On WIOX Radio 91.3 FM or wioxradio.org Tonight

On Catskills Folk, tonight December 5 at 7 p.m., hear about passing traditions from generation to generation, including examples from the Seeger family, singing families from the Adirondacks and the Southern Appalachians, and Jane DeWitt of Delhi, who builds stone walls.

Sara Cleveland, born in the early 20th century, is recognized as one of the most prominent singers of traditional ballads and songs, with a pure soprano voice even in her later years.  She learned songs from her parents who sang at home, and went on to collect songs from neighbors and friends, as well as extended family members in the southeastern Adirondacks.  Together she and her mother put together a family album of songs numbering in the hundreds.

  

It was Sara's son, Jim, who realized she could perform in venues that were part of the folk music revival of the mid-20th century.  He encouraged her and soon she was singing at national folk festivals.  She in turn encouraged her granddaughter to perform at an early age.  After Sara died in 1987 Jim began performing with that granddaughter, his daughter, Colleen.

Elizabeth LaPrelle is a singer from rural Virginia.  She too grew up in a family of singers and gathered her repertoire from family members, neighbors and friends.  To this she added field recordings of old time singers, learning from them even though many of the singers had passed on.  Her voice is not the smooth soprano of Sara Cleveland, but resembles the more gravely tones of the old time singers who, by the time they were recorded, had voices that were no longer smooth.

Elizabeth's mother, Sandy, who also grew up in a singing family, now accompanies her daughter in concerts and on recordings with vocal harmony.  

Together these family musical histories show how important it is to keep on singing at home, as a part of every day life.  Traditional music is not necessarily a solo undertaking.  At the very least it takes a singer and a listener to perpetuate the tradition, but hopefully many more.

Catskills Folk on a future date will present field recordings of early Catskills singers from the collection of singer Ira McIntosh, to see if we can be inspired by them as was Elizabeth LaPrelle when she heard field recordings from her region.

  

Karyl Denison Eaglefeathers: Catskills Folk Connection Loses a Folklorist

On September 13, Catskills Folk Connection lost one of its founding folklorists, Karyl Denison (Hunt) Eaglefeathers or Vanheo’o (Standing Sage Woman).  She was born on Aug. 2, 1952, to Charley and Louise Hunt.

A resident of Bloomville, Karyl was the wife of Clifford Eaglefeathers, mother of Ira, Shana, Erika, Eli, Tyson, Jonathan, David and Nate. She was grandmother to “about 17 of ‘em,” including, Sol, Eli, Cedar, Julian, Sage, Ava, Charley, Barley, Jasmine, Sky, Kaylee, Destiny and Nathan. Karyl’s siblings were Barbara, Barry (deceased), Jill, Jack and Daryl. She was adopted by Nancy Sandcrane in the Cheyenne way; and sister to Patty Old Man.

KD was a teacher in the broadest sense. As her mother, Louise wrote about her own mother, “Teaching came as easily to her as breathing.” Beyond the simple conveying of knowledge, she was a moral exemplar for her family, her students and her community.

Karyl’s lifelong commitment to service and nurturing continues to have a ripple effect on countless lives across the world.  (Part of newspaper obituary)

Karyl received her master's degree from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in folk studies, then completed her PhD at Indiana University.   Here in the Catskills she perpetuated the Camp Woodland Folk Festivals in the early 1970s before moving west where she served in academic and government folklore posts in Texas, Wyoming and Montana.  Returning to the Catskills in 2007, she joined Ginny Scheer in founding Catskills Folk Connection, a virtual folklife center for the Catskills.  Karyl had many goals for our work, beyond the center's radio program, that Ginny will work to bring to fruition.  Karyl was taken from us much too soon and will be missed continuously.

    

Halloween in Roxbury

If you missed the parade of ghouls and goblins, monsters and princesses today on the Main Street of Roxbury, you have missed the essence of Halloween.  Led by the Roxbury marching band, pre-schoolers through 6th graders marched south then north along Main Street.  The parade is the kick-off for trick or treating initiated by the youngest in the afternoon hours, followed by the grade-schoolers as it becomes dark.  Teens who are too sophisticated to dress up hang out in the center of town and the more considerate ones refrain from throwing eggs, spraying shaving cream, and breaking jack-o'lanterns.  The fire department attracts teens and adults with hot drinks and donuts.

Some houses in Roxbury indulge in the ever more popular tradition of decoration.  Some create assemblages of harvest figures and vegetables while others feature jack o'lanterns that are interesting by day and by night.  The most recent practice, however, is the use of lights in Halloween colors, outlining porches and shrubbery.  Notable on Strattons Falls Road is the yard full of hundreds of pumpkins all carved and lit at night.  On Main Street be sure to see the harvest figure falling through the porch roof and another house that features lights and children's decorations

The photos in the gallery were taken by Manhattan Country School students several years ago in Roxbury, showing that the traditions haven't changed that much in recent years, and  featuring hand made costumes by local residents still seen in annual parades.

Join Ginny Scheer tonight on Catskills Folk at 7 p.m. on WIOX 91.3 fm for more about Halloween interspersed with traditional Catskills square dance music.
  

Square Dance Masters Class with Hilt Kelly, 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Bovina Community Hall

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Hilt Kelly and the Sidekicks will conduct a Masters' Class at the Bovina Community Hall, 1866 Co. Hwy 6, Bovina, NY  13740 on Saturday, June 9 at 2 p.m.  Experienced dancers are needed to help Hilt and his band train the next generation of square dance callers.  Beginners are welcome to observe.  $5.00 admission.

For health reasons, Hilt Kelly can no longer call square dances himself, so he is passing on the tradition to eager proteges.  This is the last in the series of masters classes in fiddling and square dance calling until next fall when we hope to present more Catskills traditional music and dancing. For more inforation call Ginny at 607-326-7049.

P.S. The Slow Jam, spawned by the winter masters' classes in fiddling, continues to meet at 6 p.m. on the second Friday of the month.  It now has a permanent location at the Pine Hill Community Center in Pine Hill, NY.  Call Jeanne Palmer for more information  607-326-3132.

Slow Jam May 11 a Spin Off from Master's Class

Attendees at the December and January Master's Classes with Hilt Kelly and the Sidekicks have decided to meet for a Slow Jam on the second Friday of each month to share tunes and enjoy playing music together.  This month they will meet at the Pine Hill Community Center. Everyone is invited, whatever instrument you play or just to listen.  You can let peole know you are coing by signing on at "Met Up".  Or call Jeanne Palmer 607-326-3132. We hope to see you there!

Second Master's Class with Hilt Kelly Sunday, January 22, 2012

Once again players of guitars, banjos, flutes, as well as fiddles will jam with Hilt Kelly and the Sidekicks, learning their techniques and tunes.  We had a great time last month playing a wide variety of tunes and expect just as wide and deep an experience this month.  Bring your instrument, bring some tunes, or just come listen.

Join us at 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 22, at Roxbury Arts Group's Hilt Kelly Hall, just up the Vega Mountain Road off Main Street in Roxbury.  Find the Roxbury Arts Group's Old Bank Gallery on Main Street, walk north to the corner, turn right and Hilt Kelly Hall is the second building on the right.

Participants last time were so enthusiastic that we are in the process of forming a Slow Jam to meet monthly, starting in February, on the second Friday, February 10.  We'll be settling on a location soon.

Also at the Master's Class, we'll be talking about the spring series of square dances with Hilt Kelly and the Sidekicks, all to be held at traditional dance venues throughout the northern Catskills.

For more information call Ginny at 607-326-7049, the Manhattan Country School Farm.





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