Volume 38, No. 6 June 2012

It’s Easy being Green! MadFolk goes electronic! Mad Folk is going another shade of green. Just let us know if you’d like to receive Mad Folk News electronically in the future! This is a new service we will be starting in July. Send email to [email protected] to make the request, and just be sure to include your name as it appears in our membership records (see your membership label). You’ll receive future issues, starting in July, as a PDF by email. (You can change your mind at any time and go back to the print version.)

Summer Sing-Alongs resume June 15

Are you concerned because the MadFolk season ended with the May 30th Berryman-Cooney concert? Not to worry – the sum- mer season just gets more participatory. Join song facilitators Mac Robertson (on banjo and guitar) and David Eagan (on guitar) at Blue Mounds State Park at 8 pm on the third Friday of June, July and Au- gust. Rise Up Singing books of lyrics will be provided, though Mac and Dave are equally adept at teaching new songs or playing familiar songs that everyone knows. Young and old, with or without instru- ments are invited to come to sing along, rain or shine. Although the June 15th Sing-along will be in the Amphitheatre, the July 20th and August 17th gatherings will be in the covered main shelter. Spectacular sunsets from the highest point in southern Wiscon- sin are a frequent added bonus. The sing-alongs are free, but a state park sticker is required to enter the park, located west of Mount Horeb. From Madison, take 18-151 west to County Highway F, fol- lowing the brown signs for Blue Mounds State Park. The Amphi- theater for the June Sing-along is to the east (left) of the circular drive at the top of the hill; the Main Shelter for July and August is NW within the circle. Bring your instruments, especially your voice box, and join the joyful chorus. 2012 MidWest Folk Music Festivals June 8-10 -- Nor-East’r Music & Art Festival August 10-12 -- Shawano Folk Music Festival Mio, MI Shawano, WI www.noreastr.net www.shawanofestival.com

June 9-10 -- Gebhard Woods Dulcimer Festival August 16-18 -- Irish Fest Morris, IL Milwaukee, WI www.gwdf.org www.irishfest.com

June 27- July 1 -- National Women’s Music Festival August 17-18 -- Larryfest (Bluegrass) Middleton, WI Rockton, WI www.wiaonline.org www.kvama.org/larryfest.php

July 14 -- Blackhawk Folk Festival August 18 -- Gandy Dancer Festival Mount Morris, WI Mazomanie, WI www.blackhawkfolk.org www.midcontinent.org

July 20-22 -- Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival August 24-26 -- Great River Folk Festival Marquette, MI La Crosse, WI www.hiawathamusic.org www.greatriverfolkfest.org

July 15 -- Woodstock Folk Festival September 2-3 -- Fox Valley Folk Music Festival Woodstock, IL Geneva, IL www.woodstockfolkmusic.com www.foxvalleyfolk.com

August 1-5 -- Greatful Garcia Gathering November 2-4 -- Stringalong Weekend Black river Falls, WI Olympia Resort, WI www.gratefulgarciagathering.com www.uwm.edu/Dept/Folk

August 3-4 -- Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival Madison, WI Evening Concert www.fourlakesmusic.org Holly Near: Is well known for years in Madison as a unique combination of entertainer, teacher, activist, and National Women’s Music performing with their parents as The immense vocal talent. Festival June 28 – July 1: Grace Family. Leela (banjo, guitar) Emma’s Revolution: On the edge Open to All. Madison Marriott West, and Ellie (mandolin, guitar, fiddle) of folk and pop and inspired by the Middleton. Tickets available for eve- have been acclaimed by audiences legacy of music for social change, Pat ning concerts, individual days, or the and fellow musicians alike for their Humphries and Sandy O’s dynamic entire festival. www.wiaonline.org powerful voices, close sisterly harmo- harmonies and passionate songs im- Friday June 29 nies, clogging, warm stage presence, bued with hope are motivating audi- Day Stage and driving old-time instrumentals. ences, including those at the Capitol Chris Collier: Award winning folk Summer Osborne : Imagine if demonstrations last year. vocalist from Cincinnati with a Adele, Carole King, and Joss Stone Melanie DeMore: With her remark- unique voice and polished songwrit- had a love child… Her music can able voice that reminds us of Odetta, ing skills has been creating music for loosely be described as folk soul, this singer-songwriter weaves the fi- over 20 years. acoustic rock, and piano pop… but bers of African American folk music Leela and Ellie Grace: They grew you will hear glimpses of jazz, blues, with soulful ballads, spirituals and her up traveling across North America and comedy. own original music. Fiddlers Three Awarded MadFolk’s Helen Schneyer Music Lesson Scholarships Mad Folk News is published monthly by the Madison Folk Music Society, a non- profit, volunteer-led society dedicated to fostering folk music in the Madison area. Contact us at [email protected]. Learnaboutconcerts,membership, scho larships,andvolunteeropportunities at www.madfolk.org.

Madison Folk Music Society Board

DarleneBuhler...... President,Concerts, Advertising hree young aspiring fiddlers were awarded scholarships for 846-9214 ~ [email protected] Tfolk violin lessons during the recently concluded competi- PegMichel….…...... Treasurer tion for the combined Madison Folk Music Society and Wild Hog 831-1876 ~ [email protected] in the Woods Helen B. Schneyer Memorial Scholarships. Nine Tracy Comer ...... Membership & Web Site year old Liam Kantor and 16 year old Anna Farkas, shown above 729-4498 ~ [email protected] left, were presented with certificates by scholarship committee NorbertWodke…...... …Secretary chair Meg Skinner at the March 31 MadFolk concert. Liam has 836-8422 ~ [email protected] been studying violin for four years, and will be continuing lessons DedeGoldberg...... Newsletter in fiddling and violin technique with Shauncey Ali. Anna began distribution studying with Janet Chisholm nine months ago, and is making 246-4332 ~ [email protected] good progress. She particularly wants to play dance tunes, and Neil Morris...... Newsletter with a guitar-playing friend. editor 358-5855 ~ [email protected] Meg Skinner.………...... Scholarship 238-6950 ~ [email protected] David Eagan...... 249-0409 ~ [email protected] Ron Dennis …...... …...... ………. 226-9472 ~ [email protected] Vicky Jones .…...... …..………….…. 215-7621 ~ [email protected]

Mikaela Robertson receiving her Helen B Schneyer Memo- rial Scholorship from scholorship committee chair Meg Skinner. New Wild Everywhere ~ 2012 records

some toe tapping and head nodding The track that perhaps best high- courtesy of Erik Arnesen’s subtle lights his voice is “The Great Ex- electric guitar. Arnesen is excellent hale.” Mulholland’s violin provides a throughout, especially when he pulls stage for the spine-tingling exclama- out the banjo. The best of these is tion, “And the world stops spinning the environmentally conscious “Bal- when you stop spinning, and sighs lad of a Fisherman’s Wife,” written when you sigh, when you sigh.” I for the Waterkeeper Alliance, whose swoon every time. The track isn’t worldwide mission is to protect the quite upbeat, nor would I call it se- earth’s water. “Ballad” is one of the rene. In fact, it may be the best ex- most literal songs from a band whose ample of what the Great Lake Swim- lyrics are often inscrutable. Written mers do so perfectly: mellow without specifically with the Gulf Coast di- being boring. It’s harder than they saster in mind, the song makes the is- make it sound. Review by Kiki Schueler sue universal, “What if it was in your n music, quiet and serene often backyard, what if it was your way of Itranslate into boring. The band life. I bet you’d go crazy too, I bet that can embody these characteris- you’d lose your mind too.” Another tics and still be interesting and en- bonus is the addition of a perfect Mad Folk Concert Tickets tertaining is rare. No one does this but unexpected accordion (courtesy When you see this symbol – ee better than ’s Great Lake of Boguski again). – you’ll know that you’re read- Swimmers, who have been a favorite Other notable tracks featuring ing about a Mad Folk sponsored of Madison’s recent summer festi- Arnesen’s banjo are the absolutely event. Advance tickets for Mad vals. With GLS—much like the Per- gorgeous “Cornflower Blue” and Folk shows are available online nice Brothers, who have also mas- the graceful “Fields of Progeny.” at www.madfolk.org and at these tered this rare combination—it’s all The longest-tenured member of a outlets: about the voice, and lead singer Tony band that has seen a revolving cast Dekker has a killer one. Calling to of musicians, Arnesen has worked • Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Mon- mind “Helpless” by , that with Dekker since 2004 and is es- roe Street voice has always been the focus over sential to their sound. I have often the course of five records. While said, wished actually, that the band their first couple of releases main- could be pared down to just Dekker • Spruce Tree Music, 851 East tained the hushed tone for the whole and Arnesen and I would be happy. Johnson record, recent releases have seen No offense to the excellent rhythm them waking up a little bit, including section—especially inventive drum- Purchase tickets ONLINE for Mad a few more catchy songs with each mer Greg Millson, who would be Folk concerts via Brown Paper record. missed—but this band has always Tickets: On New Wild Everywhere, the been about Dekker’s voice. Which https://www.brownpapertickets. catchiest of those is the first single, brings up the matter of violinist/ com/producer/10879 “Easy Come, Easy Go.” Quoting backing vocalist Miranda Mulhol- You can also purchase advance every gambler who’s ever lost it all, land, who surprisingly just may be tickets by mail. Send a stamped the song opens, “Easy come, easy the most disposable. Don’t get me go, that’s what they say when they’re wrong; she is a terrific violin play- self-addressed envelope with about to go broke.” Guest musician er and she has a lovely voice. I just your check payable to Mad Folk, Michael Boguski provides a bouncy don’t want to hear anyone sing in this PO Box 665, Madison, WI 53701. If piano line that buoys the lightheart- group other than Dekker. Too often all else fails, call 608-846-9214 for ed tune. The title track also induces she is a distraction, especially live. information. song, just a song: Here's one of the 13 verses: Kiki, walk with me, up by Weyauwega In the Iowa village they call Indepen- © May 2011 by soon / I'm a fan, of the man, in the dence a farmer named Kaiser took sick / The Peter© 2012 Berryman by ArchivedPeter at louandpeter.comBerryman Weyauwega moon / When he shines, year 35 had been slow to arrive and the snow Archived at louandpeter.com through the pines, on our Weyauwega farm fell unusually thick / The rare diagnosis by Small Town Songs / Yes when he's, in the trees, won't you Dr. McGready was chronic dyspeptic un- please, take my arm ease / Prognosis was fine if the farmer would Recently I was asked for the lyrics This year we wrote another moon dine on a smidgen of Limburger cheese to our song, Belle of Boscobel. Very flat- song: Mazomanian Moon, written for We wrote an alphabetic Rhubarb tering, because it's a nice song, but it was a concert in Mazomanie. It was written song for the Rhubarb Festival over in written by Chuck Schacht. We've been from the standpoint of someone who Lanesboro, MN: mistakenly identified as its authors of- has moved away and is homesick: ...K is for the kidney stones that rhu- ten, probably because we've written so Well my nostalgia tends to drag me barb helps to grow / L of course is rhubarb many goofy songs about small towns. down / I miss the old architecture downtown love in lovely Lanesboro... At the risk of being a pompous bore, I'm / I miss the color of the autumn leaves / I ...and a Pie Day song for the big pie going to mention a few of them here. It's miss the depot with the big wide eaves / I town of Braham Minnesota: fun to write such songs, and in my ques- wanna see Lake Marion soon / Reflect the ...Raspb’ry pie and cherry-fudge pie / tionable role as folk lyricist mentor big Mazomanian Moon Eat-so-much pie it’s hard-to-budge pie / I wannabe, you might say I'm doing this Not a showstopper, but a joy to think I know where I am / I must be in to encourage others to hop over the low write and sing. Throwing in actual de- Braham bar that I have set and consider writing tails -- like the depot with the big wide eaves There's our song Poniatowski, a small town song of their own. -- is fun. which is a tiny town on the confluence Our first such song was the But we've gone overboard some- of 90º west longitude and 45º north lati- Squirrelly Valley 2-Step, written in the times and have mashed too much into a tude: late 70s: town-song. We wrote one for Exactly half the way from the equator Me and my girl went up to Kaukauna, Stoughton, about how the coffee break to the pole / A quarter of the way around the up by Kimberly and Darboy too / She said was invented there. It had eight com- planet as a whole / It's very hard to find it honey don't look so funny that Squirrelly plex verses like the following, for a to- on a map of county roads/ Ridiculously easy Valley gotta grow on you... tal of almost 500 grueling words: on a four inch globe / Poniatowski... The focus of this song was Wiscon- Now Coffee Street really was only the Then we have a few songs with sin grammar and pronunciation (Oh yah nickname that came from its pungent bou- LOTS of town names. In Forward Hey, hey, get me a beer once), and led one re- quet / For there for their fam'lies the women we have two verses of them. Here's one: viewer to write that we had a good were all roasting coffee beans during the day Ashwaubenon Aniwa Manawa Milton/ grasp of Wisconsin "patios." I think he / As budgets were meager in spite of their Dakota Kaukauna Lac Court Orielles Wilton meant "patois," but on second thought husbands employment they bought the bean / Glen Beulah Glen Flora Fort Atkinson maybe he did mean "patios." green / And thus they were frugal but kept Chilton / Excelsior Pelican Pardeeville Blair. The song Oh Wonderful Madison up their full Scandinavian dose of caffeine And a song wholly made up of followed soon: Much easier to digest was one we town names, to the tune of Chopsticks Oh Wonderful Madison, mother of cit- wrote for Evansville, which was origi- (called Chapsticks), about Minnesota ies / Queen of all Dairyland, waiting for me nally called The Grove. We had been towns: / Oh Wonderful Madison, jewel of Wiscon- asked to write the song by a passionate Nisswa, Waseca, Wadena, Sebeka / sin / With more than one high school & cable Evansville booster, so we included her Wayzata, Zumbrota, Moorehead, Minneota TV. presence in the song as though she was / Ceylon, Ely, Waverly, Sheridan, Shakopee The verses change often, depending explaining the town to us: / Sleepy Eye, Eveleth, Albert Lea... on the shifting Madison scene. Pretty soon the trees were planks / The For Simply Folk's 30th anniversary We then branched way out and planks became new homes & banks /And show we wrote a song with a whole slew wrote a song about Waunakee: when the grove was gone, she said / They of Wisconsin town names. Some bits: Pack up a picnic; pick up a kayak / Take craved a second name instead / Right then ...In Manawa the rodeo / The fire up in a boat ride out along the shores of Waunakee when the times were lean / Young Doc Evans Peshtigo / The Norsky Nook in Osseo / The And if you say so we'll let the boat go / Hold hit the scene / He said either pay my bill / songs of yellow oleo / The fancy loam of each others' hands & drift completely out to Or call this village Evansville Antigo... sea Evansville, Evansville, she said I love So my advice is, have at it! You must I won't go into it here, but starting Evansville / You can have Blueberry Hill, I have a small town or two in your past, in Waunakee's Six Mile Creek, you re- found my thrill in Evansville or maybe one in your present, and ally could drift out to sea. Eventually. We did write a complex song about there's no town that deserves to be song- Soon thereafter we wrote a roman- Limburger cheese, Monroe WI where it's less. If you catch the bug like I have, tic little ditty called Weyauwega Moon, made, and the village of Independence, maybe someday you'll be asked for the because my wife Kristi and I vacation IA. It continues to go over well, largely lyrics to your song Belle of Boscobel. in the vicinity. Not a funny or a sad because the actual story is quite funny. WZ June 2012

 June 2012

Ronny Cox Wednesday August 15 The Brink Lounge -- 701 E. Washington Ave -- 7pm Jim Schwall $15adv/$17d.o.s. Monday, June 25 -- Crystal Corner Bar @ 930pm 1302 Williamson St, Madison Summer Sing-Along w/ Mac Robertson with special guest Tom Kastle & David Eagan Tuesday, June 12 -- Bon Appetit Café @ 7pm 805 Williamson St, Madison Friday June 15 Blue Mounds State Park Ampitheatre -- 8pm Free! (State Park sticker req. for entry) KG & The Ranger Wednesday June 27 -- "Concerts at the Portage", Riverside Park, Portage WI --6:30 - 8:30 PM -- Free

Thursday June 28 -- Palmer Park "Noon Concerts", Janesville 12:30 - 1:30 PM -- Free Cafe Carpe All shows at 8:30pm unless indicated otherwise

18 S. Water St. • Fri, June 1 -- James Lee Stanley Ft. Atkinson, WI Madison Ukulele Club -- Singalongs 1st and 3rd Weds 7:00-9:00pm cafecarpe.com -- call for location -- 246-8205 (Andrew) 920-563-9391 • Sat, June 2 -- Chad Elliott w/ Bonita Crowe -- $10 Bob’s BBQ Emporium’s Open Mic - Thu, May 17 -- 7pm • Thu, June 7 -- Folkadots (Peter Mulvey, Bill Camplin & Randy -- 8164 Hwy. 14 Arena, WI Sabien) -- $22.50 pay in advance

• Fri, June 8 -- Folkadots (Peter Mulvey, Randy Sabien & Satchel Paige) -- $22.50 pay in advance

• Sat, June 9 8:30pm & Sun, June 10 @8pm -- Folkadots (Peter Simply Folk on Wisconsin Public Radio w/ Stephanie Elkins- , Mulvey, Bill Camplin & Willy Porter) -- $22.50 pay in advance Interim Host Sun 5:00-8:00pm • Thur, June 14 -- New Pioneers -- 7pm $7.50 Concerts recorded in Wisconsin, music and dance of people wpr.org the world over. For playlists, calendars, station listings, and • Fri, June 15 -- Big Bang String Thing more, visit www.wpr.org/simplyfolk. • Sat, June 16 -- John Sieger / Larry Penn / Mark Dvorak -- $10 WORT 89.9 FM community radio Sun -- 3:00-5:00pm wort-fm.org • Thur, June 21 -- Tish Hinojosa -- 8pm • On the Horizon (world music) w/Ford Blackwell, Paul Novak & Dan Talmo Weekdays 9:00am-noon Folklore Village • Mon - Global Revolutions (folk from the world over) 3210 Cty Hwy BB • Sat, June 2 -- Barn Dance w/ Briar Pickers & w/ David & Martin Alvarado & Eugenia Highland Dodgeville, WI Tim Jenkins -- 6:30 potluck • Tue -- For the Sake of the Song (traditional American folklorevillage.org folk) w/Jim Schwall 608-924-4000 • Tue, June 5 -- First Tuesday Open Mic -- 7pm • Wed -- Back to the Country (country music on a theme) w/Bill Malone • Thur -- Diaspora (folk and international) w/Terry O’ The Brink Lounge • Fri -- Mud Acres (bluegrass and acoustic) w/Chris Powers Thur. June 7 - student radio -- Aaron Williams and the Hoo Doo 9pm WSUM 91.7 • Sun, 9am-10am -- Exiles Return w/ Elizabeth Delaquess 701 E. Washington thebrinklounge.com Fri. June 15 - 608-661-8599 -- The Sugar Daddies

Thur. June 21 - • African/African-American Dance classes with live drumming -- Sun, 7:00-9:00pm -- -- Aaron Williams and the Hoo Doo 9pm Metro Dance, 3009 University Ave. -- 255-3677 / 251-4311 • Cajun Strangers- Sat 6/16 - 6pm -- Tyranena Brewery -- 1025 Owen St, Lake Mills WI Sat. June 30 - • SpiritMoves Ecstatic Dance 2nd and 4th Weds, 7:00-9:00 pm -- The Center for -- Caravan Gypsy Swing Ensemble 8pm Conscious Living, 849 East Washington Ave. -- $7 min. donation • English Country Dance taught -- 1st and 3rd Mon, 7:30-9:30pm -- Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St. -- 238-9951 or 238-9951 Mother Fool’s Co eehouse Mother Fool’s 1101 Williamson St. • International Dancing -- Wed and Sun; classes 7:30-8:30pm, request dancing motherfools.com 8:30-11:00pm -- The Crossing, 1127 University Ave. -- 241-3655 Sat., June 2 -- Boo Bradley w/ Poor Elvis -- 8pm -- $6 608-259-1030 • Irish Dancing -- Monthly Ceili and set dance events are posted at celticmadison.org/dance Fri., July 20 -- Stuart Davis CD Release Party -- 8pm -- $10 • Italian Dancing -- Tue, 7:00-9:00pm, no experience or partner necessary -- Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St. -- 838-9403 (Philana) • Madison Contra Dance Cooperative -- Tue; 7:30 jam band practice, intermedi-ate level dancing 7:45-9:40pm -- $5 for non-members -- Gates of Heaven, 302 E. Gorham -- 238-3394 (Steve) • Morris Dancing -- Wed, 7:00pm -- call for location -- 238-9951 • Scottish Country Dancing -- Sun, 7:00pm -- Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St. -- 835-0914 Madison Folk Music Society Nonprofit Org P.O. Box 665, Madison, WI 53701 U.S. Postage Address Service Requested PAID ……………………………… Madison, WI ……………. Permit No. 2278 Renew your membership today at www.madfolk.org

Madison Folk Music Society

join renew

Name Address City/State Zip Phone Email Choose membership category: Senior $8 Student $10 Regular $12 Family $15 Friend $25 Contributing $50 Life $500 Scholorship fund donation (optional) $ Total $

GOING GREEN - Send my newsletters electronically by email Send your check, payable to MFMS to: Mad Folk c/o Tracy Comer, P.O. Box 930446 Verona, WI 53593-0446