Best acapella folkies

Subject: Best acapella folkies
From: Cyparissa
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 01:36 PM

I'm just curious- does anyone here have any recommendations for good acapella folk songs? While I do like instrumental tunes now and then, unaccompanied singing has always been my favorite and I'm always on the lookout for more. I've noticed that Appalachian music seems to have the most acapella tunes, just for the record...

Anyway, suggestions? :)

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Mr Red
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 01:42 PM

Barbara Ellen

good enough for the Everley Brothers to name but two

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Crystal (without a cookie!!)
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 02:50 PM

I sing all my stuff unnacompanied! Judy Cook does some nice anerican stuff!

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Puck
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 03:08 PM

Try Dave Webber and Annie Fentiman. Tough to beat !!

P.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Ernest
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 03:37 PM

Have a look at Shanties, Johnny Collins for example is a great singer. Or the Young Tradition, an english group no longer existant doing most of their stuff unaccompanied.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Janie
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 03:46 PM

Many Old Regular and United Baptist associations have doctrines that forbid the use of musical instruments, at least in church, so they are sung a cappella. They sing 'lined out' hymns, where the leader picks a melody that matches the meter of the verses, starts it out, and the rest of the congregation follow him. I think some of the vocal embellishment one hears in southern Appalachian ballad and hymn singing comes out of this tradition. (I have nothing to back that opinion up--just seems logical.)

Most songs can be sung a cappella and sound really good--but you might have to do a bit of arranging.

Janie

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 03:55 PM

John Roberts and Tony Barrand are my favorites, Followed by Danny Spooner and then Dave and Annie. But who is the best? I'd hate to live or die on the margin.

Don

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: muppitz
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 04:07 PM

Coope, Boyes & Simpson.
The Wilson Family

The above get my vote!

muppitz x

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,jim
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 04:13 PM

Listen to the old Watersons records or the newer Waterson/Carthy records.

A couple of good North American tunes are The Scotsman, by Mike Cross. I've heard Mike do it both with accompaniment and acapella. I think I've heard Brian Bowers do it acapella too.

A good quartet tune is Zen Gospel Singing.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: weerover
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 04:40 PM

The Voice Squad produced some great harmonies, as did Maddy Prior and June Tabor as Silly Sisters.

wr.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:21 PM

Sheila Kay Adams
http://www.jimandsheila.com/SheilasPages/SheilaHome.html

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:24 PM

Sheila Stewart and her mother Belle of the legendary Stewarts of Blair.
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/stewart.htm

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:29 PM

Almeda (Granny)Riddle

http://www.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/ozarks.htm

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Hawker
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:34 PM

Craig Morgan Robson.......
Capella........
Hen Party......
are all worthy of a listen

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,Elizabeth Block, Toronto, Canada
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:52 PM

Finest Kind, consisting of Ian Robb, Ann Downey, and Shelley Posen. Superb. Incomparable. (I don't use superlatives indiscriminately.) They draw on different areas: Ian from English trad., Ann from cowboy and Western material, and Shelley, a musicologist by trade, finds forgotten old songs and brings them back to life. (See his "Old Songs Home," printed a couple of years ago in Sing Out!) They sometimes use instruments, but their a capella work is the best, I think.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Tootler
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 05:58 PM

Almost any traditional English song. The English had a tradition of unaccompanied singing. I suspect the reason why a lot of appalachian song work well unaccompanied is that many of them came from England originally.

I also find that the Bothy Ballads of North East Scotland work well unaccompanied. I suspect this is because that is how they were originally sung. Farm labourers generally did not have enough spare cash to spend on instruments.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,IS
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 06:10 PM

I second Russ' suggestion of the Stewarts of Blairgowrie. Also Jeannie Robertson. From Ireland, I love Packie Byrne and the late Paddy Tunney.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: bbc
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 06:16 PM

I'd second Finest Kind & Sheila Kay Adams. Some nice input here!

bbc

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Janie
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 06:45 PM

Duh! Good point Tootler.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: RTim
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 06:45 PM

I agree with Finest Kind, and say so on the other thread about a capella groups - why are there two threads?

Tim R

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:01 PM

now heres a coincidence..

only mentioned this CD in another thread earlier..


Chumbawamba    "English Rebel Songs 1381-1984"


".. contains acapella songs from different points in English history; the songs are all protest songs by oppressed people such as the diggers, the chartists, Irish nationalists, World War 1 soldiers, coal miners and so on. The music is melodic & well sung."

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009QI2H/sr=8-1/qid=1145487449/ref=sr_1_1/103-6778657-5045442?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Janie
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:03 PM

It is a bit confusing. I thought from the 1st post that she was asking about a capella material. Maybe people started recommending groups as sources and it has morphed into best/favorite a capella groups. But both could probably be covered in the same thread.

We is all humanoid and get cornfused every little bit:>)

J

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Alice
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:10 PM

Cyparissa, traditional Irish songs are sung a capella (called sean nos or old style). A thread search on sean nos should bring up more discussions.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Alice
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:16 PM

Check out any songs by Jean Ritchie (known on Mudcat as "kytrad" for Kentucky traditional). There is a thread on "Early Fields".
...But there's naught on earth can e'er match the sound
Of one clear voice, singin!

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: akenaton
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:40 PM

My all time favourite and I still have the 1973 single, is "After the goldrush" by a trio from the North of England called "Prelude"

It still gives me the shivers...Ake

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Sean Belt
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 10:18 PM

Bruce Greene and Loy McWhirter's latest CD, Come Near My Love is all acapella singing and is one of the best and most beautiful recordings I've heard in a while. It's been practically living in my CD player since I got it a few weeks ago. Bruce is better known for being a great Southern Old-Time fiddler and plays regularly with mountain dulcimer master Don Pedi.

Here is what is on the CD:

Come Near My Love
Omie Wise
The Moonshiner
O, Lily-O
Keys to the Kingdon
Lady Margaret
Oh Death
As I Walked Out
No Fooling
Let Me Be Your Satellite
Rocket Man
Witch of Usher's Well
Vance No More

They are selling it for $15 postpaid.
Contact Bruce Greene at
7036 State Hwy 80 South
Burnsville, NC 28714
1-800-970-4220
[this is the phone for Bruce's business, Compassion Books]

Standard disclaimers apply: I have no financial stake in this CD. Just love the music and want to spread it around.

Peace,
Sean Ruprecht-Belt

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Northerner
Date: 20 Apr 06 - 05:34 AM

Stanley Robertson - Jeannie's nephew.

There are plenty of a capella singers around; there are quite a few in my area, the Tees Valley. There are lots of good voices out there!
I sing a capella myself. Try looking out for singers of shanties - usually good singers and good songs - all sung with only the human voice.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: pavane
Date: 20 Apr 06 - 10:59 AM

Mrs Pavane sings most of her folk that way.
See www.motagator.net, look for Dawne Oakley and listen to some.

Danny Boy is not *Real* folk of course, the words being composed (by an Englishman), but the tune is trad.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Maryrrf
Date: 20 Apr 06 - 11:49 AM

Anne Briggs deserves a mention here.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Anne Lister
Date: 20 Apr 06 - 11:55 AM

Not traditional material, but Artisan from Yorkshire were fab - they've now stopped performing and disbanded, but will be remembered fondly.

Subject: RE: Best acapella folkies
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 20 Apr 06 - 12:37 PM

The thread title seems to refer to people, the initial question refers to songs... confusion may indeed be natural. :-)

Of course, given that recordings are the way many get to songs, then starting with a performer recommendation makes sense as one approach.

If you start with a book, take any song and sing it by itself. See if you like it. Not too hard. Most old songs other than parlor-type songs and obviously banjo/fiddle songs would have started life unaccompanied anyway.

~ Becky in Tucson