are folkies ourselves and would never even consider anything destructive to what we've been building for almost 400 years in this country.

Kindest regards,

Deborah Robins
Executive Producer, "Where Have All The Folkies Gone?"
Partner, Nut Hill Productions, Inc.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Deckman
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 01:40 AM

This is so damned SAD. Where in the hell did this thread go wrong. Someone asked a straight question and this thread got twisted all out of shape. Bob

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:14 AM

It's just Garg letting his meds slip again. What is pathetic is the false self-importance he attaches to pondering whether or not to answer a civil question. As if there was something to be suspicious of. Garg, lay off the booze -- it doesn't mix well with your pills.

Deborah, let us know if we can help with anything in addition to the question you already posted. We have a lot of old-timers among us who have a lot of history to offer.

Sorry about the methane from yon caricature.

A

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Celtaddict
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:35 AM

Ms. Robins, thank you for the clarification. Since this is an open forum, people ask for all kinds of things, and of course people vary in how attuned they are to personal security type issues. Hope you find them all. I think you are looking in a smart place, given the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience of 'Catters. That includes Gargoyle who has an incredible fund of knowledge.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 04:45 AM

Babypix/Deborah: obviously Gargoyle's rather incomprehensible post stirred things up a bit, and you maybe got off on the wrong foot. But I'm sure you will appreciate that any responsible people should always be wary initially about requests for information about people's whereabouts. There are strange people about on the internet, and things are not always what they seem. I would certainly not pass personal address details of someone to a third party without some enquiries first, for example.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Big Mick
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 08:56 AM

Deborah, let do this a bit differently. First off, welcome to Mudcat. It is a real life community whose members often get together at various events and have developed real life friendships and relationships. As in any community, we have our burdens and at times Garg is our heaviest burden. The sad part is that he often has great knowledge, but unfortunately his "devils" are too often in control. I am saddened that your first experience is with him.

To the rest who have these concerns, they are legitimate. However there is an element of personal responsibility. I wondered the same thing and it took less than five minutes to figure out that Deborah was not only legitimate, but someone who had folk music's best interest at heart.

Welcome to our town, Deborah. I hope you will stay and contribute, as I suspect you could contribute mightily. You will be surprised at the folkies that contribute and monitor this list. It is an invaluable knowledge base with worldwide membership. You will learn, as you have started to already, that we have some folks that need to spend more time in the real world, but they are a minority. Spend some time in the FAQ's and learn the distinction between the BS: threads (a real term) and the music threads. It is especially important to learn to use the the search functions for the forums and the Digital Tradition (a database of song lyrics).

I am so happy you have joined, and hope we can share a song along the road sometime.

All the best,

Big Mick Lane

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: babypix
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 11:16 AM

Thanks to all of you who took the time to write. I have often turned to Mudcat over the years, albeit mostly as a lurker, (and this mainly because my questions have always been thoroughly answered without having to clutter up the "airwaves" with my own rhetoric) and have indeed found it a haven for generous, knowledgable people concerned about the integrity of folk music.

That been said, anyone know anything about Susan Reed? According to Elijah Wald's book on Josh White (which is a very good read in case you haven't heard about it!), during the mid forties, Leadbelly, White, and Susan Reed were three of the top "box office" folkies of the day. However, unless one is fairly well embroiled in folk music as we are, one wouldn't know much about Ms. Reed.

Would anyone know someone who's expert on her/her career? We'd love to give her her due.

Again, a very warm thanks for the welcome. I expect we'll get to be good colleagues soon!

DR

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 03:31 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 09:07 PM

Hello Debbie! Do I remember correctly that I was fairly recently interviewed by you? Was it at the celebrations for Alan Lomax...I recall several interesting conversations with two fine folks and I do think it was you and friend- doing something for PBS? IF so, I can vouch for these people, everybody- they're topnotch and very OK.

Susan Reed lives in Nyack, NY, and has an antique store there. George thinks it's name is something like, "Susan Reed's Antiques," but we don't know for sure...sounds logical, though! Last time I saw her, she brought her Rounds&Canons group to a little studio near Nyack and they all did a cameo appearance on an album I was recording there, "None But One." It was so good to see her- we used to be good friends/neighbors in Greenwich Village in the exciting '50s & '60s (late '40s, even!). It's sad how people can drift apart, farther than the few miles warrent, but we're still heart friends, all the same.

Cynthia died too young- she also was close to us in those years. We shared many stages and parties, were pregnant at the same time with our first-children. I recall walking with her one evening to the Cherry Lane Theatre where George and I, and Lewis Gordon and Lou Gordon (no kin), were running the series of midnight concerts after the Clancy-run Irish play finished (Playboy of the Western World was the one running when we began our late-late show, but all that is another story)...anyway, she and I were lumbering along (in about our late-8th month I think), gasping a bit, and Cynthia remarked that I shouldn't just keep on resting my arms on the top of my pregnancy, as it wasn't a shelf you know! Darned dangerous, as we both almost fell over laughing. I used to tease Cynthia who was about 6'3" that she was the most delicately feminine person I knew- and that was true- she spoke in a sort of high, husky voice, and giggled a lot, was slender and extremely graceful. But what a voice! Unbelievably deep and powerful, just knocked one down, if she wanted to, but could in the next breath breathe the softest lullabye, with such peaceful passion. A complicated person, and very dear to me.

Bonnie Dobson I knew only from being with her at festivals, mostly Fox Hollow. She was beautiful, in what my husband calls a "zoftic" way, and the song I always associate with her is, "She's Like the Swallow." The first time she came to Fox Hollow, she had thought she was coming down from Canada into the tropics (upstate NY), and she sang that song with a terrific tremelo which she apologized for and blamed on the fact that she was in sandals and her toes were freezing. I don't know where she is now...

I'm so glad you have joined the club here- it is a very nice place to be.   

Love and blessings,    Jean

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Joybell
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 09:34 PM

Debbie, Just a thought from my True-love. Have you asked Joe Hickerson? Joy

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST,bless the goddess
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 01:24 PM

Susan Reed is living in a NYC suburb; owning a respectable antiques; jewelry shop.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: vectis
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 04:46 PM

How old is Bonnie now?
There is a folkie Bonnie near me but with a different surname.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: BIG BOY ONCE
Date: 11 Sep 06 - 11:30 PM

I also new and still know Al Young(Curently Poet Laureate of California) who taught me to play and steered me along wisely. We knew Bob McAdoo and Len Chandler, both in the Detroit, Ann Arbor area. Paul Prestopino, Bill Vanaver, Paul Geremia, Rolly Brown, Ragtime Rick Blaufeld, Eric Schoenberg, David Laibman, Roy Berkeley, Dick Rosmini, and three David Cohens.(David Blue, Big David Cohen in L.A., and David Cohen who played keyboards and guitar with Country Joe.

There was Janet Smith, MAYNE SMITH, BILL SWANOE, Mitchell Greenfeld, "12-String Billy" Roberts (wrote Hey Joe), John Morier, and Ray Chatfield.

By the way, one of your contributors was searching for a certain English singer...try ROY HARPER (not Parker) who is a very talented song maker. I lived in the downstairs flat on Somali Road in London in 1965 with Peter Bellamy, Royston Wood, and Heather Wood who had an acapella singing group, One Eyed Davey the Harmonica Whiz, Danny Kalb (NY City), and in the upstairs flat was John Renbourne, Bert Jansch, John Martyn and Beverly, Les Bridger, etc. Roy Harper would frequent Somali Road.

I also knew Buzzy Martin, Bob Neuwirth, Dave Fredrickson, Scott Hambly, Karl Dukatz, Miriam Stafford, and by the way T.A. TALBOT is the same as Steve Talbot or Richmond Talbot, etc.

I knew David Jones, Freddie Mejia, and David Rubio and still know the first two of these great flamenco players. David Rubio made top rated classical guitars in England most of his life, and died rather young. David Jones, originally from Berkeley,Calif., has lived in Spain for forty years and plays with first ratetrouops and is called "El Rubio" there. Feddie Mejijaisiving near Santa Cruz California, and we have been friends and co-workers off & on for many years and he helped do final set-ups on many guitars when I ran K & S Guitar Co. from 1991-1999 making hand-made guitars and ukueles and mandolins.
I was partners at FRETTED INSTRUMENTS in NY CIty with Izzy Young, WHO HAS LIVED IN SWEDEN FOR 30 YEARS OR MORE.
.
more later, marc s.silber, berkeley,calif.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 03:18 AM

"Peter Bellamy, Royston Wood, and Heather Wood who had an acapella singing group" - masterly understatement! That was THE Young Tradition.

You didn't happen to bump into Jacqui Walker (nee Turner) and her band the Chapmen as well did you?

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 03:55 AM

The Young Tradition group was one of the foremost inspirations in England and led to the folk revival in the late 60s and 70s. Harmony groups acoustic and then folk rock as an offshoot

Peter Bellamy high enigmatic singer combined with the harmonies of Royston Wood who died on a US Freeway trying to push a broken down vehicle away.

Royston was a harmony master. Both Peter and Royston are no longer with us. Others no longer here include Keith Marsden and Bill Price. Bill was well known in Canada too and Keith's songs of social conditions and awareness will last the test of time

Heather is a survivor

Dave Brady [Bradley] of Swan Arcade died very recently and was another larger than life character with a high voice and rough arsed attitude which endeared him to many. His love of the traditional songs is unquestionable. His wife Heather survives him and Jim Boyes is now part of Coope Boyes and Simpson [CBS] an acapella English group of some standing

Other characters include John Tams, Keith Kendrick, Mick Peat all time served folkies and the Derbyshire contingent still active

I could go on
Ray

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Scrump
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 07:35 AM

I saw Bonnie Dobson several times in the early 1970s, mainly in London. I have one of her LPs somewhere. The last I heard was she'd settled in Somerset (IIRC), but that was still a long time ago, probably the late '70s?

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Brakn
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 08:28 AM

Have pmed you babypix.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 01:08 AM

If Marc Silber will contact me at [e-mail] I will forward photos from this year's reunion in Washington Square. I suspect he will kick himself for missing it.

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 02:07 AM

Always nice to be reminded from time to time of just how paranoid people can be ...

Subject: RE: Information on a few 'folkies'
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 03:30 PM

Hello, BIG BOY ONCE, of the 11 Sep 06 message.

I sure hope you're still with us three years later, because I've got a hot question for you. You said you knew Miriam Stafford.

I'm trying to figure out if she is the fine old-time traditional style singer and banjo picker who was taped performing songs like "Charity," "Move, Members, Move," "Prickle Holly Bush," etc. -- a complete list is on a thread about "Marian" Stafford (her name as I was given it) at:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=119577&messages=5

If you see this, please join the discussion and see if you think the two are the same person. And if so, we'd sure like to know whatever you remember about her.

Gratefully, Bob Coltman