North American Urban Folk Music of the 1940s and 50s March 28, 2009

In the 1940s and ‘50s, folk music was part of a wave of patriotism and pride that united Americans of all walks of life. Folk music, straightforward music “of the people,” was being sung at gatherings, at labor rallies, in schools, and on the radio. Although folk music is often linked with remote rural areas, people who came to the city shared their music, performed, and taught. Come celebrate that music and the people who made it. On the afternoon of March 28, panels of those involved will discuss “Urban Folk Community Overview,” “Women of the Folk Community,” and “Families of the Folk Musicians.” A panel will sing “The Songs We Sang” with opportunities for the audience to sing along. A concert at 7:30 will feature Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, Tony Saletan, and Roger Sprung plus students from LREI singing songs of the 1940’s and 1950’s.
The panels will start at 1:00 PM and end at 6:00. The concert will begin at 7:30 at LREI - Elisabeth Irwin HS, 40 Charlton Street, NYC 10014.

Admission for the full day is $40, the panels alone or concert alone are $25. Tickets for children or full-time students will be $20 for the full day or $15 for either afternoon or evening. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or on line at: www.naufm.eventbrite.com. For information see www.folkmusicny.org or call 718-672-6399.

The participants, Prof. Ray Allen, Oscar Brand, Anna Guthrie Canoni, Rochelle Goldstein, Dottie Miller Gutenkauf, Ellen Hawes, Richard Hawthorne, Lori Holland, George Pickow, Jon Pickow, Jean Ritchie, Tony Saletan, Roger Sprung, Dr. Anna Lomax Wood, and Hal Wylie will gather to share their experiences and their songs. Our host, the Little Red School House - Elizabeth Irwin High School, has long made folk music an essential part of the curriculum, so this is a very special place to come to celebrate the music of the 1940s and 1950s.