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