186 replies to this topic

[The Four Horsemen]

Nope, died years ago.
Anyway, some folkies are important enough to be recognised - Martin Carthy and Maddy Prior are both MBEs I think (might be OBEs or CBEs - can't rightly recall).

Earl Scruggs is still going I think, must be 90something by now. And some of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem........

[Anubis the Jackal]

Back to the original post, Wizz Jones is still up and at 'em around London Town. Davy Graham is looking old but in decent health nowadays despite his somewhat wayward lifestyle, although I haven't seen him for a year or so. He played an impromptu gig in my mates' garden last year... a neighbour introduced him with the words, "This is Davy, he plays the guitar too." Jaws dropped and fingers turned to jelly... "err, you could play this one if you like Mate!"

Top Man.

[Octopus of Odstock]

The Four Horsemen, on Jul 7 2005, 09:21 AM, said:

Earl Scruggs is still going I think, must be 90something by now.

Earl Scruggs still picking

[Handrejka]

I was thinking about Ralph McTell recently (Streets of London) he's still going strong though it seems


Oh and perhaps I shouldn't admit this but I won medals for Morris dancing as a child

[Six]

Bert Jansch is in his 60's now, and still on the road - still an excellent guitarist too...



ps, I was never a Morris Dancer, thankfully.

[Godot]

I guess they have been mentioned elsewhere but what remains of the Dubliners is worth watching. Luke Kelly and Ciaran Bourke have already gone and Ronnie Drew, another one of the originals is still going (as is the band, still touring too). At around 72, that is positively ancient for a Dubliner.

[Godot]

Have just seen a mention on the web of Roger Whittaker. He's 70 this year and has not been too clever, nothing too serious but all that hell rasin' on stage is beginning to catch up with him.

http://www.rogerwhit...om/letters.html

[maryportfuncity]

Be warned people, the link above is Roger Whittaker's newsletter written by his wife and so turgid and twee it could see off the unwary who'll fall asleep at the computer never to see daylight again.

It's more like a letter to a few friends. How many people - exactly - turn out to see RW on stage these days?

[Godot]

maryportfuncity, on May 1 2006, 05:36 PM, said:

Be warned people, the link above is Roger Whittaker's newsletter written by his wife and so turgid and twee it could see off the unwary who'll fall asleep at the computer never to see daylight again.

It's more like a letter to a few friends. How many people - exactly - turn out to see RW on stage these days?

About the same who go to see Val Doonican I would guess and , oddly, mostly German it seems.

[maryportfuncity]

So if Rog's British audiences are on the dwindle - death seeing off a goodly proportion of late I'd wager - maybe we could book him into a smaller venue. I'll have a word in the Miner's Arms, Prospect, they've booked a few turns over the years.

[Phantom]

Octopus of Odstock, on Apr 8 2006, 07:15 PM, said:

The Four Horsemen, on Jul 7 2005, 09:21 AM, said:

Earl Scruggs is still going I think, must be 90something by now.

Earl Scruggs still picking

He is still around, however his wife died earlier this year.

[The Four Horsemen]

Pete Seeger is 87 today - no health update though

[maryportfuncity]

Bet he's planning to live long enough to spend some of that lovely money Bruce Springsteen is generating for him at the moment.

[Canadian Paul]

maryportfuncity, on May 3 2006, 11:56 AM, said:

Bet he's planning to live long enough to spend some of that lovely money Bruce Springsteen is generating for him at the moment.

But if Bruce Springsteen was covering some of your songs, wouldn't you want to die of shame?

[maryportfuncity]

No....but he would.

[maryportfuncity]

Quote

It is generally accepted that he also became addicted to drugs in the 1960s: see Colin Harper's book, referenced below, for details. First-hand accounts of Graham's concerts at this time agree that his performances, which were sometimes brilliant, were on other occasions marred by symptoms consistent with cocaine addiction. In an interview published in The Guardian (see below), he recalled taking a bottle of LSD with him on a ship from Barcelona and shooting up opium in Istanbul, before describing the 10,000 ladybirds he saw on his window that morning. Certainly he reached a point where he ceased to work and entered a period of obscurity and comparative poverty: in this respect, he is often compared with other musicians, such as Syd Barrett and Peter Green who were victims of drug addiction. Nevertheless, he continued to teach the guitar, although (again according to The Guardian article) a lesson with him might consist of his turning on a record and leaving his student to listen to it whilst he went to the pub.

The above from the Wiki page on Davy Graham who'll be a mere 66 in November. Heard him play a session and talk on 6 Music's Freak Zone last weekend. He sounds like a well weathered drink n drug case, though he's still playing quite well. Might have stacked up some vital organ damage that'll take him sooner than he expects.

[Banshees Scream]

Now 87 years old. A very respected musician, but does he make the list?


(Pete Seeger, For next year?) atj.

[maryportfuncity]

Deffo on fame, not sure on health grounds. The scrawny protest singer seems to have some good genes. Should we - mebbe - merge this query into the Old Folkies Home thread?



TA DA! (ATJ)

[Anubis the Jackal]

Although he's back on the road, touring his classic 'Solid Air' album, legendary folk mumbler John Martyn may be worth an outside shot. Heroically managed to be both a junkie and alchoholic for many years, punched Sid Vicious' lights out during one of his gigs, has recently (2003) had a leg amputated.

[maryportfuncity]

Martyn's STILL an alchie as far as I can make out, rambling and incoherent on a recent radio session when interviewed, played okay mind.

His body has taken a fair pounding over the years and he's unlikely to see very old age. Oddly, in his worst days he gigged superbly, I'll vouch for seeing him on top form. These days he's a pretty mediocre show and the latest tour is an attempt to generate some interest from a fan base proving less and less willing to pay cash to see him.