Free Folk Singing Programs

In a continuing effort to promote and advance bluegrass, old-time and folk music in Southern California, the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest will sponsor free folk singing programs in Los Angeles City and County Libraries and schools, starting in 2009. There is no charge to the library or school and there is no charge for admission to the concerts. The public is welcome to attend all library concerts. School concerts are open to students only*


Gigi & Mike Sandii Castleberry

2010 SCHEDULE

FOLK SINGERS   LIBRARY/SCHOOL DATES AND TIMES

Gigi & Mike's
Sing-A-Long

Granada Hills Library
10640 Petit Ave.
Granada Hills, CA 91344

Saturday
January 30
4:00pm

The Hollow Trees, Folk Music for Families**

*3rd Street Elementary School
201 S. June St.
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Wednesday
February 10
1:00pm

** With special guest 2008 Topanga Advanced Fiddle Winner, Katie Nakamura
 

Tom & Dawn
 
 

Tom & Dawn, Folksingers

Studio City Library
12511 Moorpark Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604

Wednesday
March 17th
6:45pm

Sometimes in Tune
(The Sunny Side of Bluegrass)

Santa Monica Library
Montana Branch
50th Anniversary Celebration
1704 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Saturday
April 10th
2:00pm

Fur Dixon & Steve Werner,
Traveling Western Folksingers

Santa Monica - Main Library
Outdoor Stage
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Saturday
May 15
2:00pm

Mr. Tom,
The Music Man

Encino-Tarzana Library
18231 Ventura Blvd.
Tarzana, CA 91356

Saturday
June 19
2:00pm

2009 SCHEDULE


Fur Dixon & Steve Werner

FOLK SINGERS   LIBRARIES DATES AND TIMES

The Hollow Trees, Folk Music for Families

West Valley-Regional
19036 Vanowen Reseda, CA 91335

Thursday, July 16, 4:00pm

Ross Altman, Balladeer

Granada Hills
10640 Petit Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344

Saturday, July 18, 3:00pm

Sometimes In Tune, Folk/Bluegrass band

Mid-Valley Regional
16244 Nordhoff Ave. North Hills, CA 91343

Saturday, July 25, 2:00pm

Ross Altman, Balladeer

Westlake Village
31220 Oak Crest Dr. Westlake Village, CA 91361

Sunday, August 16, 2:00pm

Sandii Castleberry, Folksinger

Pacoima Library
13605 Van Nuys Blvd. Pacoima, CA 91331

Thursday, September 17, 4:00pm

Fur Dixon & Steve Werner, Traveling Western Folksingers

Malibu Library
23519 W. Civic Center Way Malibu, CA 90265

Saturday, September 26, 11:00am

Tom & Dawn, Folksingers

Chatsworth Library
21052 Devonshire St. Chatsworth, CA 91311

Wednesday, September 30, 6:45PM

Gigi & Mike's Sing-Along

Woodland Hills Library
22200 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Saturday, October 10, 2:00pm



 
Pitt Kinsolving   Ross Altman

Folk songs tell a story…

and captivate a young audience. Folk songs contain timeless melodies that live on for centuries. They tell of the good times and hard times of the people, the land, their work, and their freedom. Folk singers help parents introduce folk singing to their children.

What is a folk song?

Did you know that long before there were iPods, CDs, television, radio and movies, people had to create their own leisure pastimes? In America and other countries this took the form of songs and stories that were made up and passed down by word of mouth, from grandparents to their parents to their children, and so on. Many of the songs people passed along spoke of their lives, their loves, their work, their wars, the good times and bad. For example, cowboys sang to keep themselves awake when riding herd or sitting around a camp fire at night. Songs like “Old Chisholm Trail,” “I Ride an Old Paint” and Red River Valley speak to us of life as it was in the Old West. And the cowboy songs, sea shanties, immigrant ballads, gold rush songs,lumberjack songs, spirituals, railroad and pioneer songs make up a people’s history of America

Folk songs are a great American tradition

And these library programs will emphasize folk songs, both American and international, sung and played on stringed instruments, guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer, recorder, and so on; American, Appalachian, African-American, Civil War, Stephen Foster songs, the songs of Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Odetta and so on, will be included. A few of the hundreds of folk classics are:

John Henry (the steel driving man)
This Land is Your Land, Woody Guthrie
Froggy Went a Courtin'
So Long It’s Been Good to Know You, Woody Guthrie
Shenandoah, (You Rollin’ River)
Lonesome Traveler
Follow the Drinking Gourd, (Southern slave’s underground railroad
Red River Valley
My Darlin’ Clementine
Home On the Range
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Go Down, Moses
Down By the Riverside
Good Night, Irene

 

To request a program for your library or school, or for information, contact Warren Garfield, Program Coordinator (323) 656-5813 or email: warrengar@sbcglobal.net

Sometimes In Tune