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David Amram with Ron Olesko at David’s 85th Birthday Celebration at NERFA 2015 – Photo by Jayne Toohey

Having the opportunity to work with David on this birthday concert was something I will always remember and cherish. I would call David up to ask a quick question and spend an hour on the phone as he shared stories of his work with Dizzy Gillespie or Woody Guthrie and his insightful views about music and our folk community. David is a strong believer in passing the advice and encouragement along, the same advice he learned working with these legendary names is now being shared with younger artists. I marveled at his stamina as well as his enthusiasm as he completes his 85th trip around the sun. David is quick to note “you’re only as old as the way you make others around you feel.” Around David, I feel like a kid again!

As we prepared the concert, David made it clear that he did not want it to be some sort of tribute concert with speeches and platitudes – he wanted to make music with the talented artists he knew would gather at NERFA. “The best birthday present I could have” David proclaimed, “is to be with all of you and hope that what we do will inspire young singer-songwriter-poet-players to realize that when we cherish the classics of the past, we are setting the stage for all the NEW music being created today. And that by all of us doing something TOGETHER, they can feel that they are going to spend their lives doing something that makes you want to keep doing it as long as you are here, and also brings joy to others!!”

David got his wish. The afternoon was magical. Old friends like Eric Andersen, Josh White Jr., Happy Traum and Ken Whitely stayed a few extra hours to participate in a diverse program of songs that also featured a number of the “young singer-songwriter-poet-players” and a few other established artists as well. Watching David create music with artists like Efrat, Heather Pierson, Spook Handy, Anna Dagmar, John Flynn, Sultans of String and so many other younger and emerging artists reminded me that the music we love spans generations and with proper guidance it will span many more to come.

David Amram’s 85th Birthday Celebration at NERFA 2015

When the concert ended, I said my goodbyes and started my journey home. As I drove out of the parking lot, I glanced at the box of CDs in the back seat of my car. I grabbed a CD at random and began the process of listening to each new recording I received. The artists I had the fortune of meeting and/or hearing over the previous 4 days gave me comfort in knowing that folk music certainly is alive and kicking. I was looking forward to sharing this new music on the radio. It is going to be a good year!

 Click on the link below for a slideshow of Ron Olesko’s photos from NERFA 2015

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