While I do acknowledge that there is some good music out there, for me, I find good music is getting harder to find. Often I find myself surfing my cars radio settings in hopes of finding music I can tolerate, that leaves me not wanting to rip the thing out of my dashboard. I can't help it, music in general has sacrificed its "Folk Appeal" for the 3 minute "hook". I've had always contended that music needed to be "revelant", poetic, intellectually stimulating, could take you (if only for a moment) to a place where you could relate. Where are the John Denvers, the Gordon Lightfoots, the Simon and Garfunkles, the Natalie Merchants, the Woodie & Arlo Gutherie's, and a host of others, yes even the Johnny Cash's, the Johnny Hortons, the Marty Robbins, who all crossed into American folk legend. I have wore out many 45's in my earlier years, 8-tracks, and cassettes in trying to hold on to some piece of Americana.


And the people bowed and prayed
to the neon god they made,
and the sun flashed out its warning
in the words that it was forming
and the signs said the words of the prophets are written on the subway wall, and tenement halls...
echo the sound, of silence....
"Sound of Silence" / Paul Simon & Art Garfunkle

Ya'akov

I agree.Look into the North Mississippi All Stars.

Try on "Three Marlena's" by Jakob Dylan or a little Jack Johnson or some others that still write dirges or torch songs, you won't find them on the radio or a campus in our area, but they are driven by word of cell and email. There's a reason Dave Mathews owns the campus circuit, that reason is shallow radio. No one you hear on radio (other than classic rock) appeals to anyone over 15.

I suppose all types of music is being directed toward more of a younger crowd, there is money there. But even when I was younger, I perfered music I could identify with, which usually left me outside of the popularity circle. But then again, I'm still like that I suppose. I have a few recording of the Pibroch, the classical music of the Highland Bagpipe which is always played by a single Bagpiper, and to hear the Gaelic tongue will usually bring a tear to my eye, as well as Hebraic Chants. Just drop that guitar's top E string to a D, and I'm a happy camper.
Ya'akov

Nanci Griffith -Spanish Boots of Spanish Leather

Midnight Special - Leadbelly

This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie




John Henry - Bruce Springsteen

Piper, you need to get Sirrus radio. Much of what you like can be found there.
I was a great fan of good folk music in the 60's. Loved The Silkies and all the way to the Association. Still have my Melanie albums and about a dozen albums of bagpipe music. Lots of classical stuff too. Love Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. New Christie Minstrels! Mix it up with Cat Stevens and Roy Orbison and I am ready to kick back.

In all the assorted old 33RPM LPs stuck back in my closet, I may still have the Johnny Horton album--if decades of dust and improper storage hasn't ruined it. I guess I'm screwy, but on that album of Horton's greatest hits, the best one I liked was an obscure one: Champion (the great horse, you fought all the way...)--about George Custer's horse Champion at the massacree at the Little Big Horn. I liked Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Waters as much as I did The Sounds of Silence. It's a shame they broke up, as it was a shame The Kingston Trio broke up. I also may still have one of their LP albums around, on it was one about, did they ever get Charley off the MTA?

"Did he ever return, no he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned. He may ride forever neath the streets of Boston, he's the man who never returned".

Man, booted up youtube and found a very young Peter, Paul, and Mary. You know, voices back then had to be good, there were no computer enhancements. Saw Johnny Horton as well, Battle of New Orleans, Arlo's train they call the City of New Orleans...Wish they would write um like that again...

Ya'akov

I got to see the Lettermen both times they came to Meridian. It was amazing to listen to them in rehearsal! That sound was there even without the microphones. That harmony was real. No electronic enhancement at all!
And I will tell you something else, you could not have met 3 nicer, more down to earth guys anywhere.

For your enjoyment, Sunrise. Here are the Lettermen on YouTube.

Lettermen

bamadog

The Kingston Trio - MTA