Little known '60s Folk Singers

Subject: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 06:52 PM

Who were the talented folk singers of the 60's who played the coffee houses, etc., and perhaps toured, but, the masses never really knew of their musical gifts? Tell us about them, and what made them special. Perhaps you were one of them. Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:03 PM

My friend Luke Faust was legendary in Greenwich Village, BEFORE Bob Dylan arrived. He's mentioned in the liner notes of Dylan's first album. Luke was the finest clawhammer banjo player I ever heard, and a brilliantly innovative musician on any instrument he could get his hands on. Part of the reason that he was so legendary was that he really wasn't all that interested in performing, so when he showed up on the street and was going in to some coffee house to perform, word would spread.

I met Luke in 1961 and we immediately clocked, musically. We drew from the same well.. The Anthology Of American Folk Music and the re-issues of musicians recorded back in the 20's and 30's. Our opportunites to perform were limited because when Dylan arrived, nobody was interested in people who sang traditional music any more.
Peter LaFarge (who did become reasonably well known) made a prophetic statement in the early 60's that if you didn't write your own songs, you'd never make it. Luke and I wrote songs allright. Unfortunately, they sounded as much like out-takes from the Anthology Of American Folk Music as we could make them, so our audience was very limited. In 1964, I left New York, and Luke did some playing around.. first with The Insect Trust, a psychedelic/blues/folk rock band who cut two albums for Capital Records. (The second album had a lithograph of Hoboken on the cover, done by Luke. And, from time to time, Luke would surface as part of Pete Stampfel and the Bottle Caps.
Pete was known primarily for being at least one half of the Holy Modal Rounders.

Luke still lives in Hoboken and does some music, but I don't keep in as close touch with him as I used to. I've never met anyone who had the brilliance and creativity that he had.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jennie.
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:32 PM

Luke Kelly and Pat Cooksey, before the Dubliners, was hard to beat,
in London I heard the two of them singing, I was a journalist with
the Gaurdian at this time. Luke was very famous later with the
Dubliners, little known in those days perhaps, but I think not now.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Steve-o
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:49 PM

In L.A., they guy was Steve Mann. To this day, the most astounding and creative finger-pick guitarist I've ever seen/heard (and a decent singer). His legend is certainly secure, but he never attained wide recognition. He made two albums, both rather poorly recorded, but if you can get your hands on them, they're gold! Also, I went to college with a terrific folk singer named Bill Vanaver. A multi-instrumentalist and really good singer, he certainly fashioned himself after Pete Seeger. He made a few albums, but never "found fame", and last I heard he operated a "folk troupe" of singers and dancers in New York. Both of the above are fabulously talented, but the masses missed them.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 08:24 PM

There was a duo called Bud and Travis that were remarkably good back in the late 50's early 60's. They put out half a dozen albums and toured the country for a several years. Their sound was copied by the Kingston Trio and many of the other folk era groups. Although there are still many folks who knew oof them, I don't believe they received the recognition they deserved. I still have some of their recordings and still find them great to listen to today.

Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 08:49 PM

Charlie Chin. He was a banjo player/singer (five string) who did many of his performances at The Four Winds.

Sean Gagnier. He worked the basket houses and wrote his songs. Sean moved to Montreal and much later--after the death of his wife Marsha--returned to the USA. Sean passed away two years ago.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 09:18 PM

Charlie Chin was also a member of Catmother And The Allnight Newsboys.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 09:21 PM

Yeah, Jerry, you knew him. Who else from that crew? Any names come to mind?

Bert Mason--played ala Richie Havens. In fact, Richie may have been influenced by Mason's playing style. Last saw Bert in Montreal in about 1975. Heckuva live performer. He always made good baskets.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Padre
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 09:23 PM

In Charlottesville and Richmond VA there was a quartet called the 'Inn Group' who played for about 3 years before one member entered the military. They had a left-handed banjo player named tom Mayes who was really good.

Padre

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:09 PM

As Alaska Mike said .... "Bud and Travis!" Superb.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:36 PM

Len Chandler. A real rarity... a black folk singer in the 60's... it was pretty much him and Jackie Washington. Len had a unique approach to getting people to sing along. If you weren't singing along he'd leave the stage and come over to your table in a threatening way and make you sing, Damn it! Many white visitors to Greenwich Village felt uncomfortable around black folks to begin with, and an assertive black musician was downright intimidating.

Actually, Len was a real good natured, friendly guy. It was more of a stage presence at the time, and a game, if anything.

Jay Unger was also in Cat Mother and The Allnight Newsboys, as you probably remember, brucie. If he hadn't written Ashokan Farewell, he probably would have faded into oblivion.

Add Allan Block to the list... one of the most enjoyable singers and fiddle players I ever had the pleasure of listening to. Totally unpretentious, too. He played music for the right reason.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:44 PM

Len once had a talk with me about being black--his blackness, not mine--and he opened a world for me. He was very forceful, but inside there was the guy who wrote "To Be a Man", and in there was a very kind heart. He explained what a thumb pick was to me--I'd never seen one before--and talked to me about what it meant to write songs. He was a good man, and he also critiqued my stage performance at Gerde's Folk City, much to my benefit. Thanks for the reminder, Jerry.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:55 PM

How about Paul Siebel...........Anyone remember Fred Starner?......
and so many others.............Frank of Toledo

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 10:59 PM

YES. Paul was fantastic. He was a wonderful guitar players, singer and songwriter. Very humble guy, and he didn't need to be. Loved his work. He influenced many up and comings, and he had a great talent with audiences.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Francy
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:04 PM

The last I heard of Paul Siebel, he had quit music and was living in Baltimore, Md........Working in a bakery......Fred Starner is now living in Los Angeles and plays banjo and sings ala Pete Seeger.....
                   Frank of Toledo

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: iamjohnne
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:42 PM

Chuck Mitchell, ex-husband of Joni. From Detroit, but I heard him in Coconut Gove FL back in the late sixties. Also Ron Kickasola, played Celtic folk tunes. Of course there was Michael Smith too, but he has made quite a name for himself.
My good friend Vince Martin. Played in the Village and also down in Coconut Grove. Vinny had a major hit, "Cindy O Cindy" back in the late fifties. Vinny did an outstanding version of Travis Edmonson's "I'm a Drifter". Yeah that is Travis of "Bud and Travis"

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:42 PM

Yeah, I heard the same thing about Paul Siebel. I loved the guy and still, on ocassion, will perfrom his "Legend of the Captain's Daughter"... BTW, he aslo wrote "Louise" that lots of folks know from Leop Koktee.

Ahhhh, how about the Pozo-Seco Singers with Don Williams.

I don't remember the "Inn Group", Padre, from Richomnd in the 60's but I was a tad busy with rock 'n roll and missed a lot of folks acts.

There were a few other folks doing some folk music back then. Like Bob Martin. Anyone remember him? He's still playing somewhere. Art Traum? And of course, Loudoun Wainwright. (Opps, too big a name. Sorry).

Bobert

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Francy
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:54 PM

Yes, remember Art Traum well...And also his brother Happy.......

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Nancy King
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 12:20 AM

In the Georgetown area of Washington DC, there was a nice venue called The Cellar Door, which regularly featured a fine guitarist and singer named Donal Leace (he played other places too, but that's where I remember him from). Very good material, and just about the nicest guy you'd ever hope to meet. I was very pleased to see him again for the first time in many years this past June at the Washington Folk Festival. New material, but the same gentle appeal.

Nancy

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: 12-stringer
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 01:12 AM

Mark Spoelstra.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: chris nightbird childs
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 01:18 AM

Hey, I've heard of him 12-stringer. He was a friend of Dylan's was he not?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: NH Dave
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 02:34 AM

Howie Mitchell - builder and player of plucked and hammered dulcimers. His books on building and playing these instruments were published by Folk Legacy, and were available with a record or cassette. They'd be even better with a CD - broad hint to Sandy Paton to republish these books and music combos.

Sandy Bull, a New Yorker who decided to learn to play the bagpipes by buying a set and practicing until he drove us all round the bend. He also played guitar and banjo, learned from Pete Seeger, if I remember correctly. Doing a little checking via Google I just learned that he had several "World Music" records/CDs out, and only recently passed away, in 2001.

Dave

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: breezy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 04:18 AM

Over here in the U K theres a guy playing at the Staines folk club at the 3 Tuns on Monday 8th Nov who was around then but went into carreer hibernation from folk

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 04:58 AM

The only trouble with hibernating creatures is that they tend to re-emerge just when you've assumed that they're not around anymore. :-)

Breezy, I bet if someone started a thread on venereal disease, you'd find a way of self-advertising on it !

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: breezy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:23 AM

I'm little but I've heard your not

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: breezy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:24 AM

Bryant would make soemone a wonderful wife.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 07:04 AM

Bruce Murdoch was a great singer-songwriter from here in Montreal.

At 17, he was anthologized with Richard Farina, Patrick Sky and David Cohen (David Blue)on the Singer-Songwriter Project LP. He later made a couple of other LPs.

Bruce quit the music biz around 25 years ago, moved out to Alberta and became a high school teacher.

He's someone I really miss.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 07:05 AM

Dave "Buck" Polley. Big mate of Alex Campbell, they used to do gigs together and take along the young Anne Briggs and Bert Jansch so they could get floor spots.

A heroin addict, he OD'd on a mixture of morphine and cocaine and died 20 June 1964. Bert wrote "Needle of Death" for him.

Pete

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: 42
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 07:12 AM

reading this thread made me go and pull out Albion Do Wa - Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys's album - before they changed their name. What a great sound! Makes me happy I had and still have a high quality turntable!

j

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Bobert
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 07:51 AM

Nancy King,

I remember the Cellar Door real well. I loved that place. So intimate. And being pretty much et the DC end of Key Bridge, easy to get to.

Speaking of Paul SiebelI saw him there.

Also saw Leo Kotkee, Richie Havens, Goose Creek Sympony and Joan Biaz there...

Some fine memories...

Bobert

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 08:39 AM

Shh! Look behind you -

Do you mean this Bruce Murdoch?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 09:23 AM

I agree Bud & Travis aren't "unknown" . I.e. even I have heard of them (& got one of their CDs).

RtS

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 09:47 AM

Albion Doo Wa Is a great album... still have mine in mint condition.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 10:19 AM

In Cleveland there was a great perfomer named Tedd Browne who was shot and killed in Cleveland Heights on the way home from a gig. He recorded two albums that I dig out and play on my show every year, great voice, sadly missed.

Andy Cohen is known by some, but should be better known by all, for many years in Kent Ohio, now in Memphis, Tenn. and happier than ever, I hope.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 10:20 AM

and Susan Reed, though well known in the 40s-50s disappeared from public notice, just before the folk 'boom' hit.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 10:39 AM

Barbara Dane

Will Holt

Jo Mapes - who told Odetta about folk music

Alan Arkin - heard his son is doing well

Ian Buchanan - who taught Jorma K how to fingerpick

Johnny Herald and the Greenbriar Boys

I used to go to the Elektra bin, then Folkways, not much else back then.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: fretless
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 11:46 AM

I'd second Dave on Sandy Bull and Jerry on Allan Block. Both great musicians.

And from the Village in the early 60s add John Winn and Barry Kornfeld to the little known but worthy list.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 11:53 AM

How come no one has mentioned the great Rambling Sid Rumpo ,famous as you may well recall for his moolies and scruttocks

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 01:25 PM

Bob Grossman.
Originally from Los Angeles. Recorded an album for Elektra around 1963, and was featured on an Elektra folk sampler with Judy Collins, Theo Bikel and the Limeliters.
The good news: He's alive and well and, as Robert Grossman, has been a stage actor many years, doing a lot of work in Detroit and a few other cities.
Better news: He has recorded another CD, only 40 years later. It's tremendous. Whether he'll release it is another question, as is whether he'd want me to say anything more about it.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 01:52 PM

I wouldn't put Sandy Bull in the unknown category, as he was a recording artist on the Vanguard label. Not a household name, that's for sure, but known to those who bought folk music albums in the 60's.

What about Ted Alevizos, who appeared on an obscure regional 1950's recording w/ the young and not yet famous Joan Baez; "Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square." A reissue of that album was distributed in the 70's. Anyone know what became of him?

Instead of names like Bud and Travis, Sandy Bull, etc. my reading of Guest's question is more about local/regional favorites that, though very talented, never made it onto a national label, or had ambitions to do so (such as who Jerry Rasmussen posted about).

Chanteyranger

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: PoppaGator
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 03:13 PM

Mention of Bud & Travis on the one hand, and of Len Chandler and Jackie Washington on the other, reminded me of a great and largely-forgotten duo, Joe and Eddie -- two black guys who brought incredible gospel-style vocal harmonies to the early commercial-folk scene. They were moderately successful, recording two or three albums, but their career was suddenly cut short when one of them died young.

You should hear their rendition of "There's a Meeting Here Tonight"; tremendously exciting, with little or no instrumental accompaniment, just handclapping and soaring vocals. I think they were a little too far ahead of their time.

In the category of "folk-like" singer-songwriters who each made a splash with a hit song or two covered by other artists, how 'bout Tim Hardin and Fred Neil? Both sang their own songs better than anyone else did, and both deserve to be remembered more widely than they are.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Little Hawk
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 03:47 PM

Hey! Great thread. Thanks for all the contributions to those who did.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 03:58 PM

The Knob Lick Upper 10,000.
A trio (I think) who made a fine album that included "Two Little Boys," "Rocky Mountain Water" and a really nice second guitar harmony line on "Jimmy Brown the Newsboy."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 04:19 PM

Allen Damron was a local "biggie" in the clubs and coffee houses in Texas Univ. towns in the 1960s. Banjo player named John Clay, also. While I was trying to get through school, even I sang around town here in those years. And there was a guy named Mike something here in Austin during those years. Guitarist, singer, nice guy. Used to sing one with a chorus that started: "Don't let them take the Bible out of our schoolrooms. Don't let them close the door to your child's heart." Saw him on a visit here in the late '70s or the '80s and he said he'd been working on boats on the Mississippi River. Piloting them. Anybody know him or where he might be?   Tw

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 04:31 PM

Fred Neil: Used to hear him at the Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village in the early 60's. That was before he had released any albums. Collectors Choice has reissued all his recorded output on CD, if you're interested. What a voice! And a bass voice, which is only rarely heard on record, except when the bass sings "Why is everbody always pickin' on me?"

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Francy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:12 PM

I was working in New York in 1962 & 63 at the Brass Rail in Times Square, as a broiler cook, and hung out at a bar named Junior's on about 56th Street....Mostly jazz was played there on the pian. I met a young english folk singer there named Matt McGinn. He was a part of the folk 60's....Those were, musically, great days....Frnak of Toledo.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:13 PM

For whatever its worth, my last sentence should have read "...or had no ambitions to do so."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Joybell
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 05:50 PM

Hey! True-Love (Greg Hildebrand) will be wanting to add his list of singers from the Boston area in the 60s. He's often wondered where many of them went.
Before he wakes up though, I'd like to mention him, because he won't. He was quite popular in a small way, I believe, before he dropped out and began wandering around the world. Joy

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 06:18 PM

If you will post under your name, I will conribute to your thread. Otherwise, I will NOT. Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 06:35 PM

I was playing the Boston circuit in the mid to late '60s. Names that come to mind include Paul McNeill, Bill Madison, Kenny Girard, Nancy Michaels, Chris Smither, Bill Staines, Paul Geremia, Paul Lolax, Ted Donlan, Rocky Rockwood, Dan Gravas, Bob White, Alan Rotman, Bill Lyons, Ewan MacVicar, John Cowles, Elliot Kennin, Bill Brown, Ray Clayton, Pam Coulihan.

If I have a chance to dig out the old Broadsides of Boston, they might jog my memory a bit more -- Tom Hall

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Bobert
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 06:46 PM

Wsa listening to Chris Smithers CS just today, curmudgeon... Paul Germinio is one heck of a fine sing writer. That song he wrote about "Rex Bob Lowenstein", the DJ who wouldn't sell out his values and played whatever he liked is a good shoyt at ClearChannel...

Yer list kinda reminded me of a couple others: Ray Wylie Hubbard & Jim Page...

Bobert

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Francy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 06:50 PM

I had Paul Geremia in concert here in Toledo, Oregon two years ago and had Jim Page last August......Fine perfomances by both......Frank of Toledo

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 08:23 PM

My sister had that "There is a Meetin' Here Tonight" album by Joe and Eddie. She had a knack for finding music. ... After she moved to Austin, she became close friends with Alan Damron. I don't think of him as "unknown" or "little known" though. He still performs in the D.C. area, at house concerts, or did until recently. And of course in Austin. Nancy, talk about songs that are so bad they're good, Alan sings my very favorite: "... On the muscle of my arm there's a red and blue tatto, saying Fort Worth, I love you!"

I heard Donal Leace at the Cellar Door and other venues in D.C. when I was an undergrad at GWU in DC.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 08:40 PM

Oh yes, there was another young black folk and blues singer and guitarist I heard several times at Hootenannys at the Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village.

I wonder whatever became of him. His name is Louis Gossett..

:-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Bobert
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 10:09 PM

Rita reminded me when she brought up Austin... There's a local boy who has done purdy good since movin' down there: James McMurtry... Now, for anyone who ain't familiar with him, get so... I mean it... He is the real deal...

Bobert

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 10:24 PM

Saw a fellow named Dick Glass. He played a nylon guitar and had a great voice. Funny guy also. Worked with him somewhere--club gig--and never saw him again. This was in 1966(?). Anyone heard of him?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DonMeixner
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:13 AM

Will McLain, Michael Strange, Grant Rogers, Mike Kellen, Logan English, Robbie Basho, Jim Dawson, all people I appreciated in my time and who had all some how slipped away.

Don

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: rich-joy
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 03:57 AM

I'm still chasing info on a "Chris Couveau" of Williamsport, Pa, c.1962 - as listed in "The Coffee House Songbook" - Oak Publications, NY, 1966.

Any takers?!

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 04:03 AM

"Will McLain, Michael Strange, Grant Rogers, Mike Kellen, Logan English, Robbie Basho, Jim Dawson, all people I appreciated in my time and who had all some how slipped away."

How 'bout the guy who wrote the above?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 09:40 AM

Brucie,
Oh yeah, Dick Glass. He had a semi-regular gig at a club in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn when I was in college. He put out an album called "The Well-Rounded Dick Glass," a pun on his being a bit overweight.
He wrote a pretty good song about being a folksinger always on the road. The only lines I recall are "I passed by here/ I'm going to die here..."
He was known in New York for singing "They're Laying Eggs Now." I know I saw him; I'm pretty sure it was at the Gaslight or Gerde's Fok City.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:58 PM

Hell, there were so many, Thom Ghent, Sue Martin(or Robbins), Justin Devereaux, Jerry Merrick, Vince Martin, who played some with Fred Neil, David Rea, Gary White, Erik Frandsen, Pat Chamberlain, the list could go on forever, if my memory was a little better. As George Carlin has been heard to say, "If you remember the '60's, you weren't really there.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Joybell
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 07:44 PM

from hildebrand:
BILL LYONS married recently. he and his wife Amy are performing as a duo around the boston area.
LOGAN ENGLISH, i was told around 1990, died after being hit by a car.
ELIOT KENIN is living in california. he wrote the fine song "you ain't done nothin if you aint been called a red" . g.h.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 08:59 PM

Marc Sullivan - American who gigged in Devon
Xavier Coudril - did the cousins gig in the late 60's
colin Scott - 12 string and dazzling stage presence
Colin Wilson - Paul downes old mate
Bill clifton and Pete Roberts

oh too many

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 09:48 PM

I used to slip across the river to Ramblin' Conrads in Norfolk, VA once in a while and wish I could remember the names of folk I saw there. The only one I do remember is Bob Zentz and he is not exactly unknown but not known as much as he should be. David Williamson, a college student used to perform at a coffee house I ran in Portsmouth, VA and was very good on guitar and banjo. I thought he might have gone on to some fame. I guess the 60's did not last long enough.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Auggie
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:04 PM

Oh Man. Freddie Neil, Paul Geremia and Will McLain all in the same thread.It can't get much better.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: yannis
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 01:16 PM

ted alevizos is still singing. lives in cambridge. has done several records of greek folk songs and two cds of Greek byzantine chants(cds on Grammy entry list of best classical albums of their years).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scotus
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 01:31 PM

Somebody further back on this thread mentioned an English singer called Matt McGinn! Well, now - if he were still around he'd be amused. You could hardly get more Scottish.

Also mentioned back aways was 'a young Bert Jansch'. Back in the late 50s and early 60s Bert and his mentor Davy Graham were both heavily influenced by a little known (now) Edinburgh guitarist called Len Partridge. I've no idea what happened to Len - can anyone throw any light?

Jack

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 02:29 PM

Brian Roberts who came over to England doing a support gig for the New Lost City Ramblers 1965.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 02:40 PM

Dick Glass was phenomenal. Beautiful voice and he sure handled the nylon he played as well as Feliciano ever did.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 02:49 PM

In our first apartment(7th Ave. South and Bleeker),in the '50s,George and I hung out across the street in a small restaurant which had a singing waiter- beautiful young man who held the plates high over his head and filled the room with the music of his voice. Served you with a grin and a high note...who was he? Harry Belefonte! Not well known then- but he didn't stay that way...

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 02:50 PM

Len Chandler was very talented!! He could write in a folksy "Tom Paxton" style - beautifully, but also had a sophisicated "jazzy" side , too. His very interesting Columbia album was probably too musically varied for the folk audience back in 1965(?).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 05:47 PM

In 1967 an unknown English singer arrived here on one of the visiting ships - he was a farrier and was in charge of some horses being brought out here. He had been busking in France with his friend and he taught us his friend's song - 'Streets of London'. We thought he was wonderful but he only stayed here for a short time.
His friend became well known but John Hayday remained just another obscure folkie. He later returned to NZ and gave up singing for awhile but I believe he's performing again in the Auckland area.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 06:23 PM

So many friends, so many times, so many songs, and so many years. What memories! When I first joined MC, I started asking about missing friends ... "Terry Wadsworth" for one. As the answers to my questions came in, I decided I'd rather not ask any more. But ... "THOSE WERE THE TIMES MY FRIENDS ...! Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 09:35 PM

Follow-ups on people mentioned earlier in this thread:

Allan Block still holds forth at the Old Songs Festival, where every year he takes a booth for his leather crafting, and every evening holds forth there in a jam session with whoever shows up.

Bill Vanaver and his wife Livia (nee Drapkin) are still active and around: http://www.vanavercaravan.org/index.html

And Luke Faust's daughter Helena (married for a while to Jimmy Triplett) studied the music of West Virginia when she lived there, but has since gone back to New Zealand).

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 10:02 PM

I just Googled "The Well-Rounded Dick Glass" and found several copies for sale, $12-$17. It came out in 1964 on the 20th Centruy Fox label.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 19 Aug 06 - 10:06 PM

His rendition of "Green Green Rocky Road" is the absolute best I ever heard.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: iancarterb
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 01:20 AM

Curmudgeon mentioned two that woke me up. I met both Paul Geremia and Ray Clayton in Rhode Island when I sailed for US branch of the Gray Funnel Line. By happy coincidence, I worked with Ray as a CATV installer a few years later in San Francisco, briefly for both of us. Utterly lost track of him since 1971. Anyone else know of his whereabouts?
Lee Haring I met on staff at Pinewoods, and I didn't see his name in the thread. Fine banjo player and singer.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 09:10 AM

I was Billy Vanaver's den chief when he was a cub scout. I met him again when I ran the Sunday afternoon sings at the Gilded Cage in Philadelphia in the 50's and 60's. He was one of a host of talented folksinger at those sessions which included Dick Weissman (later to form The Journeymen), John Pilla (before he started working for Eric Anderson and Arlo), Benjie Aaronoff, Jerry Ricks (he's Philadelphia Jerry Ricks, now), Marshal Freedland (he, later, joined the DeCormier Singers), Saul Broudie, Harry Tufts (pride of The Denver Folklore Center) and that's just who I can remember off the top of my head. I am trying to reach as many of the old gang as I can for purposes of reunion and literature. Survivors can reach me at [e-mail]
This is a wonderful thread. We should probably include those pioneers who ushered in the folk boom by keeping the flame in the late 40's, people like Win Strake, Sam Hinton, Richard Dyer Bennet and George Britton.

                     Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Severn
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 09:24 AM

Talking about Len Chandler, I stumbled into an odd 1960 vinyl curio of the times-both the album and the copy itself seeming to have a history-in a yard sale, "Beat Generation Jazz Poetry Folk Lyrics Volume 1-John Brent Len Chandler Hugh Romney at the Gaslight". It was on Musitron with no record # designated on the album cover, but side one was designated M-101 and side two was designated M-201. Recorded in Audiotronic Fidelity with "Imagination in Sound" as the company's slogan, it is personally autographed to someone named Harry from John Brent in ink and on the back cover, all mentions of the name Len Chandler were blacked out with a magic marker, for some odd reason. Liner notes were by one Felix Lupus. Produced by Jerry Galuten and Leonard Krohn in associatiion with Larry Wolf.

Chandler is described as "...a far out (in italics) folk singer who came East after creating a minor sensation in Detroit Michigan. Chandler made his mark by setting wry comments about the Beats and Squares to traditional folk melodies. The results were hilarious...."

Also on the back of the record jacket is this little boxed in item:

THE RECORD PARTY PLAN-Find out about MUSITRON's exciting new "Record Party Plan", a novel and (in italics)cost free way to quickly raise money for your club or organisation-providing them with an unusual evening's entertainment to boot. Write: Record Party, MUSITRON INC., 82 Beaver Street New York 5, New York.

Romney, of course, kept a high profile in the Hippie Era.

But my question is did any of you hepCatters survive any of this in person? I'm sure some frequented The Gaslight, but will anyone who either attended a "Record Party" or experienced a "minor sensation" in Detroit please raise your hand and maybe even elucidate on the subject a bit.

Meanwhile, if the name Len Chandler remains unknown, all the people who still enjoy picking or singing or merely listeng to "Green Green Rocky Road" owe the man.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 09:39 AM

The sixties in Toronto, Ontario had so many local folksingers that I couldn't mention them all. Jim McCarthy, Dave Wiffen, Al Cromwell, Doug Bush, Klaus Van Graft, Beverlie Salmon, Karen James, and so many others. This is a great thread as it brings back so many memories and when you try to remember some names, more memories. I had Len Chandler for a next door neighbor when he played at our club and besides being the writer of some amazing music, he was also an amazing person.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 02:05 PM

Bill and Livia were a stunning act - I only saw them twice. He could play terrific guitar and banjo and , she used to put boots on and dance - special boots like east european folk dancers wear.

I am glad to hear they are still gigging. In England many of us remember them as being quite wonderful.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 03:54 PM

I just heard that Billy Vanaver is recovering from a heart attack at his home in New England. I wish him a speedy and full recovery.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 05:58 PM

I've just been "introduced" to a woman I'd not before heard of but wish I'd had! Karen Dalton..apparently born in Oklahoma in 1938 and doing the Greenwich Village scene in the 60's. She didn't like recording much so there's little available out there but WOW what a wonderful and distinctive style.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 09:04 AM

Karen Dalton was great! Does anyone remember my old friend Tex Koenig?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 10:36 AM

I remember Tex very much. He was a good friend and a great talent. I loved the way he called people, "sweetums".

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: KenBrock
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 01:47 PM

Mark Spoelstra is performing in Central California and has new CD's:
www.markspoelstra.net

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 01:53 PM

Spent more than a few times going to Chinese restaurants with Tex. He knew some menus by heart both in NYC and Montreal. Giant of a man with a guitar that was dwarfed by his frame and hands. Can't recall ever seeing him without sandals, except for a few times when the weather was such that a foot of snow had fallen. I miss the old guy.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 05:29 PM

Me too!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 06:20 PM

I think of Tex often. I was talking about him with Saul Broudy and Paula Ballin just last night. Tex could eat more than any other person I have ever known. We used to meet at The Charicature after work and head down to the Chinese restuarants off Canal St.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Steve-o
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 07:52 PM

Hmmmm- how interesting to find this thread alive again, with many wonderful insights. Both of the great folk singers I originally mentioned (Steve Mann and Bill Vanaver) can be found today on their very active and alive websites. I still love and listen to them both (on vinyl) regularly.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 08:38 PM

I am still trying to find out what happened to Ann Bird/Byrd Was on a record" Folksingers of Washington Square" w/ Logan English etc.
rode a motorcycle sang at the Yale Hoots. Also w/ a girl Margaret Wagner. Does any one know what became of them????

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 10:09 PM

Professor Leni Ashmore Sorensen of the College of William and Mary, and formerly of the Womenfolk, now gives lectures on the role of food in 18th and 19th century African-American culture.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 11:22 PM

One night I witnessed Tex and Sean have a go at a Chinese buffet. Tex was just eating and Sean was loading up--expecting maybe a dry spell in the 'eats' department. Astonishing. Absolutely astonishing.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 05:01 AM

I'm not surprised nobody has yet mentioned Tom Deacon, as he is or was a very little known 1960s singer indeed.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Betsy
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 10:06 AM

Marie was known as Little in the 1960's, she married Pete Smith but still calls herself Marie Little.
Great singer guitarist an'all Little known as Little 1960's Folk Singer.Still around and doing well.
Puts a different slant on the thread.

Cheers ,

Betsy .

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Historian
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 12:57 PM

back in 1968 I was teaching in Eltham at a school called Crown Woods.
there was this young folk singer there called Dave Kenningham. He was great, he sang a song called "Ride On" which became a hit over 30 years later for C Moore. I always wonder what happened to young David, and if he vere got any royalties.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 03:24 PM

how about Ken penny who as a member of a duo called the Journeymen ran the Jolly Porter folk club in Exeter, near St Davids Station.

Paul snow who run the Exmouth club.

Mike Spoons Seeley who was a strange floor singer.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,catherine yronwode
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 02:30 AM

Rolf Cahn
Jo Mapes
Mark Spoelstra
Pete Berg
Toni Brown
T.A. Talbott
Janet Smith

(Can you tell where i grew up?)

cat yronwode

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 06:05 AM

There were far too many - Some actually mad a bit of money , but so many just disappeared .

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:13 AM

Hi Wee Little Drummer,
You mention two names familiar to me. Paul Snow, I remember him from the West Country scene but haven't seen him in years. And Ken Penney, sad to say Ken died a few years ago from (I think) motor neurone disease. He was a grand singer,and the Jolly Porter was a great club. I had many fine nights there. Co-incidentally one of the old Jolly Porter singers, Barry Lister, has just brought out a CD on Wildgoose records. Burl.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 10:33 AM

Len Chandler played the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in 1992. He was living in Los Angeles, teaching and writing and leading songwriting workshops. Don't know about now. He wrote "Beans In Our Ears," which many people think is a real folk song.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 10:13 AM

Two more I just thought of. Bruce Farwell and Kit Snow. Both Americans and both introduced me to a: new songs and b: new guitar styles. I often wonder where these people are now.

On another note, I once had a one on one with tex in a chinese eatery and it must have been an off day for tex as I held my own pretty well.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 10:18 AM

Mudcat has a thread (and a remembrance) on Tex, which went up when he died, complete with eulogies and reminiscences.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Mick
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 11:08 AM

Maybe one of Mudcats best threads ever. It is wonderful that these names are set free from the imprisonment of time. I will be looking up their music for quite a while. Thanks, everybody.

Mick

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Arkie
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:25 PM

Len Chandler also did two other songs that are favorites of mine to this day, "Loving People" and "My Father's Grave".

One name I have not seen here is Jamie Brockett whose showpiece was a version of the "Titanic" or is he too well known.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:33 PM

California guys, Joe & Eddie.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:11 PM

Jamie Brockett. He's a good one. Not well known, except for New England in the, what, 70s? Is his "Titanic" the one that keeps referring to the sailor with 100 feet of (hemp) rope?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Arkie
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 02:39 PM

In his 13and 1/2 minute version of the Legend of the Titanic, Jamie Brockett had the opportunity to cover several subjects including hemp rope.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Betsy
Date: 25 Aug 06 - 06:47 AM

There was a great concertina player Lea Nicholson in the 60's only saw him once at Whitby festival and at the end of his marvellous set he had the nerve to finish with "I'm the Urban Spaceman ".
The audience (most of them) thought it great combining the concertina with a modern song , a bit tongue in the cheek / fun , but it didn't go down too well with the powers that be , and I THAT was that last I heard of him.
Pity really.
Cheers

Betsy.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Crane Driver
Date: 25 Aug 06 - 06:07 PM

Lea Nicholson is the man responsible for turning me into a concertina player (I name the guilty party!) He was back at Whitby in 1971, and I bought my first concertina three weeks later. The rest is history (or more likely geography, since I was all over the place)

Andrew

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Steve-o
Date: 25 Aug 06 - 07:25 PM

Note to Duke: I was Bruce Farwell's singing/playing partner in a duo that lasted from about 1985 to 1995- he was great then, and still is. Bruce is a wonderful fingerstyle player, and can sing harmony like nobody I've sung with since, and he has a great love for folk music. Our "group" was called "The Final Draught", and we played around So. California a lot- both folky songs and Irish songs. His current music partner is his wife, and they are living happily in Simi Valley, CA.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 12:26 AM

Judy Bright in Chicago had a uniquely lovely voice. Made one LP for Dot Records. Figure Judy Collins mixed with Eartha Kit. I treasure my tapes of Judy from the 60s and 70s. Lately, she is Judy Stine.

Doc Stanley. A good picker and off the wall singer. I remember his "Deep Elm Blues" fondly. Heard of his being incarcerated for something... And never heard of Doc again after that.

Tim Dawe---made an LP in the late 60s---was produced by Frank Zappa. Now in California last I heard.

Johnny Long---a lanky blues guy white kid in the early 70s Chicago scene. Married to Becca---but that dissolved. Just today I found a new album by a JOHN LONG reviewed in Sing Out magazine. Might be the same fellow----30 years further on down the road.

Dodi Kallick in Chicago 40 years back. She's the mom of bluegrasser Kathy Kallick. Both have genetic traits to their phrasing that give each away as being related to the other.

Martha Burns, a solo Old-Timey singer in Chicago circa 1972 with that biting vocal style that made you definitely remember her, and wonder where she'd gone, and why you haven't heard more of her in this era of Alice Girrard and Laurel Bliss and Ginny Hawker...

Jerry Rau---a Minnesota minstrel --- the epitome of what a road songster is in my mind. A real folksinger. I spent some wonderful nights listening to Jerry.

Mark Silber----Perry Letterman----Mark Dorinson---Mike Slawson----Roger Luzwick----Stu "Darsono" Ramsey----Bob Hoban---Adam Cochran...

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 05:37 AM

I'd like to put in a little reminder of the late John Dunkerley who played guitar, banjo and doubled on keyboards occasionally with the Ian Campbell Group. As I remember he also did gigs with Geoff Bodenham of 1812.

John was a truly great accompanist. I used to love his plaintive banjo on The Unquiet Grave, and very neat picking on Peggy Gordon.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Shirtlifter
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 05:26 AM

I saw a great folk singer at Les Cousins in the late sixties "Roy Parker" he was brilliant and had a great rapport with the audience. He done a long song called "I hate the night". I've searched and searched all my life and never found anything by him although he did mention that he had records out?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 08:33 AM

Mike Miller, Billy Vanaver's heart attack was back in March, and it appears he's back gigging.

Somebody mentioned Jackie Washington. He's still performing and recording with Scarlett, Washington & Whitely

As for me, the 60's were Smothers Brothers, Pete Seeger, PP&M, and, "No, you can't go to Woodstock."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 09:07 AM

There was also an American Jackie Washington who did more folk than OUR beloved Jackie Washington. Of course I really don't want to get into what is folk and what is not!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 09:49 AM

There was a Geordie lad a trainee teacher I believe, who used to frequent the Hanging Lamp in Richmond-upon-Thames in the late 60s His name was Frank McSomething, I can't remember his full name, but he was a good guitarist and I thought he'd go far.
Giok

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 12:31 PM

Duke, who was the other Jackie Washington? I thought there was one!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 12:37 PM

Never mind... bad brain day. (They're BOTH on that last page I linked to.)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 11:58 PM

Don't think anyone's mentioned Dwain Story, writer of Wendigo (of which there's a free mp3 available here).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 12:41 AM

Lea Nicholson did a great version of All For Me Grog, if I remember rightly.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lamarca
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:17 PM

Jackson C. Frank - I only knew of him from his cut "Blues Run the Game" on the original Electric Muse compilation, a song I loved. A couple of years ago, his only LP was re-issued on CD and I bought it - it's wonderful stuff.

Frank lived and performed in the London scene of the mid-sixties, associating with Paul Simon (who produced his first LP), Bert Jansch, Al Stewart, etc. He supposedly pushed Sandy Denney to give up her day job as a nurse and encouraged her to make music a full-time job.

Sadly, his album flopped in the States, and he returned to the US, where he wound up homeless and mentally and physically ill. A curious fan managed to track him down, and helped him to get some state aid and some belated royalty checks. Frank died in 1999, at the age of 56.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Crane Driver
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:21 PM

Of course, when I come to think of it, I was a little-known folk singer in the 1960s myself - and I'm STILL a little-known folk singer.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:48 AM

'Little known 1960's Folk Singers' - a tautology, surely? (That is you, isn't it, Shirley?)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: moongoddess
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:53 AM

Lucky me, I still get to see Paul Geremia in Newport at Billy Goode's every once in a while when he is in town and not touring.
    What about Bonnie Dobson who sang "My Mother Chose My Husband", or is she too well known for this thread?
    Of course another great singer /group from the 60's is Jim McGrath and the Reprobates. Jim still lives in the Newport area and is still playing at Billy Goode's with various former Reprobates. He still has that charisma that can suck you right in to any song he is singing.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 12:39 PM

Back in 1968, I shaved off my beard because I had forgotten what I looked like without it. When I looked in the mirror, I paniced and hid out at Dodi Kallick's in Evanston until there was enough darkness on my face to distract from the extra chins.
I shared the Philadelphia Folk Festival programming duties with Paula Ballan, that year, and Bruce Farwell was a frequent guest at her NYC walkup but, then again, who wasn't. The list of 60's folksingers who had keys for Paula's would make a worthy addition to this thread, Ray Frank, Saul Broudy, Steve Goodman, Steve Mandel, Joe Heany, Carolyn Hester, Roger Sprung and me, just to name too few.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DannyC
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 09:43 PM

Moongoddess:

I am glad to hear that The Reprobates are still at it. I found a good few nights of song with them - nothing polite mid ya - scurrying from a gig to get locked into Ed Kane's Dockside Bar (Balto.) before the shades went down tight and the iron latch thunked into place.

We'd sing past dawn - lived like a troupe of immortals until the cruel sun would crack over us like a watchman's baton.   I hated that life-sapping orb...

I think of them often... especially when I am out singing somewhere.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 11:37 PM

Fran McKendree, Buddy Bohn,Bob Lind, Blair Hull and Jim Roche, Eric Frandsen, Michael Strange, Borden Klotweiller, Poor Howard Stith.

The list is endless.

Don

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 12:47 AM

Wow, Don - Bob Lind.
The Elusive Butterfly man himself.
Good one!

Seamus

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: pdq
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 09:48 PM

Great thread. Let's keep it going.

Actually, many people who sang in folk clubs in the sixties became famous, just not recognized as folksingers. The 'renagade picker' Steve Young is one, the lady who saved County Music, Emmylou Harris, is another. Even a member of the Pre-fab Four, Peter Tork. All sat on that lonely bar stool in a Greenwich Village folk club, guitar in hand, and learned to connect with an audience.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 10:10 PM

Peter often worked at The Four Winds, one of the better basket houses in the Village. He was a good musician and very nice guy.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 11:10 PM

Hey, I remember The Four Winds. I played there a couple times. It was around the corner from The Caricature, wher I played bridge in the back room. I used to go down there after a session at Assosiated Recording on 6th Ave. I would meet Tex there and we would go for Chinese. Some of the others in that crowd were Carol Hunter, Mark Green and John Stauber who was Leon Bibb's accompanist in the late 50's.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim Knowledge
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 09:14 AM

I `ad that Alex Campbell in my cab once. I says "Where to, Alex?"
`e says "The Lord Portman club". I says "Cor blimey, that`s the worst club in the world" `e says "`ell yeah, I know"
What am I like??

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 03:02 PM

I saw Peter Tork several times in the 1980's at The Golem, a folk club in Montreal.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 04 Sep 06 - 05:48 PM

Serrafyn Mork. Went by Serrafyn only. I believe he died prematurely. Not sure of me spelling either. Good voice. Memorable name.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Marc S. Silber
Date: 11 Sep 06 - 10:41 PM

hello and it is a nice website you have. I owned the music shop called FRETTED INSTRUMENTS in Greenwich Village,NY City, from 1963-67 and knew many of these lesser known performers. I also traveled a great deal from 1960 until the mid 1980s and met many as I was also in the U.K., France, and North Africa.

I was in a group with Artie Traum in 1961 in Boulder, called THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, and later with Artie and his brother Happy Traum and Eric Kaz(and others) called the Children of Paradise. I knew Mark Spoelstra, Steve Mann, Fred Weisz (later of Goose Creek Symphony, who worked for me at Fretted Instr.), Karen Dalton (& Richard ???, her partner), Judy Roderick, Harry Tuft, Peter Stampfel, Steve "Richmond" Talbot, Peter Berg, Paul Siebel, Rick Turner, Andy Cohen, Charlie Chin, Jay Unger, well, I could list a hundred who never made it to the real big time, and I knew them all. When I have time I will send more names in and maybe talk of them a little.

I am currently still dealing in instruments, and singing and playing
in Berkeley, California. I have 3 CDs, and my website is www.marcsilbermusic.com. There is a lot of gossip on my website also.

The greatest guitarists I heard in those days were Perry Lederman and Bruce Langehorn, both from New York City.

peace without bombs, marc s. silber

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 11 Sep 06 - 11:43 PM

'Way back in '04 (up the thread), a couple of people mentioned Bruce Murdoch, of Montreal. Ten-fifteen years ago, I was principal of a small school in a small Cree community in northern Alberta, and not infrequently mail addressed to one Bruce Murdoch would come across my desk. He seemed to have been a popular personage in the community, had taught someone to play guitar, had sent someone a postcard, etc. A few years later, I met the man himself at an exam-marking fest in Edmonton. Told me he had been through heart surgery not too long before. As we chatted, it emerged that he been a full-time musician in an earlier life. Never got to hear him perform though!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 01:47 AM

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 04:50 PM

Nice to hear the name Eric Kaz after all these years. He was in the Shaky Deal Jug Band with a bunch of my friends: Gary Lapow, Richard Blaustein, Chuck Mitman, Jay Small. Brings back memories, yes indeed.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 06:55 PM

Marc S. Silber- I enjoyed your bit of real Village history; I'm sure I was in and out of, "Fretted Instruments" many times in those days, and knew most of those you named. Greenwich Village was an innocent place then, comparitively- I loved all the little shops; my husband bought my wedding ring in one of them, "Unusual Wedding Rings," and I got measured for leather sandals at Alan Block's store- they have lasted all my life! Did you know Peter Carbone, who mended instruments, and Susan Reed's place, not far away? Thanks for the memories! Jean Ritchie, one of the little-known folksingers of the sixties.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: toadfrog
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 09:59 PM

In the very early 1960's there was a wonderful blues musician up in Portland named Mike Russo.    There are a couple mentions on Mudcat, but I have forgotten how to find and copy links. I finally located him 4-5 years ago; he had reminscences of playing with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Very unassuming guy with no ambition except to play music, and he no longer plays in public. He made a recording for Arhoolie which is well worth hearing, particularly piano blues. He also played 12-string guitar after Lead Belly--very well, but not so good as the original.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 10:06 PM

Toadfrog ... I'm also a huge Mike Russo fan. Early on, I caught a concert that he did with Jim Brentano (sp?). He always reminded me, in appearance, of Earnie Kovaks. What a great musician he is. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 02:29 AM

Well hi Tom Hall, I remember you and most of the people you wrote about. They were all my friends. You forgot Drew Payton. I've just been in toudch with Paul McNeil who has a new website and is living in the Phillipines. I also hear from Kenny Girard and apparently he's still playing. Chris Smither is too. Alan Rotman died several years ago of cancer but I got to see him and say goodbye. I remember the open mic night at the Sword and the Stone when a kid named Livingston Taylor sang a bunch of songs written by his brother and we all wondered who his brother was. We found out his name was James. There was the Turks Head and the Riverside Cafeteria. What a time.
Peace,
Mary F., the tall skinny blonds who used to take photographs.
I still have them.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 06:25 AM

Hi Mary Elizabeth ! How about joining Mudcat so that I can PM you? And if you pop back in here again, please post the URL for Paul's website -- Tom

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 09:55 AM

GUEST thurg

Bruce is a member here and posts under the name Peace (see 6 posts up). If you become a member you can PM him and get reacquainted.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 04:52 PM

If Jean Ritchie is a little known folksinger, I'm a teapot. She was the sound of mountain music at every important festival. My fondest memories of Fox Hollow are falling asleep while she sang outside my tent. In fact, when Sara Grey asked me if I had caught her (Sara's) performance, I said, "No, I heard it last night."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 05:15 PM

"If Jean Ritchie is a little known folksinger, I'm a teapot."

Hmmm - are you short and stout?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Wesley S
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 05:33 PM

Almost by definition ALL folksingers are little known folksingers!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 05:46 PM

bodad - thanks for the head's-up -just noticed it -

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 07:01 PM

Dont forget Lori Holland She is still around We saw her at the festival Mystic sea port about 7-8 years ago   Also Anne Byrd and Margaret Wagner in the Village and the Yale hoots

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 12:32 AM

Guest Mary, which Paul McNeill are you in reference to?

Don

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 01:13 AM

Yes, Guest thurg, I am short and stout and thanks a lot for reminding me.

             Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 01:37 AM

Sorry, Mike; I was just trying to determine the likelihood of your actually being a teapot - and I have to say it is starting to seem a distinct possibility. But really there's no shame in that; teapots are very useful items used by thousands if not hundreds of people every day. Stiff upper lip and all that, old boy!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 10:19 AM

That's OK, thurg, I have gotten used to the strain of tea pottery. I would prefer a more coffeeeish identity but that is a position that must be urned. There are, however, advantages that all tea potnicks share. Samovar best friends (like Earl "Grey" Scruggs) play brew grass banjo.
I'll just say soolong for now.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 10:25 AM

"I'll just say soolong for now."

That has got to be the worst pun this year. Good one, Mike.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Jeri
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 10:44 AM

Mary and Tom are talking about the American Paul McNeill, who would have been playing in the Boston coffeehouses. Met him a few times in the '80s. He did a funny song about cockroaches and had recently (when I'd met him) written an incredibly beautiful song - something about returning home and 'the path to your door'. It probably seems more beautiful because I heard it a couple of times, then never again.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,oldhippie
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 06:24 PM

How about Molly Scott, Oriel Smith, Cynthia Gooding, Carolyn McDade, Julie Felix, Ric Masten.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 06:47 PM

I tried never to miss Gerry Lockran when he played locally. I'm not sure I would describe him as little known. Great picker and singer - and fantastic personality. There is a website you can look his work up on.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 15 Sep 06 - 10:51 PM

My dim memory says that we lost Cynthia Gooding a while ago? Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: eddie1
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 07:48 AM

Scotus
You were asking about Len Partridge. He's alive and well and living at the same address in Edinburgh!
Eddie

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Dotty LeMieux
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 07:52 PM

Hi there,

I used to go to the Sword in the Stone too in the 60's and knew a lot of these people. Any one know how to reach Kenny Girard?

Thanks.

Dotty

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 07:58 PM

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:h9HCQgGCLGUJ:www.biznetmall.com/kennyg/index.html+%22Kenny+Girard%22&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:04 PM

Jaime Brockett
Norman Schell

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:09 PM

Ahhhh YES! Bonny Dobson. Anyone know of her where-abouts? Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: oldhippie
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:28 PM

Found this at: taco.com/roots/dobsoninterview.html

Interview conducted with Bonnie Dobson, White House Hotel, London England, 4/13/93.

Bonnie Dobson is best know as the author of the song "Morning Dew". Bonnie was born and raised in Toronto Canada where she embarked on a career in music while studying at the University there. She moved to England in 1969 where she now makes her home. Bonnie only performs in public on an occasional basis but still enjoys singing and playing guitar. Bonnie is currently the head administrator for the Philosophy Department at the Berwick College of the University Of London.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:48 PM

Guest:Dottie -- I was a regular at the Sword and Stone, and I do have contact info for kenny and Bill Madison amd Paul macNeil and rocky Rockwood and others. Become a Mudcat member and you can PM me for details. Can't put a face to your name, but I might with a little more information -- Tom hall

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 09:53 PM

Greeting:

I used to play the Four Winds in Greenwich Village pretty regularly, the last time being around 1969. Does that make me a little known 1960's folk singer?

At one time some of the basket houses, including the Four Winds, had a "no singing" policy because of some stupid NYC rule requiring any place with singing to have a cabaret license issued by the Police Department. In reality, performers sang there all the time. The house rigged up a buzzer system and had someone act as lookout on the street just outside the front door. His main job was to get people to come in, but he also was there to press a button if he saw a policeman coming. When you heard the buzzer sound, you immediately stopped singing until the lookout stuck his head inside and gave you the all clear. The venue did not need a cabaret license if all it had was "incidental music," which really meant background music. As far as the NYPD was concerned, acoustic guitar or banjo music without singing met the definition.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: elfcape
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 12:18 AM

So, Jean, what happened to Susan Reed? I remember her from the early 50s when I was a little girl in Philly and she came to some kids' thing at the YWCA in center city and captured my attention with songs.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Ian
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 05:47 AM

In view of the comment All folksingers are little known.
Would it be possible to set up a Thread as a Hall of Fame where anyone can list the names of performers, Non or professional could be displayed and recognised for their contribution to our music.

I have visited numerous clubs/singarounds and heard some fantastic performances also some pretty dire ones but even the worse ones should receive some acolade as it was one such over confident tuneless singer that inspired me to learn and perform songs.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 09:34 AM

Anyone remember the Low Down Dirty Shames from Toronto? Jim McCarthy, Carol Robertson, Chick Roberts and Amos Garrett. They were great on their own and as a group, they were fantastic.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 10:28 AM

Steve,
Were you there at the 4 Winds in the winter of '67 when the city was cracking down on the basket houses? We came up with the idea of the lip-sync coffehouse(none of us were good enough instrumentalists at the time to be able to get away with a whole set without singing)?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 10:33 AM

Susan Reed still has an antiques store and lives in Nyack and still sings out, I'm told, with a shape note group, and on her own at times, appeared on Jean's 'None But One' lp as part of the shape note singers on one track

Serrafyn was known (or rather called himself) the Last Minstrel, dressed in minstrelsy garb, played the lute, I believe, recorded one album (which I have) and I believe he died quite young in a car accident.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 04:38 PM

Karen Dalton
The York County Boys
Malka & Yoso
David Rea (sp?)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 07:46 PM

Mark et al.,

Yes, I must have been at the Four Winds in New York during the winter of 1967. It was one of the few remaining basket houses at the time. Did it later become the Samurai, or were both the Four Winds and the Samurai on the same block? I can't recall. I can't even remember if it was on West 4th or West 3rd, but I do remember that it was just east of Sixth Avenue.

As I said, we would sing at the Four Winds until the lookout warned us to stop.

I was just 20 in 1967, and the big names of the folk revival hit Greenwich Village much earlier in the decade, and many had moved on by then. I first started hanging out in the Village in 1964 when I was 17. Fred Neil was still around, and so was David Cohen (David Blue). Dave Van Ronk was everywhere, of course. Tom Paxton lived over on Morton Street, and he was pretty much a superstar. So was Phil Ochs, who lived on Prince Street, just south of the Village. Janis Fink, not yet Janis Ian, was younger than me, and I first recall hearing her around 1965. I do remember that Peter Tork appeared pretty regularly at the Night Owl Cafe maybe even a couple of years earlier. But the Night Owl was definitely not a basket house. Other people I heard at the Night Owl included Tim Hardin and John Sebastian.

However, those were not the people I hung out with. My "crew" at te time included Peter Greenberg (later a studio guitarist), Adam Kreiswirth (now a bluegrass musician in Florida), Grant Weisbrot (bluegrass mandolinist, moved to New Orleans, died of a heart attack a few years ago), Bob Lusk (Celtic trad musician, now living in Kingston, NY), Bob Malenky (blues guitarist, still in NYC), Peter Debin (guitarist and folk dancer, later moved to Massachusetts and died of a stroke), and Gene Tambour (bluegrass musician, used an elastic bad guitar capo as a pony tail clip, still in NYC).

But Greenwich Village was not the only folk scene in New York City in the 1960s. There were Sis Cunningham and Gordon Friesen who ran Broadside from their apartment on the Upper West Side, and there was also the Interlude Cafe in Kew Gardens, Queens, where Michael Cooney and Pat Sky were among the regulars. More on that some other time.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: oldhippie
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 09:03 PM

Anybody also remember Jacqueline (Steiner) Sharpe (co-writer of "MTA")?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 11:09 PM

Steve Mann, you say? Mark Ross? Marc Silber? Yeah, I knew those mugs. Got the goods on 'em too. All sortsa salacious stuff. They're paying me FANTASTIC sums just to keep my mouth shut, but will I...?   --Erik Frandsen,
               Summer Soldier and Sunshine Patriot,
               Emir of Mazhnoonistan, pro tem.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: elfcape
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 11:36 PM

re Perry Lederman

Here's a moderately decent summary

http://www.elijahwald.com/bluarch.html

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 12:57 AM

I was just across the street at the Minetta Tavern having my very first drink of the new year with Jesus Perez (one of the great percussionists, currently playing at the Cafe Wha?, which is still a going concern here in the heart of quaint old Greenwich Village) when "Bluebird" by Buffalo Springfield came on the satellite radio...I think it was the Dead Hippie Channel...and, of course, as you all know, the banjo player was Charlie Chin. Now that's a blast from the past, ain't it? I first met Charlie at the Four Winds, of blessed memory, in 1963 or 4 when he was playing with the Hunker Hill String Band, the other two members of which were Ted March(bein) and Jay Unger. Ah, those were the days when a cup of coffee cost a dollar and a ride on the subway was fifteen cents...Paul Siebel asking aloud of nobody and everybody: "How will we be able to survive, now that the price of a slice of pizza has gone up to TWENTY-FIVE CENTS??!!
    Some years ago Charlie married a very nice Japanese girl. They live somewhere in the Bay Area. He turned up a little recently narrating a PBS piece on San Francisco's Chinatown. I went to their wedding reception. It was an absolute Scream listening to each of them explaining to the new in-laws why he or she was not a barbarian.
    Does anybody remember Nick Parry-Jones, an Englishman, who played guitar and sang in the mid-sixties? I met him in Flagstaff, Arizona, Memorial Day weekend, 1966, right after I got out of jail. On my way to San Francisco, I was. That's another story...more later.   -EF

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DonMeixner
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 01:58 AM

In 1970 I went to a concert at The University Methodist Church in Syracuse, NY and saw Pat Sky and Joanie Mitchell on the same bill. It cost $2.00 for general admission. Across town at the War Memorial was Judy Collins and Arlo Guthrie, It cost $4.50 for the cheap seats.

I don't miss Joanie but I sure do Pat Sky.

I believe that Pat Sky had a guitar player with him named "Blind Erik Flatpick."

Four years later Erik Frandsen played at a coffee house I was helping to run at Auburn Community College in Auburn, NY. I remember him as being a fine guitarist and singer. Notably doing the first rendition of "Arthur McBride" I ever heard. And a song I remember as "Drowning In Beer".

Don

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 02:09 AM

It is astonishing to read a post from someone, claiming to be Erik Frandsen. Everyone knows that Erik Frandsen is a fictitious character invented by Steve Mandel and Bob Yellin as a convenient beard and scapegoat but, as the reporter in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance" said, "When the legend becomes fsct, print the legend." NYC, in the 60's, was a hotbed of urban legends and conspiracy theories. Dave VanRonk, who was once ousted from a Trotskyite splinter group for unorthodox views, suggested, half seriously, that JFK was killed by an impatient Ari Onasis.

                   Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frandsen
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 02:21 AM

You mean Dave "Snaker" Ray, Dave "Maverick Child" Rae, or Dave "Missing Keys" Ray? -EF

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 07:45 AM

Another greeting:

Let me get back to the "Outer Boroughs" folk scene in New York City during the 1960s. I know there was stuff happening around Brooklyn College. Joe Elias, for example, was active back then, and he still is, as leader of the Joe Elias Ladino Ensemble. There was also stuff happening in the Bronx. That's when NYU still had what it called its Uptown Campus, now the site of Bronx Community College, and there were some coffee houses scattered about. The Uptown Coffee House, still in existence, may have its roots going back to that era, but I'm not sure.

I don't know much about what, if anything, was happening on Staten Island, but I do know there was quite a folk scene flourishing out in Queens. It was centered on a coffee house called the Interlude, which was owned by a fellow namd Max Heilbronner. He had a partner named Dave, but whose last name I don't recall. The Interlude was located in the corner of a row of storefronts just off the Long Island Railroad station plaza in Kew Gardens, Queens. That's the very spot where Kitty Geovese was murdered in 1964, while at least 38 people saw or heard what was happening, but did nothing.

The Kitty Genovese incident inspired the opening stanza of Phil Ochs' Small Circle of Friends: "Look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed, he's dragged her to the bushes, and now she's being stabbed..." Phil appeared at the Interlude, as did many of the Greenwich Village folkies (Dave Van Ronk, the Holy Modal Rounders, Eric Weissberg & Marshall Brickman, etc.), but the place also had its own collection of locals. Chief among them, for a while, was Michael Cooney. He came from out-of-town, but chose to live in Queens rather than Manhattan. Kitty Genovese had lived in one of the apartments above the row of stores, and Michael Cooney lived in another of those apartments, possibly in the same building.

Another Interlude regular was a singer-songwriter named Al Kuda, who called himself Al Casey for a while but started working under the name Al Cooper when he landed a gig playing organ for Bob Dylan. Kuda/Casey/Cooper later became a member of Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Among the others were Bob Zaidman (blues, ragtime, and country guitarist), John Kalish (banjo picker), Kent Michaels (poet), George Hirsch (blues guitarist). Another was Pat Sky, whenever he was in town, but he divided his time between Queens and the Village. Interlude waitress Lucy Brown appears in a photo on the back cover of one of Pat Sky's LPs.

There were other places in Queens as well, including a coffee house on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills (maybe called the Metropole?) and another for a very short time on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, but those were mostly places to play gigs and go home. The Interlude was the place to hang out.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 10:42 AM

Joe Elias, of golden voice and flowing mustache, lives in the states of semi-retirement and New Jersey. He and Judy live in a lovely developement, wherein dwells another still active survivor from the 60's, Hal Wylie. Hal was, for many years, the lead vocalist for Roger Sprung's Progressive Bluegrassers. Joe and Hal still attend sessions in Philly so, to us, they are as active as ever and we're happy to have them.
Many of our local 60's stars are scattered or gone but I remember them all. Dick Weisman is out west, as is Harry Tufts and Benjy Aaronoff. Jerry Ricks is in Mississippi, Raun McKinnan is in L.A., Michael Kaz is in St.Paul, Saul Broudy is on the road most of the time. The rest of us (Tossi Aaron, George Britton, Jackie Pack, Joe Aaronson et al) stayed close to home and folksang for our suppers all these years. Fame is fleeting, parnessah is permanent.

                               Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 10:47 AM

One of the loveliest and most talented singers I saw in the late 1960s was Joanne Kelly.She was a brilliant and beautiful blues singer and guitarist and sadly died about 12 years ago.Much missed.I saw her at the Adelpi folk club in Swansea.
ifor

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DebC
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 11:06 AM

Still wondering about June Bugg whose LP "Hootenany Folk Festival" on Palace Records was the recording that started it all for me.

Any info? I've asked over the years, but no one seems to know...

Deb Cowan

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 11:59 AM

Mike,

Joe Elias and his son Danny just performed at the Eisteddfod Festival of Traditional Music in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, this past November. Other recent Eisteddfod performers from those old days included Jeff Davis, John Cohen, Heather Wood (last surviving member of the Young Tradition), Andy Cohen, Mike Agranoff, Jerry Epstein, and Alan Friend.

See, Queens still is a center of a vibrant folk scene in New York City, much of it now centered on the Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights. In fact, there's a picture of me performing with Pete Seeger in a children's concert at the Renaissance Charter School on my website. Click here; then scroll to bottom of web page.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 01:15 PM

Being too young to have heard any of the performers in this thread(he he not often I can say that nowadays)
I have two questions.
The first is silly but would there be any cds with groups of these old time greats available and the second even sillier
What is meant by playing house parties and house musician etc
Sorry but in Uk and really dont understand those references.
Lovely thread though keep it going please.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Abby Sale
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 01:19 PM

Perhaps "Little known" can be defined as whether allmusic.com has any (or more than one line) on the person. Many mentioned above were well-known locally - some as local "favorite sons" for decades. But never left home. Most started that way, I guess. I could easily name a dozen good singers/singer-songwriters well-known on the Florida circuit but unknown outside Florida. Or even outside Orlando.

Mike Miller: I'm pleased you mention Joe Aaronson at last - you didn't earlier. He had a huge effect on "spreading the gospel" in the 60's. I'm glad he continued. You don't mention me, though. That's ok. I wasn't even known downtown - just on campus!

Peace: (et al)
"His rendition of 'Green Green Rocky Road' is the absolute best I ever heard." You mean Chandler? Still alive, I believe. Born 1935. One of the few good things I have to say about _Rise Up Singing_ is that they give proper credit to this song. To Chandler, yes, but he was fairly well-known. Thing is, also to beat poet Bob Kaufman. They actually collected it together from street kids in New Orleans. Len sang it and taught it directly to Van Ronk. That created the East coast bluesy veresion. Chandler went west and taught it to a fine little-known San Francisco singer named Tom something. That created the softer West coast version.

Speaking of San Francisco favorite singers. I've been trying since '59 (you know, the 60's had to get started somewhere - it was in the 50's. Many of them learned from 40's singers. And so on...)
to track down the favorite San Francisco singer. He was actually in the Union and wouldn't take less than scale. The local Guthrie - or Suffet. Any help appreciated.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 02:27 PM

"His rendition of 'Green Green Rocky Road' is the absolute best I ever heard."

I think would have been Dick Glass that I referred to with that remark, Abby.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Windshield washing wino from the Lower East
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 03:35 PM

You mean Dave "Snaker" Ray, Dave "Maverick Child" Rae, or Dave "Missing Keys" Ray? -EF

The "Maverick Child" guy was David Rea.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 04:31 PM

Dear Abby: Could your missing San Francisco singer have been Dino Valenti? Very talented cat, great performer, carried around a psychic neon sign that said "Arrest Me" to any cop who say it? Wrote that "...c'mon people, smile on your brother" thing and sold it for $50 bail money? That guy?
   Dear W.W.Wino: sorry 'bout the spelling.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 05:14 PM

Abby ... Dave Spence? Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Windshield washing wino from the Lower East
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 05:36 PM

Yay yay ooby aba do bop

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: pdq
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 07:53 PM

San Francisco's favorite folksinger from the 50s was probably Stan Wilson, who proved that the Hungry i could book folk acts and still sell a drink or two.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 09:11 PM

Once upon a time, there were dozens and dozens of folk clubs in the Phila, area, alone. Every college had its own coffeehouse and its own concert area. Penn had The Little Greenwich, Temple had The Critics and Scholars The Museum School had Dirty Frank's. Coffehouses ringed Rittenhouse Square and every one of them presented Folk. I worked every weekend, so did Billy and Benjy and Saul and Jackie and Tossi and a half dozen others who drifted away from music to persue pelf and security. Some went on the road. Dick Weisman joined The Journeymen, Marshal Freedland joined The Robert DiCourmier Singers, Billy started his Caravan, Saul met Bruce Phillips and Gordon Bok came into his trust fund, bought a boat and God, only, knows what ever happened to him.

               Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 09:12 AM

It occurs to me that we have neglected many important 60's folksingers whose area of fame and expertise was esoteric. Ella Jenkins was the last word in children's songs. Her work with rhythem instruments has never been equaled and her recordings can be found in thousands of schools and libraries.
Ruth Rubin was the folk authority in the Jewish music genre as, in a more commercial way, was Martha Schlamme. Their albums were major sellers and they played the most prestigious concert venues.
Every folk festival, in the 60's, featured music from the British Isles and the most popular performers were Norman Kennedy, Louie Killen and Joe Heany.
Popular American eclectic performers included Guy Carawan, Gil Turner, Jo Mapes and the ever lovely Bonnie Dobson (sigh).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 09:45 AM

My brother in law Eddie Gair, he starred alongside Rab Noakes, the MacCalmans, Matt McGinn at the first Arran Folk festival in 1971.

Ok I know that isn't the 1960's however he was around at that time in folk clubs

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: maeve
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 05:47 PM

Someone up the thread asked about Chris Smither, who is happily married and doing well. Check on his long list of inspired albums to catch up with him:
http://www.chrissmither.com/index.html

Another friend, Gordon Bok, is still crafting elegant and lovely music, singing, carving, and living a happily married life in Maine. Take a look here:
http://gordonbok.com/

maeve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 06:18 PM

Alice Stuart, who featured on a fine album on the Arhoolie label back in the early 60s, is still going strong. I bought her 'Can't find no heaven' album recently and was mightily impressed - lovely renditions of 'Turn your money green', 'Wild Bill Jones' and others. She has a website: Alice Stuart.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: maeve
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 06:29 PM

Around 1968 in Durham, NH, my fifth grade teacher would tune the school television to an educational program (a new concept in my minimal tv viewing experience). A thin young man with a guitar sang traditional songs and I think he was on Old Ironsides in Boston Harbor. Who was it? Bill Bunyon has been suggested, but I'd love to have a confirmed identification. That was the best part of fifth grade, and helped launch my own interest in singing the old songs. Anyone else remember?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 07:00 PM

Peter and Isabelle Gardiner. They had great voices and played lovely songs.

Erik Darling. Much more of an influence on the 60's folk scene then was acknowledged.

Glen Yarborough.

Sam Eskin. (collector/performer)

Terry Gilkyson, Rich Dehr and Frank Miller (Easy Riders from LA)

No one has mentioned Sam Hinton or Bess Hawes although they predate the 60's.

Leon Bibb (now his son Erik)

Brock Peters. (the actor)

Theodore Bikel. (pretty well-known though...actor/singer)

Brother John Sellers (gospel/blues singer)

Anita Shear (international and flamenco)

Bob Gibson

Paul Clayton

Alan Mills from Canada
and the great fiddler Ti Jean Carignan.

Shoshanna Damari (Yemenite legend)

Oranim Zabar (Guela Gill)

Big Joe Williams

Arvella Gray

Tom Paley (influential in New York folk circles)

Micheal Saul (one of the best clawhammer players around)

Memphis Slim (blues piano legend)

Harry and Jeannie West (Appalachian/country) Harry in N.C. now.

Ray Boguslav (New York area)

Fleming Brown (premiere banjo influence/notabley Stephen Wade)

Billy Faier ( a creative an innovative 5-string banjo player)

John Stauber (worked with Belafonte, classical and folk guitar)

Dick Rosmini (prolific guitar picker)

Woody Wachtel (o-t banjo picker player, new york area)

Tony and Irene Saletan from Boston (Irene and Ellen...Kassoy Sisters)

Scott MacKenzie

Hoyt Axton

Frank Robinson (banjo player from San Francisco who did folk concerts with Rolf Cahn and Jo Mapes) prior to 60's

David Cohen (great guitarist from LA)

Dave Lindley (could play anything well)

Ed McCurdy (singer/songwriter performer)

The Gateway Singers (from San Francisco...Hungry i)

Pat Foster ( a little-known singer but influential to those who knew him)

Doc Hopkins (o-t player from Chicago)

Bob Atcher (like Gene Autry from Chicago)

Spanky MacFarlane (fame for a short period with Spanky and Our Gang)

How about Jean Ritchie's family...Edna Ritchie

Margaret MacArthur (lovely folklorist/singer from New England)

Before 60's Richard Dyer-Bennett who no one seems to know about today.

William Clausen (in the Dyer-Bennett tradition..excellent singer/guitarist)

Mary O'Hara (one of the first of the harp playing Celtic singers)

Bob Carey (with the Tarriers..not mentioned with Alan Arkin and Erik Darling)

Jerry Yester and the Modern Folk Quartet

Micheal Janusz who hardly anybody knows about but one of the great international singing performers..LA...Ash Grove

Pete Feldmann from Santa Barbara (bluegrass mandolin)

Greenbriar Boys (w. Ralph Rinzler)

Ethel Raim (Pennywhistlers)

Joyce James (Womenfolk)

Art Rosenbaum (0-T banjo picker from Athens, GA)

Mike Bloomfield (blues guitarist Chicago)

Oscar Brand (but he is more well-known)



There's more that I might think of later.

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 07:13 PM

More:

Alex Corner (English blues player)

John Hammond Jr. (although he gets around)

John Cohen (w. Mike Seeger and the N.L.C.R)

Blind Blake from the Bahamas

Manse Lipscomb (traditional blues picker)

Roger Sprung (influential bluegrass banjo player in New York)

Tim Holt (LA area)

Tim Buckley (same)

Almeda Riddle (not too known Appalachian singer traditional)

Horton Barker (same...recorded by Sandy Paton)

Judy Henske (married to Craig Doerge..great pianist) (Whiskey Hill Singers)

Jesse Fuller (African-American traditional folk singer from San Francisco)

K.C. Douglas (blues musician from S.F. area)

(I was privileged to cross paths with most of the aforementioned folks)

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 07:40 PM

Mike Cooper and Derek Hall - residents at the Shades Coffee House Reading (now an Indian Restaurant) circa 1965

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:14 PM

I'm not for sure if this is little known or now mostly forgotten singers, but here goes:
Marais & Miranda - mostly So. African songs of the Boers.
Bob Grossman - Recorded a splendid album at Cosmo Alley in Hollywood.
Ron & Nama
The Goldcoast Singers
Martha Schlamme - performed w/ Frank Hamilton at '59 Newpor
Paul Clayton
Casey Anderson
Addis and Crofoot
Will Holt - well maybe more cabaret type
Marilyn Child - performed w/ Glenn Yarborough, gigs w/ Josh White, Jr., but heart always on Broadway.
If I duplicated, please forgive.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:16 PM

Frank -- You're making me feel old. Most of those on both of your lists I consider to be well known -- Tom Hall

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Ian Burdon
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:12 AM

I think that the Alex Corner mentioned a couple of posts back was Alexis Korner

Do Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard count in this "little known" category? It depends were you are I guess

Ian

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 10:10 AM

Come to think of it, I was a little-known 1960s folk singer (I started in 1969). And I am still little-known :-)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 12:00 PM

Exactly I never heard of anybody called Scrump.

A name like that, you'd remember.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 01:23 PM

Alix Dobkin
Jackie Gibson
Helen Schneyer
Elliott Kenin
Lee Ruth
Roy Berkeley
Laura Wetzler
Jimmy Collier
Rev. Frederick D. Kirkpatrick
Laura Weber (taught guitar on TV in 1960's)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:17 PM

From the Bay Area:
Terry Dolan
Allan Burton
Chuck Massey
Ivan Ulz
Don Burnham (later leader of "Lost Weekend", California's top Western Swing outfit.)
Dynamite Annie Johnston
Ruthann Friedman (mostly L.A.)
Hank Bradley
Larry Hanks
Phil Marsh

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DonMeixner
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 02:42 PM

At the Auburn Community College Coffee house we had a lot of people go through that I haven't heard of since or very seldom.

Randy Rice
Art Carney's son who was very good.
Blair Hull and Jim Roche (became friends but have lost touch)
Larry Keane
Bill Steele
Bill Destler (Now a dean of sorts at Cornell)
Mary McCaslin
Jim Ringer (Deceased)
Nicky Seeger
Fran McKendree

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Greg B
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 06:23 PM

Dottie Gittleson--- SoCal folk singer and children's book
author. Used to sometimes play with other friends at 'hootenanies'
in my folks living room c. 1967 or so, when I was but a kid.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,RS
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 06:40 PM

Wee Little Drummer, hail from across the years - nice to see Derek Hall mentioned - I used to go down the Shades back then, & could never figure why the guy wasn't huge, he was as good as any of the 'legends' (D Graham etc), I still have the 'Out of The Shades' EP with his masterly versions of 'Darlin' & 'Skillet'; oh, & Mike Cooper's trying to track him down too, according to his Cooparia website..

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:19 PM

ah but but I was so much older then....

write me a letter RS, I'm hungry to hear you

this is my website and contains my e-mail


http://bigalwhittle.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 09:46 PM

Ah, the memories.
So many of those named were friends, so many that I would have to scan that list again and again to get them all. Here are some updates and questions. Alex Dobkin was a regular at the Sunday sessions at The Gilded Cage, as were, Elliot Kenin, Ethel Raim, Josh Dunson, Billy Vanaver and Gordon Bok. So was Shelly Posen, when he was studying folklore at the Univ. of Pennsylvania.
I have always associated Helen Shneyer with the Washington, D.C. crowd along with wonderful singers like John Eberhart and Andy Wallice.
I traveled to NYC to see Roy Berkeley at the Old Farts Reunion in Washington Square but he didn't make it down from wherever he lives in Vermont or New Hampshire, so I had to make do with picking with Eric Weisberg, Steve Mandel, Gene Yellin and a few other survivors of that most musical of decades.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 01:18 AM

MARC SILBER,

You were sitting on a table at the first University Of Chicago Folk Festival in 1961 -- picking out San Francisco Bay Blues. That was Saturday afternoon -- Feb. 4th, '61 in venerable old Ida Noyes Hall where the workshops for the festival always happened. (Fest is still going strong---still yearly at the beginning of February.)

But I never forgot the fingerpicking you were doing that day. It was a big influence on me.----- And Perry Lederman was hanging out at that festival in '61. Just amazing.

I'll be back tomorrow with some more stuff for this good thread...

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: elfcape
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 01:30 AM

Jeez. I didn't think Hank Bradley was that old. Are we talking end of 60s here?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Sandy Paton
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 03:10 AM

Bill Destler is actually Provost at the University of Maryland now. Still singing darned well.

Let me add Dave Frederickson's name to the list - Berkeley, singer of western songs. Made one recording (at least) for Folkways.

Slim Critchlow (is that how he spelled it?) - fine western singer originally from Utah, I think, who became part of the Bay Area scene.

Charlotte Daniels, from Indiana, made one record for Prestige. Sang some in the Washington, D.C., clubs back about then. Did one gig with me at the Gate of Horn.

Cathy and Carol (Were they later than the 60s? I still think of them as youngsters.)

Jack Stanesco - still sings with Harry Tuft out in Denver as part of Grubstake.

And finally, one of the best of them all: Larry Hanks.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: VIN
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 08:35 AM

It will take me a year to plough thru the above so just thought i'g ask if anyone has yet mentioned the great Mary Asquith from the Manchester area yet. Saw her a few time in T'owd days, one of the best female blues voices ever heard at the time. Got some recordings of her on minidisc from friends album of hers.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 08:52 AM

Cathy and Carol (Were they later than the 60s? I still think of them as youngsters.)

Kathy and Carol had a single lp on Elektra, circa 1965, reissued last year by ccmusic.com (I have no financial interest). Also last year, they shared a bill with Mark Spoelstra in a central California concert.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 09:48 AM

Back to the U.S. West Coast:

I believe that Larry Hanks is still singing up a storm in the Bellingham area, though I might be incorrect about that;

The late Terry Wadsworth, from the late 50's and early 60's;

Pat Garvey, who I think now runs a bookstore in the D.C. area;

Good thread! Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 09:55 AM

Strikes me the reason most of these 60's singers were unknown is that they lived in America!!!! Tee Hee.

Andy (safe in the UK, with our own bunch of never-quite-made-its.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 10:46 AM

Most of these "little known" folks were not little known to to us on the scene then. Most everyone mentioned here were well known to us THEN. It was a mesmerizing time.

Don't forget Jim Kweskin and his fingerpicking influence then. I was teaching a beginners guitar course the the Fret Shop on 57th Street in Chicago's Hyde Park south side neighborhood-----in the old Artist Colony buildings -- cold water storefronts left over from the Colombian Exposition of 1893. KWESKIN was teaching an advanced fingerpicking course then and there (1961). I had a Webcor 2-track reel-to-reel tape machine on which I taped an hour of Jim solo singing and playing on Ella Jenkins' (she is still around and singing at age 80) WSBC-FM radio show called the MEETIN' HOUSE.

I just got Roxio software and put those tapes on a CD in this brave new millennium. Great music and great memories. (Great thread too.)

And I must add that I started picking and singing at Chicago's NO EXIT COFFEEHOUSE---CAFE AND GALLERY that year -- 1961. THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS LATER, I was still playing music there quite a few dates every year. I always referred to the No Exit as "my oasis" --- until I lost the ability to pick altogether.

As I'm fond of saying, "If it wasn't for time, we'd have to do everything all at once!" ;-)

Best regards, and my heartfelt thanks, to all of you.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 11:04 AM

I meant the David Rae who, at about 17 years old, used to live in Toronto and played back-up guitar for many Canadian folk singers as well as doing solo gigs at coffe houses. He backed up Ian & Sylvia, Joanie Anderson (later Mitchell) and Gord Lightfoot at the Mariposa Festival that was held in Maple Leaf Stadium in the sixties.

The late David Snaker Ray wouldn't fit into the "Little Known" catagory, since almost everyone I knew in the sixties who was into acoustic music had a copy of Blues, Rags & Hollers and Lots More B,R&H.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 11:23 AM

Paul Simon was a little, known 1960s folk singer.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 01:15 PM

Scrump--
   Ooh, that Paul Simon line. You're a cruel man. But fair.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 01:39 PM

"Miskin man" ... there's more truth in what you said than you might realize. I know several folkies of that period who performed under several different names. (it was easier to hide that way)! Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jeff Hindman, Maidstone
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 03:13 PM

Does anyone know what happened to the "Four Square Circle" from SE London? They were around from 1965 to 75.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 06:52 AM

Ah, this thread is an ideal one to ask about a group I remember vaguely from the late 1960s or early 1970s.

They were (I think) a trio (but could have been a duo?) and I believe they were based in the Fylde area (Blackpool possibly) (Lancs, England). Their name was (I think) "??? Boots" where "???" is something I can't remember. I've been racking my brain to remember - I don't think it was "Brown Boots" but maybe it was?

They moved to London in about 1970 or '71 IIRC, but I never heard of them afterwards so I guess they broke up or something?

Sorry it's all very vague, but does anyone remember a duo or trio answering this (admittedly incomplete) description?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 09:55 AM

The Jug Trust! Vernon Haddock's Jubilee Lovelies!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 10:10 AM

I remember Jug Trust, led by Brian Cookman (I believe he's sadly no longer with us). I saw them a few times in the late 60s and early 70s, and the first time I saw them (1969) I did a floor spot where they were on the bill, and Brian very kindly lent me a harmonica as I had come unprepared to play (although I had my brand new guitar, bought the same day, with me). The band later changed its name to Bronx Cheer.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:28 PM

elfcape: Sure, Hank Bradley's that old. I met him in '66 or '67 when he was playing with the Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band, doing their unforgettable version or Martin Mull's "Chinese New Year Waltz", among other faves. He's still alive, too. I think.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:54 PM

A group from Nova Scotia Scotia called Swallowstale. They did some local gigs and the Lunenburg Harbour Folk Festival, did one Cassette then disappeared. Too bad, they were great.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Marty Farrow
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:45 PM

Jeff Hindman, I believe one of the "Four Square Circle" is with "Elsie`s Band".

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:55 PM

How about the Two Tones from Orilia, Ontario? Gordon Lightfoot, the tenor guitar player is still around, but where is Terry Whalen(sp?)?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 06:33 PM

Some info on Terry Whelan here.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: elfcape
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 08:02 PM

To Frandsen: Hank was married to Sandy, wasn't he? She's till calling dances in the NW I understand from the trad-dance-caller's group on yahoo.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: iancarterb
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 10:35 PM

Hank Bradley lives in Seattle, playing Greek music and whatever else comes to mind, as always.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 06:32 PM

I'll tell you 'bout a little known group who were fairly popular in Norway named "The Immigrants". Nobody knows about them today.

Bernie Krause who replaced me in the Weavers was little-known but quite good. He became well-known as a producer for Paul Beaver (of synthesizer fame).

How bout Dave Sears (who sounded alot like Pete Seeger) as well as Joe Jaffe from the NY area?

Anyone hear of Effie Siegerman? (NY) Moved to Australia I think.

Moe Hirsch was a great guitar-banjo- picker from U of Chicago but little-known in New York. (Became math prof).

Red Parham and "Crazy" George Pegram from Statesville N.C. were mainstays on the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Asheville Folk Festival. Great performers and the real deal.

Sonja Savig sang Norwegian folk songs and performed well in NY and NE.

How 'bout the bass players? Tom Lee, father of Spike Lee accompanied Odetta and Josh White. Wilbur Ware (known in be-bop jazz circles accompanied folk acts). So did Chuck Israels who is better known for his work with Bill Evans, great jazz pianist.

"Buckwheat" used to play with Bud and Travis.

Art Thieme and I would agree that Bill Chipman was one of the best around of trad. country singers.

What about Rick and Lorraine Lee who I knew in Boston? Lorraine (a formidable lap dulcimer player is now Lorraine Hammond and Rick played a mean banjo and piano.

Howie Burston, great banjo player married to Sally Rogers.

Do Kate and Livingston Taylor of the James Taylor family count as lesser-knowns?

Katie Lee from Arizona, (cowboy songs, southwest folk music)

Ruthie Gordon from Appalachian area wrote some great songs.

Shlomo Carlbach is well-known in Jewish circles but was lesser-known in the folk area.

For that matter, Henry Zapotnik...same as Shlomo Carlbach.

Tony Schwartz should qualify as the collector of the famous unfamous "Moondog" on the streets of New York.

Gil (can't remember his last name but wrote songs for Broadside with Dylan, Paxton and Len Chandler.

Rick Epping, folk harmonica virtuoso from LA

Here in GA, Colonel Bruce Hampton (kinda' folk rock)

Lynn Gold (LA but now residing in Fla.)

Derroll Adams, the "banjoman" who I knew in LA and performed with Jack Elliott in Europe. Known well in Belgium, Amsterdam etc. but not in the US.

My old buddy Dave Zeitlin who plays a beautiful folk guitar and had a rich tenor voice now teaches at McCabe's Guitar Shop in LA.

Marcia Berman and Patty Zeitlin (formerly married to Dave) have written lovely children songs and are folkies from the 60's.

Arkansas Red lives in Eureka Springs, AK and is a great banjo-picker, guitar-player and folksinger. He still does it...goin' strong.

Micheal Miles (better known in banjo circles) from Chicago...beautiful clawhammer stylist.

Sis Cunningham (editor of Broadside) trad Appalachian and topical songwriter

Bess Hawes should be better known than she is (Alan Lomax's sister who in my view is as significant in some ways as Alan). Educator, banjo-picker and singer. With the Almanacs.

Tom Glaser...was pretty well-known at the time.

Wade White, a great slide-guitar blues player from North Carolina...not known today.

Clabe Hangan from San Bernadino California...African American performer..great.

Did anyone mention Robin Roberts? She sang Celtic songs and was part of Vanguard Records or was it Electra?

My friend Elise Witt is a fine folk singer and performer from GA.

Does anyone remember Pat Foster?

Freddie Gerlach played 12 string guitar and studied Leadbelly.

Jean, I remember Peter Carbone of Bleeker Street. Worked on my instruments.

Jim Rooney from Boston, played left-handed (like Bill Staines) and did trad. country.

Mike Melford also produced trad. country played mandolin.

Joe Klee played Uke and sang songs. Later became a jazz critic for Mississippi Rag.

Osborne Smith, African-American performer sang rich baritone and played percussion in the Chicago area.

Mike Settle worked with Kenny Rogers in the "First Edition". He wrote some good songs.

Eric Schoenberg is a great finger-picking player who is now making guitars on the West Coast.

Not many of you knew Al Grierson but I think he was one of the best writers around, died tragically in a flood in Texas.

Was it Micheal Strange, the actor who put out the record of Robin Hood ballads for I think Elecktra?

Of course Billy Strange played guitar with Glenn Campbell in the "Folkswingers".

Jimmy MacDonald was an African-American singer/performer from New York. I remember Bob Gibson, Mary Travers, Jimmy and I went to Philly to sing at a coffee-house in the dead of night.

"Lingo The Drifter" did "Ramblin' Jack/ Sandy Pinckney. Lingo from Colo. area I think.

Mike Bloomfield? Did I mention him? Sort of famous later as a blues guitarist.

Little Brother Montgomery was a fairly well-known blues pianist and songwriter from Chicago. Played with Willie Dixon.

Patti (Reagan) Davis played coffee-houses throughout the Seventies in LA and Santa Barbara. She was probably around during the Sixties.

Snooks Eaglin, great New Orleans bluesman and singer.

Hedy West, can't forget her. How well-known she was I guess is debatable but great banjo-pickin' gal and singer.

Some of these folks you might have heard of, some not.

It would be a great thread to do: "Where are they now?"

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: David C. Carter
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:02 PM

Anyone know what happened to Willis Alan Ramsey,who wrote-North East Texas Women?

David

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:26 PM

I well remember a concert in San Francisco in 1959. Odetta sand at the Opera House and Tom Lee played bass with her. Amazing. Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 12:30 AM

Greetings once again!

Just to add to what Frank Hamilton wrote:

• The Gil whose last name he cannot recall was Gil Turner. He died in 1974 at the age of 41. Among his many songs, the best know is Carry It On!

• The banjo player married to Sally Rogers is actually Howie Bursen, not Burston. I took clawhammer lessons from him at Pinewoods Camp in 2005.

• Sis Cunningham was from Oklahoma, not Appalachia, although some of her songs were in Appalachian style. Sis was, up to the time of her death in 2004, a mentor to generation after generation of topical-political folk singers.

• Sonja Savig is still very active in the New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 03:20 AM

I guess "little-known" or "well-known" is a bit subjective, as each of us has no real way to tell how many others knew about these people back then. Likewise, I may never have heard of somebody listed here who was known to many others, who would appear to be "well-known" even though I've never heard of them.

It could be argued that nearly all folk singers then and today, are largely little-known by people outside the folk community, even some of the biggest names. How many people outside the folk world have heard of (say) John Kirkpatrick, Jez Lowe or Vin Garbutt? (Just to pick three names more or less at random, of highly respected folk artists who have been around a long time and are big names in the folk world, at least in the UK).

That said, I have heard of some of those listed by Frank Hamilton - Derroll Adams, Mike Bloomfield and Hedy West I would have thought were fairly well known, but maybe that's just because I know them. As I said, it's subjective.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 06:29 AM

Gordon Heath & Lee Payant ('Abbaye' in Paris, France)
They're *so* little known that there's nothing by them to be found on CD (or is it?)
Stefan

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 11:03 AM

Scrump said,"I guess "little-known" or "well-known" is a bit subjective," and I think we'd all agree. Show me a clawhammer banjo fan who doesn't know of Howie Bursen, but if you were to ask 50 people on the street I'm sure you'd strike out.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: elfcape
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 08:55 PM

How many American singer songwriters have heard of John K, Vin Garbutt or even Jez? At least they might have heard of Jez since he comes to the States.

But they don't sing folk music and aren't interested in traditional styles, so they're not likely to be acquainted with John.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: DeeRod
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 09:42 PM

of course for the least known of the unknown, you could have been reading Washington Folk Strums (64-67).

Glad to read of Bob Grossman. Got to know Bob in Wash, @62. He was top bill at Shadows one tome (in DC) and I took a date who was mightily impressed that the star came and had a drink with us at intermission. 2nd bill was a kid form Philly-comedian of sorts. Cosby by name. Pretty good too.

Bill Destler; only double dipper, Pres. FSGW,Pres. Bal;t. Folk Club
Currently Provost, U. of Md. can't get him out to sing these days.

Allan Dameron got a lot of coverage in Folk Strums. He was resident in Brickskellar Club here. We palled around Newport FF.Saw him three years ago.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 10:08 PM

Stefen: Gordon Heath and Lee Payant DID have an impact on us here in Seattle in the mid fifties. The late Walt Robertson hung out with them in Paris for a while. He brought many of their songs back to us, as well as wonderful tales ... such as the "finger snapping" rather than applause.

Sure, this is a thread about 'obscure' influences. But you NEVER know just how far these influences spread ... and continue to spread.

This is becoming a great subject! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Xeno
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 11:48 PM

This is my first time visiting this site after a friend reccommended it, and as I scrolled down I was intriqued by this thread. Especially since the friend who told me about Mudcat Cafe was a "little known 1960's folksinger!" We were just kids from Tulsa together, & Jennifer Sullivan was singing in "coffeehouses" & small clubs around the Midwest USA from about 68 into the 70s. Jennifer was just a little teenage girl then, only about 14 or 15, but she could make herself up to look older, so nobody realized her youth then. She was unusual because she knew more folksongs than anyone anybody ever met, and played a variety of instruments beyond guitar & flute & keyboards that most people never heard of then, like mountain dulcimer & autoharp & bodhran & irish whistle & stuff I can't even remember. Since she played guitar with ceili bands as a youngster she knew all kinds of irish songs & tunes, and could easily cover the "folk"singers of the time. She told me that she's now out in California living the good life while the rest of us schmucks are sitting in the cold back in the breadbasket. It's amazing & kinda sad sometimes the talent thats running around out there that we don't even realize. Somebody you know could easily have been well known, but is a nobody in poverty now.
Zeno, still in Tulsa

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mike Miller
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 01:29 AM

Well, Zeno, we're not famous but we are far from impoverished. Many of us, who were full time performers in the 60's stayed in the business after the hootenanny craze passed. We teach folk instruments, we sing in school programs, libraries, museums, state and county fairs, festivals (large and small), senior facilities. We do workshops and artists in residence appointments. Some of us tour and some stay close to home. In Philadelphia, I have managed to maintain a full time career, without traveling. So have a number of others folk performers who live here (Jackie Pack, Tossi Aaron, Joe Aaronson, Ken Ulancy, Saul Broudy and George Britton, who has been making an excelent living from folk music since the late 1940's).
Don't cry for us, Argentina. Just, send us some Columbian.

                      Mike

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 03:13 AM

I haven't had time to read ALL of these entries, but I hope someone has mentioned Bob Coltman, old-time music authority, singer/songwriter extraordinary, and fairly frequent contributor to these Mudcat pages. Several fine recordings on Minstrel Records, at least one of which (I think) has now been re-released as a CD. You may be familiar with some of his Child ballad revisions, recorded on a remarkable release titled "Son of Child."
    One of my personal favorites has long been Ed Trickett. Has he been mentioned here? Ed has a great knack for finding wonderful songs and sings them, as Gordon Bok once put it, "from the inside out."
    Sandy

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:01 AM

American singer songwriters may not sing in your tradition, but they are operating in their tradition. Or their view of what tradition is.

Tradition is a funny word. Back in the 60's, I was at Leighton Park School in Reading for about 15 months, and we had this American kid doing a sort of year's scholarship.

He said the thing about this school is - you have no traditions....not like we had in my school back in America.

we all said, but why would we have any traditions - our school only started up at the start of the 20th century.

He said, well - that's about thirty years older than my school back in Arizona, we've got all these traditions that we hand on.

I think Americans must have a lot more literal meaning of traditional than we do - it is what is actually handed on. Whereas in England, 'traditional music' has to actually have ersatz cobwebs hanging off it.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 11:51 AM

I find your comments VERY interesting. Many years ago I got "hung up" on the definition of "traditional folk music." Most every folksinger I ever met has to get through this question. Remembering that America has such a short history compared to Great Britian, for example, for several years I used a handy definition for traditional: it had to be at least 100 years old. I'm sure that seems silly to you, but it worked for me. It is also the benchmark that antique furniture dealers use to measure authenticity. Today I don't have a clue how to define it. And NO, let's don't warp this fine thread into yet another attempt at defining the impossible. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 12:47 PM

There was Addiss and Crowfut, two folkies who toured the world on a State Department grant. They introduced American folk music around the world.

Sorry i got Howie Burson's name wrong. Yes, Gil Turner. Thanks, Steve.

There are countless great folk instrumentalists who haven't been mentioned such as "Ti Jean" Johnnie Carignan, one of the world's best fiddlers from French Canada.

Earl Collins, a great traditional country fiddler who lived in LA......

Ralph Blizzard ...another great fiddler.

Zylphia Horton, wife of Miles Horton from Highlander Folk School responsible for the popularity of "We Shall Overcome". Played accordian.

Jenny Vincent Wells from New Mexico...spanish songs. Accordian also.

There was a guitarist from McCabe's Guitar Shop...I can't remember his name...I think it was Rick but he was a phenomenal finger picker.

Joe and Antoinette McKenna.....Joe...master of the Uillean pipes and Antoinette, singer and player of Irish harp...exceptional performers.

The Pindar singers from the Bahamas....Joseph Spence...Bahamian guitar player and singer.

Clark Allen...flamenco and Spanish songs from the San Diego area.

Did somebody mention Joe and Eddie from the Troubador in LA? (maybe getting redundant here)

I wouldn't call Ed McCurdy little-known but maybe comparatively to others.

John Herald....with Ralph Rinzler in "Greenbriar Boys". Wrote a version of "Stewball".

How about Molly Scott? Pretty lady. Nice voice.

Howie Mitchell, dulcimer player with the group, "Golden Ring".

George and Gerry Armstrong from Illinois. George...folklorist and bagpipes...Gerry, dulcimer and traditional ballads. Jenny, their daughter is also a fine singer/player.

Banjo Dancing with Stephen Wade...although he is pretty well-known in the Mid-West.

I vote for my friend Mark Dvorak from Illinois who is just coming into his own as a songwriter as well as folksinger.

Sonny Houston lives in GA and has played on records with Guy and Candie Carawan.
Plays all kinds of instruments.

Red Grammer (sp?) who replaced Glenn Yarborough in the "Limelighters".

Ernie Lieberman (Sheldon) who also replaced Glenn in the "Limelighters". Ernie became a substantial songwriter.

Betty Sanders...part of People's Artists but sang through the Sixties.

Jerry Walter (banjo picker) of the "Gateway Singers" which had "Elmer Lee Thomas" a fine African-American singer as well as a starting group for Travis Edmondsen.

"Sonny" Vale was the Robert DeCormier of the West Coat with his Folk Chorus.

Earl Robinson kept performing through the Sixties and was writing and composing music.

Peter Alsop, a writer of children's songs and folksinger from LA, married to Ellen Geer, daughter of Will Geer.

Freddie Hellerman was with the well-known Weavers but his private accomplishments were as a producer for Joan Baez (I think first recording) and songwriter. "Come Away Melinda"..

Then there's the "Fast Folk" crowd from New York. Steve Suffet will know Jack Hardy and those people.

A great folk instrumentalist and singer is Joe Craven who did a remarkable CD called "Camptown".

I'll mention John McCutcheon just because he has recently moved to GA and is a neighbor, now.

Did anyone mention Si Kahn? Not a big big name but just as important as any.

Micheal Smith (songwriter "The Dutchman"..Chicago) and Barbara Barrow.

Ken Pearlman...fairly well known in banjo circles.

I'll vote for my friend Adam Miller who is now touring the country and making a good living as (gasp) a folksinger. Autoharp and guitar.

Then there's Peter Marston, from New England, a great singer was with David Jones in "Starboard List"....David...also great. Pete's brother (my friend) Chick is a great blues fingerpicker and works with his wife Ellen Ford, singer in N.E. and Florida.

John Langstaff is known as a baritone who started the "Christmas Revels" in Cambridge but was formerly on staff at Pine Woods.


The more these names come up, the more I realize just how extensive and powerful the "folk scare" was. The beat goes on.....................................

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 12:56 PM

Frank, The more names you plug into this thread, the more you shake names out of the cobwebs in my brain: Walt Robertson. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bubblyrat
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 01:02 PM

Many years ago,I used to go to a folk-club in a pub called the Half Moon, in Yeovil----1965/66 it was !! I remember one night a little guy shuffled in and hung around sort of furtively in the background,until he was announced as the guest for that evening --it was Paul Simon !! I thought he was very good (as you would !!) but I was a "Terry & Alan" man, myself !! Terry was ,in real life, Lt.Commander Terry Kemp,RN, a test-pilot ,from the nearby Royal Naval Air Station,Yeovilton, & Alan was a corporal in the RAF , also stationed at Yeovilton--he looked after the accomodation for RAF personnel that was provided for visiting Vulcan bomber ground-crews.I know this because I was stationed there as well !! I always admired Terry & Alan for both their musicianship ,& stage "prescence"----They were destined to be together.They had matching guitars,although one played different chord-shapes with a capo on,which I thought was very clever ( and "cool" !! )-Certainly the sound was good,and they could both sing well.Their repertoire was interesting ,and songs I can still recall include "Bound out for Newfoundland " and " The Squid-jigging ground " They were very professional & entertaining,& would go down well today ! I often wonder what became of them. Incidentally, some other regulars at that club were a strange bunch,one of whom worked on the corporation dust-cart in Yeovil----They called themselves "The Yetties " !!!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 01:44 PM

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 01:50 PM

Frank: Like Deckman said, they're falling out of the cobwebs. How about Gil Robbins (of The Highwaymen), currently touring America in a big-ass Winnebago. Father of actor/folksinger Tim Robbins. I get postcards from him sometimes. He's a happy guy.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 02:58 PM

Frank's posting of names has suggested something. I'm going to list a few names. "Little known" or prominant doesn't matter much, really.

Following are the people that I felt were quite significant to my folk music background here in the Wst Coast or America.

These very fine singers are no longer with us ... except in "spirit":

Walt Robertson
John Dwyer
Roy Guest
Terry Wadsworth

This next list includes great musicians that no longer perform:

Sally Ashford
John Ashford
Mike Leib

This next list is of very active performers:

Don Firth
Nancy Quense
Stewart Hendrickson
Jerry Middaugh
Reggie Miles
John Weiss
Steve Lalor
Mike Nelson
George Austin
Stan James
Alice Stewart
Bruce Baker
Steve Culver

This last list is of great musicians that I have lost track of, and I sure would like an update:

Mike Reedy (U.K.?)
Don Normark
Pat Garvey (WA.D.C.?)

This is not a complete list, and I'm sure I'll squeeze a few more out of my very old brain cells.

If any of you want an update on these folks, give me a PM. I should caution you that some of these people do NOT wish to be located. I'm sure you all understand that. CHEERS, Bob (great thread)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:34 PM

Also from the Seattle area, Judy Flenniken (big voice), currently living in Key Largo, Florida with her husband. Still singing, as far as I know.

. . . not to mention Bob Nelson (Deckman), who got interested in folk music when he was about thirteen. I first met him in 1953, when he was about sixteen or so, and by then, he knew his way around a guitar pretty well and had a sizeable, and growing, repertoire of songs. Since then, coffeehouses, concerts, television, folk festivals, the whole works, all up and down the Pacific Coast (and where all else, I'm not sure).

But like a lot of fine singers out this-a-way, no recordings, which is probably why he isn't better known around the country than he is. Back during the 50s and 60s, what few record companies there were in the Pacific Northwest were into soft-rock and do-wop, and they were outright hostile to folk music.

But that situation is currently being rectified.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:43 PM

Deckman

no I know not neither what a tradition actually means definitively.

I was just commenting that the Americans seem to mean something different to us. And Elfcape seemed to sum up that sort of 'they're wrong cos they ain't like us' belief. In English music, there seems to be a sort conscious reaching back and yearning even, for the past and its certainties.

Like Oscar Wilde said , two nations divided by the same language.

all the best

al

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:44 PM

Also the late David (Dave) Spence. He was a native of Belfast and came to the USA when he was 18. He was very big the in the Bay area, singing most every Friday night at "The Drinking Gourd." He died in 1966 at the early age of 26, in an aircraft accident.

(Don ... how much do I owe you for that compliment)?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:52 PM

We'll negotiate tomorrow when you get here. . . .

Glad you're going to be able to make it after all!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 01:30 PM

Bob Grossman is living in New York. I have his cell phone number. I mentioned, way way above in this thread, that he spent many years in Detroit as an actor under the name Robert Grossman. Last year he appeared with Lucie Arnaz in a play called "Sonia Flew" at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Florida. He released a new CD a couple years ago (43 years after his Elektra album). He does a killer "Begin the Beguine" on it and an incredibly bluesy "Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
Spike Lee's dad is bassist Bill Lee, not Tom Lee.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 05:45 PM

What a great thread, and I've sifted through the whole thing! At least some of these "little known" singers from the 1960's were known by me.

Certainly I and my parents knew Bill Bonyun who pioneered the "job" of singing folk songs in classrooms and produced a fine collection of recordings on his Heirloom label; I need to bug one of his sons about getting some of them re-issued as CD's. His wife Gene was also a fine singer.

Is Mel Lyman less known? I may have missed him in my scanning but he was part of the early 1960's folk club wave of performers in the Boston area, before he went off the North Carolina and swapped songs with Obray Ramsey, and then joined the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, and later became God and went West. I knew him in his Woody Guthries phase, and I still sing some of the songs he wrote, and some of Obray's as well.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: johnross
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:35 PM

The singer mentioned uptopic who sang on TV from the deck of Old Ironsides was probably Tony Saletan, who did many broadcasts on Boston's WGBH-TV.

Tony is now living outside Tacoma, Washington and calling dances.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Abby Sale
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:28 PM

GUEST,Erik Frandsen, Deckman & pdq: thanks for the suggestions. Not them, though. I finally remembrer his first name was Carl. Very good.

Frank: What a list! Some of the better known ones in the 1st two lists were greatly influential, I think. For me, especially Dyer-Bennett. I learned about ballads.

Hey! What about's all the Cambridge/Boston people. As said all had to get started but there were many fine local sengers about the time that girl with the long black hair was getting off the ground.

Rolf Cahn & Rick von Schmidt for starters.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:57 PM

Abby- and before that, Gene and Francesca is NYC

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 06:18 PM

How about Al Cromwell?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:04 AM

Abby: Yeah, that Boston crowd had a lot to offer. How 'bout left-handed Eddie Motteau, and Round Mound of Renown Pat McGuinn?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Madison Memories
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 06:54 PM

In Madison in the 60's at one time or the other I knew or met:

Carolyn Hester

Danny Kalb and his unknown younger brother Johnnie (both great guitar players)

Paul Prestipino, who might be the same person as Greg Prestipino (?), an incredible mandolin and banjo player

Phil Buss, guitar player and maker(last seen in Santa Fe in the 90's)

Tracy Nelson, blues belter of "Down So Low" and Mother Earth fame

Mel Storch, banjo

Of course lots of famous performers played Madison in the early 60's starting with Joan Baez and later Dylan himself, but since Chicago was only 3 hours away we used to go down to the University of Chicago Folk Festival where there was a lot more traditional folk music to enjoy. People like Flatt and Scruggs, the Carter Family, Doc Watson, Big Joe Williams, Gary Davis all played there in the years I went. In addition to the great concerts cause we were on he scene we always got to go to the afterhours party in somebody's flat where you got to see and hear some of these same luminaries in the intimate setting of a livingroom--until the police came and rousted us all out onto the frozen streets because of a noise complaint.

I particularly remember Big Joe Williams and Rev. Gary Davis performing at one of these parties, and at that or in another year, Paul Butterfield, as yet unknown, was in the hallway practicing licks from "You Gotta Help Me Baby, I Can't Do It By Myself" while simultaneously putting the make on a girl with long blonde hair, the lyric ostensibly being his come-on line. I'll never forget that. A couple of years later the Butterfield Blues Band was packing them in at Big Johns in Oldtown and we'd go down on weekends to catch them cause it was a really hot scene. One time while we were dancing I realized that the woman who I was having such a blast dancing with was none other than Odetta.

Barry Goldberg was someone I also hung with once or twice in chicago.

As to other not-so-well-knowns I can think of:

Diane Davidson (maybe more country music), saw her play in San Francisco a couple of times.

Jesse Winchester

Kate and Anna McGarrigle

Ewan MacColl and A.L.Lloyd who had a couple of albums of Sea Shanties

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bubblyrat
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 07:15 PM

I say !!! Ewan McColl little known ?? Well,maybe in the USA ,but in the UK he was ,& will always be, in the top 5 EVER !! His contribution to the Folk Revival in Britain was phenomenal, both as a performer & a song-witer !! He even managed a song,recently recorded by Christy Moore, about the Cuban revolution :-
"Courage was their armour,
as they fought at Fidel"s side,
with Che Guavarra "
    Goes the chorus & yes,McColl was very "Left wing " !! But that didn"t affect his popularity,like it didn"t affect Pete Seeger"s! Hell, Ewan McColl even married Pete Seeger"s sister Peggy !! So ,to mention him on a "little known" thread is unbelievable !!!I mean, he was like a British Woody Guthrie,for God"s sake!! How CAN you call him "not -so-well-known", Guest Madison Memories ?? I am in shock !!!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Leadbelly
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:37 PM

Bubblyrat: take it easy! Naturally you are completely right with Ewan, but don't forget that this contribution comes from the US. If somebody is well-known and famous in one country this does not automatically mean fame in other countries and vice versa.
At this opportunity I would like to send best wishes to Howard Stith who is my personally known best "Little known 1960's Folk Singer" , living in NH.

Manfred from Germany

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bubblyrat
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:51 PM

OK Manfred !! Sorry to get "overheated" !! Where are you in Germany ?? I used to live in Bielefeld !! I did a lot of "busking " outside the Post Office near the railway station in Hanover !!
    Roger.....

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:59 PM

And ... let's NOT forget Pat Garvey!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Madison Memories
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 06:54 PM

Well O.K. now, calm down. I didn't mean to demean him, especially since I really loved his albums of Sailors songs, and now that you hit me with both barrels I recognize that Ewan McColl was indeed a name here in folk circles and had a bunch of albums out. That was long ago and maybe my memory isn't as good as I thought. I guess what I meant was, not widely known among the wider public rather than among lovers of folk music, which one could have said about many really authentic folksingers anyway. Besides which, some people above were mentioning the New Lost City Ramblers in this context, and they were anything but little known or insignificant and I didn't get all unhinged. Anyway, I was thinking of the great seashanty sides, which one must admit, are an even more esoteric taste. I googled them and am glad to see that those albums are still in the catalog and on CD. BTW you may not know, or maybe you do, that John Houston used some of the seashanties from McColl and Lloyd's album "Blow Boys Blow" for the soundtrack of Moby Dick. Gave it an authenticity that Gregory Peck's wooden acting couldn't match.

Back to not-widely-known musicians, I forgot to mention that great songwriter Van Rozay from Canyon CA

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Psychomorris
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:06 PM

Bubblerap Take it easy the world is bigger than Pompey. We had one of the best folk scenes ever in the mid 60.s to 70,s enhanced by many a draft dodger from the USA along with many a rebel song from Eire. What may sit well with one group cannot always sit well with others. I like openess and free thought. Don't kick it if it differs with you. Chill out man. Psychomorris

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:09 PM

Song Lyric as sung by Dick Gaughan
The good ship Granma lies at anchor in the harbour
Waiting for the evening tide to bring high water
It's bound for Cuba she must go across the Gulf of Mexico
And the Caribbean ocean
She's carrying a human cargo,
Eighty-three good compañeros
Each one burning with determination to be free

Against Batista, the Fidelistas
Courage was their only armour
As they fought at Fidel's side
With Che Guevara

Ten days out from Mexico these compañeros
Landed on the Cuban beach Los Colorados
Fidel said, this year will see our country and its people free
Or else we will be martyrs
We've only guns enough for twenty,
The enemy has arms a-plenty
Meet him then defeat him and he'll keep us well supplied

Against Batista, the Fidelistas
Courage was their only armour
As they fought at Fidel's side
With Che Guevara

Five weeks later in the Canyon Del Arroyo
The people's army numbered eighteen compañeros
Hungry, weak, but unafraid,
They're learning Revolution's trade
In the high Sierra Maestra
And in the mountains winds are blowing
Bearing seeds of hope and sowing
Crops in Cuban earth that mark the birth of victory

On compañeros, to El Uvero!
Courage was their only armour
As they fought at Fidel's side
With Che Guevara

They fought their way across the peak of El Turquino
Joined by peasant bands and men from Santiago
They faced Batista's tanks and planes
And drove them down into the plains
From the high Sierra Maestra
They drove the gangsters from Las Villas
Straight across the Cordilleras
Santa Clara fell to Che Guevara and was free

Against Batista, the Fidelistas
Courage was their only armour
As they fought at Fidel's side
With Che Guevara

The fire lit on that Cuban beach by Fidel Castro
Shines all the way to Tierra del Fuego
Its sparks are blown upon the breeze
And men rise up from off their knees
When they see the night is burning
It blazes up in Venezuela, Bolivia and Guatemala
Lights the road that men must go in order to be free

On compañeros, Americanos!
For a peoples' free America
Fidel has shown the way with Che Guevara

©1968 Ewan MacColl

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:14 PM

A couple of names from the Canadian folk scene of the 60's just bobbed to the surface of my grey matter; Bob Ruzicka and Bob Ryszkiewicz.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Psychomorris
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:19 PM

Pat Nelson. John Isherwood. Pete Quinn. John Fitzgerald.(Pompey) Shall I go on. Easy to do with all I have seen. We all have, where we come from, memorable singers and muscians who have given us such delights.None of them have fame in the sense used to day. But local to me you would travel to see them because you enjoyed what they did. What I like is that I can get the same today at most folk clubs and festivals I attend. Thanks all of you. I hope those Americans and Irish that gave me pleasure at their singing and music in the 60.s are still at it. How can any one ever arrive at best ever? Psychomorris

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:22 PM

http://ouestech.com/bob/

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:26 PM

Yo, bobad, crank the volume.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:31 AM

Ewan MacColl was quite well known in the United States. My first acquaintance with his singing was in a class I took in the University of Washington, English Department, "The Popular Ballad," taught by Dr. David C. Fowler. Dr. Fowler played many cuts from a set of several records of traditional ballads sung by Ewan MacColl and A. L. Lloyd by way of examples of ballads we were studying. A couple of years later, I met Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger at the 1960 Berkeley Folk Festival.

Songbooks compiled by MacColl, such "The Shuttle and The Cage" and another similar book he did, plus "The Singing Island" put together by MacColl and Peggy Seeger were big sellers in this area.

There were darned few folk music enthusiasts whom I knew, whose interest went deeper than the Kingston Trio, New Christy Minstrel level, who did not know who Ewan MacColl was.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 01:56 AM

Frank forgot to mention Valucha Buffington, with whom he recorded The world of Frank & Valucha in the early '60s. Art mentioned this recording here and he has a 1983 photo of them here (enter "mudcat" for both username and password).

—BK

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Leadbelly
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 03:52 AM

To Bubblyrat (Roger): Originally I'm coming from Hamburg playing 12-string guitar (blues + folk) in some folk-clubs like Danny's Pan, Blockhütte (St. Pauli) and Onkel Pö from 1966 to 1972. Later on I moved to southern regions, now living in Lower Bavaria (Niederbayern)in a small town (kleines Dorf) near Landshut.
Hope you enjoyed your time in Germany.
Thanks for your interest!

Manfred

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Abby Sale
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 10:51 AM

Peace: I assume you posted "Los Compañeros" to reply to bubblerat, not because Gaughan is a little known 1960's Folk Singer. Actually, I thank you for it - the event is, of course, in the Happy File but I was too lazy to transcribe more than a few lines of it.

Yah, MacColl/Lloyd recordings were taight in my 60's class as well. MacColl & Peggy also did several concerts there (and Peggy one when the US wouldn't let the "dangerous commie terrorist" into the country.) Having Mac Leech & young Kenny Goldstein around didn't hurt.

But I'm remembering others. There were a number who were fairly widely noted then stopped singing. Ruined their careers as folk singers:

    Andy Griffith
    Burl Ives (athough he did sing for a number of years)
    Alan Arkin
    Liz Dyer (I've had a little contact with her - the lovely erstwhile partner of Dave Goulder is happily married, instead living the joys of one-nigh stands)
    Bonnie Dobson (her first US appearance was in my class, too)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 11:32 AM

Yup, Ewan married Peggy all right, but Alex Campbell married her first.

G ¦¬]

Any of you Canucks ever meet a guy called Brian Wadey around Toronto?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 11:42 AM

Absolutely, Abby.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bubblyrat
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 11:44 AM

Dick Gaughan is /was not a "Little -known 1960s Folk Singer". In fact, he is very much a very well -known 21st century folk -singer & musician, and something of an international superstar in the folk world-----which means,of course, that nobody in isolationist USA will have heard of him !!!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 03:13 PM

Bubblerat, I don't think it's so much the "isolationist USA" as it is people who got into folk music recently or whose interest and knowledge, as I said in a previous post, doesn't go very deep. I recently had a young thing ask me "Who's Joan Baez?" And she, of course, is American. Same people who have never heard of Ewan MacColl. Or Eric Bogle. Or Paddy Reilly. I have definitely heard of Dick Gaughan, and although I've never heard him in person, I've heard him on a number of radio programs such as Fiona Ritchie's "Thistle and Shamrock" and on locally produced folk music oriented programs on one of the National Public Radio affiliates in my area. And the others I've mentioned, and more.

Most of the folk music enthusiasts I know (not ALL geezers like me) and swap songs with have heard of these folks too. And have probably learned songs off their records and CDs.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 03:32 PM

Anyone hever heard of V. Glen Ford and his girlfriend? Wish I could recall her name.   He was from Michigan but know they travelled... at least to Florida, and probably many other places. Lovely harmonies.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 03:34 PM

Glen used to sit at the coffee house where (now called) Bob Dylan sang. Bob would rest his foot on this huge coffee grinder, as he played. Glen now is the proud owner of this coffee grinder.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 03:36 PM

Yes, Glen used to play backup for Joan Baez and others... A great versatile singer/player.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Cliff
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 03:43 PM

the late Fred Holstein, Chicago

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Armen Tanzerian
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 05:51 PM

Rolf Cahn

Bob Jones (became an executive in George Wien's Newport organization and renounced singing, but was the best, most soulful ballad-singer I ever heard)

Molly Malone, née Nancy Rosenthal

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 06:33 PM

I got my hot little hands on a record (Bay Concerts Records) that Rolf Cahn and Jo Mapes made back in the 1950s, and learned several songs from it. Good stuff! Then, in 1959, I was in Berkeley and had a chance to meet Rolf and get together with him for a couple of songfests. I wanted to take some guitar lessons from him, but he was heading back to Cambridge in a few days and didn't have time. Nevertheless, I learned a lot from him in just a couple of days.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 06:47 PM

Artus Moser? Appalachian singer. Horton Barker. Great Appalachian singer. Nimrod Workman, also. All were singing in the Sixties. Hally Stepherson Wood. (Married to John Henry Faulk). Mary O'Hara wasn't well known in the States but big in Ireland. Orla Fallon reminds me of her.

Art Thieme knows Bill Chipman...a great country voice...not unlike Riley Puckett.

Sam Eskin lived in Woodstock N.Y. and was a folksong collector and songwriter.

Blues musicians not too well known....Big Joe Williams (not of Count Basie fame). I mentioned Snooks Eaglin earlier. A great player and singer from N.O.

Joseph Spence was singing and playing from Bahamas in the Sixties. "Blind" Blake (not Arthur Blake) was from the same area and nobody knew much about him at the time.

You know Sandy Paton might be included. Everyone knows him for his Folk Legacy but he was a fine interpreter of British Isle ballads.

My friend Dave Zeitlin from L.A. teaches guitar at McCabes and sang and performed well.

Also my friend Guy Carawan and his wife Candie...major contributors to folk music as folklorists and sociologists.

Lee Haring banjo folkie from N.Y.

All I can think of now.

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 06:53 PM

I still vote Tom Deacon as the littlest-known 1960s singer.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Madison memories
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 06:52 AM

Hey Frank, thanks for mentioning Eric Schoenberg in one of your earlier posts. I knew him in Madison back in the 60's but had forgotten all about him in the intervening 40 years. He was a really nice guy, and a serious musician.

If you knew him, maybe you knew other Madison people like Phil Buss, Mel Storch, and Johnny Kalb too? Johnny, a great guitar player like his older brother Danny--who formed the Blues Project with Al Kooper, and played with other big names, so he was quite well known back then--is still playing actively too. They both have great websites.

I enjoyed reading all your lists, and I for one do remember Richard Dyer Bennet because we had a couple of his albums along with all the Weavers, Josh White, Odetta, Baez, etc.

But I have to say that some of the other folks you mention were a bit more than little known.

In particular I would take exception to your mention of Mike Bloomfield as "sort of famous as a blues muscian". Not to get to heavy about it, but if being a founding member of the Butterfield Blues Band and being immortalized for playing with Dylan on his first great electric albums is "sort of" fame, then most any unknown would do just about anything to get to be just "sort of" famous like he was. Hell, the guy could play rings around Eric "boring" Clapton anyday. Course, one could do without the fame including ODing on smack, which was a really sad end for such a talented person to have.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 06:59 AM

how about the following:
- Major Wiley
- Joan Toliver (Joan Sommer)
- Terrea Lea
- Logan English
- Paul Clayton

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Madison Memories
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 07:26 AM

Some others:

Lisa Gilkyson, who lived south of Santa Fe in the late 70's and 80's, had her own recording studio and played around the area.

Gabby Pahinui, the great Hawaiian guitarist (really not so little known for those in the know)

Clifton Chenier, the great zydeco accordian man (probably too well known to be listed here but I'm doing it to memorialize him cause he was so great) and his brother Cleveland (master of the washboard)

Flaco Jimenez, king of the Norteño squeezebox players--a true master

Freddy Fender (Baldemar Huerta) he mixed country and Norteño and was great. He died recently, RIP.

Jim and Jesse

the Country Gentlemen

Jimmy Rodgers -- the Singing Brakeman, not the papsinger

Peter Rowan

the Greenbriar Boys

Rambling Jack Eliot

Mary McCaslin and Jim Ringer

Utah Phillips

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 12:32 PM

Fox Watson, an absolute MONSTER clawhammer banjo player, based somewhere in New England when I met him, though he may have been from the Carolinas originally.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: maeve
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 05:50 PM

" You know Sandy Paton might be included. Everyone knows him for his Folk Legacy but he was a fine interpreter of British Isle ballads."

He still is, as far as I know. He and Caroline are lovely people and lovely musicians.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 06:00 PM

Sorry if she's already been mentioned, but the late Karen Dalton has always been one of my favourites.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 07:22 PM

Frank H ... I'm pleased that you mnetioned Guy Carawan. Back in 59 and on into the 60's he was anything but little known He traveled out here to the Seattle area in 1960. Don Firth and I had a great weekend of music with him when we all traveled up to British Columbia.

I would also like to add a VERY obscure name: "Bill Higley." He was the man most responsible for my interest in folk music. He was an early sidekick of "Haywire Mac." CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mick Tems
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 09:00 PM

Just discovered this thread... great!

Crane Driver, Betsy and Seamus Kennedy: Lea Nicholson was a truly original concertina player and one of my favourites - I saw him at the Valley Folk Club at Pontardawe (which must have in the 1970s.) However, he soon tired of the folk scene and soon disappeared.

I saw Joanne Kelly at Bunjies cellar, London - what a stunning blues player and singer she was. She was sister to Dave Kelly of the John Dummer Blues Band, and guested on Cabal, one of their LPs. She tragically died of a brain tumour.

I used to hang around Bunjies in my just-discovering-folk days. Mike Absalom used to be a regular guest - can anybody remember what happened to him?

After that it was the Goodmayes Methodist Folk Club, ably compered by John Singleton, who moved out to Braintree. There I saw guitarist Nick Pickett, whose deft work on the fiddle as he played the Four-Hand Reel really amazed me - I tell you, it was early days! I think Nick recorded an album.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: voyager
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 07:51 AM

DAVE ZEITLIN - McCabe's Guitar Teacher & Folk Performer

Thanks to Frank Hamilton for adding Dave's name to the conversation.
Around 1968 I took my first guitar lessons in a UCLA lecture hall auditorium with Dave Zeitlin teaching 100+ students in plucking the strings to Freight Train and Goodnight Irene.

Here's a walk down that memory lane...
McCabe's GuitarShop Performers (1969-present)

voyager

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,zalby
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 08:17 AM

Mentioned earlier in the thread was the band " The Fivepenny Piece". there has been some recent releases by some of the original band members including...John Meeks with " Just Me & Some O` me Songs". Information can be found on a re-vitalised web site www.5pp.co.uk.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Midchuck
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 09:16 AM

I still vote Tom Deacon as the littlest-known 1960s singer.

Nahh. I was.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 12:20 PM

don't any of you know any normal sized folksingers?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 01:16 PM

Hi Kids! I'm still going strong in a new kinda way. Folk Singer? Well, O.K. I always thought of myself as a Blues Singer. Freaky to see my name show up,,,Thanks bobad. Erik Frandsen, New York, right? U played the Yellow Door along with Jesse Winchester, Bruce Murdoch, Penny Lang, Tex Koenig, Paul Geremia, Dennis Brown, and a cast of thousands. And, let us not forget... little known at the time, but then went on...Bruce Cockburn, Murray McLaughlin, Bill Staines, Roy Book Binder, Ken Lyon, Jaime Michaels and the list goes on. You can check Folk Roots and Folk Branches with Mike Regenstrief on CKUT via myspace, and my new thingy wingy at http://www.myspace.com/bobryszkiewicz. And in the words of Bob Hope..."Thanks for the memories", and Groucho Marx,"I would never be a member of any organization that would have ME as a member." Bye 4 now. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 03:17 PM

Bob: It's good to see you are still around and making excellent music, "The Ghost Of Elvis" is a fine piece of work.

Maybe we'll see you at the Ormstown Branches and Roots Music festival this summer. Check out this year's lineup at http://ormstownmusicfestival.com/Roots_bios_e.htm

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Azizi
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 11:27 PM

Here's your link, Bob
http://www.myspace.com/bobryszkiewicz

Nice place, u have there!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Psychomorris
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 04:44 AM

Does anyone one remember Colin Scott? An American doing a tour in the uk instead of vietnam. Good singer/ guitarist with many self penned pieces of anti war and protest songs. ( 'Hey Sandy, Hey Sandy why were you the one? All those years of growing up are wasted now and gone'. Did you see them turn, did you feel the burn of the bullets as they flew?') Have the national guard improved much since the late 60,s or just continue to jump to politicians orders ? Sorry wrong subject place. Psychomorris

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:22 AM

Mentioned earlier in the thread was the band " The Fivepenny Piece". there has been some recent releases by some of the original band members including...John Meeks with " Just Me & Some O` me Songs". Information can be found on a re-vitalised web site www.5pp.co.uk.

There's also a compilation CD that came out last year from EMI, with some good stuff on it (Old Tom The Weaver, Ashton Mashers, Brown Photographs, Mi Gronny, etc.) - details at the same website

Yes, the 5PP were little known in the 1960s; they became well known in the 1970s though.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:38 AM

Very pleased to see Lea Nicholson given a name check on this thread. He was a resident at Merlin's in Clerkenwell around 1973, along with other little known folkies like Richard Thompson and Ssimon Nicol. He used to play a mean "Dam Busters March" on his squeezebox! One week I think he and RT did "Coronation Scot" together (ancient light music piece about a British streamline train, for the colonials' benefit).

Strangely enough Bill Vanaver and Livia Drapkin also appeared at Merlin's - I seem to remember that they were heavily into Cretan music, and Livia (or was it Bill)played a bouzouki/bouzar/mandolin/whatever using a goose quill as a pick.

And what about the ineffable Tom Paley? Did he learn to play the fiddle eventually?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:43 AM

Seth Lakeman was little known in the 1960s.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 11:39 AM

Bob Ryszkiewicz: The Yellow Door, oh yeah, that place. And the Back Door was the sister club just across campus, right? Chris Rawlings and Penny Rose were living in the former German embassy. They put a nice throw rug over the big-ass swastika on the floor in the lobby. Do you remember Lindsay Cameron, the piper? Still alive, is he? Who else...? Willie Dunn, crazed Micmac? Got kicked out of the Indian Museum with Pat Sky for cursing the exhibits in some arcane language called Proto-Lakota that they probably made up themselves? Remember that guy? Nice fella and not a mean drunk at all.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:58 PM

ERIK: Yes. Willie Dunn, Bruce Murdoch(33&1/3 Revolutions per Minute/Che Guevara/Can I Come Across To You?), Patrick Sky, Lindsay Cameron(piper/banjo/woodsman/hunter/friend), Jack Nissenson(Mountain City Four/Wade Hemsworth/Kate and Anna McGarrigle/Chaim Tannenbaum), Chris Rawlings, Penny Rose(Rose's Cantina/Morin Heights),Tex Koenig(knew Dylan, Allan Ginsberg, Tulie Kupferberg, food, always carried chopsticks, Bobby Roberts(Hey Joe), and most of The Village, NYC). And where are they now? Heaven and scattered everywhere. But if they somehow could all be gathered in some mystical way...What a party THAT would be. And lest we forget, Fred Neil(The Dolphins/Midnight Cowboy), and Paul Seibel. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 11:27 PM

Mudcat People: Just heard of the passing of John Foley, one of the originators, if not THE originator of The Yellow Door Coffeehouse in Montreal. I believe the place started in 1967. There was a room, some yellow paint, and so, The Yellow Door was born. John sang, wrote songs, and played an old Guild. He was kind-hearted, funny, talented, intense, and a fine man. It was an honor to have known him. Without him, there would have been no Yellow Door. Please help to get the word out...bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bob dylan
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 12:36 AM

I was in England in 1962 doing some TV play. I got a train to Eltham and heard this young kid in the park singing. He was Dave Kennington.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: alanabit
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 03:46 AM

I saw Colin Scott at The Last Waterhole in Amsterdam in 1980. He had a fiddle player and an electric guitarist with him. I heard from others that he was there for some time after that, but I don't know anything else. He was pretty good on stage, but he looked as if he had lived a bit then. I wonder where he ended up?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: alanabit
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 04:36 AM

This link, , if I have understood it, seems to be telling me that Colin Scott succumbed to a certain lifestyle in 1999. I don't speak Dutch, but from my knowledge of German and Rhein dialect, that seems to be what it is saying.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 07:55 PM

Wasn't the song referred to by psychomorris above - Hey Sandy - written by Harvey Andrews?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Rowan
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 01:22 AM

Brent Davey, banjo player now with the Panton Hill Umbrella Club
Jeannie Lewis
Margret Roadknight
Willem Lankhourst
(the last three all singers)

all performing in Melbourne during the 60s

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:19 PM

Google

Margret RoadKnight - The Official Website

She's still up and doin'.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Rowan
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 05:13 PM

Thanks Peace. But she hadn't been mentioned on the thread so I thought I should.
There's also Denis Gibbons and Alec Hood, come to think of it.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 05:24 PM

I think it's wonderful you did mention her, Rowan.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: MARINER
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 04:50 AM

Dick Cameron ,a Canadian ? and Sharon Colen (sp)an American? both sang around Dublin in the 60s .Does anyone know what became of them ?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 05:04 AM

There was this bloke I once saw in a folk club in the 1960s. I only saw him once, and I can't remember his name now. I reckon he wasn't very well known, so he probably qualifies for inclusion in this thread, whoever he is (or was, for all I know he may have passed away since then).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:38 PM

Joe Klee.

Played Uke, wrote songs, smoked an awful cigar, now writes interesting articles for the "Mississipi Rag" and other jazz publications.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Rowan
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 04:26 PM

Scrump, that might have been the same bloke I once saw in some folk club in the 60s. I can't remember the name of the club; can't even remember his, now.

Must be getting old.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 05:28 PM

yes nick pickett, living in stratford, east london,but he was still performing in the seventies and eighties.[maybe still is now]
heres one, Jeff Dale organiser of Downe folk club,blues singer twelve string guitarist.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 07:12 PM

Frank -- not sure, but I think Joe Klee may not still be among us. The VOL. XXXII: NOVEMBER 2004-OCTOBER 2005 No. 8 issue of The Mississippi Rag contains an article titled "farewell to Joe Klee" and his reviews seem no longer to be appearing. There are several mentions of him in this thread and three pictures of him in Art's photo gallery (put "Klee" into the search box to find them).

—BK

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 25 Feb 07 - 08:54 PM

A few more names that maybe belong here -- most pictured in Art's gallery:

Jim Brewer
John Carbo
Peggy Compton
Al Day
Big Wally Friedricks
Iberus Hacker
Ted Johnson
Mike Jordan
Myrna Lande
Bonnie Koloc
Roger (Jimmy) McGuinn
Dave Prine
John Prine
Stuart Rosenberg
Ray Tate
Tyler Wilson

---

1 Tossi Aaron
2 Benjie Aaronoff
3 Joe Aaronson
4 Mike Absalom
5 Derroll Adams
6 Addiss & Crowfut
7 Mike Agranoff
8 Ted Alevizos
9 Clark Allen
10 Peter Alsop,
11 Casey Anderson
12 Arkansas Red
13 Alan Arkin
14 George & Gerry Armstrong
15 Jennifer Armstrong
16 John Ashford
17 Sally Ashford
18 Mary Asquith
19 Bob Atcher
20 George Austin
21 Hoyt Axton
22 Bruce Baker
23 Paula Ballan
24 Horton Barker
25 Robbie Basho
26 Peter Berg
27 Roy Berkeley
28 Marcia Berman
29 Leon Bibb
30 Theodore Bikel
31 Bill & Livia
32 Roy Book Binder
33 Ann Bird/Byrd
34 Blind Blake
35 Richard Blaustein
36 Ralph Blizzard
37 Allan Block
38 Mike Bloomfield
39 David Blue (David Cohen)
40 Geoff Bodenham
41 Ray Boguslav
42 Buddy Bohn
43 Bill Bonyun
44 Hank Bradley
45 Jim Brentano
46 Jim Brewer
47 Anne Briggs
48 Judy Bright
49 George Britton
50 Jamie Brockett
51 Saul Broudie
52 Bill Brown
53 Dennis Brown
54 Fleming Brown
55 Toni Brown
56 Tedd Browne
57 Ian Buchanan
58 Tim Buckley
59 Buckwheat
60 Bud & Travis (Edmonson)
61 Valucha Buffington
62 June Bugg
63 Sandy Bull
64 Don Burnham
65 Martha Burns
66 Howie Bursen
67 Allan Burton
68 Doug Bush
69 Phil Buss
70 Anne Byrd
71 Rolf Cahn
72 Dick Cameron
73 Lindsay Cameron
74 Alex Campbell
75 Guy & Candie Carawan
76 John Carbo
77 Peter Carbone
78 Bob Carey
79 "Ti Jean" Johnnie Carignan
80 Shlomo Carlbach
81 Pat Chamberlain
82 Len Chandler
83 Clifton Chenier
84 Marilyn Child
85 Charlie Chin
86 Bill Chipman
87 William Clausen
88 John Clay
89 Paul Clayton
90 Ray Clayton
91 Bill Clifton
92 Adam Cochran
93 Bruce Cockburn
94 Andy Cohen
95 David Cohen (David Blue)
96 John Cohen
97 Sharon Colen
98 Jimmy Collier
99 Earl Collins
100 Bob Coltman
101 Peggy Compton
102 Brian Cookman
103 Pat Cooksey
104 Mike Cooper
105 Xavier Coudril
106 Pam Coulihan
107 the Country Gentlemen
108 Chris Couveau
109 John Cowles
110 Joe Craven
111 Slim Critchlow
112 Al Cromwell
113 Steve Culver
114 Sis Cunningham
115 Jeff Dale
116 Karen Dalton
117 Shoshanna Damari
118 Allan Dameron
119 Allen Damron
120 Barbara Dane
121 Charlotte Daniels
122 Erik Darling
123 Brent Davey
124 Diane Davidson
125 Jeff Davis
126 Patti (Reagan) Davis
127 Tim Dawe
128 Jim Dawson
129 Al Day
130 Tom Deacon
131 Peter Debin
132 Rich Dehr
133 Bill Destler
134 Justin Devereaux
135 Hazel Dickens
136 Alex Dobkin
137 Bonnie Dobson
138 Terry Dolan
139 Ted Donlan
140 Mark Dorinson
141 K.C. Douglas
142 Paul Downes
143 Livia Drapkin
144 Crane Driver
145 John Dunkerley
146 Willie Dunn
147 Josh Dunson
148 John Dwyer
149 Richard Dyer-Bennett
150 Snooks Eaglin

151 John Eberhart
152 Joe Elias
153 Rambling Jack Eliot
154 Logan English
155 Rick Epping
156 Jerry Epstein
157 Sam Eskin
158 Billy Faier
159 Richard Farina
160 Bruce Farwell
161 Luke Faust
162 Pete Feldmann
163 Julie Felix
164 Freddy Fender
165 Don Firth
166 Judy Flenniken
167 John Foley
168 Pat Foster
169 Eric Frandsen
170 Jackson C. Frank
171 Ray Frank
172 Dave Frederickson
173 Marshal Freedland
174 Ruthann Friedman
175 Big Wally Friedricks
176 Alan Friend
177 Jesse Fuller
178 Sean Gagnier
179 Eddie Gair
180 Vin Garbutt
181 Peter & Isabelle Gardiner
182 Amos Garrett
183 Pat Garvey
184 The Gateway Singers
185 Paul Geremia
186 Freddie Gerlach
187 Alice Gerrard
188 Thom Ghent
189 Denis Gibbons
190 Bob Gibson
191 Jackie Gibson
192 Lisa Gilkyson
193 Terry Gilkyson
194 Kenny Girard
195 Dottie Gittleson
196 Tom Glaser
197 Dick Glass
198 Lynn Gold
199 Barry Goldberg
200 The Goldcoast Singers
201 Cynthia Gooding
202 Ruthie Gordon
203 Louis Gossett
204 Klaus Van Graft
205 Red Grammer
206 Dan Gravas
207 Arvella Gray
208 Peter Greenberg
209 The Greenbriar Boys
210 Al Grierson
211 Bob Grossman
212 Roy Guest
213 Iberus Hacker
214 Derek Hall
215 Tom Hall
216 John Hammond Jr
217 Colonel Bruce Hampton
218 Clabe Hangan
219 Larry Hanks
220 Tim Hardin
221 Jack Hardy
222 Lee Haring
223 Bess Hawes
224 John Hayday
225 Joe Heany
226 Freddie Hellerman
227 Wade Hemsworth
228 Stewart Hendrickson
229 Judy Henske
230 John Herald
231 Johnny Herald & the Greenbriar Boys
232 Carolyn Hester
233 Bill Higley
234 Sam Hinton
235 George Hirsch
236 Moe Hirsch
237 Bob Hoban
238 Lori Holland
239 Fred Holstein
240 Tim Holt
241 Will Holt
242 Alec Hood
243 Doc Hopkins
244 Zylphia Horton
245 Sonny Houston
246 Ray Wylie Hubbard
247 Blair Hull
248 Joe Jaffe
249 Joyce James
250 Karen James
251 Stan James
252 Bert Jansch
253 Micheal Janusz
254 Ella Jenkins
255 Jim & Jesse
256 Flaco Jimenez
257 Joe & Eddie
258 Ted Johnson
259 Dynamite Annie Johnston
260 Bob Jones
261 Mike Jordan
262 Si Kahn
263 Danny Kalb
264 Johnny Kalb
265 John Kalish
266 Dodi Kallick
267 Kathy & Carol
268 Eric Kaz
269 Michael Kaz
270 Larry Keane
271 Mike Kellen
272 Joanne Kelly
273 Luke Kelly
274 Elliot Kenin
275 Betsy & Seamus Kennedy
276 Norman Kennedy
277 Dave Kenningham
278 Dave Kennington
279 Louie Killen
280 John Kirkpatrick
281 Rev. Frederick D. Kirkpatrick
282 Joe Klee
283 Borden Klotweiller
284 The Knob Lick Upper Ten Thousand
285 Tex Koenig
286 Bonnie Koloc
287 Alex Korner
288 Barry Kornfeld
289 Bernie Krause
290 Adam Kreiswirth
291 Al Kuda/Casey/Cooper
292 Jim Kweskin
293 Peter LaFarge
294 Steve Lalor
295 Myrna Lande
296 Penny Lang
297 Bruce Langehorn
298 John Langstaff
299 Willem Lankhourst
300 Gary Lapow

301 Terrea Lea
302 Donal Leace
303 Perry Lederman
304 Katie Lee
305 Rick & Lorraine Lee
306 Mike Leib
307 Perry Letterman
308 Jeannie Lewis
309 Ernie Lieberman
310 Bob Lind
311 Dave Lindley
312 Lingo The Drifter
313 Manse Lipscomb
314 Barry Lister
315 Marie Little
316 Gerry Lockran
317 Paul Lolax
318 Johnny Long
319 Jez Lowe
320 Bob Lusk
321 Roger Luzwick
322 Mel Lyman
323 Ken Lyon
324 Bill Lyons
325 Margaret MacArthur
326 The MacCalmans
327 Jimmy MacDonald
328 Spanky MacFarlane
329 Scott MacKenzie
330 Ewan MacVicar
331 Bill Madison
332 Bob Malenky
333 Molly Malone
334 Steve Mandel
335 Steve Mann
336 Jo Mapes
337 Marais & Miranda
338 Phil Marsh
339 Peter Marston
340 Sue Martin (or Robbins)
341 Bob Martin
342 Vince Martin
343 Bert Mason
344 Chuck Massey
345 Ric Masten
346 Tom Mayes
347 Jim McCarthy
348 Mary McCaslin
349 Mary McCaslin
350 Ed McCurdy
351 John McCutcheon
352 Carolyn McDade,
353 Kate & Anna McGarrigle
354 Matt McGinn
355 Jim McGrath
356 Roger (Jimmy) McGuinn
357 "Round Mound of Renown" Pat McGuinn
358 Fran McKendree
359 Joe & Antoinette McKenna
360 Raun McKinnan
361 Will McLain
362 Murray McLaughlin
363 James McMurtry
364 Paul McNeil
365 Paul McNeill
366 John Meeks
367 Mike Melford
368 Memphis Slim
369 Jerry Merrick
370 Jaime Michaels
371 Kent Michaels
372 Nancy Michaels
373 Jerry Middaugh
374 Micheal Miles
375 Reggie Miles
376 Adam Miller
377 Frank Miller
378 Alan Mills
379 Chuck Mitchell
380 Howie Mitchell
381 Chuck Mitman
382 Little Brother Montgomery
383 Serrafyn Mork
384 Artus Moser
385 Eddie Motteau
386 Bruce Murdoch
387 Ron & Nama
388 Fred Neil
389 Bob Nelson
390 Mike Nelson
391 Tracy Nelson
392 Lea Nicholson
393 Jack Nissenson
394 Rab Noakes
395 Don Normark
396 Mary O'Hara
397 Jackie Pack
398 Jim Page
399 Gabby Pahinui
400 Tom Paley
401 Red Parham
402 Roy Parker
403 Nick Parry-Jones
404 Len Partridge
405 Sandy Paton
406 Gordon Heath & Lee Payant
407 Drew Payton
408 Ken Pearlman
409 "Crazy" George Pegram
410 Ken Penney
411 Brock Peters
412 Utah Phillips
413 Nick Pickett
414 John Pilla
415 Dave "Buck" Polley
416 Shelly Posen
417 Pozo-Seco Singers
418 Paul Prestipino
419 Dave Prine
420 John Prine
421 Nancy Quense
422 Dave "Maverick Child" Rae
423 Ethel Raim
424 Obray Ramsey
425 Stu "Darsono" Ramsey
426 Willis Alan Ramsey
427 Jerry Rau
428 Chris Rawlings
429 Dave "Missing Keys" Ray
430 Dave "Snaker" Ray
431 Susan Reed
432 Mike Reedy
433 Randy Rice
434 Jerry Ricks
435 Almeda Riddle
436 Jim Ringer
437 Ralph Rinzler
438 Edna Ritchie
439 Margret Roadknight
440 Gil Robbins
441 Brian Roberts
442 Chick Roberts
443 Pete Roberts
444 Robin Roberts
445 Carol Robertson
446 Walt Robertson
447 Earl Robinson
448 Frank Robinson
449 Jim Roche
450 Rocky Rockwood

451 Judy Roderick
452 Jimmie Rodgers
453 Grant Rogers
454 Jim Rooney
455 Penny Rose
456 Art Rosenbaum
457 Stuart Rosenberg
458 Dick Rosmini
459 Alan Rotman
460 Peter Rowan
461 Ruth Rubin
462 Rambling Sid Rumpo
463 Mike Russo
464 Lee Ruth
465 Bob Ruzicka
466 Bob Ryszkiewicz
467 Tony & Irene Saletan
468 Beverlie Salmon
469 Betty Sanders
470 Micheal Saul
471 Sonja Savig
472 Norman Schell
473 Martha Schlamme
474 Rick von Schmidt
475 Helen Schneyer
476 Eric Schoenberg
477 Tony Schwartz
478 Colin Scott
479 Molly Scott
480 Dave Sears
481 Nicky Seeger
482 Mike Spoons Seeley
483 Paul Seibel
484 Brother John Sellers
485 Mike Settle
486 Anita Shear
487 Helen Shneyer
488 Paul Siebel
489 Effie Siegerman
490 Marc Silber
491 Pat Sky
492 Mike Slawson
493 Jay Small
494 Janet Smith
495 Michael Smith
496 Oriel Smith
497 Osborne Smith
498 Chris Smither
499 Kit Snow
500 Paul Snow
501 Leni Ashmore Sorensen
502 Dave Spence
503 Joseph Spence
504 Mark Spoelstra
505 Roger Sprung
506 Bill Staines
507 Pete Stampfel
508 Jack Stanesco
509 Doc Stanley
510 Fred Starner
511 John Stauber
512 Bill Steele
513 Alice Stewart
514 Poor Howard Stith
515 Mel Storch
516 Dwain Story
517 Win Strake
518 Michael Strange
519 Jennifer Sullivan
520 Marc Sullivan
521 Steve "Richmond" Talbot
522 T.A. Talbott
523 Gene Tambour
524 Chaim Tannenbaum
525 Ray Tate
526 Joan Toliver
527 Peter Tork
528 Artie Traum
529 Happy Traum
530 Ed Trickett
531 Harry Tufts
532 Gil Turner
533 Rick Turner
534 Ivan Ulz
535 Jay Unger
536 "Sonny" Vale
537 Woody Wachtel
538 Terry Wadsworth
539 Margaret Wagner
540 Andy Wallice
541 Jerry Walter
542 Jackie Washington
543 Fox Watson
544 Laura Weber
545 Eric Weisberg
546 Grant Weisbrot
547 Dick Weisman
548 John Weiss
549 Dick Weissman
550 Fred Weisz
551 Jenny Vincent Wells
552 Harry & Jeannie West
553 Hedy West
554 Laura Wetzler
555 Terry Whelan
556 Bob White
557 Gary White
558 Wade White
559 Dave Wiffen
560 Major Wiley
561 Big Joe Williams
562 Pozo-Seco Singers with Don Williams
563 David Williamson
564 Colin Wilson
565 Stan Wilson
566 Tyler Wilson
567 Jesse Winchester
568 John Winn
569 Elise Witt
570 Hally Stepherson Wood
571 Heather Wood
572 Nimrod Workman
573 Hal Wylie
574 Glen Yarborough
575 Gene Yellin
576 Jerry Yester
577 The York County Boys
578 Malka & Yoso
579 Steve Young
580 Oranim (Guela Gill) Zabar
581 Bob Zaidman
582 Henry Zapotnik
583 Dave Zeitlin
584 Patty Zeitlin
585 Bob Zentz

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Rowan
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 12:50 AM

Half the Melbourne Uni Mountaineering Club were folk singers in the 1960s, well before the onset of the likes of Brian Mooney, Danny Spooner and Gordon McIntyre. That was how I found out that what I was singing at parties and field trips was known by others as folk music. Come to think of it, I seem to recall Brad Tate giving a paper on much the same theme, and he was active in the 60s.

I haven't heard Bob Vincent on his mouthorgan since about 1968. Pity!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 04:54 AM

That was me Rowan and Scrump.

Or maybe someone else!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Little Robyn
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 06:40 AM

Abby mentioned Alan Arkin. Maybe he's better known today, as an actor - he just won an Oscar!
But he used to be a lovely singer.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 09:01 AM

That was me Rowan and Scrump.

Or maybe someone else!

Well it could have been you Kevin - are you little known? If so, that would appear to clinch it.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 26 Feb 07 - 09:19 AM

Alan Arkin was/is indeed a fine singer. I have his album: "Folk Songs ... Once Over Lightly" Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 03:30 AM



There are a few hundred people in a better position than me to answer that!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 02:20 PM

"Do you remember Lindsay Cameron, the piper? Still alive, is he?"

Lindsay died many years ago. A heart attack in his early-50s if I recall correctly. Was a good banjo and guitar player too.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Philj200
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 02:54 PM

Anyone mention David Blue? His Grand Hotel is still haunting.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 03:28 PM

David Blue, the artist originally known as "David Cohen" when he made his debut on an LP with Richard Farina, Patrick Sky and Bruce Murdoch. He died some years ago while jogging in Washington Square Park.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Philj200
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 03:55 PM

More than some years ago. He played guitar for a while with Country Joe. I remember his wedding taking place in a Chinese Restaurant on Broadway in the upper west side of Manhattan.
    He was a big bear of a guy. I once worked at a luthier's shop where some good musicians hung out (B'way in the lower 20's), guys like Rob Hunter ... David came by often. He liked a 12-string conversion (from a Gibson J185) we were just finishing. And walked out with it!
    He did a gig downtown and returned it the next day. But it did cause a major (explictive delited) storm.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: pdq
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 04:17 PM

There are (were) at least three David Cohens, all played guitar.

David Blue actually changed his name back to Cohen a few times. Died as stated above.

Another was a studio ace in southern California. Many jazz people as well as folkies took lessons from this man.

Another one, David Bennett Cohen was a fine flatpicker from New York who moved out to California about 1965 and became the keyboard player in "Country Joe and the Fish".

       web site here

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Philj200
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 10:54 AM

The same David Cohen or Blue who wrote Grand Hotel played with Country Joe. I remember seeing him and the Fish at a sold out concert in Central Park.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 12:04 PM

Thanks, pdq, for sorting out all the David Cohens. David Blue called himself "S.David Cohen" for a while. To keep from confusing him with the guy from the Fish, Steve Mann would ask: which one do you mean, Country Joe Cohen or David Blue, New York Jew?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: pdq
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 12:57 PM

Here is a paragraph from Carol Kaye's web site confirming the third David Cohen as a studio musician in southern California (although he did teach guitar to some folkies).

{quote, Carol Kaye}"These are some of the musicians playing on your favorite past recordings, movies, TV shows:

Guitar:Rene Hall, Howard Roberts, Bud Coleman, Tommy Tedesco, Barney Kessel, Tony Rizzi, Billy Strange, Glen Campbell, Allen Reuss, Bobby Gibbons, Bob Bain, Dennis Budimer, John Gray, Bill Pitman, Al Casey, Al Hendrikson, Irving Ashby, Mundell Lowe, Mike Anthony, Lou Morell, Al Viola, Ray Pohlman, Arthur Wright, Nick Bonney, Toots Thielemans, Don Peake, Charles Wright, James Burton, Dean Parks, Mitch Holder, Mike D'Asey, David Cohen, Jerry Cole, Charley Chiarenza, Neil LeVang, David T. Walker, Larry Carlton, John Collins, Jim Helms, Al Vescovo, Louie Shelton."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 01:05 PM

Norm Schell
Tony Robino
Janet Blair
Mike Fairbanks
Mike Orlen
Carl Watanabe
Bill Nixon

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lisa null
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 01:23 PM

Hi:

Boy does this thread conjure up old memories --especiay of Tex who i knew quite well in Boulder (1960), I was a freshman at theUniversity (briefly) and he had just finished gunsmithing school. In Boulder there was another talented singer named Judy Roderick who I learned a lot of songs from only to discover, later, that they had come from Sandy Paton who had been spending time in Aspen. What a great musical scne Boulder was back then -- not just at the coffee houses and bars, (there and in Denver), but at the the University itself....both at the folk music jams and with the YPSL's (Young People's Socialist League).

Jackie Washington played in Denver at that time, and i think Dave Guth did too. later, when i transferred back east to school (Sarah Lawrence), I remember jamming with a wonderful folksinger named Carly Simon who played with her sister soon after that as the Simon Sisters.

As for Martha Burns. she now lives in DC and is one of my good friends.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lisa null
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 01:27 PM

Oh yes, if there was one singer (who had a Folkways record) i would like to see from back then, it is Stanley Tripp of Vancouver. I wore that album out.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 02:37 PM

Ah yes, the Hedge & Donna thread reminds us of folk duos:

Hedge & Donna
Pam & Ray (the Claytons)
Bill & Renee (Bill Staines and Renee Beghosian)
Mike & Chris (later Orlen & Gabriel)
Williams & Vallen

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 03:46 PM

Hey lisa: MEMORIES OF TEX KOENIG
I met Tex in or around 1967. He was so New York and Village. Spoke of Bobby Roberts(Hey Joe), Dylan, Tuli Kupferberg(Fugs), Ginsberg, Hendrix, and was always laughing. We did some shows together, one where we came back real early, like 5 in the morning. I said "Tex, I'm baffed, I need to sleep NOW." So he said "O.K., I got one bed, if we sleep on it sideways, we can get a couple of hours, then you can drive home." So, I can say in the nicest way that I slept with Tex Koenig! It was such a wacko memory. Sideways in a bed with a 6'4" 360lb. New Yorker. Tex was always about food..."You know Bob, It's not a TRUE wop sauce if it doesn't have any pork in it." (All you Italians out there, he loved ya.) Gunsmith, we talked hours about knives, Randals, the Art. So, one night we went to Chinatown. We worked together doing studio stuff, it was called Soundbox '71. In McGill's studios, here in Montreal. So Chinatown was always the thing. We both studied AIKIDO with Max Villadorata here in Montreal. My girlfriend at the time studied with Lee Siu Pak, "Master Lee" Yang style Tai Chi Chuan. So, we're in Chinatown, and Tex had brought in some "Flying Stars", a martial arts weapon that is thrown. We're into the food and Tex whips these things out. Master Lee, who spoke very little English, says "I know this" So Tex, who is sitting opposite him around one of those immense tables that are common in Chinatown, passes one of the weapons to Master Lee by handing it to one of the approximate 15 people around the table, who one by one, get it to Master Lee. Mister/Master Lee says, "like this," and motions to throw the star, which slips from his hand because of some grease on his fingers from the food. I'm sitting next to Tex and this thing comes straight at us...but curves, and heads straight for Tex, who catches it after it bounces off his chest, and lands in his beard, nicking his throat. A spot of blood appears, a nick really.(Saved by a beard) Everybody laughs, especially Mister Lee. The "oops factor" in martial arts, where the guy who is supposed to have control makes one teensy slip. What a memory! We also hung around the Back Door, another club in Montreal. Tex got a job behind the coffee bar. I was opening for Jerry Jeff Walker, who just got a hit with Mr. Bojangles, and rides in on this huge Honda bike, he'd just bought after a gig in Ottawa...Others who played the club...Doc Watson, along with Merle, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, John Hammond, David(Maverick Child)Rae(a killer player), Jesse Winchester and many others. Club's gone now, still got the memories. Paul Geremia, my old friend/teacher from Providence was there too, Tex always called him "Pauly". So Paul tells this story about this gay guy who gets on a bus in New York with an umbrella, and forgets it while paying his fare. The Bus Driver, with the Brooklyn accent says," Hey Cinderella, ya forgot yer magic wand!" The gay guy walks up to him, touches him with the umbrella's handle and says," POOF, you're a piece of sh*t." You can only get this kind of stuff with Folk Music kids! Tex Koenig. I will NEVER forget him. Goodnight everybody. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 05:13 PM

Hey Kids! Don't wanna take up too much room here, but this thread got the 'ole memory going and I thought you might enjoy this. Reverend Gary Davis played the Back Door too. He's got this big Bozo guitar that he's using and I've got my '65 Gibson J-50. The Rev says, "Play sumpthin", so I start off with this riff, and he says, "don't you be playin' none of that Rock and Roll!, play the 'natrel Blues! He says, "you ain't from here, are you boy?" I go, no, I'm American. (The Marines had invited me to Saigon, because they thought I might be good at killing people. I thought playing the Blues was a better idea.) So Gary says "You know, anyplace you hang your hat is home." And, "All women are beautiful." You know, it took 30 years to realize, being blind, was he jiving me? But, no, he was going for a deeper spiritual truth...So, I take him for a ride in my trusty '60 Corvair, and we head back to my place near the mountain here in Montreal, where there's a massive steel cross that is lit every night. A Montreal landmark. I'm describing the scene to the Rev. and he just gets quiet. I didn't ever see him again. God Bless you Rev. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 08:18 PM

Some great reminisences there Bob, thanks for that. I was living in downtown Montreal at the time (late 60's early 70's) and saw many of the acts you mentioned at the Back Door. I recall a John Hammond gig where the audience, at encore time, was requesting tunes that weren't exactly firing John up so I called for "Hootchie Cootchie Man" and John says "That's my man" and launches into his great version of that tune. My slight brush with fame.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 08:21 PM

Thanks, Bob, for your posts!

We seem to be missing some of the blues folks but maybe because they were too well known:

Lightning Hopkins
Brownie McGee
Sonny Terry

And I'm not sure if anyone mentiioned "Mac" McClintock ("Jerry, Won't You Oil the Car")

There were a whole lot of folks in Ann Arbor and East Lansing but apparently no one in Michigan is posting on this thread. I may have to dredge 'em up myself!

Is Charlie King too young to mention?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 08:44 PM

"Oh yes, if there was one singer (who had a Folkways record) i would like to see from back then, it is Stanley Tripp of Vancouver. I wore that album out."

Do you mean Stanley Triggs?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 08:57 PM

Hey bobad/Charlie: Looks like I gotta write that book I was always thinking about. John Hammond is just great. We met at the Back Door. It might have been during one of those gigs, and strangely enough, I vaguely remember the incident you mentioned. We walked up the street during the break and I was asking him questions about how to get the vibratos he was getting. You think it's rubbing the string on the wood, but it's more like dancing on the string from the top like a clothesline/trampoline, a downward push. Just keep trying to do it, it will come. B.B. King's way is more on the board with the hand technique, and he gets that sound. The one thing, among many that I admired about John and Paul Geremia, was their ability to get that tone on the harp. Some guys used to dip the Marine Bands in water to get it. Both Paul and John can do it just like that. I just saw John in a video with him speaking to the audience. The years have calmed him down, he used to have a bit of a stutter. He was just talking away and it made me smile. When you have guys like John Hammond and Paul Geremia, who must have clocked millions of miles and thousands of shows...That's a "National Treasure" as the Chinese say. They, to me, are just as relevant and important as say, Robert Johnson. I should let somebody else say a few words. See ya. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 09:31 PM

Get writing that book Bob, you're a great raconteur and you have some wonderful stories to tell. Put me down for a few copies at least.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 10:56 PM

Wow! Memory Lane is crowded!
Does anyone remember the Beers Family? Loved their stuff, but very few folks seem to remember them. Robert was the absolute king of the big psaltery.
Liz Dyer -- egad! I could listen to her forever.
Raun MacKinnon seemed a little embarrassed to be reminded a few years ago about the album she did when she was 18, but I still love it.
For "little-known" in the folk venues but magnificent otherwise, I nominate Barry Hansen of the '60s UCLA folk song club, who is now (I believe) "Dr. Demento."
Dave Elson of McCabe's was the first person I ever hear pick Irish jigs on the banjo. Smokin'!
Do the Wurzels count as a folk group?
Probably the most obscure group I ever heard (at either the Ash Grove or the Troubador in LA) was a pick-up band billed as the "Pseudo Mountain Boys". Their mandolinist later joined the Stone Ponies, and their bassist is a theater organist.
I'm sure I'll think of more eventually -- this is a great anti-Alzheimer's exercise for those of us over 60!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:03 AM

Another one of my inspirations growing up in Maine has been Edward "Sandy" Ives, teacher and folklorist at the University of Maine at Orono. He's responsible for collecting many lumbering ballads from Maine and Canada, publishing and recording them as well. I suppose he's better known for his academic accomplishments but he's also a fine singer and an inspiration to generations of students, including myself. He also wrote a wonderful book about the ballad "The Bonny Earl of Murray."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:20 AM

Do the Wurzels count as a folk group?

Yes, IMO, but hardly a 'little known' one, even in the 1960s, when Adge Cutler was still their leader. They reached the British Top 40 pop charts with "Drink Up Thy Zider" in 1967.

(Of course the Wurzels became even more well-known in the 1970s, after Adge's sad demise, and topped the UK charts with "Combine Harvester", a parody of Melanie's Brand New Key, written by Irishman Brendan O'Shaughnessy.)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:29 AM

Paul Geremia has also been know to dip his "harp" into a glass of beer -- Tom

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:39 AM

Since Charley Noble mentions it...I wasn't in Michigan in the 1960s (I'm there now) but some of the almost-famous folks from there and then are Chuck Mitchell (Joni's ex), Ron Coden (still around, still performing and a neighbor of mine) and Phil Marcus Esser (not sure where he is).
The Raven Gallery was a premier folk venue in Southfield, a Detorit suburb. It's been a very good restaurant, Sweet Lorraine's, for many years.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:42 AM

....ah, Paul Geremia....."I wrote this song when I was so lonely there was two of me....."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 12:29 PM

My God. Here I go again... The year was 1963. Everybody was pumped with the Kingston Trio. Charlie and the MTA...Oh, he'll never return, yeah he'll never return, and his fate is still unlearned, he may ride forever neath the streets of Boston(Bill Madison, Bill Staines, Sword in the Stone). I'm in High School. Two friends, Jerry and Dick and we form a group we call "The New Bad Trio" aptly named because nobody in the group could play an instrument. We did have a guitar, which nobody knew how to tune, which, I guess was irrelevant, because the three of us didn't know a single chord. So we let Dick HOLD the guitar, I played the bongos, and Jerry stood there doing backups to my vocals. We did a show in front of the whole school doing Charlie and the MTA with me on lead vocals. Smash hit. Girls coming up to us, telling us we were great. So I said to myself,"wait a minute, this might turn into something." So I try playing the guitar with the loose as a moose strings, mimicking chords. Just making noises. I find a friend, who had a guitar, a Gretch. he was taking lessons, and the guitar was in tune, And, the light shines through. He knew a CHORD! The Holy Grail!. Well, I learned that chord, my figures hurt because the strings were tight like steel. But, it wasn't until the second week of February 1966 that I began to play guitar. In College I met another guy who knew 3 CHORDS! As I forced my hands to change from one chord to the next, a struggle. But hour upon hour of repetition, deep desire, and persistence got me to the point of playing a progression, A clear breakthrough. I played my first "gig" in the girl's dorm, so scared that my knees were hitting together, shaking. There was a coffeehouse. And this guy called Paul Geremia, was going to be playing there. I always carried a notebook where I would draw pictures of the chords, and later try to play them. I made sure I was in the front row when Paul began to play. When I saw that, it was like seeing God. I wrote in the book, "Forget it." What he was doing was way beyond what I could even write down or draw, I followed him out the door, asking many questions. That's where it all began, and I'm sure many of you reading this have a similar story. It is why Folk Music is important. It is why you are participating in this. It is beyond music. It is Life. From the sea shantys of the Brits, to the Bluesmen of the Delta, to the AUDIENCE. The audience is the show. The audience is the vital component that makes it happen for all of us who perform. This is why Mudcat is a great thing.
As for Paul, I choose not to remember the beer. I choose to remember the greatness and the passion, and the generosity of a great player who taught me how to play the Blues. God Bless ya Pauly. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 08:09 PM

Lawdy, Lawdy, somebody HELP me, Great God Amighty, I be searchin' for a rescue...back up the thread with the Cohen thing. We've already talked about the David Blue/Cohen, Bruce Murdoch, Patrick Sky thing, but there was also Bobby Cohen(session guy in Mtl), and Andrew Cowan(Stephen Barry Band), Leonard Cohen(a whole other thing). Is everybody still awake? And yes, pdq., Carole Kaye(a Monster Bass player) got it right. Howard Roberts, Dennis Budimir, Tommy Tedesco, Toots Thielemans, etc. right during the 1966 "Route 66" era were doing most of the work on t.v.. etc. I had the opportunity to meet Howard Roberts at a Musician's Union Seminar hosted by Frank Quinn(my Jazz guitar teacher). By 1971, I had hit the wall with the fingerpicking thing, steel picks, Dobro thumbpick. I wanted to advance my blues technique, so I got into Jazz. I had to stop with fingerpicking, and take up the flatpick, like a junkie giving up the needle. Frank would run me through the Berklee Jazz course, one time with me sweating, (Frank could play the guitar either left or right handed. Frightening.) "What chord is THAT?" I didn't know. He had walked me through the harmonic jungle so far, that if would have asked me my name, I wouldn't have been able to tell him. So, I'm looking at the chord and I don't know what it is. He says, "C". I look again and he's right. The old C chord EVERYBODY in Folk uses! CEGC. I go, man, can I do this? You see, the world of Folk and musician's everywhere were all intertwined. Like ships passing in the night, everybody ran across everybody at one point or another. Well, almost. So this seminar things coming up with Howard Roberts. I go to see Fred Torak, one of the few geniuses I've met. Perfect Pitch. He was the one they would call when The Ice Capades were in town, and needed somebody who could cut the parts fast. I show up with John McLaughlin's "Birds of Fire" album, and play it for Fred, who before my eyes, starts to write out the music. WHILE IT IS PLAYING! Astonishing, Black notes on paper, FAST, like a typewriter! We go to the Seminar that Howard Roberts is giving. A humble guy. He says" You know, I won the 1958 DownBeat Poll for Best Jazz Guitarist and I knew ONE scale." It was that pentatonic thing everybody uses in Blues, Hendrix, everybody. So, Howards on stage and he has this folk guitar that got cracked, so he had it rebuilt with an F-top. Dark colored. He says, "you know, as session guys, you are going to have to be able to hear the individual notes within a chord." He turns his back to the audience and strums a chord. Torak goes, E minor 7 Flat 5! The whole room looks at Fred and Howard says, Right! But just to tell you, there will always be the Fred Toraks, David(Maverick Child)Raes, and the David Brombergs out there...Folkies. Ha Ha Ha Hee Hee. So I take a walk with Howard (I take lots of walks, following Mr. Lee's(back up the thread) advice, " be the fool, you can know." Which means, learn from EVERYBODY who will teach you.) Howard tells me the boys in L.A., the crowd that pdq mentioned were pushing the music as far as it could go during the era, and that he was working on his next album, called "Equinox Express Elevator" where they were using Orange Squeezers(a compressor), and envelope followers and every other trick the big studios had at the time to come up with an album the likes of which, nobody had ever heard before(shades of Joe Meek. Brits gotta know) MASSIVE sound, deep delays, rotary speakers, everything. Got to keep to the theme of the thread here. Sandy Bull, Oud, middle eastern influences, EVERYBODY had that. Must have listened to that til it wore out. Mike Bloomfield, among the deadliest, had to have touched just about everybody. Clapton=Clapton. You will be able to hear the genius if you get quiet with it. It's what he's playing, but it's also what he's not playing, like Miles. Boring? Not in my world. Ewan McColl, for sure. Kudos to all the Brits, Peter Green, Clapton, Alexis Koerner, Roger(Jim)McGuinn(who I opened for at The Golem.) Hands down, the best acoustic folk performance that I have ever seen. Nearly two hours of hit after hit. Did he write THAT? Yep.) Anyhound, if it wasn't for the Brits(so many) kicking in with their Love of the Blues, it just would not have been the same. Tex is back in at this point. Chinatown. I say to Howard. Bet you like Chinese food. "How did you know?" Easy, Musician! Only place open til 4am besides the Delis. Into the night. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 12:08 PM

Come hear a guaranteed 100% authentic little known New York folksinger from the 1960s in person this very same evening! If you missed him at the Broadside hoots and at the Gerdes Folk City hootenanny nights, if you didn't get to hear him at the South Street Seaport or outside the gates of Fort Dix, if you didn't catch him at a coffee house in Queens or on Long Island, if you failed to notice him at the Four Winds and the other pass-the-basket houses in Greenwich Village, and if you never heard him on Izzy Young's or Bob Fass's shows on WBAI-FM, now it the chance you have been waiting 40 years for! Also come celebrate the release of I've Been Up On the Mountain, his newest CD!

Steve Suffet
Old Fashioned Folksinger
Accompanied by MacDougal Street Rent Party at the
Peoples' Voice Cafe
Workmen's Circle Building
45 East 33rd Street
New York City
Tonight • Saturday • March 10, 2007
8:00 PM • Doors open 7:30 PM

Also appearing...

Holly GoAnarchy
Anarcho-Feminist Folksinger-Songwriter

Suggested admission: $12.
Peoples' Voice Cafe and Workmen's Circle members: $9.
TDF vouchers accepted. No one turned away for lack of money.
For information, please call 212-787-3903.

Be there!

Please.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lisa null
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 07:54 PM

Bob Ryszkiewicz: Thanks so much for sharing the reminiscences about Tex. I do remember how he was not only a mountain of a man but how much he loved the martial arts-- philosophically as well as physically. In Colorado, in 1960, he was big and strong but not overwhelming in personality or size -- all that was left to come. What he was was a serious singer and thinker with a lot of good songs.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lisa null
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 07:57 PM

Thanks to "Guest" for reminding me that Stalnley Tripp was actually Stanley Triggs. I heard his folkways record in 1960 and really loved it. Anyone know what happened to him? he belongs on this list!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Alamosa Bill
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 08:39 PM

I would like to report the passing of one of the finest i2 string guitarists, Mark Spoelstra, on Feb 25th 2007. To read more about Mark, his website is www.markspoelstra.net

Spent lots of time at the old Club 47 in Cambridge, Ma. Was there when Tim Hardin blew into town and Dayle Stanley let him do a couple of sets between her sets. Tim was great and is missed.

Alice Stuart is still performing around Seattle & th Pacific Northwest.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 09:30 PM

There must be some kinda HOOT goin' on at a new coffeehouse in heaven. Mark Spoelstra's passing was noted in another thread as well. Then Eric Von Schmidt, Tex Koenig, John Foley, Lindsay Cameron, Artie Gold(Classical Music expert). Most of those I just heard about. I wonder if it's pass the hat up there. I do know that John probably started it, and that Tex has already found the best Chinese Restaurant. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 01:21 AM

Greetings:

My gig last night in New York City went really well and there was a pretty decent turnout, especially since I was up against David Rovics at the Vox Pop , Alan Friend (another 1960s folkie) at the Park Slope Food Co-op, and a belated Purim party thrown by a woman who is very active in the local music scene. However, only one Mudcatter made her presence known. Thank you, Emma. I suspect there may have been one or two more. If there were any others in attendance, could you please give me a holler?

Thanks.

Next stop: NEFFA. Then it's off to the Jacob's Ladder festival and a mini-tour of Israel. It's hard to believe that 43 years after I first got up on a coffee house stage I'm still a little known folk singer. [grin] I'm certain, though, that isn't the record.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 09:36 AM

I remember many a night in Chinatown with Tex. He would never let me order , or even look at the menu! With him and the taxi drivers we would eat and schmooze till the the sun came up. I loved the places he took me to.. He told me once, "Never record anything that you can't take on tour." Which I think is good advice.

Mark Ross

PS Hello Lisa Null, I haven't seen you in over 30 years.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 08:36 PM

I'm wondering if anyone ever ran across a Dave Greenberg. I remember meeting him in deepest darkest East Lansing, Michigan, back in the 1970's and persuading him to write out the words to "Walk Me Out in the Morning Dew Today" which I believe he got from Bonnie Dobson.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: lisa null
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 12:16 AM

Mark Ross!
How wonderful to be remembered by you after all this time.... of course, I have followed your long and itneresting involvement in things folkish. It's so much fun to "come out" on Mudcat and discover that the world of people who love so many things I love is still out there connected...


Hope our paths cross soon. Am planning to take up touring again after a hiatus of a quarter century!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Scrump
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 08:32 AM

I remember in about 1964, being in a folk club in London, when in walked this young guy with a guitar. He asked if he could do a song, and having got a nod from the organiser, he got up on the small stage there and started singing. A hush fell on the room as soon as he started - everyone there was mesmerised. The song had such powerful words, and he had a charisma that had everyone in the room transfixed. When he finished the song, there was a pause of about a second, and then the room erupted into applause, that seemed to go on for a long time, but was probably about five full minutes before it subsided. The guy thanked us and walked away.

Nobody ever saw him again. We never did find out who the heck he was.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 07:00 PM

I came across this thread a few days ago and have been tripping down memory lane ever since. I was a little-known folksinger from 1960, when I played my first gig at the Bohemian Embassy in Toronto, till 1966, when I returned from two years of living and gigging in Britain, only to find the folk boom had gone bust in Ontario. The Purple Onion had become the home of Luke and the Apostles, an electric blues band. The Village Corner and Gate of Cleve were long gone. The Fifth Peg was bankrupt. The Riverboat was pretty much hiring big names only (and I do mean Len Chandler) and there was no place left for a journeyman folksinger like me. One bar-room gig later, I was history. Maybe I'll be seized by an uncontrolled urge to share my Len Chandler stories and my David Wiffen stories and my Doug Bush stories, but for now, I'll content myself with adding a few more names to the list.

From southern Ontario:
The Chanticlairs
The Fernwood Trio
The Pioneers
The Sinners
The Perth County Conspiracy
Sharon Trostin
Cedric Smith
Mary Jane and Winston Young
The Travellers

From London, England:
Redd Sullivan
The Thameside Four (Marion Gray, Pete Maynard, Martin Carthy,
                   Long John Baldry)
Paul MacNeil

When I was little known back then, I went by the name Joanne Hindley-Smith.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 07:24 PM

Cedric Smith, of course, went on to the role of the father on "Road to Avonlea" for a number of years.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 07:16 PM

Let's see, Owen McBride and Sarah Gray used to hang out with Friends of Fiddlers Green in Toronto back in the late 1960's. A whole group of them came storming into East Lansing for a concert at the folk club at Michigan State University, a tape of which I've been mining for years. What an evening!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 07:39 PM

From the Bay Area: Mad Michael Hunt. Yes, Mike Hunt. His real name. Very funny guy. Played 12-String.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 02:46 PM

Mike Hunt? The guy who wrote "Giovanni Batista Montini"? Yeah, he was pretty funny.

How about Lisa Kindred? She was pretty good.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:00 PM

from over in rome italini
the cardinals never say nope
to giovanni montini the pope

didn't he also write my baby died this morning? and silicone?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 03:05 PM

Did anyone mention Ken Bloom, the multi-instrumentalist? Anyone know what he's been up to the last twenty-five years or so?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 06:28 PM

"Giovanni", yes indeed, Mike Hunt write that one. And this classic:
It stood 60 feet wide and 20 feet tall
Sixteen catalogues hung on the wall
The half-moon on the door was carved with pride
And the holes in the seats were 3 feet wide in
Big John (great big John)
Played many nights with the lad at the old Lion's Share in Sausalito. Until it burned down. Then we didn't play there anymore.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: JZ
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 02:20 AM

Glad to see a few folks mention singer-songwriter-guitarist and pianist Raun MacKinnon!!! She was a teacher of mine, (and a mega-influence on my writing and playing) from the ol' Guitar Workshop days on Long Island. Jeff Warner, Jeff Davis, Charlie Chin, Marty Cutler, Paul Brady (of Planxty, and far from unknown!)the list goes on and on... Paul Kaplan's up in Amhurst, MA. Great singer-songwriter and
folk musician.

Also from Long Island, Bruce Morganheim, who wrote the song "Circle of Light" and many others. He played guitar, fiddle, banjo, viola... I was a very obscure 60's singer songwriter and folkie playing on LI and NYC in the late 60's-70's-80's and then some... So was/is Robin Greenstein, and Cecilia Kirtland. We were Raun MacKinnon's students and products of The Guitar Workshop. I still play some of Raun's songs.

Only one person in this thread has mentioned Jim Dawson- I just saw him at a house concert in Brooklyn in January. He has a new CD out and it's wonderful.He's a powerhouse of a performer.

This is question is a decade off-thread, but does ANYBODY know the whereabouts of singer-songwriter-guitarist Bill Priest? He was amazing. Met him at the Flushing Local Cofeehouse, he was a close friend of Lucinda Williams'. We played some gigs together in the 70's-early 80's on the NYC Village scene, pre-Fast Folk, at clubs like The Banana Stand, and we did a whole weekend openning for Susan Osborne at Folk City. He was from Texas originally, and left NY to go back there. Bill Priest was his stage name. The Song Project (Lucy Kaplansky, Martha P. Hogan, Tom Intondi, Jerry Devine)covered one of his songs, "Tupelo Rain". Will somebody please tell him Judith Zweiman's lookin' for him? Blessings to you all and thanks for a fascinating read!- JZ

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 01:47 PM

Anybody remember:

Humphrey and the Dumptrucks was a terrific jug-bluegrass band out of Saskatoon in the late-'60s. They lasted through the mid-'70s or so;

Diana Marcovitz was a quirky songwriter from Montreal who was based out of New York City for a while and then disappeared;

Alexandre Zelkine, a guitar-playing baritone from Russia via France and Canada who sang folk songs from all over the world in the '60s and early-'70s.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Abby Sale
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 02:21 PM

For Bay Area readers only:

Any recolection of a SF union song (etc) singer named Carl? He was about the leading folksinger in the late 50's & later, I think.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 02:43 PM

I've been following this thread for some time. As I re-read it, a question comes to me. Over the many years, and the hundreds (thousands?) of performers we all have known, loved, and respected, why is it that there are so few that "really made it?"

Of course the first questions is: what do we mean when we ask ... "really made it?"

Was it factors of: talent; drive; luck; drugs; bad men and wimmen; or something else.

I'll offer my own VERY personal experience here as an example of what "making it" means to ME!

I'll be 70 next month. Within the next two weeks, I'll succeed in holding my very first quality recording in my hand. I will be singing a solo concert, which will present this CD to the world.

As "Bride Judy" said to me last night when I was writing and re-writing song credits: "You've been working FOR this all your life!" And of course she is correct.

As I write this now, I wonder where Don McCalister, Terry Wadsworth, David Spence, and many others ... could have gone if they hadn't left us so early!

Good thread! CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 02:47 PM

Guest: I remember all 3 acts. Diana Marcovitz used to play The Yellow Door. Alexandre Zelkine as well. Humphrey and the Dumptrucks were more Western Canada, but I remember them as well. Disappeared. The only person that I know who might know is Mike Regenstreif(Folk Roots/Folk Branches)CKUT, Montreal. Diana was a wonderful soul. I've often wondered what became of her. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Coyote Breath
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 03:35 PM

I came late (as usual) to this thread. Anyone mention Paul Prestopino? played with Mike Bloomfield when the later managed the Fickle Pickle in Chicago in the middle 60's. He was with the Chad Mitchel Trio for a while. His Dad was an abstract painter of some note. Also Mike Slossen(sp?) (sometimes called Mike Castle), Jacquie Harrison, Billy Chippet (wonderful and haunting version of Barbara Allen, an on-again off-again brush arbor musician from the bootheel of Missouri). "Doc" Stanley who MC'd the open mic at The Poison Apple in Chicago. I met Mississippi John Hurt there on a Sunday afternoon in 1963 or '64. Doc got in bad trouble, something about a shooting. Lots of talent in Chicago and Milwaukee back then. Peter Stampfel, Rob hunter and another guy I can't remember played in Milwaukee under the name of McGrundy's Old Timey Wool Thumpers. Bill Ross and Sweet Billy Olsen both great five string banjo players. Bill Ross (Rossiter was his true surname) had been a Capuchin monk at one time. Married a gal from Mexico and they lived in Pueblo last I heard.

For a while Rob Hunter was with Steve Weber and Peter Stampfel as Holy Modal Rounders in the village. Rob lived in alphabet city in a walk-up most of whose apartments were shooting galleries.

Ahh... nostalgia!

CB

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Coyote Breath
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 03:58 PM

Hi there Erik.

As I once heard you: Blind Erik Flatpick. At the Drinking Gourd in SF. Glad you're still around.

Remember Herb J.?(Blue Unicorn) He's up at the Vet's home in Yountville, doing OK as far as I know.

CB

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 08:13 PM

Greetings:

JZ wrote: "Paul Kaplan's up in Amhurst, MA. Great singer-songwriter and folk musician." Absolutely true, and Paul comes back down to New York City quite frequently. For example, he will be performing at the Community Cabaret of the Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, this coming Friday, March 23, 2007. Also appearing will be Rachel Stone, Carl Sievert, and the Elegant Ivory Duo. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the show starts at 7:00.

JZ also mentioned Robin Greenstein, among others. Robin is still very much on the New York folk scene, after having done one stint as personal assistant to the late Hedy West, and another as a traveling promoter of Martin guitars.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 08:21 PM

The "Drinking Gourd" in the "City" was a great place in the 60's. Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:40 PM

DECKMAN: You already made it. If you can do what you enjoy, that's a Blessing. Did some checking for GUEST: Diana Marcovitz went to New York, then to Israel, got married along the way and became Danya Bokenboim, a writer. ERIC FRANDSEN: aka "Fastblind" Eric Frandsen, I remember Big John, the "Fastblind" comes from Tex. God Bless him. bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 10:35 PM

Yeah, I'd forgotten about "Fastblind," but the "Blind Erik Flatpick" tag was hung on me by Ruthann Friedman, probably because I was and am a fingerpicker. Herb Jaeger? Glad he's still with us. How 'bout Mike Heintz, Tom Meisenheimer, Jon Toly (his sister Signe was the first girlsinger with the Airplane, replaced by Grace Slick), all of whom used to play together under various noms du stage, many times at the Zodiac on Fillmore St. The Drinking Gourd, eh? Right next to Stu Goldberg's Marina Music. ("When you need a guitar see Smilin' Stu--he gives credit where credit is due." My first jingle.) Used to teach guitar there with Sam Andrew, Eddie Ellison, and for a very brief time Elmer Snowden(!).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 02:24 PM

"Diana Marcovitz went to New York, then to Israel, got married along the way and became Danya Bokenboim, a writer."

Diana went home to Montreal for quite a few years in between her time in New York and moving to Israel. Her name is now Danya *Boksenboim*, not Bokenboim.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 07:56 PM

Thanks Peter...

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 02:51 PM

There was Tom & Jerry, a couple of high school kids from Queens who were pretty good in the early sixties.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 02:55 PM

Did they play some basket houses in the Village?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:15 PM

I think Tom & Jerry went on to become Simon & Garfunkel.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:20 PM

LOL

Yeah, thanks Mark. So who were the two guys who did a duet, both sang and played guitar? Y'ad see 'em often in the ZigZag. One of the fellows ended up getting a letter from his Uncle and he went to SE Asia. Don't know about the other guy. They were really good. Great harmonies and clean flat picking. Ring any bells with you?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:49 PM

So the Tom and Jerry thing was a joke - right? I imagine everyone taking part in this thread knows that tidbit from the earlier history of Simon and Garfunkle.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:56 PM

Not me. I thought it was the two guys I'm asking Mark about, not Simon and Garfunkel.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:02 PM

Sorry, Peace, I thought you were just carrying on the joke. Sometimes it's hard to know for sure without those smiley faces.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:56 AM

How about Judy Mayhan? The Sorry Muthas? Keith Sykes? George Gerdes?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 05:17 PM

George Gerdes has lived in LA for many years, acting and still writing great songs. When he hits town we get together and drink. For a change.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,celticblues5
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:46 PM

Just discovered this thread & started reading through it with a notepad in my hand. :-)

Sure wish more folks would add a little blurb about the type of music each person makes/made, rather than just listing a dozen or so names!

With so many names, there's no way one could try to hunt down albums from every one. It would be helpful to be able to start with those who work in a genre/style I'm more certain that I would enjoy.

I don't know if he was playing as early as the 60s, but in the 70s in Kansas City we loved going to see Danny Cox - blues/folkblues. We always thought he should have had more recognition.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 10:12 PM

.....and let's not forget Julius Lester.....

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:09 AM

How about Danny Farmer, Sean Gagnier, Ronney Abramson, Rings & Things?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:25 AM

Thanks, Balladeer! You brought back some more memories with your list. I wonder if we could ever remember them all. There were some great performers in those days, including yourself, and a damned shame that some of them never got recorded back then.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:28 AM

Chris Rawlings, Montreal

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:41 AM

Not to mention Andy Vine. He picked me up hitch-hiking once - I'm trying to remember if I ever actually heard him perform, and why I associate him with Chris Rawlings ...

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 01:39 PM

Chris Rawlings, yeah: It's only six miles to the Pearl River Turnaround, never very far in the sun or the rain, if you don't turn back at the Pearl River Turnaround, never get back again.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 02:03 PM

Chris Rawlings: "Here Comes Juan Rodriguez": "...Some say he came from Mexico, where he killed a shoeshine man/ Strangled him with his shoeshine rag, said, 'We all do what we can.'" Juan Rodriguez was the music critic for the local fishwrapper in the late '60s.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 02:07 PM

Monte Dunn.

And thanks for mentioning Raun MacKinnon. Took me back to a night in Toronto when we were both about eighteen and we sat on the floor of her hotel room swapping songs till dawn.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Old Roger
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 05:13 PM

Biff Rose http://www.biffrose.com/

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 11:56 PM

Thank you, Janet in New Jersey for mentioning Laura Weber! She was my music teacher in high school. A wonderful person and wonderful teacher. She took our class into the local NET (former name of PBS) studio, KQED, San Francisco, and onto the set a few times when her folk guitar show was being taped. We got to sit and listen to her and Pete Seeger, Mike Seeger, classical player Christopher Parkening, and Elizabeth Cotton, in separate shows. It was a music education I'll never forget. I don't think she did gigs outside of her teaching, but I agree that she should be included in this thread, if for no other reason than to honor her as a great teacher, R.I.P.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: ridovem
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 04:26 AM

Well, well... what a crowd! I was looking for a viola player that let me sing harmony at the U Miami student union- Ron Kickasola- and his math-grad buddy, Rob Rucker & I played at Myron & Joanie's joint in Coral Gables, in 1962, maybe? Ron put together beautiful a cappella arrangements... & I can still hear some of them. There were lots of players & singers around there, then- some that have been mentioned (Vince Martin, Fred Neil, Beverly St. Marie, Pat Lynch aka Sky, Tom Rush, The Crosby brothers- David & Chip, the Knob Lick guys- Peter Childs & Erick..? and a guy from Vancouver, Wa)- plus some that I didn't see in the various lists- like Vic Smith (whom I ran into giving lessons in Pasadena, maybe, years later). Bob Gibson was around, then- but I didn't see mention of his old partner, Camp. Bob had a grim one-liner to someone who asked him "what's Bob Camp doin'?" "Time," Mr. Gibson intoned.
There was a guy named Chuck that played Russian (& pseudo-Russian) tunes, who spent time in Arizona, as well as Miami. There was also a young guitar wizard who was all of 12 or 13, Johnny Mc..? who went off to play (with parents along, I believe) in Cambridge, someplace, in 1963.
When I got home to the NW in '63 there were lots of players that got my attention- Lynn Hughes, in Seattle (& later Bay area & Nevada), Jerry Murry (who expatriated himself to Victoria, maybe),Rory Condon (could be near San Jose, now), David Coffin (in Portland- & maybe the best unrecorded old folkie I know- introduced me to Skip James' & John Hurt's music in '65), the late "barefoot" John Hendricks, the late Nick Ogilvie- who traveled with Mel Lyman & their wives to the western parts of the Carolinas in the very early '60s to get a taste of "real music country"... & lived to tell about it-- Nick was incredible, indomitable, and often a big load of Trouble... & a beautiful cat. Eejim Manning played some folk & cabaret stuff in Seattle, around '65, then surfaced in NYC, rumor had it. Earl Benson kind of ruled Portland's folk scene for a few years... played with Molly Malarkey, and did some other ensemble work, but alone, with autoharp, was a joy to hear- anytime. Johnny Ward, who's still playing around the NW, moved out of folk & into blues, jugband, old-time jass, & has just kept adding instruments & repertoire. The PH Phactor jugband, which had about 3 different incarnations, included some of these aforementioned. There were some fairly accomplished folkies around Reed College in the late 50s-early 60s, whose names will pop up in my sleep, probably... guys who played the "No Exit" on Water Street (& other dives). I didn't see any mention of Phil & Vivian Williams here, who were instrumental, as collectors & archivists, of transplanted country music in the mill towns around Seattle from the early sixties & on. They were an important part of creating a Seattle Folklore society- and have played for over 45 years (as the Turkey Pluckers, with Barney Munger, who was from Ohio) & as "The Tall Timber Boys", after that. Phil Poth, Andy Aldrich & Don McCallister played some pretty good music together, way back when... Gene Gilleskie was part of the Seattle folkscene mid-60s, and Paul Gillingham was another. Billy Roberts, a very smooth balladeer, was pretty influential (I know I learned some guitar stuff from watching him play). Larry Vanover (aka "Mr. Jug") played then- and fixed a few broken instruments on the side- and plays on, today, albeit infrequently. There's a clip of him playing jug on U-tube... a tune called "Whitewash Station", recorded in 2001... Ok- 'nuf outa me.. Oh- except that there was this Brit around for awhile, back then- Peter Elbling- who was a gas. Had a French-canadian partner sometime, with whom he'd share playing one guitar... real music-hall stuff- another actor who could also sing... ^..^

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:58 AM

walter greaves,the singing blacksmith,Ibelieve he used to cycle to all his gigs

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Suffet
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 05:41 PM

Greetings:

If you're coming to NEFFA this year, please stop by my Folk City Interlude session on Friday at 7:00 PM in Mansfield High School 103. I'll be performing the songs I learned from many of the little known folk singers mentioned above when I hung out on the fringes of the New York folk scene in the 1960s. You all know what Folk City was, and the Interlude, as I explained in one of the earlier messages, was an important coffee house near the railroad station in Kew Gardens, Queens.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,KenBrock
Date: 01 Apr 07 - 04:15 PM

Last week I got an lp for a little known 1960's folk duo I'd never heard of before - Jean and Doc (on Verve/Folkways).

:)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: ridovem
Date: 01 Apr 07 - 11:47 PM

A correction to an earlier entry: the Brentano that played banjo with Mike Russo (in Portland, Or) was Ron Brentano- not Jim. Another mighty good all-around player on the Wet Coast in those days was Peter Langston (who I believe was a transplant from the East coast). He's involved with the various music camps at Ft. Worden centrum near Pt. Townsend, wa every Summer... which is also a great place to find some of the old coots (& cootesses) who were strummin' & warbling in the bygone days.
My reference to Jack Harshaw of Miami, who was a regular performer at the coffee house in Coral Gables went up in the smoke of toasted troll, apparently... so I'm putting him back. He was a fine interpreter of traditional Brit material, and willing to share music, guitar "secrets", etc with youngsters such as meself- a generous soul...   ^..^

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 12:07 AM

Guest Celticblues 5 said:

"Sure wish more folks would add a little blurb about the type of music each person makes/made, rather than just listing a dozen or so names! "

I believe I may have mentioned Jesse Colin Young. You would klnow his voice immediately if you remember that song by the Youngbloods (1967 I think) called "Get Together" - it has the chorus that reads:

C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now

He had a solo career after their breakup , well, still has one!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Wordsmith
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 01:47 AM

It's a shame I can't bookmark the spot on this thread where I had to leave off; reading a PC screen with a white background gets my eyes...of course, it's allergy season, too. That said, this is a great thread. Although I don't know many names on it, it certainly shows the breadth and strength of folk music. Thanks for the history.
A number of comments people have made brought back things I'd forgotten. While I was blessed to be in Chicago from 1968-72, I got to see many "name" bands or groups like Peter, Paul and Mary, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Laura Nyro, it seems I'd forgotten Steve Goodman, the coffeehouses like No Exit that someone mentioned, and the fact that I played in two college coffehouses back then, reluctantly. I suffer from performance anxiety. Imagine my dismay at having to fill in for one of my friends who played the autoharp. I had just learned acoustical guitar a year earlier and once got to play a twelve-string during a protest picket-line..."Blow Your Horn For Peace" was one of our logos, and "They Shoot Students, Don't They?" (mine, btw)(re: Kent State and the U. of Mexico students)

The song I had to quickly learn? Appropriately enough, "Helpless." Not one of my favorites, especially after our performance.

I should mention, I took piano lessons for eight years, too, and I can play by ear better than I can read music, but it's been a long time since I've played anything. Let's not get into the 12 years of choir or the women's barbershop chorus I was in, either.

A truly unknown folk singer was introduced in 1971 at another coffehouse we used to frequent, since our stomping grounds was the Northside. The place was called Quiet Knight, and the guy who was sooo very handsome and sooo very good: John Prine. Lucky us!

Peace and goodwill.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: maryfens
Date: 08 Apr 07 - 06:00 PM

Happy Easter/Hannukah all you folkies. I finally joined Mudcat so send a message to me if you like.
I was part of the Boston/Cambridge scene in the late 1960s-early '70s and also in San Francisco in early '70s with some of the same folks. (Paul MacNeil, Pam & Ray Clayton.)
I hadn't though about that scene for a long time then suddenly heard from Paul M., Kenny Girard and Lesley Moore by e-mail.
Then Chris Smither showed up to play at a local club last fall. Hadn't seen him in over 30 years, and he still sounds great.
I am kind of enjoying the walk down memory lane.
Peace.
Mary

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 08 Apr 07 - 06:46 PM

"It's a shame I can't bookmark the spot on this thread where I had to leave off; reading a PC screen with a white background gets my eyes..."

With Firefox you can bookmark a link with one click, and it's easy to set a preference to overide a page's background color with one of your choosing.

—BK

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: pitheris
Date: 09 Apr 07 - 08:49 AM

Spider John Koerner

John is a walking encyclopedia of folk songs. I was fortunate to hear him play in the 1970s at Jock O'Sullivans bar in New Haven CT.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 05:04 PM

During 1961 and '62, I did a little involuntary time with Uncle Sugar at Ft. Lewis, near Tacoma, WN. The World's Fair was happening in Seattle, and many singers, including a mediocre yours truly, converged on the area. Of the home-grown talent, I fondly remember Nancy Quence, from Seattle. Also, clubs such as 92 Yesler, in Seattle and The End, in South Tacoma (run by a French expatriate by the name of Pierre Odier).

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 05:11 PM

Nancy is still very much alive and still singing VERY WELL in the Seattle area! Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 05:18 PM

Two names I did not see in the sea of messages, above, are Art Podell and Paul Potash. Back in the late '50's, they performed in clubs in Greenwich Village and put out at least one album under the "Art & Paul" name. I believe they were backed by Paul Prestopino on several numbers. Both later performed with Randy Sparks in an enormous group to which most folkies paid little heed, but which made scads of money.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 05:56 PM

To: Guest TJ in San Diego. Why don't you join and send me a PM. We probably ended up on the same stages together? Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 01:01 PM

Deckman: I am considering the offer. Meanwhile, I recall my roots in the Fresno, California area. In the late '50's Dave Barber opened a coffee house cum performance opportunity club called "The Renaissance" in Fresno. One of the mainstays was a fellow named Jon Adams, who is still active as a master storyteller and folk musician, based in the area. Many who were later part of the Sweets Mill folk camp scene in the Sierras, including the late Mark Spoelstra, were active here. One of my favorite memories is of Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller, composer of "San Francisco Bay Blues," who appeared as an amazing one-man band. A former trio mate of mine, Lee Gilliand, is in happy retirement in Portland, heading a group called "Moondanse Trio," I'm told. Pete Everwine and Gene Bluestein, both english profs at Fresno State, were local performers, scholars and collectors as well. Sadly, this sort of club, where young people can get on a small stage and learn their craft without having missiles hurled at them are too few these days.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 01:42 PM

I enjoyed watching and listening to "Lone Cat" Fuller, singing on stage with the late Walt Robertson, at the "Blind Lemon, in Berkeley. I think that was also 1959 ... or was it 1859? CHEERS, Bob Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 05:24 PM

Correction: The guitarist who backed Art & Paul was the late Dick Rosmini, not Paul Prestopino.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,GUEST, Len B, Downey, CA
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 01:06 AM

I am astonished by how big the list of names has become, and also by how many names are still missing. A few that came immediately to mind were Tom Kines, Elizabeth Knight, Harry Jackson (artist and singer), Milt Okun and the Kossoy Sisters (identical twins Irene and Ellen). I could add dozens more. Perhaps later.

The Chicago area banjo player Moe Hirsch was mentioned, but not the other area people that appeared on a recording with him (Chicago Mob Scene, Riverside): Larry Ehrlich, Dean Gitter, Bob March, Pete Stein, Pete Stone, and Blind Bill Todd. Also on that album was "Samuel Hall", who was actually Bob Gibson.

The following quote appeared regarding Bess Hawes:

"Bess Hawes should be better known than she is (Alan Lomax's sister who in my view is as significant in some ways as Alan). Educator, banjo-picker and singer. With the Almanacs."

I couldn't agree more. Alan deserves his own listing, since he made recordings, both on his own and with others. Butch Hawes, Bess' husband, was also with the Almanac Singers.

John Lomax, Bess and Alan's father was one of the giants of American folklore. The field recordings he (along with John) did for the Smithsonian are priceless. They discovered many important singers, most notably "Leadbelly", of course.

I was very fortunate to be able to take guitar lessons from Bess Hawes in the 60's, on a number of occasions. Almost as wonderful as the lessons were the stories she would tell about the songs and the performers, since she knew just about everybody. Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and innumerable others generally stayed at her house when they were in LA.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the talent that some of her other students had, e.g., Odetta. Another unmentioned performer (also one of her students, I believe) that Bess made some recordings with was Mickey Miller.

Finally, another ommission that surprised me was John Greenway. John was a professor at UCLA in the 50's and 60's. He wrote the book "American Folksongs of Protest" and made a numeber of recordings. In addition to protest, labor and union songs, he was an authority on Australian folk music as well.

John went to Australia on a sabbatical to collect additional material for his studies. In those days (things seem quite different now) most people, unlike American bluebloods, would not admit to being descended from Australia's mostly convict first familes, or to know much about Australian history of folklore. When he went into the field and explained what he was looking for, he was told that he ought to contact John Greenway in the States. "He's the expert on that subject."

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 11:06 AM

Somewhere around 1960, I went with a group of friends to the Ash Grove, in L.A. On the bill that night were Mike Seeger and his group and Sam Hinton, among others. I moved here in 1967 only to find that Sam was a local institution, based out of U. of Calif. San Diego. He just had a big going away party and moved into assisted living in northern California. A great performer and a wonderful storyteller and mentor who will be greatly missed. Free association is crazy. I just recalled meeting Bob Canning in Durango, CO, last year. He is now a western artist, a new career after recovering from a bad accident with a horse. He grew up in Orillia, Ontario (Lightfoot's home town)and was a folksinger there before becoming an award-winning movie director and producer. Keep 'em coming!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 02:08 PM

Others on the Ash Grove stage that night were Ramblin' Jack Elliot and a very young Jackie DeShannon (who was being billed as a folk singer)in her debut. Does anyone remember Pete Jacobs or Hadley Batchelder III, both of whom were doing the coffee house circuit on the west coast in the early '60's?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,GUEST, Len B, Downey, CA
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 06:12 PM

To GUEST.TJ: Your comment regarding Sam Hinton brought back some memories. He used to come up to LA occasionally to give some noon concerts at a major aerospace company where I was employed. These were arranged by his sister, who worked for the same company. Sam told me that he had at one time worked for a carnival, and had developed a number of unusual skills. Of the musical ones, he demonstrated that he could whistle a tune and hum the accompaniment simultaneously. He said that he could also whistle an ascending scale and hum a descending one simultaneously also, but he rarely attempted it any longer, since hardly anyone appreciated how difficult that was.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 06:33 PM

AND ... I was always amazed to see him put the ENTIRE harmonica in his mouth, close his mouth, and play the harmonica and the guitar at the same time. Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 07:04 PM

Deckman:

If that doesn't DEFINE a harmonica virtuoso, I've never seen or heard one. Amazing stuff. I once had a young employee who had worked in a couple of the early coffee houses in the beach area here. She was an old acquaintance of Tom Waits, who hung out on the streets here in the 60's and played local clubs. Her dad was a master cabinet maker from West Virginia and quite a guitarist. I was invited to their home for a little jam session once, around 1972, and found Sam Hinton in the living room with a few other friends of the family. That was a great evening of singing and sharing and storytelling - one of the best ever. That was the only time I ever saw him "swallow the harpoon," as he laughingly put it.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 07:26 PM

I first witnessed this in 1958 at a hoot in Seattle. Then again, I saw him do this when he gave a children's concert at Santa Cruz University in 1962. UnREAL! Bob

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: maryfens
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 10:27 PM

Does anyone remember Joanie Preston from the San Francisco North Beach club scene in the early 1970's?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Zaidman
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 04:31 AM

Hey Steve! Good memory .. the Interlude was one of the great informal music scenes of the 60s ... which Steve are you?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 09:48 AM

Anyone remember Kit Snow? I met him in Toronto when he played The Village Corner Club in the sixties. I believe he was from Carmel California. He gave me a whole new way to look at folk music.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 15 Apr 07 - 08:09 PM

Hey Duke: You must remember lots of relatively "unknown" performers from the Toronto scene. Has anyone mentioned Jim McCarthy? Balladeer

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,PK
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 12:03 AM

Does anyone remember a David McKinley that sang in the coffee houses in Boston in the mid 60's? Had a wonderful voice!

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 12:15 PM

By the bye; Travis Edmonson is still kicking down in Arizona. He has shown up at a couple of events; folk camps, etc., over the past few years. He is wheelchair bound. His old partner, Bud Dashiell, ran a guitar shop/studio in LA back in the 70's, I believe. He has been gone for many years. I still run into Nick Reynolds, of the Kingston Trio, now and again in Coronado, CA. He is retired, having trouble with his legs and hips, but still enjoys cooking. He's also a dangerous driver - ask the locals. The last original performing member of the Trio, Bob Shane, is retired - with some health issues - in Arizona. Various Trio members used to get together in the Coronado backyard of Nick's sister and brother-in-law for jams. John Stewart, Nick's nephew, Joey Harris, and others would drop in. This was an old home once occupied by Frank Baum when he wrote the Wizard of Oz. The last of those was probably in the early 90's or so. None of these guys were "unknowns," obviously, but there's an update, for what it's worth. I once told Nick how much "trouble" he and his mates caused for all of us young wannabe types, getting us started in the Folk way. His response, "Yeah; but wasn't it all a gas!"

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 10:13 PM

Yes, Balladeer, I remember Jim McCarthy. He was and is and always will be my favourite folk singer. Too bad he never recorded. Cal Winzey was another and Al Cromwell. Oh....there were so many good performers back then.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 12:49 PM

Not to monopolize the forum, but images keep erupting from the memory bank. Returning from Army service in 1963, and wishing to augment my knowledge of folk music, I took two "folk music as literature" classes at Fresno State from two very engaging and entertaining profs, both of whom had done extensive research in Appalachia and elsewhere. I had no idea just who they were or that they were considered particularly noteworthy. Turns out, Gene Bluestein and Pete Everwine (better known as a poet) were classics. Especially Gene, who collected, taught and performed for many years. His son, Evo, is active now. I'd be curious to know whether others knew, heard or enjoyed them as much as I did.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Amos
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 01:00 PM

Hey, TJ, welcome to the Cat. SIgn up and make yourself permanent! :D Good to see another San Diegan on board to defend the worship of perfect weather against masses of marauding snow-eating cats.


A

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 11:18 AM

The Adams Avenue Roots & Folk Festival, almost a goner after the organizer, Lou Curtiss, lost his business a few months ago, is up and running in San Diego's Normal Heights/Kensington area this weekend - the 34th year. It is all free! Some of those who will be appearing are Mike Seeger, Sparky & Rhonda Rucker, Guy & Candie Carawan, Ross Altman and Carolyn Hester, along with a large group of other, lesser known performers. There are many opportunities for interaction with the singers and multiple venues open all weekend. If you are in southern California, or can get there reasonably, come on down.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 10:48 PM

Duke: Didn't the Dirty Shames record when they were in New York?
And wasn't Jim still with them then? Balladeer

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,susan ruskin ex umanov
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:45 PM

and surely you all remember izzy young's famous poem
david blue, hows by you
still the same old new york jew?
aloha erik

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Mark Ross
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 09:47 AM

Susan, how are you? It's been a long time. Where are you?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 10:43 AM

Balladeer: I never heard of The Shames recording, but it would be fantastic if they did. I think Chic Roberts is still around. I have a friend who knows him quite well and I'll see if I can get any info.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 05:50 PM

Susan Ruskin: Aloha yourself, darling girl! Of course we remember
Izzy's poem. Can I send you anything from the old neighborhood?
How 'bout 2 half sour pickles?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 07:24 PM

Duke: Here's a quote from Chick's CD Baby site. (Btw, I've been in touch with him recently.

"In the early 60s, with his newly minted stage name in hand, Chick Roberts performed around Canada & the USA as a solo folk artist, and with Amos Garrett, Jim McCarthy and Carol Robinson as The Dirty Shames. Primarily a Jug/String Band, they performed an eclectic variety of songs from the country, blues, jazz and pop repertoires.

Come 1965, Chick and The Dirty Shames moved to New York to cut several records on the Phillips label (sadly, never released in Canada). Following Jim McCarthy's departure, the Shames enlarged the band by adding Bass, Piano and drums and became the regular band at Andy Warhol's club "The Dom" and openers for The Velvet Underground at the "The Gymnasium.""

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 08:17 PM

Mention of putting a harmonica IN the mouth and playing it while playing the guitar reminded me of "Harmonica Frank" Floyd.

I saw him in the mid 70s at the Smithsonian Folk Festival....he stole the show! And his red, white & blue shirt & pants were a special treat.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 09:11 PM

Harmonica Frank Floyd and I shared a gig/concert at the University Of Chicago in the mid 1970s. Bill, thanks for reminding me of him!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,susan ruskin
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 10:48 PM

erik - if you see my 20 year old body maybe you could send it to me. i think i left it on carmine st.
hi mark - i've been in hawaii for the past 20 years, mas o menos. i have a bamboo nursery. same deal as the guitar store except we make all our own product. lots of the same clients.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,cat
Date: 01 May 07 - 01:52 PM

anyone know my uncle iberus hacker (from chicago and chattanooga)?

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 01 May 07 - 03:16 PM

Balladeer: That's great news to hear. If they recorded, the records might be available somewhere. I hope Chick is doing well. I haven't seen him in many years. Say hello for me.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 01 May 07 - 06:06 PM

Kathy and Carol are back performing. They'll be at the Ark in Ann Arbor, Mich., on June 20. The Ark newsletter says they haven't made an album since 1965. (I'm posting this as a separate item, too.)

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: BK Lick
Date: 01 May 07 - 06:55 PM

Yes, GUEST cat, I'm glad you reminded us of him. There's a photo in Art Thieme's gallery -- click on "Search" and then enter "Iberus" into the text box.

—BK

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,cat
Date: 01 May 07 - 08:57 PM

BK Lick, Thank you so much for responding ... I am trying to find out about my Uncle Iberus but unable to get to the link you gave(username & password?).... any info on him I would be very grateful to have... my grandparents (his parents have passed) and I know he was a preacher and an activist and i'm trying to find out all i can especially about his musicianship. thank you very much,cat

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: GUEST,cat
Date: 01 May 07 - 09:03 PM

i got the picture. Wow, just as i remember him (but i was very young)thanks!

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:52 AM

I remember doing a couple of shows with Iberus in Chicago for the IWW.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 03 May 07 - 04:36 PM

Has anyone mentioned Malvina Reynolds, she of "Little Boxes" fame? I am reminded of that song every time I pass by Daly City, CA. The "boxes" are still there! I also recall a coffee house in Orange County, near Newport Beach, called "Prison of Socrates." Any takers?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: webby
Date: 04 May 07 - 10:11 AM

There was a really good singer used to come here (u.k.)From the states named Colin Scott. A really nice guy, came over every year to perform in the Midlands. Is he still around? The last I heard of him was 1974-75 Be nice to know if he is still around

webby

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,david gedalecia
Date: 11 May 07 - 09:48 PM

Jonathan Aaron
Mark Faurer
Nick Gravenites
John Ketterson
Perry Lederman
Mike Michaels
Dick Rosmini

       -- some better known than others, but all great guitarists, great musicians!

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 11 May 07 - 11:51 PM

B.K.Lick

cat and I have been in touch by email and I told her what I know of Iberus Hacker--her uncle. In a nutshell, I said that he was a preacher, an organizer, an advocate for the downtrodden, powerless and homeless, fought for gay rights, civil rights, workers rights and many other causes. He enjoyed singing, but was more enthusiastic than good. In the 1970s, in Chicago, he was a big thorn in the side of the first Mayor Daley---Richard J. Daley. Whenever he asked me, I lent my voice to his many causes. Especially I recall one particular march and rally he spearheaded to fight hunger in town. It culminated in a rally at Bughouse Square --- itself historically important as a focal point for free speech and soap box oratory by the likes of Dr. Ben Reitman, Vachal Lindsey, Carl Sandburg, Mother Jones, Boxcar Bertha and many I.W.W. orators during the early years of the 20th century. I was honored to be singing there in that park too.

But there was a side to Iberus that was questionable. He worked with the Daley machine when it was in his interest, and that means when it meant funding his projects. Some of the funds disappeared, and fingers were pointed at Iberus Hacker----but I always felt the Daley people had it in for him and were trying to denigrate him any way they could back then.

The photo I took of him was in a small coffeehouse he opened up on Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. I was walking home one day, passed his place and stopped for coffee and some good conversation. So I took a shot of him. It wasn't a good one, but since it was the only photo I had of Iberus, it got included in my on-line collection.

I also mentioned to "cat" that because of some vibes I got from her uncle, I didn't want to get too close to him. Looking back, I suspect that was possibly my loss.

Art

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 12 May 07 - 12:21 AM

I just went back and looked at the photo of Iberus. I noticed a few other things:

The young fellow sitting to Iberus' laft, I believe, is Iberus' son. But I never knew who his mother might've been. I don't remember his son's name. At that time Iberus was sort of married to a gal half his age (I thought) named Ruth. Iberus had some different/unique emotional attachments.

Also, there is a mirror leaning against the back wall---about four feet high and maybe 2 wide. Reflected in that mirror and quite blurry
is me--taking the photo!

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 May 07 - 09:15 AM

I haven't trawled through all 400+ postings to this thread so apologies if these were mentioned earlier...
I was watching reruns of old Two Ronnies on BBC4 - there was a trio (2 guitarists, guy in the middle with restrained afro like Ray Dorset used to sport)singing polite folkie stuff called New World- can't remember them coming into my consciousness at the time. Any info?

RtS

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 May 07 - 09:28 AM

I found this on AllMusic guide: they were active in 1970s tho':

Broad of collar and bright of shirt, New Zealand's New World exemplified the kind of bright-eyed, lightly sentimental folk-pop that threatened to devour the UK charts of the early 1970s. Pre-glam, pre-prog, and almost prepubescently harmless, the trio emerged out of British television's Opportunity Knocks talent show and briefly threatened to become their homeland's biggest ever export. Especially after the all-conquering combination of label-head Mickie Most, producer Mike Hurst, and songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman ganged up on a generation's ears and soft-soaped them into submission.Between 1971-72, the New World trio scored four UK hits of note, each of which distinguishes this (otherwise over-ambitious) collection. "Rose Garden" was a moderately successful pop rival to Lynn Anderson's contemporary country number; "Sister Jane" is a compulsory singalong; and "Kara Kara" is an irresistible slice of rhyming nonsense that should have been their biggest record ever. Instead, that honor went to "Tom Tom Turnaround," the smash hit version of a song that the early Sweet also recorded, and a recording that producer Mike Hurst later admitted he hated. "It was everything I disliked about pure pop, right down to the execrable talking bit." In fact, the only thing that salvaged it in his opinion was, it wasn't as bad as "Kara Kara."The remainder of this collection trawls a career that, somewhat surprisingly, remained musically active until deep into 1973 — and long after the record-buying public had forgotten the group. For the chance to relive those early hits, however, The Best Of New World is exactly what it says and, so long as you don't want to hear anything else that the band ever wrought, it's everything you could possibly need.


RtS

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: webby
Date: 12 May 07 - 11:26 AM

further to my enquiry, a lot of people mention Colin Scott! where is he, us Coventry Kids would love to know if he ia still alive and kicking, Scotty if you are out there, remember the Sportsmans Arms
and the Gosford park Hotel, the Mercers Arms And the Turk Head etc. etc We would love to know if you are still out there, and if you are
PLEASE get in touch. We would really like to hear from you. Otherwise
Does anyone know of Scotty s whereabouts I would really like to here from this blast from the past

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 12 May 07 - 12:01 PM

Hi, Guest cat,

    Art just emailed me and had me look at this thread. My singing partner, Margaret Nelson, knew Iberus from working at The Great American Coffeehouse. That may be where Art took the picture. Iberus officiated at her wedding to Rick Friedman. Her recollection of Iberus is similar to Art's, that we was a mixed bag. Good community organizer, larger than life, and could be hard on the people close to him. Margaret's not on email regularly. Art said he has contacted you via email. If you want to forward a request to Margaret through Art, to me, I'll get it to her.

--Phil Cooper

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Arieh Lebowitz
Date: 18 May 07 - 10:28 AM

Robert Pierpont , a friend of a friend, is organizing a reunion of people who were members of or otherwise involved with the Young People's Socialist League - known as YPSL or often "Yipsel" - and I discovered this website. If anyone "here" is interested, just drop him a line. Most of the people who have responded so far I believe were involved in the late '50s, and early '60s, but the group existed quite a while before that ...
>> Arieh Lebowitz

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 18 May 07 - 11:30 AM

anyone heard of Mike Fairbanks and konw what became of him?......or Janet Klimoski?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Moleskin Joe
Date: 18 May 07 - 11:36 AM

Does anyone know anything about Murray Young, a singer originally from the West Indies who was around in the early Sixties ?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Martinez
Date: 20 May 07 - 07:57 PM

I remember the Chanticlairs from about 1964-65 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I think they were Bev, Klaus and Joe. I wonder whatever happened to them.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Stringsinger
Date: 21 May 07 - 12:56 PM

Don't know if these count because it was in the Fifties, not the Sixties.

Bob Gibson, Jo Mapes and I were a trio at the Gate of Horn. Bob Camp came along later.

Sandy Paton, Valucha Buffington and I attempted to be a trio in Chicago around that time. It was an odd assortment and I think Sandy might agree.

Osborne Smith around that time played and sang with a drum in Chicago. I accompanied him.

Early on, in LA I worked with Odetta playing the harmonica in back of her.

Guy Carawan and I did concerts in the LA area in the early Fifties...some with Jo Mapes and Rolf Cahn.

Jo Mapes, Frank Robinson and Rolf Cahn did a memorable concert in the early Fifties in San Francisco. Often wondered whatever happened to Frank Robinson (an entertaining five-string banjo player).

Larry Sparks and Odetta at the Tin Angel in San Francisco.

Odetta was not a student of Bess Hawes. I showed 'Detta a strum or two in the early days.

Anyway, this is way before the Sixties Scare.
So I don't know if any of this counts.

Oh yes, Guy Carawan, Ethel Raim and Erik Darling were briefly a trio in concert in New York. The Villagers (?)

Rick Von Schmidt and Rolf Cahn worked together.

Jack Elliott, Guy Carawan and I were the "Dusty Road Boys" traveling through the Fifties South collecting folk songs and singers.

There was some mention of Pat Foster. I often wondered what happened to him.
I knew him in LA.

Yvonne Marais and Guy Carawan were a beautiful duo in LA in the early Fifties. She is the daughter of Joseph Marais and Miranda, one of the best "folk" acts heard anywhere and frequently on the Meridith Wilson radio program. The Marais's were famous in their time but never mentioned today.

Anyway, this was all before the Sixties so who cares?

Frank

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 21 May 07 - 10:26 PM

Frank, I feel a bit as if you're talking about the Gods of Mount Olympus.

I first got "hooked" on folk music in 1951 when a girl I was going with inherited a neat old parlor guitar from her grandmother and set about teaching herself to play it, and started learning songs from "A Treasury of Folk Songs" compiled by John and Sylvia Kolb, a drugstore paperback (and still a very good collection). I bought a cheap guitar and a copy of the book, and she started showing me chords. Then we took in a concert by Walt Robertson (he had a local television show at the time) and that really got me going! I met him a day or two later and hit him up for guitar lessons. I bought my first really good guitar in 1954:   a Martin 00-18 ($95.00 back then I felt like a junior executive with his first BMW).

In the early Fifties, there were a fair number of people around Seattle who were interested in folk music, and they were a pretty avid bunch. Sandy Paton was one. He went back east shortly thereafter. At the time, whenever you mentioned folk music, a few people might say, "Oh. Like Burl Ives?" But most people thought you were talking about Country and Western or "hillbilly" a la Grand Ole Opry.

Several people of note managed to make there way out here. Pete Seeger did a concert here in 1954, and it wound up with a party that went until 4:00 in the morning (including Pete). Guy Carawan made a couple of trips to Seattle in the late 50s, once just barn-storming, then a couple of years later to do a couple of concerts. Pete Seeger again in '57. In '57, I went up to Bellingham, Washington to hear Richard Dyer-Bennet (he wasn't booked in Seattle) and had a chance to chat with him for awhile after the concert. Very pleasant and encouraging. Then Bob Gibson and Dick Rosmini in '58. They stayed in Seattle for a couple of weeks, and a lot of song-swapping got done. Roger Abrahams came here a couple of times. I learned several good songs from him, as did a couple of other people.

The Gateway Singers did a concert at the University of Washington in the late 50s, and although the other three had to take off, Jerry Walter hung out for a day or two. One evening at a song-fest, he sang one of the nicest renditions of "Pretty Saro" I've ever heard. I tried to reconstruct it and sing it the way he did.

I'd heard of Rolf Cahn and Jo Mapes early on (learned some good songs from a record they did—Bay Concerts label), and through records, knew about people such as Paul Clayton, Cynthia Gooding, Billy Faier, and Barbara Dane. I met Rolf in Berkeley in 1959 and Barbara Dane a couple of years later when she and Dick Rosmini opened for Bob Newhart (this led to another all-night song-fest).

I met all kinds of well-known singers and academicians (such as Alan Lomax and Charles Seeger) at the Berkeley Folk Festivals, including Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl in 1960 and Marais and Miranda in 1964 (a couple of thoroughly charming couples!).

Around the Seattle area in the 50s there was Walt Robertson, Bob Nelson (Deckman), Bob Clark, Dick Landberg, Rae Creevy, Claire Hess, Patti McLaughlin, Mike Reedy, Danny Duncan, John and Sally Ashford, Ron Ginther, and several others that my memory can't conjure up at the moment (my apologies!). Some of these folks are still around and singing, and some have disappeared into the mists. Coffeehouses started opening in Seattle in the late 50s, and a lot of these singers performed in them regularly.

This incomplete list of local Seattle singers got started well before fall of 1958, which I (albeit rather arbitrarily, perhaps) mark as the beginning of the pop folk craze—the advent of the Kingston Trio's recording of "Tom Dooley" hitting the pop charts, followed by a host of other similar groups, ushering in "The Great Folk Scare." I could reel off another dozen or so, such as Paul Gillinghan and Don McAllister and Alice Stuart and Nancy Quensé who started out in the very late 50s or early 60s, and whose interest was ignited, not by what they heard on radios and juke boxes, but by local singers such as Walt Robertson and Bob Nelson (and, with a blush of modesty, myself), who were out and performing.

I also recall going to a Weaver's concert in Seattle. Pete had left the group by then, and they had another singer with them. He didn't see me because I was up in the dark balcony, but I saw and heard him.

His name was Frank Hamilton.

Lots of folks these days have no idea of the amount of activity that was taking place in the Fifties—and before that!

Don Firth

P. S. Susan Reed. I first saw her in a movie in 1948 and learned that she had some records out. Somehow, when the pop-folk fad got under way, she just seem to disappear.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,jonathan
Date: 22 May 07 - 11:53 AM

Anyone rememer Leonda Hardison? I think she was cherokee, with voice of an angel, and such beauty. She played at my parents coffee house, The Turks Head, in Boston in the early 60's.

Jonathan Comins

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 22 May 07 - 12:26 PM

To Don Firth:

I don't believe we ever became acquainted, and you were certainly ahead of the curve in terms of how you met and approached folk music. I was aware of the Weavers and Burl Ives and a few others as a teenager, in the early to mid-fifties, but I freely admit to being one of those "hooked" by some of the "pop-folk" music of the late fifties. There were two coffee houses in Fresno, CA in those days. Those of us who were habitues of one or the other started asking if there wasn't more to this "folk thing" than the slickly produced stuff coming out of Capitol Records, et al.

I had the good fortune to come into contact with some local folks who were serious about the pursuit of the real article. Jon Adams, who still does some performing and storytelling up and down the coast, was a sort of role model for a lot of us. Later, while at Ft. Lewis, in 1961 and 1962, I had the chance to perform at The End in South Tacoma for a time. I got up to Seattle on weekends, when I could, and had the chance to pop into places like 92 Yesler. I developed quite a crush on Nancy Quense, who made me look at the music a little more seriously. After the service, I took college classes in folk music and folk literature from Pete Everwine and Gene Bluestein at Fresno State, which opened my eyes a bit further.

I no longer perform, preferring to play for my own enjoyment and sharing with a few friends. My time in Washington was life-changing in a lot of ways and I thank those of you who might have been a part of it. I have shared the love of this music with my two sons, one of whom has obviously been influenced by it, even though his primary genre is rock. He still plays my old LP's and tapes.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 22 May 07 - 12:52 PM

Addendum:

Just where, in the great cosmic scheme, would one place Oscar Brand? I have two old albums of his, "Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads," and another with sea shantys, the name of which escapes me. Of course, he was primarily known, among testosterone-crazed teen boys, for his more-than-risque' material, like "The Winnipeg Whore" and "The Hermit," which showed up at parties along with somebody's dad's Redd Foxx albums, etc.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 22 May 07 - 01:20 PM

Jonathan Comins......I played in your parent's coffee house many times in the late 60's (assuming they still owned it then)......Mike Orlen

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: mrmoe
Date: 22 May 07 - 01:25 PM

Jonathan Comins......that would make you Josette's son?.....it's been a very long time and I probably got her name wrong....a lovely French lady.....

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 22 May 07 - 03:09 PM

TJ in San Diego--

Most of the singing I did in coffeehouses and clubs was at "The Place Next Door" (next to the Guild 45th theater—foreign and art films mostly—and owned by the same man, hence "the place next door"). It later became "The Corroboree" (Stan James, who bought out the business was an Australophile). I also sang a lot at the Pamir House. Pamir House was kind of a hole, but it was a good place to sing. They usually had two or three singers up front, swapping songs and playing off each other. The audiences loved it. It was like a party. And we got paid for it!

During the Seattle World's Fair in 62, in addition to clubs and coffeehouses and a few out-of-town concerts, I sang every Sunday in the afternoon concerts at the U. N. Pavilion, and I got to 92 Yesler fairly often. I did a bunch of guest sets there, but I didn't sing there regularly. Mike and Maggie Molosso were the house musicians. Maggie (now Maggie Savage) is still around and still singing, last I heard. Great voice!

The lovely Nancy Quensé is still very much around and singing actively. Still with folk music, but most of her musical activity is with the Medieval Women's Choir, sometimes as a soloist. They did a concert just last Saturday (May 19th). The music of Hildegard of Bingen, at Seattle's St. James Cathedral. Big. Kind of echoey. A great setting for that kind of music! In addition to the guitar, Nancy has also taken up the hurdy-gurdy and the medieval vielle.

Tacoma. I sang a concert or two at Pacific Lutheran University during that time, one, as I recall, with a lovely young woman named Arlene Flynn. Only once in a Tacoma coffeehouse, but that was in 1964.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Rosalie
Date: 22 May 07 - 08:36 PM

I just came across this thread and enjoyed the stories and seeing familiar names. Billy Vanaver seemed to disappear from New York City years ago after he & Livia got married. I heard about them performing and teaching in other areas. They will be appearing in New York City again November 16-18 in Eisteddfod-NY (see www.Eisteddfod-NY.org for details). Do come see them!
A number of the other people mentioned in this thread have appeared at Eisteddfod-NY in the last few years. I don't think of Andy Cohen as a little known singer from the past, since he is performing full time now and was the director of Folk Music Week at Pinewoods Camp (Country Dance & Song Society). He was a big hit at Eisteddfod-NY last year - blew away some high school students who were volunteering. Others mentioned above who've appeared at Eisteddfod-NY are Joe Elias, the Kossoy Sisters, Alan Friend, Hedy West, Steve Suffet, and Jeff Davis. Probably a few more.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 23 May 07 - 03:52 PM

Don Firth:

Thanks for that response. I'm certainly not surprised at Nancy's musical direction. She was always proud of her Norwegian heritage. I recall once, when we were driving near Ballard, that she said, in a mock accent, "Ten thousand Swedes crawled through the weeds - pursued by one Norwegian!" I don't know what she would have made of me - my Grandfather came from Denmark. I'm glad she is well and still so active. Hers was always a more intellectual approach, I think.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 May 07 - 07:05 PM

TJ in San Diego—

A couple of weeks ago, I was trying to find some information about the concerts that we did at the U. N. Pavilion during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. I checked through the Seattle HistoryLink website and didn't find what I was looking for, so I started googling, putting all kinds of odds and ends into the search boxes to see what I could come up with.

And I blundered into a bunch of photos that the University of Washington Libraries have archived. As I went through the photos, I ran into one that just about blew me off my chair!

There were photographers all over the place, and we had to just learned to ignore them. This photo was taken at the U. N. Pavilion before one of the Sunday afternoon concerts as we were getting tuned up and ready.

HERE

That's me (with the high forehead) seated in the foreground, showing my newly purchased guitar (flamenco) to Judy Flenniken, young lady with a very big voice (the following year, she and I did several concerts together). She was interested in getting a guitar like it, which she did. In the background, I don't know who the left hand and banjo headstock belong to, nor do I recognize the banjo player. Nor do I recognize the lad in the background or the man on the far right.

But there, also in the background, and between the banjo player and me, is Nancy Quensé warming up (playing a D chord, it looks like).

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 23 May 07 - 08:05 PM

Hi Jonathan -- Leonda had left town ere I arrived, but I do recall a tale of Paul Geremia having to share the back seat of her car with a pet ocelot.

Mike - Arnold "Doc" Comins sold the Turk's head to Josette c. 1967, but subsequently opened another Turk's Head in Orleans at which place I shared a great weekend performance with Paul MacNeil -- Tom

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Frandsen
Date: 24 May 07 - 01:44 AM

Paul Geremia and an ocelot in the back seat of a car in 1967, you say? Yeah, I heard that story...he did horrible, unspeakable, perveted, Rhode Island Folksinger things to her in the back seat of that car, he did, or at least that's what I heard...and when the State Police and ASPCA ran them down and pulled them over, "Young Paulie" (as he was then known) said that it had been such a long time since he'd had (as he put it) "a little pussy" that the whole thing was hushed up on account of the cops laughing so hard. That's what I heard, anyhow. I think Pat Sky told me. Really.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 24 May 07 - 04:51 PM

Don Firth:

What a shot! Priceless. Thanks so much for sharing with me. That guitar you have looks a lot like a Goya I had back then, complete with the double white scratchguards. It was lost in a fire years ago. Now, if we could just return to "those thrilling days of yesteryear." Then, again...

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 May 07 - 04:40 PM

Hi, TJ—

The guitar in the photo is a Casa Fernandez, made in Madrid.

I'd had a guitar made for me by Arcangel Fernandez that I still have. I knew it was an outrageously good instrument when I first got it, but then when I learned that Carlos Montoya had retired his Barbero for a guitar made by Arcangel Fernandez, I knew I had something really special. Later on, several of the top flamenco guitarists were using them. Back then, even top grade Spanish-made guitars weren't all that expensive, but you did have to wait a bit because they were usually made to order. I've had several rather breathtaking offers for it since then, but it's not for sale.

The "Arcangel" has a clear plastic tap-plates (golpeador), whereas the Casa Fernandez has white plastic ones.

I didn't want to take the "Arcangel" to places where it could be sat on or stolen, so I got a second guitar made by one of Arcangel Fernandez's apprentices. Fernandez inspected them all and allowed the good ones to be sold with a "Casa Fernandez" label. It wasn't quite as good as the Arcangel, but it was a darn nice instrument. Big voice—bitey, like a good flamenco guitar should be. Very good for song accompaniment. It became my "work guitar" during the early 1960s.

I don't recall what Judy Flenniken was playing at the time. It was okay, but not great. She heard my Casa Fernandez and wanted to know where she could get one like it. There was a place called "The Guitar Workshop" here in Seattle that imported Spanish-made instruments, and she got one there—a twin of the one in the photo.

Later on, I sold the Casa Fernandez to one of my students. Not happy! He'd only had it for a couple of weeks when someone broke into his car and stole it. A bunch of us were cruising pawn shops long afterwards looking for it, but it never did turn up.

The guitar Nancy is playing is a Goya G-20. Nice little instrument. She still has it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Angela
Date: 26 May 07 - 05:12 PM

Since I found his name here, might I mention that I have an album of Seraffyn Mörk, from my mother's collection. According to the bio on the back cover, he graduated from Harvard and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and received the Folksong Award at the Int'l Eisteddford in Wales in '53. The record is "Of Love, Of War, Of Many Things Seraffyn: The Last Great Troubadour, and was put out by Columbia, can't tell which year. Looks very 60s. The guy was a freak.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Lew Linet
Date: 28 May 07 - 05:10 AM

Diana Marcovitz is alive and well and writing songs, plays and short stories. She is also acting and directing. She is living and working in Israel and, when not dodging Arab rockets, she writes to me. I was her personal manager when she lived, performed and recorded her Columbia and Buddha albums in New York in the 70's.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Jack Silver
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 01:17 AM

I just found this thread. What a treasure! So many friends and heroes - I camed out of California and moved to Boston in 1968 to play the clubs there. And I just played this memory game with Paul Geremia a month ago. Mary, if you really have a contact for Paul McNeil I would love to have it. The last time I saw him he gave me the pipe we had just uh, well it was long ago.
Boston names not yet mentioned: Bob McCarthy, Paul Rishell, Ragtime Elliot Kennin, John Compton.
Now some questions for the impressive panel of experts: Does anyone here know or remember Californians Ted Staak/Stack or my old bud Tim McMullen?
From Montreal there was a good songwriter who hosted the hoots at the back door. He played a song titled 'Soup d'Jour" that I always wanted to learn. Had a long beard and a blind backup fiddler. Anyone remember his name?
Valdy got past us, as did David Rea. They had several albums each.
How many of us have Pat Sky stories we can't tell?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: curmudgeon
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 09:53 AM

If you're looking for Paul MacNeil, go   here.

Haven't seen Bob Mc Carthy for a few years. Same for Elliot, except for hearing one of his songs, "You Ain't Done Nothing If You Ain't Been Called a Red," by someone whose name I can't remember on an album I can't lay my hands on. I'll post again when I have time to look around some more --Tom Hall

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 10:29 AM

YOU AIN'T DONE NOTHING IF YOU AIN'T BEEN CALLED A RED was recorded by Faith Petric. Pat Sky is working for the Pest Orifice in North Carolina these days, I believe.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 12:35 PM

Friends: Just got reminded last night at Le Festival de Jazz de Montreal of Tex Koenig's walking with Bob Dylan (memories, "The Village," N.Y.C.) through Mariposa(Toronto) so many years ago. And how that could happen without anybody paying too much of a mind. Ah, the days of Peace and Love. Sadly, the conversation included the passing on of Scott Lang, brother of Penny Lang, "Canada's First Lady of Folk." Bless...
bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 02:41 PM

From Montreal there was a good songwriter who hosted the hoots at the back door. He played a song titled 'Soup d'Jour" that I always wanted to learn. Had a long beard and a blind backup fiddler. Anyone remember his name?

The songwriter (now beardless) was Chris Rawlings. The fiddle player was Gilles Losier.

Friends: Just got reminded last night at Le Festival de Jazz de Montreal of Tex Koenig's walking with Bob Dylan (memories, "The Village," N.Y.C.) through Mariposa(Toronto) so many years ago. And how that could happen without anybody paying too much of a mind.

You're really wrong about people not paying too much of a mind the time Dylan showed up as a "tourist" at Mariposa. If I recall correctly it was 1972 or '73 and it caused such a commotion that he has to be evacuated by security from the Toronto Islands.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:33 PM

C.Ham: HA HA HA HA HA!!!. I didn't hear that part. Tex was a close friend, and the person I got that from knew him as well, and was there. I guess that little walk didn't last TOO long before somebody said, "Hey. Isn't that Dylan?" And then the S#!% must have hit the fan...Tex knew Dylan from the Village so I guess they met for a bit before the crowd took notice. I don't know for sure. I wasn't there.
Tex used to talk about Dylan all the time...Another friend gone to Folk Heaven. Anyhound(I think I got that expression from Tex, an old memory), Chris Rawlings was just over here at my studio on Monday, along with the rough edit of his new CD. We talked about going to that Ormstown thing that's coming up. He's in, for sure. And anybody that can memorize "Rhyme of the Ancient Marriner" and turn it into a 50 minute performance piece has got to be some kinda Folksinger, right? Yes, Soup de Jour, Pearl River Turnaround, all those songs... Gilles Losier was the piano tuner for Place des Arts( or at least in their doing it from time to time.) Gilles plays fiddle, upright bass, piano, and God knows what else. I haven't seen him in years. Once told me you can't imagine what it's like being born blind and then experiencing color for the first time(I think it was around 6 years old)A great memory. Funny I don't remember any Hoots at the Back Door. Maybe for a short period. That was usually reserved for top shelf artists. Tex worked the coffee bar for a bit. Do you mean The Yellow Door? The hoots were always on Sunday nights. The second floor near the fireplace was where we used to tune up before going in the basement. I wish they would have recorded some of the stuff that went on. It would have made for an incredible compilation album. You would have gotten artists "trying out " songs on the audience. Wish you well...bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:39 PM

Hi Bob,

I never said there were hoots at the Back Door, I was just quoting the guy who asked the question. From his description I knew he was talking about Chris Rawlings and Gilles Losier.

I knew Tex real well. We both moved from Montreal to Toronto at about the same time and he used to call me up and arrange meets in Chinatown noodle joints two or three times a year. Somehow, I always ended up treating him. I miss the big guy.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:43 PM

P.S. I don't remember Chris Rawlings hosting the hoots at the Yellow Door. I remember Chuck Baker, a guy named Wayne something, and Mike Regenstreif (now the folk radio host in Montreal) before he started up the Golem which was more Back Door than Yellow Door in terms of the musicians and structure.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:48 PM

Chuck Baker hosted almost every hoot that took place at the Yellow Door. I don't recall hoots at the Back Door, but I do recall that that is where I saw a microwave oven for the first time.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:52 PM

Mike R and Chuck B (with help from their friends) did so much to keep 'folk' alive in Montreal, live music happening, and audiences involved. There are lotsa folkies out there who owe those guys a serious debt of gratitude. I'm one of 'em.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:58 PM

Hi Peace,

I remember Wayne and Mike hosting a lot of the Yellow Door hoots. Chuck spent most of the Sunday night hoots in those days in the office at the top of the stairs; sometimes coming part way down the stairs and holding up a funny sign to the audience. This would have been the early-1970s. I left Montreal in 1975.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:00 PM

Forgot to mention Penny Rose who used to hold house concerts at her house in Morin Heights--before folks ever heard of house concerts. She called the place "Rose's Cantina". That was back in the very early 1970s, I think.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:01 PM

Whenever I get to Vancouver, maybe one every five or six years, I stop by Rufus' Guitar Shop and have nice visit with Chuck. Still the same sarcastic 'bastard' with a heart of gold.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:03 PM

I just had a pic of Wayne flash into my head. He had black hair, kinda longish, and he was gettin' some bald areas on the top in front/ Nice guy. Yep, you be right.

Mike? No bells on that.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:04 PM

I think Rose's Cantina got started around 1973. Chris Rawlings and Bill Russell were part of it with Penny, at least in the beginning. I lost track of that scene after I moved away.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:04 PM

Chuck is one of the finest people a guy's ever likely to meet. Bar none.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:11 PM

Yes. It kinda threw me off. Chuck Baker ran the hoots at The Yellow Door. I guess you also mean Wayne Rose(Penny Rose's Wayne. she ran Rose's Cantina in Morin Heights) And Mike Regenstrief, Folk Roots/Folk Branches, CKUT, also on myspace. I just emailed him a short time ago. The Golem was a nice room, I opened for Roger"Jim"McGuinn(Byrds) there. Mike's a real strong supporter of Folk Music.
Dylan is playing Le Festival de Jazz de Montreal, at Place des Arts, but with tix at $125.00, the times are gonna hafta be changin' before I go. Or, maybe not. I'll have to speak to the gods of denari on that one. Or, throw caution to the wind and just do it. I don't expect Bob to be comin' over the house in the near future. If you know what I mean. His new stuff is strong, but I'm from the generation of "It's all over now, baby blue". Chris(Rawlings) was saying something about Dylan hosting some form of radio program or something. We didn't get into details. I gotta get downtown to the Fest. So it's so long for now...bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:16 PM

I am not sure if Chris Rawlings is the songwriter I had an album by (it was recently ruined in a basement flood)

If so he was an amazing songwriter.I think One of the songs was
Pearl River Turnaround, and went:

It's twenty six miles to the Pearl River turnaround
Never very far in the sun and the rain
If you dont' get back to the Pearl River turnaround
you'll never get back again


or something like that.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:18 PM

That's Chris Rawlings' song. But "it's ONLY six miles to the Pearl River turnaround."

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:21 PM

Chris is one heckuva songwriter. I'm lookin' forward to hearing him come the end of July.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:28 PM

PEACE: Just saw your name pop up. The posts are coming in so fast, so I didn't see the other posts before I could react. You know Scotty's gone. I guess you picked it up from the thread. Saw Diane last night. She didn't know and asked me if I told you. Life is LIFE bro. Hope to see you one day...Remembering Lindsay. Got to hit it for downtown. Hang in there. Bless...bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:31 PM

Thanks, Bob.

Hey, any chance you'll do one song with me at the festival? Maybe two?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 12:24 PM

PEACE: You know, I was just thinking about that...I could call myself "LOVE", and we could then go on as "PEACE and LOVE". Then maybe tour. Sorta like Sonny and Cher, but I WILL NOT wear one of those slinky sequined dresses, no matter what!!! And forgettaboutit on any of that thong thingy, "If I could turn back time time wardrobe malfunction costumey stuff," I have my pride, not much, but some. (Unless, somebody comes up with some SERIOUS coin...) Tell ya what. I was thinking about how to motivate you. You know, how to get that best performance out of you. The "Che Guevara Child" that I KNOW is deep within...So, I have just two words to say to you...George Bush! Hey! We COULD put our old band back together. As soon as some of the boys finish their sentences. Ah yes. These Mudcatters cannot hope to realize the sheer awesome power of THE GREASE REVIEW. The "differences of opinion" before the shows. The mammaries. Er, make that memories. And O.K. O.K., I'll leave the switchblade at home. After all, we are now Peace and Love!
But seriously Folks, I'm working on a way to get there as I'm Vehicularly Challenged at the present time. And in closing, a bit of shameless self promotion, My album, "The Ghost of Elvis" was released worldwide on all major digital distribution sites, iTunes, eMusic, etc. last night. So it's Celebration City over here....See ya 'round the festival...bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 04:07 PM

You bring a copy with you because I want it autographed. Also, your memory is going. It was THE SUPER GREASE REVIEW. As for the switch blade, it was a gravity knife. Man, you HAVE mellowed. Man, ya gotta get there for Saturday. We can practise for a half hour before the show and the songs will ROCK!

OK then, I'LL wear the sequin dress, but no clashing colours. Like, we gotta sound OK but more importantly, we gotta look GOOOOOOD!

Bob, I wish you lots and lots of success. I love what I've heard of it. And hey, I ain't got a CD to sell, so why not bring a few with you and see if we can sell them there? I haven't checked with the Festival people, but since we're not gonna carry weapons, maybe they'd consider a quid pro quo.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 04:35 PM

PEACE: There is no CD, yet. I'm doing a "Paul McCartney"(Memory Almost Full). It's a digital download only, but with 100,000,000+ iPods out there alone, PLUS, every computer, phone, and MP3 player totalling 1 BILLION people on-line, do you think anybody will notice? I got ads in N.Y.C. & San Francisco now, and more to come... You can see it now at eMusic. They got me listed under Jazz/Blues. I guess everybody's gonna have an opinion as to what it is. BOOYEAH! bob

p.s. it WAS a switchblade!!!

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Peace
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 08:36 PM

Dammit. So PUT it on a CD and autograph it and sell me one. I have no bloody idea what I-pods are. There's a guy on another thread who had a colonoscophy recently and I think he said he said they found some there. You absolutely sure it wasn't a gravity knife?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 08:50 PM

BOB, if you need a ride to the festival I have friends who live near you and will be going, I can ask if they would be willing to accomodate you.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 11:56 AM

bobad/PEACE: That would be great. Chris Rawlings is looking out for a ride for me as well. Thanks.
In the last 3 months Apple sold it's 100,000,000th iPod. The mobile device that attaches to computers to download MP3's. I think just about every kid I've seen has one permanently attached(almost). Then Warner Bros. laid off 400 people and Sam the Record Man in T.O. closed it's doors. Then, Paul McCartney did "Memory Almost Full" as a digital download. I keep my ear to the ground on this stuff. And as a suggestion to all Mudcatters, if you want to get your songs to the people, this is going to be the way. Example. My album was released on all major digital download stores on June 29. This morning, it showed up on Google and was listed on the "This is Jazz" blog. Google my name to see what's happening. I'll take care of you Peace. And, if I look carefully through my screen here, you look a little bit like this great Singer/Songwriter I saw a long time ago. He used to do some protest songs and ballads. If you see him, tell him to get writing, find some tekkies, and get his stuff out on the net as MP3's. Thanks. bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 07:24 PM

OK Bob, I've been in touch with my friends in Pointe Claire and they are willing to haul your butt down to Ormstown, they are going Saturday AM and returning Saturday evening. If you are interested just let me know and we'll arrange details as the event draws more nigh.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 08:31 PM

Bobad: O.K. Sounds Good...Thanks! bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 07 - 08:48 PM

I've just now checked back on this list to find the responses about Leonda Hardison.

My dad "Doc" Comins did sell the Turks Head in Boston in '67. He thought it was getting too crazy in the city after he and Rolf Cahn, when walking along the Boston Commons, were mugged by 3 men. The story goes that Rolf spotted them coming and said to my dad: "You take the one on the left, kick him in the balls with all your might. I'll take the other two."

Sure enough, the fellow in the middle pulled a knife. Rolf emitting a blood curtling karate scream kicked him in the head, knocking him out. My dad kicked the other guy in the nuts, and Rolf had the third guy by the throat. He quickly gave up the assault and ran. The man with the knife was completely motionless. Rolf and Arn departed the scene swiftly, and they didn't look back.

Which reminds me that Rolf was a pretty heavy duty guy, when he was mad. I have other good stories about Rolf. Probably not appropriate for this thread.

How many on this list have played at the Turks Head before '68, and who are you. I was the smallest of the 4 kids running around.

jonathan

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,carol
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 03:13 AM

I remember a man in a elk skin out fit at the St. Louis folk festival Im guessing it was april 1955,his name was Lingo the Drifter. What happen to him? I was 10 years old and impressed. He said he lived in a mt. top in Tenn.
                              Thank you
                         [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 12:08 PM

If he had a coonskin cap and claimed to have "killed a b'ar when he was only three..." it would have to be Davy Crockett (the Walt Disney version) as portrayed by Fess Parker. Ironically, I marketed wine for Mr. Parker several years ago. He retired to a beautiful place up in the Santa Ynez Valley, near Santa Barbara, CA.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Andy Leader
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 03:04 PM

I also met Luke Faust, probably 1961 or so, at the Indian Neck folk festival outside New Haven, CT, and I was deeply impressed and influenced.   I still occasionally perform one of his pieces, "The Spring of 65", accompanied by frailing banjo. Incidentally, I'm one of those little known 60's folksingers. I roomed with Rick Lee for 3 years, was friends with Taj Mahal and Buffy Saint Marie, and I played with them at the old Saladin coffee house in Amherst, MA. The four of us and some others traveled to New York to hear Bob Dylan, whom we had also met at Indian Neck, when he was the new kid playing at Gerdes, and I drove around NYC with Dylan in my fathers Oldsmobile. I was friends with Hedy West, who was infatuated with "Bobby" at the time, and she introduced me to Alan Lomax for whom I played a version of "Come All You Texas Rangers" which I had heard while hitchhiking through Nebraska. He said I should recite, rather than sing, the song's final line. In 1963 I was living in Dublin where I played at The Pike, an after-hours unpstairs venue, and jammed with Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynihan, Dominic Behan, and others. From the mid 60's on I've been living in Vermont, been in a few different bands, including Rooster Pie with Fiddlin Slim Baker, Fallen Arches with Fred Calrson and Suzie Norris, Barleycorn with Charles Woodard and Steve Hinds, and Rise Up Jack with Charles, John Drury, and Janet Leader. We did the coffee house circuit and some area festivals and First Nights. These days I mostly play fiddle for contradances, though I also do some singing of folk, old time, and parlor songs with Janet for small groups.    Andy Leader

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 03:47 PM

Cisco Huston

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,old village
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 01:33 PM

Effie siegerman, query 489, was less a folk singer than an early music specialist. He ran a madgrigal group in the West Village in the mid to late 1950s, doing renaissance and medieval music: Purcell, Monteverdi. He may have played lute or harpsichord, had a wife or girl friend named Felicia and was in a science or math doctoral program at NYU. All of which are distant memories, insecure.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: coldjam
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 02:49 PM

This is a wonderful thread. Thanks to all youse guys, Frank Hamilton and Bob Rysakiemurflelemumble, Stringsinger, Suffet and the rest who offered those snapshots into the folkera...someone should put them all together in a book...it would make for some interesting reading-especially where and when everyone's paths crossed.Especially since you never hear the real story from the ones who made it to the big time. They seem to gloss everything over.

Frank, you didn't mention Pat & Barbara? Atlanta underground era. I woulda been there but I had to be in bed by 8:30. My husband and I do much the same thing, folk & comedy. Except P & B sounded more like Hedge and Donna and we sound more like, oh, Bugs bunny and Daffy Duck.They put out one album which I've heard-made when Barbara had a bad cold, but still good. My husband was their writer & producer, & told me all about it.I'm a boomer, but I'm a late boomer...that's right I'm a trophy wife. Oh yeah. :)

Charley, as for representing Michigan I can only offer a duo we just discovered that made some albums in the '60's called "The Keystone Bros". Bill & Steve. Hot musicians and very funny guys...banjo & piano! Trying to find out what happened to them. Cadillac Record in Detroit...anybody know anything about that there?

Mike: "Don't cry for us Argentina-just send us some Columbian?" Consider it stolen!

Judy

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 04:08 PM

coldjam: BEST mispronunciation of my name, EVER!!! (I have a collection) Now, you COULD have looked down the thread to find out how to spell it, but I'm not complaining... as I adjust my "air-tie" and do my weird Rodney Dangerfield impression, " Hey, I don't get no RESPECT around here!!!
Or, as Paris Hilton might say, " Hey, any Press is GOOD Press..."
But, kidding aside. This thread, the memories and all, is kind of a tribute to some very talented boys and girls who did the best they could with what they had, and put a smile on a great number of people's faces. Not to mention a song in their hearts. It's a GOOD thing for all of us to remember them, as I think of the great number of bluesmen that were my heroes who passed on with little notice. Maybe someone in the distant future will find this thread in some "cyber-bottle", time-capsule-thing-a-ma-jing and say, "that's the way it was..."
It's been a good day as I just got "Top Friended" on Gordon Lightfoot's "Official" Profile on myspace. He had 47 friends so far! Is it real? Don't much care. The thought was great...
bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: coldjam
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 04:25 PM

Bob, I actually had the correct spelling of your name right in front of me, as I planned to stalk you to your myspace. I can readily see your chagrin (might check that zipper)at the constant misspelling of your name. Our duo name has been misspelled and mangled so many times that we've considered misspelling it ourselves and seeing if THAT would get them to print it right! And ours doesn't use all the letters in the alphabet (that's just greedy Bob)

The cyber-bottle is a nice concept, I'd just like to see it put together. Someone, who has more time than I do could make an darn good start on mudcat.

I surfed across a family tree of musicians that revolved around the Kingston Trio a while back. It branched out to include an incredible number of performers who all worked with people who worked with people...kind of a 7 slices of bacon away from Bob Shane or something like that. Expanded, I think it would show clear back and including "Noah and sons" as the original folk group.It's an inbred little group isn't it?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 06:14 PM

coldjam: Was going out for milk, then it started to rain. As my transportation is a bicycle and BMW(Bus-Metro-Walking) I'm back doing this... The Kingston Trio more or less started the Folk thing for me. Before that, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Chris Montez(who I "talked" to on myspace, still doin' it..), Fats Domino, so many others and my trusty 1960 Emerson transistor radio(a birthday gift from Mom, God Bless...) occupied many an hour. Before that it was a crystal set, (headphones, oatmeal box, needle, wire to the plumbing) Got New York with that from Rhode Island, not bad for a 10 year old. The mind jumps back to Lightfoot, who I met at the Yellow Door in Montreal around '71-72'(It's all pretty much of a haze) Or as a biker friend used to say, "If you remember the 60's, you weren't really there..." Anyhound, he was up on the 2nd floor near the fireplace. Where the performers tune up. He was doing Place des Arts, I think, and stopped in to check the place out. I only knew him from "Early Morning Rain", and was expecting this 6'5" Indian wearing buckskins and all and being American, I had never seen him....The Yellow Door was strange like that. I think Leonard Cohen was in the audience at one point and used to go to the Spanish bars along Park Ave. in Montreal. So Lightfoot is in town and my friend, Josh Onderisin is living next door, living on corn flakes and music. Murray McLaughlin was up in that apartment, visiting at one point. Along with Bruce Cockburn, who stayed at a place called "The Ranch", not too far away. This is during the time he had "High Winds, White Sky", the big fuzzy dog, and dressed in "peasant clothes," complete with walking stick. We were all up there and Bruce is standing on his head in the corner of the room. I ask, "What's he doing?" Meditating. As we used to say, " you could smoke the rug in that place..." But Bruce wasn't into it. It's great that he became famous and is doing all the humanitarian stuff...We had a guitar show here in Montreal, July 6-8 at The Hyatt. Got to meet Linda Manzer,(who I'd heard about for (+/-) 37 years a Luthier from Toronto who tells me she made 5 guitars(+/-) for Bruce. What an Artist! And, I got a pick from the late 40's(a National) from one luthier, and a free T-shirt from another. A GREAT memory... Anyway, Jumping around in the time line here, Lightfoot is looking for a guitar player and offers the job to Josh. Don't quote me here, but he had Red Shea for years, but there was one point when the offer was made. $25,000/year in '71-'73 dollars, a princely sum. Josh TURNS IT DOWN. He was working with Chris Kearney and their album, "Pemmican Stash" was just coming out, and he followed that path. I still remember talking to Josh in that apartment. Playing guitar for Gordon Lightfoot was a big thing. You could still do sessions and the shows, but that's the way she goes...Josh and his lady Mary, listening and recording Ram Dass from the radio. All that stuff. He went on to work with Ian Thomas(Painted Ladies), Dave Thomas'(Saturday Night Live) brother. You can see him on one of Rush's album covers, the gray one with the guy and the pentagram. Josh is on the back, dressed as a puppet. Hugh Syme did the artwork. Milan Kimlicka was the arranger. Ian had 6 hits in the Top 10 over a period of a few years, in Canada, and had to go back to Producing at the CBC to make ends meet!. There truly is , no business like show business... That was when everybody was listening to music and, for me, practising 8 hours a day. Getting the technique from the records. It's funny how these things are a moment in time, then drift away in the clouds of your memory...Oh well, I guess everybody reading this has their own stories..More bubbles surfacing from the depths: I hear Gordon Lightfoot offers to play a show for $5000, I think, to the people who ran The Door. For an intimate concert. Which never took place as 5 G's is one thing to Gord, and the Federal Reserve to others. I can't really vouch for the complete accuracy of all of this, as some of it was second hand. We were all just players. It was the love of the music that kept us together. All the hoots at The Door. Oops, the thunder is coming in, gotta shut the computer down, and get that milk...See you all...bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 07:56 PM

Hey Bob,

What ever happened to Chris Kearney? I remember him playing the Golem quite often in the 1970s, but haven't heard of him since.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 08:53 PM

C. Ham: Haven't got a clue re: Chris Kearney...
bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 09:13 PM

Hi Kids!: If you Google Chris(he preferred Christopher)Kearney, Pemmican Stash(Food carried in a pouch by native Canadians) you'll find that he formed a band called CHINA. Lee Ritenour, and Jeff Baxter of the Doobie Brothers did some of the session work. Bill King was on keys. Don't know if it's the same Bill King who is one of my friends on myspace, working out of Ontario, a killer player that sounds like Jerry Lee Lewis, Professor Longhair, and James Booker all rolled into one. Bill Baird(hope I got it right) was in there, but you can get the whole story(in part) for yourselves on Google. No trace after that it seems...
bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Tony Smith
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 11:53 PM

If Toronto folksinger Al Cromwell had been ambitious, I think he would be perhaps as well known to most people who know the 60's
folk and blues scene as Ritchie Havens was. Al was incomparably smooth. Uncharacteristically, Al got heavily into booze a his early fiftees and died, I'm not sure why, but probably for reasons that had much to do with his downfall in general. Duke, do you remember Al . . . do you remember his Josh White, Oscar Brown sort of delivery? Do you remember Brigitte D. and Doug Stewart, too? The
Dupont restautant? Gee, so long ago. Would we ever have imagined then that we were headed for dumb and dumber, and dumber stil, ecologically above all. Ah, yes, the last time I saw Al was when he played "The Work Song" at my anti-fur demonstration on Yongue street. He did the verses free tempo using a kind of flemenco style continual strum, and then shifted into a shuffle beat for the chorus . . . I've been workin' . . . I've been workin' . . . you know the rest, I'll bet. Oscar Browne died, too. Zal, as you must know. How about Doug Bush? Were you a friend of Chick Webb's?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Cool Beans
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 12:01 PM

Dang it, Bob R., you've got interesting things to say (love your BMW line) but have you not heard of science's latest triumph, the paragraph?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 03:48 PM

So much going on here. So little time to address it all. I will just say to Tony Smith that Al Cromwell and Doug Bush were great friends of mine when I was a little-known Toronto folksinger in the sixties, working under the handle Joanne Hindley-Smith. And I hung out in the laundromat with Zally Yanovsky next door to the Dupont cafe at the corner of St. George. These days I go by Crabtree and I'm having the most fun of my musical life. I have the world's greatest duo partner in Paul Mills, and I have to say it's way more fun than working alone! You can find us at
www.myspace/crabtreemills
Btw Doug Bush seems to have disappeared without a trace. Ruth Jones and I have both looked for him to no avail. If anyone knows anything, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: coldjam
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 05:22 PM

Do any of you you Canucks know James Gordon? I know he's been around since the '60s but he's still going. One of my favorite singer/ songwriters (obviously cause he does/did lots of humorous stuff.)

Bob I second the paragraph request! I'm really enjoying your input-it's just hard to keep my place in that sea of words! Maybe the words up there get so cold they group together for warmth?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 07:19 PM

Cool Beans/coldjam: Paragraphs are for wussies. Next thing you know you'll be wantin' me be be articulate!! And sure the words group together for warmth. It's like a a a a a WORD ORGY!!
When it's -40 wind chill, you don't leave anything hanging out by itself. Zippers freeze in weather like that...REMEMBER, I AM AN ARTISTE! This verbiage is a STYLE. A Marshall McLuhan, Stream of Conciousness, Indubitable, Extemporaneous, Inconsequential, CONNECTION with the Source of All Creation!!!! Did Anybody believe that?

O.K. O.K. Never let it be said that I would refuse a request. Here's your paragraph...

But at the
    same       time      let       us      not
             forget .....................................e.e. cummings

I             create                   I AM                                                                      THAT...

AND,    I    CoUlD hAVe wRIT tEN IT lIke tHIs, So       in TRuth

YOU                                              R                                  Lucky...

bob

p.s. And, on a cold night, if you stare at the above, and it begins to take the shape of an instrument, or you find a meaning in just the form. It will be time to go to the farm..

rebob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 07 - 07:55 PM

Washburn house. Anyone recalling stopping by the Washburn house on Root Street in Flint, MI playing with some of the era's best?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,jlmosher
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 08:07 PM

Hi-
I wanted to know if anyone knew about this post below. I am a little unclear because Monte Dunn is mentioned or did he write it? Monte was a big part of the Folk Music scene and he passed away this April 25, 2007. His discography is rather extensive to include Ian & Sylvia, David Blue, Music director for Chad Mitchell, Sonny and Cher, Richie Havens, Peter, Paul and Mary as well as a guitarist with Jack Eliot for the 1976 Phil Ochs Memorial Concert at the Felt Forum. He left his wife Liane Dunn and also three daughters on the West coast, Cleo, Jesse and Pam. I am his step-daughter, Jacquie.

Subject: RE: Little known 1960's Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 02:07 PM

Monte Dunn.

And thanks for mentioning Raun MacKinnon. Took me back to a night in Toronto when we were both about eighteen and we sat on the floor of her hotel room swapping songs till dawn.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: bobad
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 08:19 PM

Guest jlmosher, the post was made by balladeer and he was citing Monte Dunn as a "Little known 60's Folk Singer", my condolences on the passing of your stepfather, it sounds like he made quite a mark on the folk music scene.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Thank you
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 08:43 PM

Thank you so much for the clarification. If anyone knew him then or now it would be great to hear and I could pass it on to his children. I don't think too many people know he is gone as it just happened. Maybe people will see the post and let others know who knew Monte. My mother phoned Peter Walker, but we have heard very little from the wider music audience. We miss him terribly. He did not use the internet and he was unaware of all the times he was mentioned in interviews and on CD reissues. He spent a lot of his later years writing (both music and journalism) and playing.
Thank you for your heartfelt response.
jacquie

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: lazeebabee
Date: 13 Jul 07 - 11:18 PM

Just found this thread. So many memories, thanks! Didn't Sean Gagnier move to California with his wife and she passed there when she was around 28?

I first met Tex in the village at the Four Winds where I hung out and even worked in the mid-60s. He and his friend that drove a cab would come by and pick me up and whisk me off to Chinatown. Then he came to Montreal and would whisk me off to Chinatown. I was in a grocery store in Toronto one night and ran into him as he was buying a lemon meringue pie and before long we had added one of Toronto's Chinatowns to make it a truly holy trinity. After a couple of years we moved out of the Annex and fell out of touch with him.

Had heard rumours that Lindsey C. had passed awaya but wasn't sure. Some of you probably know that Gary Eisenkraft is gone also. He's the guy that packed up his guitar and moved from Stanley St. (after moving from Bishop) to Sherbrooke and that 'other' music scene, The New Penelope.

Saw Thom Ghent's name way up the thread ... dead or alive? Anyone know? And what about Jeremy Taylor?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 03:45 AM

to guest,jlmosher:

Dear Jacquie:

As I write this I'm very upset. I didn't know Monte was gone. I'm very sorry for your loss and the loss sustained by your mother and sisters, and indeed everyone who knew and loved Monte.

I certainly did not mean to minimize his role on the music scene. He was a very powerful presence in everything he did and a wonderful and popular instrumentalist, but to my knowledge not well-known as a singer in the sixties, which is when I knew him.

Monte and I dated during his time with Ian and Sylvia. We were both very young. I moved to England for a while, and never did meet up with him again.

Thanks for letting us know of his passing. I hope he didn't suffer.

Warm regards,
Joanne

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,jacquie
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 05:50 AM

Joanne,
Thank you so much for writing. I did not take your writing as an insult to Monte at all. He would be honored that you mentioned him. I am trying to gather information to write a story and eulogy for Monte. No one has written anything, which makes me very sad. But he knew I liked to write and I thought the other day that he would probably tell me "well, why don't you write it" because we used to talk about how much fun it was to work with words. I wrote my first op-ed piece on his little word processor which I have with me and 20 yrs of his writing I have been printing for his kids!!! I would like to write it and maybe you could be a part of it and others if they would like. I would love to write it for him.

Monte was a grandfather too! He has 3 grandchildren , one step-grandchild and another grandchild on the way.
My mom told me when they used to go to Canada to meet Ian and Sylvia, that they visited someone else up there that he knew non-musician-- woman-- wish I knew so I could contact her-- had a horse farm, upper Ontario I think), but she could not remember. I wrote an email to Sylvia, but never heard back. Monte did quite a bit back in those days and continued to do much for many and I wish he was more acknowledged for his efforts, but many folks were not. You dated Monte before he met his now ex-wife Karen Kruse? I am sorry this news upset you, but by the same token I am glad Monte was recognized by someone who knew him. His children and myself, I am sure would love to know anyone who knew him in his early days. You and people like you are bridges to him and to time.

His passing is a very big loss, that few, if any of us, are handling very well. His health had deteriorated over the years and he was not well. I am sure he had a lot of spunk when you met him and dated him. He had one of the most brilliant minds I have known and his creatvity was boundless. I found old paintings he did, his writing, his book collection -- library is unimaginable and he read most of everything, and for the record he played every instrument he could-- he was known for that beautiful Guild guitar which we have both ( acoustic /electric acoustic)-- the acoustic he had when he recorded for Ian and Sylvia we just sent to his oldest daughter which even has his old songlist taped to it. He played the banjo beautifully and mandolin and he had saxophones and also a bass, but his love was those guitars. I have a tape of him from a little concert he did in Coe Park here in Ct that I am trying to convert to a CD for family members. You are welcome to one if I can find someone to tape it. Monte's wonderful humor is on it as well. He would be thrilled you connected with me.
One of the local musicians who played on that gig said that Monte played "Misty" a key lower and the horn section and rest of the musicians were struggling to play it and Monte would not let up or change keys.....(Monte was the lead of course!) and in the end he non-chalantly told them he was sorry but he couldn't sing that high so he had to drop it down an octave or two! My late sister used to sing with him on some gigs and he would change on her too and it drove her nuts! I love the stories, the happy and joyful moments especially with regards to music. He did cut one album with Karen on Cyclone Records. I have a CD if you would like one.

I am glad you thought of him-- no insult at all.   I was so happy to see his name mentioned.

Thank you Joanne-- I am glad you knew him. I wish he had continued with Ian and Sylvia. My mom tells me they made an offer for him to do that, but he moved on after 1965 and recorded with Sonny and Cher, toured with Carolyn Hester and Chad Mitchell, was Musical Director for the Mandrell Singers and recorded with Peter, Paul and Mary, and then came 1966.......with Tim Hardin, Tom Rush, Buffy St. Marie, Peter Walker and Kui Lee and that was just that year....

He contributed much.

I am glad you knew him. If you would like to hear him and what he was doing after all his recordings, let me know. And let me know if you would like to be aprt o fthe story I would like to write. Writers around here would not make the effort to stretch into the past which was very important time. Monte was also teaching a lot and he worked as a music therapist as well. He was quite a man and a very talented and giving one.

Kindest,
Jacquie

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 01:01 PM

Jacquie,

Thank you for responding to my note in such detail. I am very pleased to meet you.

I'm not an important part of Monte's story. We were close for just a little while. He was mostly on the road with Ian and Sylvia, and we saw each other during those times when the troupe landed in Toronto. When he left Toronto in 1965, I was already happily established on the British folk scene. So, though I have a few vivid memories of our times together, I don't have a lot of hard information to contribute to your written history, but I'd be happy to tell you whatever I can.

You mentioned a lady with a horse farm. I don't remember who that was, but I do remember visiting a rural property with Monte, somewhere near Peterborough Ontario, I believe. There were horses there (or at least a horse). This was late at night, so I'm fuzzy on the locale. Mostly the focus was indoors as Ian Tyson and Jack Elliot were swapping songs all night, but there was a point where Monte and I went outside to ride a horse. I remember having trouble with the horse and Ian somehow saving the day. Ian was already my hero, but he REALLY was after that. You might be able to track down Ian in Alberta, where he lives now.

I would be interested in the CD you spoke of, and anything else you'd be willing to share with me.

If you want to quickly learn more about who you're dealing with, the precis of my life is at www.joannecrabtree.com and that site will give you a way to contact me directly.

cdbaby.com/cd/jcrabtree and www.myspace/crabtreemills will give you lots of samples of music.

Thanks for taking the time to explore this tiny connection.

Best of luck with your on-going search.

Joanne

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Knutson
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 02:50 PM

Pamir House... Now there's a memory. Whatever happened to Mike Atwood?

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: lazeebabee
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:19 AM

Is it possible that the lady with the horse connection's name was Norma? Became friends with a woman by that name when we lived in a house on Spadina and Bernard. She had friends who owned a french restaurant who came and picked us up one day and took us out to ride. That would have been near the end of summer 1966. She wasn't a folk singer but a definite folk fan.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 10:42 AM

Sorry, Sassy, I have no memory beyond the bits I've described.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 02:20 PM

Mike Atwood. Of the singers who sang at Pamir House, he probably had more longevity there than anyone else. For several months in 1961 in particular, but off and on for a couple of years, I also sang at Pamir House. On Friday and Saturday evenings, usually perched on stools up front (or against the back wall, depending on how you looked at it) and reading from left to right would be me, Mike Atwood, and most evenings, Jerry Murry, and/or Jim Wilhelm. Sometimes either replacing or adding to this mob would be Sue Hall, Judy Flenniken, Nancy Quensé, and occasional others (not all at once, of course). Generally no planned program, we just bounced songs back and forth and played off each other. Kinda like a party/songfest. I'd say that, as far as the entertainment was concerned, people were getting their money's worth! Most people seemed to really enjoy the informality of the whole thing.

After the Seattle World's Fair in 1962, I went on to do most of my coffeehouse singing at The Place Next Door (later, when Stan James bought it, it became The Corroboree), and Mike pretty much stuck with Pamir House. I didn't see him very often during that time. Sometime in 1963 I think, Mike, riding his motorcycle, got hit by a car in an intersection and lost a leg. After that, I understand that he moved in with his mother in Arlington, Washington (some miles north of Seattle). I know he did go to the 1964 Berkeley Folk Festival with three or four other people (Pamir House regulars like Jerry Murry and Jim Wilhelm). I ran into them there and we had an after-concert party one night.

The last time I saw Mike was at a "Pamir House Reunion" concert, held at a club/tavern on Ballard Avenue in Seattle in 1991 (I've got the T-shirt!). All kinds of people showed up, some folks who hadn't seen each other in a couple of decades. Those who were still singing (most of us) each sang a brief set. Lots of fun and gobs of nostalgia. Big party at Paul Gillingham's house afterward that went on to the wee small hours of the morning. I chatted with Mike a bit at the party. As I recall, he said he was still living in Arlington, but wasn't doing much singing (not much opportunity there).

And this I hesitate to mention, because I don't know if it's true or not, but a little while later, someone told me that Mike had passed away.

I'd like to hear some of your memories of Pamir House and the folks there, Knutson. Do I know you?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Knutson
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 09:45 PM

Don, yes we've met, but didn't really know each other. I, too, played at the Pamir House and most knew me as Doc Knutson. I came in there a little later, '64 or so, and played for several years until my MC'ing duties (replaced Ray Court at KING for the Hootenanys and later working for the Seattle Center as MC of the Seattle Center Folk Concerts & Opera House) got in the way. Had a strong duet going with Anne Billings (that was the best... what a voice she had). I knew Jerry Murray pretty well too. Is he still around... he had everything Van Ronk did down pat and a lot more... Later I partnered with John Hughes in some restaurants in the Seattle area (remember him?). What about Sue Molen (Molin?) Where did she go? Back then, I also played the El Matador (Lake Union), Three Thieves (Everett), a little at the Corroboree as well as Portland and SF. Eventually, career and too much travel got in the way so I drifted away from all of it. Many memories and a lot of really good people and fine music. Sounds like you have stayed very plugged in. By the way, it was John Timmons that owned the Pamir House but no one really saw him. When things were cranking, not only was there music in the front by the stove but also next door (south) and sometimes downstairs too in the passageway to the other side. Atwood still lived on Seaview, across from Ray's Boathouse for a while after he lost his leg with his girlfriend Cele. Still had the '49 Hudson too (still no brakes). It made for an entertaining ride to the Pamir house on the flatest roads possible. Ah... the days...

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 01:39 AM

I remember playing alongside Monte and Karen in the 70's in NYC. There was a jam every Thursday at an Italian restaurant on Houston St. They would show up to sit in, along with occassionally, Tony Trischka, Peter Rowan, a 16 year old Bela Fleck, Andy Statman among others. Not much money, but great food and drink and music.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Guest. David Jones
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:12 PM

Just got turned on to Mudcat and this thread. Noted reference to Gloucester Ma. by Frank Hamilton. I do remember Frank being in Gloucester.
I remember a fine singer at the Drinking Gourd in San Francisco named Chick Raines, he did a great job on "The Spoon River Anthology", and he had a song with the line "--you just sorta, stepped right on to my aorta--". Charles O'Hegarty made a big splash at the Berkley FF at that time, I think his big hit was "Body in the Bag". At Gerdes Folk City, the actor Dominic Chianese, best known for playing Uncle Junior in the HBO series "The Sopranos", held forth as a singer and the MC at the monday night Hoots. I remember him introducing a very young David Bromberg, and a quite young Lou Killen. Dominic still sings around New York.
David Jones

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Erik Frandsen
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 02:36 PM

The "sorta...aorta" was from a song called "You Done Stomped on My Heart (and You Mashed That Sucker Flat)" Years ago (must have been '72 or '73) I got a phone call on New Years Eve: "...Hello, Eriks, it's nobody but-a just Mike Porco. Can you come to the club (Folk City) and play tonight? Dominic just-a got arrested." Seems Dominic Chianese had a vengeful ex who would call the cops whenever he had a gig because he owed back alimony or child support. So I played the gig. Some years later I told that story to George Gerdes, who said, in his way, "You mendacious lying scumbag sonofabitch! That wasn't you, that was me!" Turns out it was both of us. It happened two years in a row.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Duke
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 10:31 AM

Tony Smith: I know most of the people that you mentioned and also the Dupont Restaurant. What about Websters? The only Tony Smith I remember played piano and was a great pool player. Is that you? Doug Stewart I would love to see again. I spent a lot of time with Al Cromwell in the last few years of his life and when it came to his music, he was very special. I love this thread!

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 11:43 AM

Slight correction to Duke: The actual name of "Webster's" was THE WEBSTER.

There is a song on my first CD, All the Good Times, that features two people who were very much on the Toronto scene at that time. I did not wish to name them because I was very upset when I wrote the song, but I did feel free to name the restaurant where the drama of our lives so often unfolded between two and six AM.

Here's the passage:

We'd sip coffee at the Webster
Every night from two till dawn
Scribbling one-act plays on napkins
Now the playwright thrill is gone
And the wedding we'd been planning
When I left for overseas
Just another bitter memory
Now you're living your disease.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: balladeer
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 11:48 AM

I've asked before, but this thread seems to be attracting people who might know the answer to this (these) question(s).

Do you know where Doug Bush is?
Or if he's alive?
Or where he was last seen?
Do you know anyonw who might know?

Al Cromwell and Doud Bush were a duo back at the time when we were all besotted with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee. So far, Google reveals nothing.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: lazeebabee
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 01:08 PM

Good old Webster's (aka The Webster). I worked at Sammy's Pizza place down the road for awhile. But Webster's was the best place to just hang out 'til dawn for sure.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: C. Ham
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 01:25 PM

Just to return to the Yellow Door hoots for a moment.

I had dinner last night with an old Montreal friend and he remembered both Wayne and Mike hosting Yellow Door hoots in the early 70's.

Not only that, he remembered Wayne's last name: Tuttle. Definitely not Wayne Rose, penny's ex.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 03:47 PM

To: "Doc Knutson and Don Firth" ...

Doc, I don't remember you, but there's a LOT of people of the era I don't remember. (sometimes that's a GOOD thing)?

"Bride Judy" and I and John Weiss went to a local Snohomish coffee house gig, maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Baby Gramps was the performer that night. From the stage, he recognized us and announced that he had just heard that Mike Atwood had died. I forget the circumstances of his death.

Mike certainly had a powerful impact on people ... some of them good. I always remember him singing ... "I'm Going Back, To Where I Come From"! CHEERS, Bob Nelson

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 03:32 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 04:31 PM

Deckman,

Thanks so much. Good to hear you're on a "tear"---I appreciate it!Got your message forwarded to me in Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Kat. Carol and I were there with family and hanging with Fritz and Mary Schuler at their great Golden Ring Music Store And Folklore Center all this last week. First vacation in many years.

Onward and upward,

Art T.

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: Deckman
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 07:27 PM

Ain't olde friends great! Bob

Subject: RE: Little known '60s Folk Singers
From: GUEST,comins
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 09:12 AM

My mom Sallie Comins tells me that Leonda Hardison had a pet ocelot she kept in her appartment, so the story must have some truth to it. This gorgeous girl with a panther...

Agona, Leondas daugther, was born at the Turks Head Coffe House in Wellfleet, on Cape Cod. My dad performed the delivery