Hilt and Stella Kelly and the Sidekicks were long central to Roxbury’s annual Fiddlers! programs, which started in 1994. Not only during these years but long before, Hilt and his music were important to old-time square dancing and music throughout the Catskills
region.
Musicians
Good Read
Finally, there is a book worthy of Caffè Lena’s rich history. This big, beautiful, oversized hardcover is a love letter to the Caffè, the many musicians who’ve graced Lena’s tiny stage, and to folk music itself.
Voices in New York
March is a busy month for Irish storytellers. I spoke with Bairbre McCarthy on the phone about her CD, The Keeper of the Crock of Gold: Irish Leprechaun Tales. Drawn from her book of Irish stories, the CD is a combination of “old retellings”and original stories by McCarthy that “stick up for the rights of Leprechauns.” Throughout the stories, McCarthy weaves in sean-nós singing by her daughter Mary Willems and fiddle playing by Maura McNamara. In our conversation, she tells me about her roots, about her activism for Leprechaun rights, and about becoming a professional storyteller in America:
Voices in New York
America’s Last True Folk Hero
A Song for Pete Seeger
Rafael Hernández and the Puerto Rican Legacy of the 369th Regiment’s Harlem Hellfighters
Good Read
A review of “One Rough Life. Ted Aslaw: Adirondack Lumber Camp and Barroom Singer,” by Robert D. Bethke.
Upstate
An essay about the present and future of Adirondack folk music and the places to hear it.
How I Became A Doo-Wop Fan 10 Years Too Late
The author reflects on Doo Wop as a folk musical form, as he experienced it first hand as a child from the streets in his neighborhood of New York.
Upstate New York’s Irish Music Archive
An essay by Ted McGraw about his ongoing radio show, and the resulting collection of Irish music – one of the largest private collections of Irish music in the world.
Artist Spotlight
A description of the noted 12 piece orchestra in New York’s Capital Region, Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra.
Voices of New York
A portrait of musician George Ward and his body of work that highlights the Erie Canal in song.
Artist Spotlight: Bill Smith
A biographical portrait of folk musician and raconteur, Bill Smith.
Voices of New York: Dan Berggren
A profile of folk musician, Dan Berggren