I've had the pleasure of meeting the most pleasant 7 year old girl at the open mic night I'm hosting.  Her grandma brings her and her little sister out every once in a while and said girl was brave enough to get up and sing "You are my sunshine" with me and then share a made-up song of her own. Ever since then she's always excited to particpate as much as possible in helping me host or in sharing songs, though she has moments of shyness and likes to have me play with her so she feels calmer.  It's been a treat playing with her and she's certainly an audience favorite.  But I've also noticed that it's also helping create a more "community feel" to my format for the open mic so that we are attracting all ages and all sorts of varieties of music genres...People are bringing their families out to listen and/or enjoy and it's starting to really feel like a kitchen party (though it's in a coffee shop).

 So long story short, I am in need of adding to my repetoire of easy/ well known folk songs, so I have a more on hand for her (and others) to participate with...I've got "She'll be comin' round the mountain" and "You are my sunshine" atm.  I am positive that you all can add dozens of ideas to this paltry list. 

 

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January 20th, 2009...the end of an error

I supposed it depends on what you classify as folk tunes/songs.  There's a whole genre of music that can be considered folk songs and/or tunes depending on where you live, not just the songs you hear on Sesame Street, or by the likes of Fred Penner, or Sharon, Lois, and Bram, or even Raffi...but those could be a good jump off point for songs to possibly add to your repertoire.  Really, folk songs are songs that are usually (but not always!) passed from one generation to the next.  They don't have to be old to be considered folk songs - take 'Sonny's Dream' by Ron Hynes for example...it's considered folk by many even though it was written in the past 30 years.  Or even 'Any Mummers Allowed In?' (aka the Mummer's Song) - written by Bud Davidge of Simani in 1983 (if my memory serves me right...it's been a long day, so I could be wrong)..it is considered part of the folk tradition by a lot of people too.  *okay, taking off my folklore hat now*

I'd suggest for the younger set try any nursery rhymes that have been set to music.  I'm thinking along the lines of "Old King Cole" and songs like that.

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Don't feed the idiots or they'll continue being idiots...

Just about anything from Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions" is probably a good choice, and it's such an excellent CD that you'll be happy to have it just to listen to!

Love, Columbine 

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You could try Woody Guthrie , Arlo Guthrie, or LeadBelly which is where alot of the songs they do come from. There are alot of good "little " songs on the Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie concert that was televised on PBS what seems like a lifetime ago. Plenty of non political ones. Except  there is one that Seeger sings that his sister wrote called I'm Gonna Be An Engineer which should be the anthem of every woman over 30!!

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"And when your children have all grown you'll wait by the window and wish them all back home"




If life was fair Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead...Johnny Carson