A Different Strummer Newsletter
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THE COLUMBUS FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY, INC. – a 501(C)(3) NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION APRIL, 2017 A Different Strummer newsletter Illustration by Jenny Alberti april 29 CoFFeehouse TO OFFER WHAT’S INSIDE: A SLICE OF APRIL COFFEEHOUSE FEATURES LOCAL DUO (PhiL HART & SteVE ROLFE) Interview by Bill Cohen Phil Hart, singer/songwriter, folk Bill Cohen: At our monthly SOUR CHERRY PIE PG. 1 musician, and his bass playing coffeehouses, we define “folk 2 Fun musical ways buddy, Steve Rolfe play songs with music” very broadly, so each of catchy tunes with thought-provoking you can help this our featured acts have differed lyrics that Phil has been writing since year’s Folk Festival pg. 1 the early 70s. greatly. For folks who’ve never heard you sing, please tell us To listen visit: www.facebook.com/Sour- “noteS WORTH TAKING how you describe your music. Cherry-Pie-296604507043057/ CENTRAL OHIO FOLK Phil Hart: I have always FESTIVAL PG. 3 struggled with the “genre” label. In the 70s I was in a cFms Jammers spread band called “Succotash”, Folk music spirit pg. 5 which we understood to be a pot of corn, several kinds ANNOUNCING FESTIVAL of beans, and any other HEADLINER vegetables you happened JOHN GORKa PG. 6 to have in the fridge. It was a nod to the fact that our calendar oF events pg. 7 See Sour Cherry Pie – page 2 2 Fun Musical Ways You Can Help This Year’s Folk Festival ! by Bill Cohen Pay a few bucks to hear some upcoming musical fundraisers. El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant great folk music . and help us at 3230 Olentangy River Road. April 8 will feature a double shot pay for this year’s Central Ohio Folk – two polished bands will take Whiskey Maggie calls itself “an Festival. That’s the idea behind two the stage in the party room at 2 Fun Musical Ways – page 4 CONTACT US AT: VOICEMAIL 614-470-3963 PAGE 1 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER APRIL, 2017 Sour Cherry Pie – from page 1 unusually fast, but typical of how the Four albums and one of Kingston set list included all kinds of stuff, core of a song shows up. Trio’s. That was a pivotal moment from Peter, Paul, and Mary to the in my life. In 1967 I enrolled as a Bill: who are the musician heroes Beatles to Dolly Parton to the Everly vocal music major at a big state and heroines that have influenced Brothers to some of our originals. school where I had to hide my folk your music? The music I am drawn to and try to tendencies from my professors. write should have a melody that can Phil: Tom Paxton was a huge Then while working at a summer stand on its own and some lyrical influence on me when I was young, camp in 1970, another counselor poetry to make me want to pay though I didn’t realize it at the time, introduced me to the idea that it attention. because when I was learning his was okay to write our own songs. Bill: many of your songs are I had just started playing the guitar originals. tell us a little about the winter before, encouraged how you do your writing. where by another friend. Two of those do your ideas come from? give first songs, the “Friend Song” and us an example of one of your “Shine,” came directly out of the originals and how it came to be. Camp Akita experience, and I still get requests to perform them. In Phil: Song ideas usually come retrospect it may seem odd to some to me in one of two ways. One is folks, but I never really saw myself fear of the deadline, like where I as a songwriter till I turned 50 and promised someone I was going to my wife insisted that my birthday write a song for their wedding or present was to be a recording something. But the most common session with several old friends place for me to encounter my muse from California. That turned into the is on the interstate. When I am out album Sing Me Home and inspired on the highway my consciousness the title track. goes into some kind of musical Zen Bill: do any of your past state, and it is difficult to keep my songs, it was through someone performances come to mind as brain from throwing out little phrases else’s voice. I loved Bob Dylan and being particularly great. .or awful ? and saying, “Hey, what do you think Phil Ochs for their social justice about this?” voice and James Taylor for his style. Phil: I think what sticks out right My song, “Visiting Nanna,” showed I was a huge Crosby, Stills, Nash, now is the recent overwhelmingly up on the way to Wisconsin two and Young fan. I was introduced to positive reaction I have been years ago for the holidays. It’s about John Prine late. He’s a hero. getting from folks to my song “Lady my sister-in-law narrated by her Liberty,” which was written in the fall Bill: what’s your history as a young granddaughter. We were of 2010. It is surprising and sad that performer and song writer? crossing northern Illinois when I the theme in that song is even more when and how did your musical turned to my wife and said, “Hey, of a crisis today than when I first career begin? write this down.” I continued to wrote it. dictate phrase by phrase till, in less Phil: When I was in junior high an than an hour, there it was. That was older cousin lent me two Brothers See Sour Cherry Pie – page 3 FolkSide Coffeehouse – Sat, April 29 Held at: Columbus Open Jam 6-7 pm; Open Mic 7-8 pm Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave Sour Cherry Pie: 8 pm (Clintonville) PAGE 2 WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG A DIFFERENT STRUMMER APRIL, 2017 Phil Hart – from page 2 to Morgantown, and Steve headed when Steve came home, and we Bill: At your April coffeehouse to China to teach English for two got back to playing and decided to appearance, you’ll have some keep the Sour Cherry Pie label as a excellent back-up musicians, and way to keep folks connected with you’ll actually be appearing as part our performance calendar. I really of a group called Sour Cherry Pie. the most common “ place for me to appreciate the flavors, rhythmic and Tell us about your fellow music- melodic, that Steve adds to our makers. encounter my muse is on sets. (You can check our Facebook Phil: In about 2010, I was invited the interstate. When I am page for upcoming performances.) to sing several songs for a wedding, out on the highway my Bill: is there a particular theme or and I asked the couple if they would consciousness goes into thrust that seems to run through mind if I got some guys to help many of your songs? me. Steve Rolfe (bass) and Perry some kind of musical Zen Leatherman (mandolin and vocals) state, and it is difficult Phil: I don’t know that there is a put together a nice little set of to keep my brain from theme, per se. I intentionally try to songs, and when the wedding was mix the musical style of my songs, over we had lots of nice feedback throwing out little phrases but lyrically I am most attracted to including a couple of folks who and saying, “Hey, what telling stories that come from actual relationship experiences. In the last wanted to know what the name of do you think about this?” our band was. Sour Cherry Pie was few years I have joked that I am Phil Hart born out of that gig, and we played currently more in my “Phil Ochs” around Columbus till the summer period in trying to use my songs of 2013 when the Rainbow Gardens years. And I thought I was just as lenses for looking at religious or album was recorded, Perry moved getting warmed up! I was relieved political positions in a different light. Notes Worth Taking – CENTRAL OHIO FOLK FESTIVAL May 6 & 7, 2017 • May 6 & 7: Battelle Darby Creek song. Please keep lyrics family Metro Park-Indian Ridge area. friendly! • New this year: official “festival • John Gorka featured mascot” (you’ll know him when headliner Saturday evening. you see him!); festival coloring Pre-registration highly book; a parade for the kids recommended. Tickets $15 at: (4pm Sat). centralohiofolkfestival.eventbrite. com. • Numerous free concerts, dance opportunities, musician • Worst Song in the World gallon (lyrically). 2 separate • We could use more: workshops for beginners and Contest milk jugs (clean and labels contests: one 8pm Friday seasoned artists. Visit: www. removed). We also need night and the other 4:15pm on ColumbusFolkMusicSociety.org ribbons, beads, small artificial Saturday on the main stage. All for up-to-date information. flowers, & empty coffee and welcome to participate. Contact oatmeal containers. Drop off: • Kick-off potluck and jam on Tom Nagel at: tomnagel@ Linda McDonald’s: 444 Oakland Friday (Cedar Ridge Lodge): wowway.com. You can enter Park Ave. 6-9pm. All members invited! one or both and with the same WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG PAGE 3 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER APRIL, 2017 2 Fun Musical Ways – from page 1 experience both those great bands place at Byrne’s Pub at 1248 W. and help produce the folk festival Third Avenue near Grandview from energetic and entertaining pseudo- on May 6 and 7.