The situation is that I'm associated with a student run radio station (KDVS 90.3FM in Davis, kdvs.org). The school is on a quarter system, so the station runs on a similar schedule. The year is divided into 4 quarters, the schedule changes every quarter. Every quarter, including Summer when there are far fewer student on campus, a 10 week long New DJ seminar is taught. Two of the classes are devoted to "musicology". I learned was exposed to Punk, Bedroom Pop, Synth Pop and couple of other genres that my ear can't distiquish between. This Wed, I am teaching a class on Folk Music. I've been given a whole 15 minutes. My goal is to at least get them to remember some names and some timeline stuff. Remembering that this is a class for budding radio DJs, not ethno-musicologists, and that the typical student is a college student ("Alice's what?") This is my current thinking REMEMBER THESE NAMES: Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly (with a space)) Pete Seeger Woody Guthrie Bob Dylan Try to remember these names: Alan Lomax (& John), AP Carter, Kingston Trio, Weavers, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Paul & Mary, Odetta Other names: Limelighters, Mamas & Papas, Judy Collins, CSNY, Roscoe Holcom, Paul Caldwell, 4 Freshmen, Brothers 4, Traffic, Fairport Convention, Holly Near, Judy Fjell, Kate Wolf, Carly Simon, Hedy West, Bob Gibson, Carol King Not folk, but: Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane Songs: John Henry, Goodnight Irene, If I Had a Hammer, Joe Hill, We Shall Overcome, This Land Is Your Land, MTA, Lonesome Valley, Other songs: Oh Suzanna, City of New Orleans, Blowing in the Wind, In The Pines, Alabama Bound, Worried Man Blues, Wabash Cannonball, Do Re Mi, Grand Coulee Dam, Union Maid, Ladies Auxiliary, McMcClouds Reel/Hop Up My Ladies, Mrs. McGrath, Roll Down The Line, Turn Turn Turn, Where Have All The Flowers Gone ... (current playlist for the 15 minutes): Lead Belly - Take This Hammer Woody - Do Re Mi Kinsgton Trio - MTA Seeger - Lonesome Valley Weavers - Goodnight Irene Peter Paul Mary - If I Had a Hammer Baez - Joe Hill Collins/Seeger - Turn Turn Turn the people - We Shall Overcome Freedom Singers - We Shall Not Be Moved (That's right, 15 minutes.) The playlist and songs lists is an impossible task, but I guarantee to fill the 15 min. (song suggestions welcome, but not the point of the thread.) (I just flashed on a 15 minute class on the topic "Arlo Guthrie song introductions") What I am looking for help with is the "try to remember these names" and the "other names". Who did I miss? Particular interest in pre-Kingston Trio names. What names of folk singers should a DJ have on their computer, even if they don't look at the list? Thanks for your help.
Are you not going any later than Kate Wolf? Joe Jencks Darryl Purpose (born in CA) Susan Warner Vance Gilbert Ellis Paul David Rovics
I'm planning on going roughly from Edison to after Dylan went electric. The Judy Collins, Carol King, Peter Paul Mary is the stopping point, roughly. I've got 15 minutes, Lead Belly + Seeger in 15 minutes, plus Dylan and Guthrie. Thanks for the names, I'll add them to the current folk handout. Memo to self: add Burl Ives, Bill Broonzy
15 minutes (even it be of fame) is never gonna be enough - Perhaps the Dylan paraphrased phraseology of "Like a Rolling stone, when something's blowin' in the wind - sees the times, a changing" seems to sum up the observational comments made by the 'Modern day' Bard?
Since I'm talking about old school folk, its appropriate for me to bring a pocket watch. If the spring is loose, then there might be more to 15 minutes than one would expect.
You missed Richard Thompson. One of the most talented finger pickers in the folk music world, and songwriter. Originally a member of Fairport Convention, then went on to greater success with his wife Linda Thompson. He and his wife lived as sufis for a few years. Guy's a fucking legend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HApy-Xoix-g
Well, I gave the talk. What I ended up doing was zip through Edison, Lead Belly, Woody and the Almanacs. Then spent more time on Peekskill, Weavers/Blacklist. Compared the actions of commercial radio to college radio during the blacklist. Noted that college radio helped preserve folk music, which had effects years later in the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam movement. Noted that non-commercial media is important in a real world sense. Noted that the decisions made by DJ have real world results. "Will you play songs with the N word?" "Vegans have called for a boycott, will you play Ted Nugent songs?" "Will you play songs by a racist?" "Station policy is that you can play anything (up to FCC limits), but what decisions will you make? They are important, thank you for making them." I also confirmed what I had suspected, there is no Music Appreciation in public schools any more. If I do this again, I think I'll just spend all 15 minutes on Lead Belly's music.
Come to Britain and do a lesson on the history of Ed Sheeran. Or not really is also a better option. If it's appreciation you're after then have you tried being a wonky-eyed gingerbread man in a hot air balloon hovering stoutly over the dales of Sommerset?
