Bill Spence and Graham Dean

As I sat through the occasional rain and the consistently brilliant performances at the 2018 Old Songs Festival, it hit me why I love this annual gathering so deeply. Andy and Bill Spence and the organization of Old Songs Inc. have created what seems to be the perfect model for a folk festival and this year it struck me exactly why it works so well.

A message at Old Songs

Over the past year, we have experienced a daily barrage of horrific incidents, frustrating politics, insensitive Twitter messages and an overabundance of bad news that seem to separate and personally affect each of us. While this can lead to feeling hopelessly divided, a visit to Old Songs reminded me of just how much we still have in common and how art and music can heal the wounds by promoting positive shared experiences. The diverse musical communities that Old Songs present makes this festival stand out. Other festivals might focus on contemporary singer-songwriters or higher-profile commercial artists, but Old Songs remembers exactly what folk music is all about – a celebration of traditions, cultures and communities that continue to be vibrant and reflective of both the past and present. For a number of years, Old Songs used the motto “Music With Roots” and that remains a fitting description as well as a guidepost for its production.

As I wandered around the festival over the course of the weekend, I was treated to the sights and sounds of artists from the Caribbean, West Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland and other Celtic nations as well as diverse cultures and many communities from all across North America. These performers celebrate sounds and heritages found in many remote corners of the globe and travel to Old Songs to unveil shared experiences that open our eyes. While festival-goers might come from different backgrounds and do not always share the same political views, Old Songs serves to remind attendees that each of us is part of a global family and maybe finding common ground is not an impossible task after all.

Choc’ late Allen and the Gaslight Tinkers

Evidence of this was seen on the opening night of the 38th Annual Old Songs Festival when Choc’late Allen and the Gaslight Tinkers appeared on the main stage. The New England based Gaslight Tinkers have been sharing a delicious bend of global rhythms with homegrown old-timey and contradance tunes. The band recently teamed up with Trinidad and Tobago artist and activist Choc’late Allen to create an experience that mixed a number of styles including Woody Guthrie and Calypso elements in a thoroughly entertaining and enlightened performance. As a 13-year-old teenager, Allen gained prominence in 2007 when she went on a 5 day fast to help promote the idea of taking personal responsibility for individual actions to face the social issues plaguing her Caribbean nation. Her performance with the Tinkers was highlighted by Calypso-protest song called “Boots,” written by Barbadian folks singer The Mighty Gabby about his government assisting the United States during the invasion of Grenada.

Another fine example of common threads in music was experienced in a fine set by acclaimed Irish harpist Máire Ní Chathasaigh and UK flat picking guitar virtuoso Chris Newman. One of the pieces they served up was some “bluegrass harp” – an innovative rendition of “Old Joe Clark” played on the ancient Irish instrument. The duo blended a well-chosen set of tunes that ranged from an ethereal performance of O’Carolan’s “Eleanor Plunkett” to jazzy original compositions that borrowed from traditional and contemporary stylings.

Sandy and Elizabeth Laprelle

We all know that folk songs from many nations made their way to our shores and became integrated into our culture. Nowhere is this more evident than the ballads found in the hills of Appalachia. Virginia born Elizabeth Laprelle has been performing these songs since she was 11, attending old-time fiddler’s conventions and singing traditional songs with her family. Now 30, Laprelle was joined on stage at Old Songs by her mother, family and friends to showcase these time-honored songs and tunes. To hear these people sing together is to bear witness to the carrying on of traditions, a feat accomplished by the simple act of singing as a family despite all the distractions offered by our modern world. There was beauty in these songs and their singing that cannot be replicated by YouTube videos or Instagram posts. I hope more families will be inspired, but make no mistake – the voices, instrumentals and performances of Elizabeth Laprelle and the Family Band are not some sort of amateurish offering. They are skilled artists perpetuating a musical heritage in an utterly entertaining style.

Happy Traum and Jim Kweskin

Old Songs treated this year’s crowd to performances from two icons from the1960s folk revival: Happy Traum and Jim Kweskin. The two have teamed up for a series of concerts in recent years and their stop at Old Songs was a welcomed addition. Their stories alone are worth the price of admission (Among his other projects, Happy actually does a program of personal stories accompanied by a slide show about the folk revival) but the songs they chose was a festival unto itself. Kweskin dusted off some Uncle Dave Macon songs as well as contemporary pieces from artists like Pat Donohue. Separately or together, they were not to be missed!

Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton

Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton captivated the audience at every workshop and mainstage appearance he gave during the course of the weekend. Paxton is a throwback to another era. His music draws heavily from pre-war blues and jazz music which he performs on guitar, fiddle, banjo, harmonica and piano, and probably a few other instruments that I am not aware of. He is equally skilled on each instrument, and while his knowledge of songs and tunes is astounding, perhaps his greatest skill is his easy demeanor on stage that instantly pulls in the audience. Paxton shares interesting stories and perspective about the songs, and his off the cuff humor keeps the mood welcoming. You would think this comes from decades of experience if you did not know that he was only 29.

Christine Lavin

Like an elephant in the room, the presidency of Donald Trump was the subject of a few songs heard during the course of the weekend. Joe Jencks and Christine Lavin each shared new songs they penned about our current commander in chief and his relationship with the nation. Jencks’ song never mentioned him by name, but the song was a powerful indictment of lying to the press and public and the lack of remorse for doing so. Lavin’s song, co-written with John Forster, pointed out the hypocrisy of Trump’s stance on immigrants when compared to his own family history. Politics and social issues are never far from the surface at folk festivals, but these strong offerings were observational and food for thought instead of heavy-handed rallying cries merely intended to stir up a crowd.

Old Songs always manages to offer a combination of returning favorites and a plethora of newcomers. Old Songs never becomes repetitious as there are always new gems to discover and old friends to catch up with. Among the “new” discoveries for me this year was the Rhode Island duo The Vox Hunters, Armand Aromin and Benedict Garland, whose lovely harmonies were a highlight with their eclectic blend of songs from the American and British traditions. After making their first appearance at Old Songs, I have to create some new superlatives to describe the vocal quartet Windborne and their exquisite harmonies and varied collection of songs.

Joel Mabus

It was good to see Joel Mabus return to Old Songs after too long of an absence (at least by my time frame!). I also enjoyed the return of Low Lily and their continued exploration of American roots music. Ellis made an unscheduled but welcomed return to the main stage on Saturday night, filling in for Beppe Gambetta who had to cancel due to an unexpected medical issue. In addition to Gambetta, the Quebec based group Bon Débarras was unable to perform due to visa issues. It has become difficult for international performers to travel to the United States in recent years, and I hope that will improve because events like Old Songs and the audience they serve benefits from these cultural visits to our country.

Old Songs is an important not-to-be-missed event in my yearly calendar. The annual festival is held in Altamont, New York, in the outskirts of Albany, New York, in the confines of the scenic Altamont Fairgrounds. With numerous rustic buildings available for workshops (and cover from the rain!) along with a natural tree-lined amphitheater for the mainstage, the site creates a comfortable and inviting environment for festival goers and artists alike. I’ve been to numerous festivals and this is as close to the perfect location as any I’ve seen. Perhaps this one of the reasons performers always seem to bring their “A” game to the fest. The camping scene and the family atmosphere created by the attendees certainly adds to the ambiance.

All of the above creates this unique annual festival, but perhaps the main reason that Old Songs works is because it reflects where we came from as well as where we are going, all showcased through music and dance.

Raining at Old Songs