I am simply a lucky guy with picking up Folk Dames in the ole lunch line. Too bad it’s been fifty years… too late.
I wanted to catch up with Ruth Pelham before I left, if only to thank her for her set at Friday’s Kids’ Concert at the conference. There was more energy at this Friday morning showcase than the rest of the festival (in my humble opinion…). And she was a delight to watch her perform in front of 140 third graders. I got to back her up, along with David and Jenny, too!
It remains amazing how folks like Ruth and myself can zone in on our common experiences, skills and regional ties, and forge an immediate bond. Ruth and I are buds! We proceeded to load up our plates with blintzes, scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, etal. Let’s get it on!
Ruth comes from a Pete activist background, so she’s great at community building with her songwriting, her progressive roots and her street music skills. It’s a really rich gig bag that she has as a performer. I had just recently got to know her from a distance at the recent Childrens’ Music Conference I attended in late September. She’s famous, in my book.
As we chatted, we landed on an interesting quirk in the larger folk scene – that of the family music performer. (I’ve stopped referring to ‘kids’ music’ or ‘children’s music’) As I had mentioned at the Children’s Music workshop, “Don’t forget that your kids’ musician is a great adult performer.”, we both have some great adult material and very quite refined performance skills. Ruth would be great, no doubt. I’d love to see it on stage.
Ruth and I got it on, so to speak, and it was very cool. Instant friends.
She respected me for how I approach spreading folk music with my particular R&R performance/creative skills, and I deeply respect her performance skills and commitment to taking her music to the streets. I wish there was a synoym for ‘dude’, thought it works in this case.
it was good that we connected at this festival. I guess that’s why this NERFA thang is so important in our lives. I fell in love with so many of my friends, both old and new.
one more bump on the way out of town….