THE COLUMBUS FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY, INC. OCTOBER , 2013

WHAT’S INSIDE: The Presents FolkSide Coffeehouse “Songs of Struggle” Joe LaMay & Sherri Reese review pg. 2 Interview by Bill Cohen Calendar of Events and announcements pg. 5 You may remember Joe and Sherri Sherri: We “Brighten up some from our Central Ohio Folk had a hard lives” pg. 6 Festival. They are coming all the time trying to way from Kentucky to perform at find a label COFF 2014 corporate our October Coffeehouse ! So for our music sponsorships pg. 7 come on out on Saturday, October when we first 26 – show starts at 8 p.m. See more Name that Photo pg. 7 details on pg. 5. started to develop a Bill Cohen: In the Columbus Folk Music style. Blue- Society, we define folk music very broadly. grassers called us "folkies," and folkies called What labels do you put on your style of us "bluegrass.” Some people labeled us DARBY CREEK DAY: music, and how else could you describe your "Americana" – but we've never been sure just Jam, Have Fun, AND playlist and style, so that our members who what that is. I think of our style as "traditional have never heard you perform will know what pre-bluegrass type folk." Spread the Word about to expect when they see you? See LaMay/Reese - page 4 CFMS ! Sunday, October 13 American Folk Dance will give CFMS What are you waiting for? members yet another chance to make music & tell American Folk Dance - square dancing and contra dancing. Both more folks about us. recreational dancing that’s been are done with a partner. Contra dancing has That’s when the Battelle Darby Metro around for a long time. For those some moves that are like familiar with it, they oftentimes moves, but the dances are done in long lines. Park will stage its annual Darby Days can’t get enough of it. For those Square dances in the U.S. are subdivided into event. It will feature fly fishing, new to it; its worthy of a try and canoeing, and visits from live animals. you’ll have a lot of fun! two different dance types with very different "cultures": traditional squares (or "old time Plus one more highlight: CFMS Article compiled by D. Boston squares") and Modern Western squares. members jamming and showing park visitors how much fun folk music can be. There is also line dancing. Although line dancing is associated with country music and The combination of Mother Nature dance, it has similarities to folk dancing. In and folk music is the same mix that our line dancing, the rows are described as annual Central Ohio Folk Festival "lines"; they may curve, corner, or otherwise displays, and it never fails to delight be nonlinear in the geometric sense. The folks, especially people who’ve never absence of a physical connection between dancers is, however, a distinguishing feature even heard of our group and who are of country western line dance. happy they’ve discovered us. If you’ve never experienced contra, The event is set for 1 to 4 p.m. at the Photo by Doug Plummer; Outdoor dance in Seattle, square or even country line dancing; there Indian Ridge section of the park. So WA; from 2012 Contradance Calendar are some who recommend finding a local just show up with your instrument in dance; putting a “hold” on reading hand, your voice in good shape, and When reflecting on American folk dance, definitions, descriptions and how-to’s (like your usual positive spirit. (Additional info under Save the Date, page 5). there can be considered two basic types -- See Folk Dance - page 2

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“Songs of Struggle” Movement 1960-65,” a retrospective when blacks and whites marched of the years that changed race together, stood together, were beaten Event brings big relations in the U.S. that included a and even died together. Turnout By Tony McDonald history dialog, vintage film footage, and songs. As Bill said, this concert The whole evening came together in a highly professional manner, with a If you missed Bill Cohen’s highlighted some of the major and Paisha Thomas’ concert on triumphs and tragedies of the early performance that seamlessly wove August 23rd, which was co- civil rights movement, among them: together the various elements of sponsored by the CFMS, you speech, film and music. In addition, missed one great evening. The church was packed as there was a moving display in the participants relived a very gallery of photographs from the moving historical synopsis of actual march on Selma taken by Allen songs and events surrounding the early 1960s time period of Zak (and hung with the assistance of the Civil Rights movement. Deb Bailliuel), as well as a table of Below is a review of the concert by Music Director, Tony memorabilia from the time. We had a McDonald, of the 1st Unitarian full house of over 350 people, most of Universalist Church, where the whom were not from First UU, and concert was held. the concert raised more than $3,000 for the Clintonville Community I was so proud of our church for Resources Center. What a profound hosting a terrific concert that was part th Photo by Linda McDonald and necessary evening it was for our of the national celebrations of the 50 church and community, to be part of anniversary of the March on the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins, the this great celebration of American Washington. On Friday, Aug. 23, Bill 1961 freedom rides, the 1963 March history. Thank you, Bill and Paisha. I Cohen and Paisha Thomas presented on Washington and Martin Luther wish everyone could have been there. “Songs of Struggle: The Songs and King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and Reprinted with permission. Memories of the Civil Rights the 1965 marches in Selma, times

From Folk Dance - page 1 before approximately 1950, when modern walks the dancers through the figures Western style began to develop out of a before calling them to music, or the event is what follows); trying them out in real time blend of those regional styles. Traditional attended almost entirely by local people with real people and THEN coming back square dance also includes these earlier familiar with that caller's repertoire. to read about it. Why? Because: 1) you are styles that have survived, or been revived, probably already feeling a little afraid to try since around 1950 and can be participated The Northeastern tradition comprises in to this very day. primarily figures in which the action is initiated by a facing pair of couples, either Traditional square dance can be the heads or sides. An example of a basic distinguished from modern Western by: movement might be a "ladies chain" and • A limited number of basic "right and left" and the movements in this movements, or “calls,” enabling the style of square dance are synchronized average dancer to join the group by with the phrases of the music. assimilation rather than by taking a series of lessons “Take hands four.” -- the first thing a caller says when • Dance figures (sequences of basic teaching a dance movements) that are called in a set “If I’m ever in a coma, Photo by Doug Plummer; NW Folklife Festival, order and repeated, rather than somebody announce “Hands Seattle, WA; from 2012 Contradance Calendar improvised by the caller. (In four’ and start shuffling Southeastern style the caller chooses your feet. If that doesn’t figures from a repertoire of a dozen or bring a smile to my face or get something new and 2) you will likely find my toes tapping, then you some little tiny detail that will give you an two and can call them in any order, know I’m beyond hope.” excuse to not try . . . and thereby deprive but the order of movements within -- Greg Rohde, in The Commonspace yourself of something that could give you each figure does not change) decades of a joyful activity! • The use of live music as the norm The Southeastern tradition comprises Traditional Square Dance The same dance figure may have primarily figures in which a single couple different names in different regions; the visits each of the other couples in turn. Traditional square dance is a generic same name may refer to different dance The structure is not dependent on the four- American term for any style of American figures, or even (in the case of "do-si-do") couple square formation, and the dance is square dance other than modern Western. different basic movements. This lack of often done in a large circle containing any The term can mean any of the American standardization does not present a problem number of couples. regional styles (broadly, Northeastern, to the dancers, because at least one of two Southeastern, and Western) that existed conditions is always true: either the caller See Folk Dance - page 3

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Folk Dance - om page 2 During this introductory "walk-through" At most dances, no special outfits are period, participants learn the dance by worn, but "peasant skirts" or other full, For anyone wanting to know more about walking through the steps and formations, lightweight skirts are popular, as these have a traditional (or even Western) square dancing following the caller's instructions. The caller very pretty effect when swinging or twirling and what is available in the Columbus area, gives the instructions orally, and sometimes and some dancers find them more you might want to check out the following: augments them with demonstrations of steps comfortable to dance in than pants. Contra http://www.cocdc.cboh.org/. by experienced dancers in the group. The dancers tend to dress informally. Low, walk-through usually proceeds in the order broken-in, soft-soled, non-marking shoes, of the moves as they will be done with the such as dance shoes, sneakers, or sandals, are Contra dance refers to several partnered music; in some dances, the caller may vary recommended and, in some places, required. folk dance styles in which couples dance in the order of moves during the dance. However, dancing barefoot is also common. two facing lines or a square. Sometimes Tennis shoes are quite adequate for the first described as New England folk dance, contra time dancer. dances can be found around the world, Contra dance events are open to all, though they are especially popular in North regardless of experience. They are family- America. friendly and alcohol consumption is not part At the end of the 17th century, English of the culture. An evening that includes country dances were taken up by French contra dancing might be called a Contra dancers; hybrid choreographies exist from Dance, an Old-Time Contra Dance, an Old- this period using the steps from French court Time Country Dance, a , or dance in English dances. The French called similar. Most contra dance events will these dances contra-dance or contredanse. As include a few dances of other kinds: Photo by Doug Plummer; Nelson, NH; from traditional squares, , , swing and time progressed, English country dances 2012 Contradance Calendar were spread and reinterpreted throughout other types of couple dances. the Western world, and eventually the Most contra dances consist of a French form of the name came to be sequence of about six to 12 individual “Turning, moving, spinning, associated with the American folk dances, figures. As the sequence repeats, the caller dresses swirling, music especially in New England. may cut down his or her prompting, and beating, eyes in contact with eventually drop out, leaving the dancers to a partner, then another, Most contras (and English country then another, then another, dances) are done in long lines -- called each other and the music. and the fiddle turns a longways sets -- with your partner opposite corner, the phrase repeats, Many modern contra dances have the the dance repeats. You smile. you. Other formations may include three or following characteristics: Your body smiles. four couple sets, circles, or squares. Everywhere.” • no-one stationary for more than 16 -- Doug Plummer, on contradance A dancer and his or her partner dance a beats series of figures or moves, with each other and with another couple for a short time. • containing at least one swing and People of all ages and lifestyles, including normally both a partner swing and a children, are welcome. Contra dances are a neighbor swing place where people from many walks of life "A contra dance is like an amusement park ride we • composed mostly of moves that keep come together to dance and socialize. make for ourselves." you connected to the other dancers Dancers sometimes go out to a restaurant --Unknown after the dance, have a potluck before or • generally danced to 32-bar or during the dance, or hang out with musicians reels played at between 110 and 130 in jam sessions and song circles. They then repeat the same figures with b.p.m. another couple and so on. As the sequence is Children as young as seven can danced with a smooth walk with lots repeated, a couple will eventually dance with • participate in adult dancing; their mileage of spins and twirls every other couple in the set. The figures are may vary. As long as parents are responsible similar to those of old-time square dancing. for keeping non-dancing children out of The figures are combined in different ways Music & Culture of harm's way, everyone will enjoy everyone for each different dance. Each dance might Contra Dance else's presence. last approximately 10 minutes. Very little footwork is required in contra dance. For many dancers, the live music is the Some groups sponsor family dances. Figures are simple and are usually done with great attraction (although sometimes pre- These are dances designed for participation a walking step, although skipping, slipping, recorded music is utilized). Traditional jigs, by the whole family. In addition to dancing, skip change, polka, and clogging steps may reels, and . . . the most common the leader of a family dance might also also be used. Some of these figure’s names contra dance repertoire is rooted in the initiate other activities such as games and you may be familiar with -- back to back (do- Anglo-Celtic tradition as it developed in singing, singing games, and dances with si-do), star right and left, allemande, sashay, North America. Irish, Scottish, French singing. promenade, turn your partner, swing your Canadian, and Old-time tunes are common, First-time dancers will likely find partner. and Klezmer tunes have also been used. The fiddle is often the lead instrument. The tunes experienced dancers extremely friendly and Generally, a leader, known as a caller, are traditional and more than a century old, helpful. No classes are required, or even will teach each individual dance just before or modern compositions which follow the offered (in general), except for a non- the music for that dance begins. same form as the traditional pieces. See Folk Dance - page 6 www.ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org PAGE 3 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER OCTOBER, 2013

LaMay/Reese – om page 1 got us into the contest. Three songs into our set the club manager pulled the plug Joe: When Sherri and I first met in 1998, and said we had to stop because the people I had been performing as a singer- couldn't "line dance" to our music. That songwriter, and she came from a bluegrass was the shortest trip we ever took from a and old-timey background. What we bad situation to a total disaster. But then – discovered early on was that we both loved there was the night we were threatened the traditional folk songs that had come with a knife in a club in Boston. . . out of the Appalachians. When people ask us to describe our style I like to say "the Bill: Is there a particular over-riding kind of music that bluegrass music grew message or theme in most of your music? out of" – traditional American folk, Carter What do you want people to take away Family, etc. Our original songs reflect that Joe LaMay and Sherri Reese performing from your performances? tradition, and several have been picked up Sherri: I think my song "Wildwood Joe/Sherri: There's no political message and recorded by other bluegrass and folk Flower Seeds" answers the question about or answers to life's problems in our music. musicians. my earliest memories of hearing music. I We sing the songs that reach out to us, and Bill: Who are your musical heroes and was a very young child listening to my we write about the people and places that influences ? father play his guitar. My earliest have left an impression on our lives. We memories of performing were with my hope that folks will take away a feeling that Sherri: The Everly Brothers and the father in a local bluegrass band. we sang something that rang true for them. Louvin Brothers for their harmony, Emmylou Harris for style, and my dad. Joe: My mother had a cousin who ran a Please check out Joe and Sherri’s website jukebox business and he would give her the at: www.lamay.com/lamayreese.htm and Joe: The first musicians that I really fell in 45's that were being replaced. So my listen to some of their songs at: https:// love with when I was young were the earliest memory of music was the hit myspace.com/lamayreese/music/songs Everly Brothers. In my teens I became parade from the late 40's and early 50's. and be sure to come out to the October intrigued with Bob Dylan, and it was my Then came Elvis, the Everlys, the Beatles, coffeehouse to hear them in person! research into his influences that sent me and Bob Dylan. My first performing was in back through American roots music. The a folk duo and then a rock band in the late Columbus Folk first time I listened to "Flatt & Scruggs at 60's in California, but it was in the 70's, Carnegie Hall," I was hooked on that back in NY, that I started writing my own Music Society’s sound, and when I met Sherri I finally had songs and I began performing as a singer/ 2013-14 lineup a partner who could bring that old-time songwriter. harmony into the music. FolkSide Coffeehouse Bill: What was the best time you ever Bill: You live in Kentucky. How deep are remember as a musical performer ? October – Joe LaMay & your roots there, and what influence does Sherri Reese your location have on your singing and Joe: Sherri cherishes the years she November – Open Stage performing? performed with her father, and I January – Grassahol particularly remember the evening I took Sherri: Even though I was not born in part in a "Woody Guthrie Tribute" in New February – TBA KY, I feel like I should have been. Since York City, but we both agree that there March – Jon Mosey we have lived here we have learned some have been numerous "best times." We April – Scott Alarik great gospel tunes. really cherish the opportunities we've have Joe: I like to tell folks that we're from had to perform with musicians we admire. some reminders: "Northern Kentucky" – we grew up on the I remember Sherri on stage singing southern and eastern shore of Lake harmony with Charlie Louvin, the two of 2014 CFMS Ontario. We moved to Kentucky about 10 us singing with Russell Wilson of the Calendars will be years ago at the urging of some Kentucky Wilson Brothers Bluegrass Band, and the available in late

musicians. We came here to learn and time we performed with Uncle Dave The Columbus Columbus The October/early share. Although our roots aren't here, our Dougherty and Patsy Stoneman at Bill November. 13 hearts are entwined with the musical Monroe's Homeplace, but it's all been month full-color traditions in this part of the country. We've "best times.” calendar featuring been honored by the Kentucky Arts Bill: What was the worst situation you've some of our local bands and a few other Council which has added us to their ever faced as a performer ? surprises! So keep it in mind for Performing Artists Directory for our upcoming Christmas gifts. carrying on the musical tradition. Joe: Without a doubt, the worst situation was the time we were forced into a "Battle Check out the CFMS’s recently opened Bill: What's the background on your lives of the Bands" contest against our will. The “FolkSide Shop” at as musical performers? How did each of contest was for country music bands. The Cafepress with t-shirts, you get involved in music "way back then"? winner would get to open for Randy sweatshirts, mugs, caps, What are your earliest memories of Travis. A local music store insisted that we mouse-pads and more! hearing music, and what are your earliest should compete. We tried to explain that Click on http:// memories of performing? we didn't perform "country music", but www.cafepress.com/ because they were a major sponsor, they folksideshop. www.ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org PAGE 4 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER OCTOBER, 2013

SAVE THE DATE . . .

✃ The Saturday Music Jam at the invited to play at the annual Darby 6:00 p.m. Open Jam Worthington Farmersʼ Market 9:30 - Creek Day. This yearʼs grand event will 7:00 p.m. Open Stage 11:30 a.m. The southeast quad on be at the Indian Ridge Picnic Area from 8:00 p.m. Featuring Joe LaMay & Worthington Square. All are welcome. 1 to 4 p.m. Similar to years past, Sherri Reese. Columbus Mennonite Every Saturday through Fall Festival in they'll have a small tent in an area Church, 35 Oakland Park Avenue (just October. Itʼs good to bring a chair. where visitors will enjoy hearing us East of High St. & one block North of play. Questions: contact Art & Sharon E.N. Broadway), Cols, OH. $7.00 Sunday, Oct. 13 – 1 - 4 p.m., Mittenbergs@[email protected] donation; CFMS members $5.00; under Darby Creek Day – Battelle-Darby 12 free. Creek Metro Park/Indian Ridge Picnic Saturday, October 26 – Folkside Area. CFMS members have been Coffeehouse And some Special Events this Month - hosted by our Members if you haven’t yet paid Don’t forget; Saturday, October 5 or contact Linda at 614-267-8614 or your annual dues (due the end of email: [email protected]. September) – please do so. Please use the – “Oldies Memories” form on back of this newsletter ! Address: 444 Oakland Park Avenue, Keep folk music alive & well in performance by Bill Columbus, Oh 43214. Columbus ! (If you have joined in Cohen and a top the past few months, don’t worry notch backup band Rob McNurlin about it). (Renilda Marshall, began studying traditional music at an Rebecca Stansbury early age – learning P.S. This is a and Brian Szuch). hundreds of folk, Americana chart, remaining in the top photo of Bill Songs from late 50s/ Cohen from a hillbilly-blues and 100 over two months. 1992 newspaper early 60s. Overbrook Gospel tunes. McNurlin has toured North America, clipping talking Church social hall, Inspired by Cash, England and Australia, solo and with about one of his 4131 N. High.; 7 - 9 Dylan, Woody Guthrie concerts. the Beatnik Cowboys; traveled with pm. $10 per person and Hank Williams, he started writing Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Hot Tuna, songs and mixing these originals with suggested donation. For more info, and his songs have been covered by the traditional. call Bill at 263-3851 or visit Ronnie Elliott, among others, and used www.spiritofthe1960s.com Rob has released six CDs including in two award winning documentaries. "Cowboy Boot Heel", recorded at At the house concert, he will be Friday, October 11 – Rob McNurlin - Johnny Cash's Cabin Studio, produced performing with Kayton Roberts, House Concert: at the home of Linda by his son John Carter Cash, and a known for performing at the Grand Ole & Rick McDonald. 7 - 9 pm concert. duet with guest Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Opry in Nashville for many, many Jam afterwards. Bring an instrument "Lonesome Valley Again" reached #26 years alongside Hank Snow. So make and a snack to share. $10.00. To on the FAR charts and #55 on the your reservations now! reserve your seat send a check ASAP FOLLOWING OUR OWN. . . Thursday, October 3: Grassahol - Saturday, Oct. 12 - The Hardtackers, Saturday,Oct. 5: Loosely Strung -- Thursday Night Concert Series at the Galleria Evangelia, 4269 N. High North Market in the Short North, Vine Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Street; 354-6557 for times & cost St., Cols. 11:00 am - 1:00 p.m. Free. Worthington, 777 Evening St, Friday, Oct. 25: The Hardtackers - Sunday, Oct. 13: Joanie Calem -- Worthington, OH. 8 - 10 P.M. ✃ ✃ Santa Maria Haunted Ship. 645-8760 Intergenerational Sing Along at the Sunday, Oct. 6: The Hardtackers - for times and costs or see: Senior Residence, 120 Morse Rd., Pub Polaris; 12:30-2:30 p.m. (East side www.santamaria.org/ behind church. If you love singing & of Polaris Mall) spectacular_events.php dancing & building community come out & join us. 2nd Sun. of every month. 4 - 5 p.m. www.ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org PAGE 5 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER OCTOBER, 2013

Folk Dance - om page 3 WELCOME TO OUR NEW AND Tom Nagel required half-hour or fifteen minute introduction RETURNING MEMBERS: Mitchell & Liz Snay family to contra dance before the dance, at many regular dance events. Feel free to attend the Hank & Milene Pam Temple & Michele introduction multiple times. Different teachers Arbaugh family Murphy will present it differently. Heck, the same teacher Gayla Foote Laura Weber will present it differently. And you'll notice different things, and different things will sink in, Jonathan & Judy Carl Yaffey & Debbie Shaw especially after having experienced what they're Hollander family family teaching.

The short introduction that is offered at time. Or, add some fun factoids that many locations is not a substitute for dancing Brighten Up Some spark people’s memories. For example, with experienced partners, nor is it considered a Lives, Enjoy Yourself, prerequisite for joining the dance, but some before we sing “Hound Dog,” I remind people feel more comfortable having attended AND Get Paid ? folks how the cameras on the Ed the introduction. Article by Bill Cohen Sullivan TV show never showed his ( I If you’re looking for a new venue mean Elvis’) gyrating hips because in It is recommended that new dancers who 1956, it was considered too risqué. wish to learn quickly and effectively seek out the for your folk singing, consider singing at Many folks chuckle. more experienced dancers as partners. If you nursing homes, retirement villages, and attend with a date, give each other a present by assisted living facilities. Usually, it’s just me and my guitar. dancing with others for a while. You'll then be That’s what I’ve And that’s all I need. But for a special able to have more fun dancing with each other. treat (for the audience and for myself) at Read this paragraph again ! been doing more and more in recent a nursing home where I volunteer, I’ve Many people come to a Contra Dance alone months, and I’m occasionally brought Carl Yaffey and and often dancers dance with many different having the time of his along. Wow. Carl’s banjo is partners throughout the evening. If there is an my life. so crisp and clean and energizing, it gets excess of one gender, it is customary for women everybody jumping around to the beat. to dance men's parts (and vice versa) to form When I sing for couples and extend the set. You may come and folks in their 70’s, When the often-overworked staffers go as you please. Admission is charged to pay for Photo by Carl Yaffey 80’s and 90’s, it’s not start dancing around and laughing, you the hall, the caller and the musicians. You can so much a know you’ve struck a chord. Not just dance all night for less than the cost of a movie. performance as it is a sing-along. And literally but figuratively. There are many contra dance groups today, even some folks with Alzheimers – Google up “retirement villages including some very active ones in Central Ohio. people who cannot remember their own Columbus Ohio” or “nursing homes Here in Columbus you can dance almost every names or past – sometimes suddenly Columbus Ohio” or something like it, weekend: first and third Saturdays at the Big remember the words and tune of a song Scioty Contra Dance (First Congregational and you can easily find contact they learned decades ago as a kid. Just Church downtown), fourth Saturdays at the information for many of these facilities. Clintonville Contra Dances (Clinton Heights before I start singing, many of these Ask their activities directors if they have Lutheran Church, and second Fridays at the All folks may be slumped over in their a budget to pay entertainers, and you’ll Soles Contra Dance (First Unitarian Universalist wheelchairs with glazed looks on their be pleasantly surprised to learn the Church, also in Clintonville). You can find more faces, but when they hear “Side by answer is often “yes.” You won’t get rich information, addresses and a complete schedule Side” or “God Bless America” or “16 playing these venues, but many will pay of Columbus contra dances at Tons,” they often start mouthing the you 50 dollars or more for an hour-long www.bigscioty.com. words, tapping their feet, and smiling. program. For those interested in other types of folk Of course, that’s one key to a This is what you call a win-win-win dance (e.g. Balkan, Israeli, English and Scottish successful program for senior citizens: country dancing, international folk dancing), you scenario. People get stimulated, doing songs that are THEIR favorites, can find additional information about energized, and involved. You have the Columbus-area groups at not necessarily songs that are your own satisfaction of adding a little more www.recfolkdancecolumbus.org. English and favorites. The switch may prod you to meaning to your life. And now you can Scottish country dancing, like contra and square learn some tunes (folk and otherwise) afford to restring or repair your guitar dancing, are done with a partner in sets with that were big BEFORE you were even or mandolin. I highly recommend it. other couples. Balkan dances rarely involve born, but it’s a fun stretch & it pays off. partners; most of them are done in lines of And think about the possible people holding hands. The focus is mainly on I find that many of these folks karma. If we are so lucky as to live into the footwork, which can range from simple appreciate a bit of background on the our 80’s, 90’s or beyond, won’t we thank walking steps to complex patterns involving hops, songs . . . details about what year they our stars if some folks come to our stamps, lifts and so on, often in uneven rhythms. became popular, who the musician was retirement home or nursing home and Israeli dancing also tends to focus on footwork, who made it so popular, and what the sing some of OUR favorite songs with with dances done in circles, lines, couples, or country was going through during that us ? See Folk Dance - page 7 www.ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org PAGE 6 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER OCTOBER, 2013

How can I find out more about the Columbus Folk Music Society and/or it’s Time to be thinking about events? Visit our website for information at: COFF 2014 Sponsors ! www.columbusfolkmusicsociety.org. We are looking for some folks to solicit business sponsorships for our Or you can join us as a member. Benefits include: 2014 Central Ohio Folk Festival. Many businesses make 2014 decisions of camaraderie with the folkies in town, discounts on certain admissions, this monthly newsletter and the this type towards the end of the year. This is an area we really need to comfort of knowing that all events are family friendly! develop in order to continue to grow and publicize our event to more participants. The CFMS will supply you with a Sponsorship Kit containing: How do you make a banjo player play • “Fast Facts” sheet about our festival and softer? Put music in front of him. sponsorship levels • Sample At-A-Glance festival schedule from 2013 Answer to • Bio Sheet on Headliner Performer September’s - • Sample Program Booklet from 2013 “Name that • CFMS Brochure Photo” You need merely to approach local businesses, share the materials and Did you guess it? The your enthusiasm about the festival and follow up with them. Coordination answer is Fred Bailey and here of business contacts needs to be worked through Sharon Mittenbergs @ is his explanation of the [email protected]. photo: “The picture was Please e-mail if you can help with approaching a business or two. taken at the Sword & Stone Coffeehouse, which lasted many years in Oklahoma City. In 1968, I got back from Vietnam right during Tet Folk Dance - om page 6 Photos courtesy of Doug Plummer; used with and began hanging out at the coffeehouse on a weekly individually. International folk dancing permission. Contents of article compiled from: basis -- being stationed at Ft. Sill in southern Oklahoma. provides a taste of all these dance CDSS Country Dance & Song Society http:// "Okie City" was my base camp right through discharge. traditions and others as well; the two www.cdss.org/what-we-do.html; What is Then, when the cold weather hit, I moved on to IFD groups in Columbus do many Contra Dance? http://www.sbcds.org/ coffeehouses in Houston and the southern climes. Balkan and Israeli dances, a few contradance/whatis/#Def0; A Contra Dance English and Scottish dances, and a Primer http://www.hamiltoncontra.ca/ You might note the regulation haircut, but the army wide range of others from places as far- primer.html ; Wikipedia - Traditional Square fatigues are a bit obscure in that lighting. The S&S was flung as Scandinavia, Turkey, Bolivia, Dance; Wikipedia - Contra Dance; Wikipedia a kind of redneck coffee house which is the only and Japan. - Line Dance. And a special thanks to Leslie explanation I can give for the bumper sticker on the Scott of Columbus who put together the backdrop. Judging from the expression I was probably From squares and contras to Balkan information on Columbus dance groups and to singing one of my specialty obscenities. No memory of and Israeli, this is recreational folk Linda Ellinger of Minneapolis, MN who led who took it -- one of the house derelicts -- but Ed & Jai'B dancing. The point isn't to dance us in the right direction for this article and who (the owners) kept that 8 x 10 for many years to use as a beautifully or impress an audience with initially exposed us to knowledge of the publicity photo for a gig whenever I would blow through your skill, but simply to have fun! existence of a vibrant dance culture in our town. They passed it along to me when the folk country! boom died.

THE COLUMBUS FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES OFFICERS Jackie LaMuth–[email protected] President: Art Mittenbergs – Jim Luckhaupt–[email protected] [email protected] 614-491-0437 Linda McDonald–[email protected] Vice-President: Joe Baringhaus– Sharon Mittenbergs– [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer: Debbie Shaw– Tom Nagel–[email protected] [email protected] Cindy Ramsey–[email protected] Secretary: Diane Boston– Cathy Sheets–[email protected] [email protected] Chris Skudder–[email protected] TRUSTEES Linda Bolles–[email protected] Central Ohio Folk Festival directors: Art and Sharon Mittenbergs [email protected] Stan & Beth Bradley – [email protected] Membership Chair: Larry Drake [email protected] [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Diane Boston Bill Cohen–[email protected] [email protected] Mike Hale– [email protected] Webmaster: Carl Yaffey [email protected] www.ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org PAGE 7 The Columbus Folk Music Society P.O. Box 1233620735 Columbus, OH 4321243220

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