The Yetties,My introduction to folk song

Subject: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: GUEST,Chris
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 08:52 AM

Reading the comments about The Spinners and how they possibly lost some credibility with the die hard trad folkies when they became popular, It got me thinking.

My introduction to english folk songs was when my Morris dance teacher at school handed me half a dozen Yetties album's to listen to.
First song I learnt was 'The Blackbirds Nest' cause i could get away with saying bugger at home and not getting a clip round the ear, that led me. Funnily I still songs from those albums 34 years on, althogh I tend to leave the 'blackbird' to the pub sessions after Morris stands.
Were they traditional? Yes or no? I think they were. They got me listing to folk song which may well of passed me by in the heady days of Glam Rock. Although I have to say, when they dropped 'happy and so gay' lyric in the song out in the green fields I fealt they had sold out to the PC brigade....!
Oh by the way All Round my Hat led me down the folk rock path.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 08:55 AM

The Yetties should be present tense.
They are still around.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:03 AM

Sorry... Are they.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Scrump
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:27 AM

Yes, the Yetties are still gigging occasionally (still 3 of the orignal 4 members, Bonny Sartin, Mac McCulloch and Pete Shutler). Sadly they seem to have got stuck in a timewarp, and any new album they bring out seems to have many of the same songs as have appeared on their older ones. I guess they know their audience and stick to what people want. I still enjoy hearing a lot of their old stuff, though.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:50 AM

They were certainly a traditional group when they started. I remember them as regular visitors to Dorchester Folk Club c1964 and there were five of them right at the beginning. They also ran the Yeovil Folk Club on a Friday evening. My own group, the Biddles, used to see quite a lot of them at places such as Halsway Manor (along with the Exeter group, the Journeymen)and we were all helped by the EFDSS West Country reps Bill Rutter and Peter dashwood.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:52 AM

What happened to Bob Common [ the drum's on a hook ] then ?

eric

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: IanC
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:55 AM

Well yes they still are, but I went to a Yetties concert 3 or 4 years ago and they were frankly awful. Pity really - and I wished I hadn't gone - because they were my heroes years ago.

:-(
Ian

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Scrump
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 10:54 AM

eric, Bob Common left the Yetties in 1979. No idea what he's been doing since then.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: BB
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 03:29 PM

Interesting. They are some of the few pro. performers who are actually doing any organising - they run a monthly club in Sherborne, Dorset. When we were there, not having seen/heard them in years, we were pleasantly surprised. Bonny was singing some interesting material - and he's a fine singer - and Pete is still a magnificent accordionist. They're also very encouraging of young local talent at the club.

I agree that I could do without some of the old chestnuts, but yes, they do appeal to their very large following, and who can blame them?

Barbara

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: oggie
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 03:44 PM

When I first came to folksong in the early 1970's my starting points were The Yetties, The Spinners, The Dubliners and The Corries. OK, I moved on but back then The Yetties were a ceiliidh band you'd travel miles to see.

If I look at my singaround/pub repertoire today it still contains many of those songs I learnt from those four groups 30 odd years ago.

All the best

oggie

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 03:49 PM

Bob Common is still around, and for many years was, I believe, a coach driver. His wife, who was Irish, ran the Yetminster Irish Dancers.
Derek Schofield

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: *Laura*
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 04:00 PM

I live near Yeovil and the Yetties still feature regularly in the local paper on the 'what's on' page....

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:42 AM

When I first started going to folk clubs in the late 1960s the Yetties were a major act and I loved 'em.

eric

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:39 AM

I believe it is them that you can still hear every Sunday morning playing the intro for the omnibus edition of the Archers on Radio 4.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:06 AM

Yes it is GUEST,Guest (not that I listen mind, but I caught the start of it last week before I could get to the radio to switch it off).

That's the Archers theme, isn't it:

Da, da-da, da-da, da-dahhh,
Da, da-da, da-dahh, click

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:43 PM

Well I think they're wonderful I love Bonnie's singing voice. the accordion chap and the guitarist are great. I think I've got nearly all their later stuff. Videos, cds the lot, and I wish I'd kept hold of the old decca stuff.

I used to go their concerts in the basement of the Pavilion at Weymouth every year. Can't understand why they are so rarely in the Weymouth Festival.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: VIN
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:08 AM

Similar introduction to folk music as me oggie back then in late 60's early seventies. Do you remember a radio programme called Country Meets Folk with Wally Whyton (rip)..? If my memory serves me well i recall the yetties were on that a few times.

Subject: RE: The Yetties,My introduction to folk song
From: Scrump
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:11 AM

Country Meets Folk was mentioned in another thread the other day (b*gg*red if I can remember which thread though).

Yes, I have many happy memories of attending the recordings as an audience member (in the Playhouse Theatre, near what is now Embankment tube station). I saw many top artists there, even if they only sang a few songs each (of course I saw many of them elsewhere too, but CMF was a free concert each time!)