NEW  ZEALAND
FOLK*IES
Answers for Abby
NZ folkies tell of their folk music beginnings
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Abby Cave of Wanganui Girls College asked how folkies had got started in singing folk songs.
Here are some of the answers she received.



Robyn Park - Trad English folk musician and morris dancer, Hastings
Folk music was a part of my life before I knew that's what it was. I was born into the Williams family on Guy Fawkes day, so those traditions were always very important to me...

Mike Moroney - Folk rock musician, Dunedin
Twenty five years ago I was getting along perfectly fine as a rock and roll bass player. I was into blues as well and I went to a local concert called "Sing the Blues" - which was a bit damn deceptive...

Laura Quin - Irish band musician, University student, Dunedin
I've been fortunate enough to have parents who have very wide tastes in music... I have been interested in all kinds of music, including folk, since I can remember. Dad always got out different records from the Hamilton library...

Dave Hart - Morris accordian player, Christchurch
From an early age, I recall my mother singing to us, either nursery rhymes or songs from shows of the '40s. My father had a reasonable voice, & being from Sunderland, used to sing a number of songs from the North, like "The Lambton Worm" ...

Sue Harkness - Trad harmony singer, guitarist, Auckland, ex-Dunedin.
I was born and brought up in Dunedin. I have an English Mum who can sing/play piano and NZ Dad who can't carry a tune in a bucket... I've always loved to sing - it might be some compensation for not being able to dance, play sports etc...

Seiffe La Trobe - Songwriter, concert organizer, Auckland
I moved to Devonport when I was 16 or so after my dad and I had a row... I wandered around as a young chap and one day I saw a bunch of people going into a church hall and followed them. Turned out to be the Devonport Folk Music club...

Hilary Falconer - Trad folk enthusiast and festival organizer,Hamilton
I came from Essex when I wasn't quite a teenager. I suffered several years in the cultural desert of Tauranga in the '60's, then went to University and on my first day I met a Drapers Scholarship lad from Redcar in Yorkshire, who read me Chaucer and led me to my unknown heritage of traditional English folk music...

Wayne Gillespie - Auckland singer-songwriter, now in Sydney.
I first heard Leonard Cohen on the NZ National Radio Folk program in early 70's at age 14 and was inspired enough to want to become a folkie/songwriter...

Ian Bartlett - Trad singer, Bones, Bodhran, Whistle, Flute and Northumbrian Smallpipes, Auckland
My parents enjoyed music but did not play any instruments. I can remember in junior school in the 50's singing British Sea Songs...

Mahinaarangi Tocker - Jewish/Maori singer songwriter, Taumarunui/Wellington.
Tena koutou katoa. I first learnt about Pakeha or non Maori folk music in school. My first folk song that I learnt at age 6 at school was The Water is Wide...

Read Hudson - Bluegrass guitar player from the West Coast, with side trips
I came to Dunedin in 1965, and started playing in a Rock 'n Roll band or two, as a guitar player...

Chris Penman - Singer of unaccompanied British trad, Wellington, Dunedin, Hamilton.
We-e-ell, my first recollection of anything folkie is being in the audience at the Art Museum in Wanganui around 1970, listening to my dad singing "Lassie Wi A Yellow Coatie"...

Gerard Hudson - Steel guitarist and folk club stalwart, Wellington
When I was 13 a music-loving friend told me I should be into heavy metal. To illustrate he lent me Made in Japan by Deep Purple. I loved the energy and rawness, but also the gentle delicacy of some moments. I wanted more of this...

Tony Hillyard - Singer/guitarist of English traditional songs, Wellington.
I had a musical family background, but nothing formal. Dad was a singer with a big band and Gran taught piano....

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Page made 15-26th August, 2004