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Reading List
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- All Shook Up: How Rock 'N' Roll Changed America - Glenn C. Altshuler
- The Life and Music of Miss Peggy Lee, Peter Richmond
- The B-Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song - Ben Yadoga
- Singing From the Floor: A History of British Folk Clubs - JP Bean
- Playing Changes: Jazz for the New Century - Nate Chinen
- Lets Do It: The Birth of Pop - Bob Stanley
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Resources
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Roots Music Podcasts
Author Archives: Richard Barry
“On the Road” – Micheal Johnson (1973)
“On the Road” is a song I have always loved. I first heard it on John Denver’s 1974 album “Back Home Again.” You can find all the credits courtesy of Discogs at the link. That album had other gems on … Continue reading
Posted in Americana
Tagged John Denver, Michael Johnson
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“Dublin Blues” – Guy Clark (1995)
Guy Clark was an iconic American songwriter and folksinger with more than twenty albums to his credit. In 2014 he won a GRAMMY for “My Favourite Picture of You.” His songs have been recorded by a great many of the … Continue reading
“When First Unto This Country” – Ian & Sylvia (1971-1974)
The Canadian duo Ian & Sylvia (Ian & Sylvia Tyson) are recognized as important figures in the North American folk revival of the early 1960s. In Canada, “Four Strong Winds” is still something of a second national anthem. And then … Continue reading
Posted in Canadian Folk Music
Tagged Ian & Sylva
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“Come Saturday Morning” – The Sandpipers (1969)
“Come Saturday Morning” was first performed by The Sandpipers as part of the soundtrack for the 1969 movie the Sterile Cuckoo, a film featuring Liza Minnelli. The song was written by Fred Karlin (music) and Dory Previn (lyrics). In 1970, … Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged The Sandpipers
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“Old Blue” – Bob Gibson and Hamilton Camp (1961)
One would not necessarily have to be an historian of the Folk Revival to be familiar with the work of Bob Gibson (1931-1996) but it would useful. Gibson was big news in the late 1950s to early 1960s during what … Continue reading
Posted in Folk Revival
Tagged Bob Gibson, Hamilton Camp
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“San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)”- Scott McKenzie (1967)
Someone once called this song the “the unofficial anthem of the counterculture movement of the 1960s,” and that sounds about right – I mean it’s got “flowers in your hair” right there in the title. An interesting fact about this one, … Continue reading
Posted in Folk Rock
Tagged John Phillips, Scott McKenzie
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“Other Side to This Life” – Fred Neil (1965)
“Other Side to This Life” is a cut on Fred Neil’s first solo album Bleecker & MacDougal. It was on the Elektra label, put out in 1965. This LP figured prominently in the movement toward the electrification of folk music … Continue reading
Posted in Folk music, Folk Revival, Singer-songwriter
Tagged Fred Neil, Greenwich Village, John Sebastian
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“Hootenanny” – The Glencoves (1963)
I do recall that some people without a sense of humour were somewhat annoyed by the hilarious 1993 mockumentary A Mighty Wind. The film, co-written (with Eugene Levy), directed, and composed by Christopher Guest, parodies the American folk music revival of the late 1950s … Continue reading
Posted in Folk Revival, Movies
Tagged A Mighty Wind, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, The Glencoves
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“Black Day in July” – Gordon Lightfoot (1968)
As much as music is frequently used to highlight important issues, there has always been a tension between the inspiration of the songwriter and the business interests of those who run the music world not to rock the boat (so … Continue reading
Posted in Americana
Tagged Detroit, Gordon Lightfoot, Protest music
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“Carrickfergus” – Dala (2022)
Dala is an acoustic-folk two-piece out of Scarborough, Ontario consisting of Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther. Having met in a high-school music class in 2002, they have since released five studio albums, one live album and have toured extensively in North America. … Continue reading
Posted in Acoustic Folk Duo
Tagged Canadian Folk Music Award, Dala
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