Updates

A wonderful time at Health and Wellness Day in Forsyth Park this past Wendsday.  It is not too often that I get a chance to play relaxing music for 3 hours straight.  The weather was great, the people seemed to enjoy it.  Thanks to Mark from the zoo for supplying power!

 

5/18/08 Memorial Day with Veterans for Peace in Woodstock, NY. I made it up the hill again! I love singing at the top of my lungs in parades. A good time singing on the green afterwards, but it was marred by the Onteora Marching Band interupting the reading of the names of the soldiers who had died in Iraq.

 

I'll be playing at a Breast Cancer Benefit in goshen on 6/6.  It's a $20 a plate sit down dinner. For reservations call: Vita Dowdell (294-7721), Alison Fitzpatrick. (778-1437), Cheryl Winship (615-1542), Kathy Kurek (291-7295)

 

Several obits at http://folkobits.blogspot.com/  Dave Gahr and U Utah Phillips. 

 

I've added some more pictures of my instruments at http://bobluskinstruments.blogspot.com/

 

 

Utah Phillips passes

from Mark Rust

 

Utah Phillips died Friday night. He was 73. He was a great singer & activist, and I'm sure some of you, like me, learned to play guitar by learning his songs. Here's a link to a California newspaper on his passing.

 

So long Utah.

 

"...it's good though..."

 

http://origin.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9373739

 

Yours,
Mark Rust
(845)679-8213
markrust@markrust.com

Living will

OK - I usually don't post things like this, but "consistancy is the hopgoblin of small minds".

Bob

From Lynn  Hoffman -

 MY LIVING WILL  
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  
>>>>>> Last night my friend and I were sitting in the den and I
>>>>>> said to her, 'I never want to live in a vegetative state,
>>>>>> dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle to keep me
>>>>>> alive.  That would be no quality of life at all,  If that ever
>>>>>> happens, just pull the plug.'
>>>>>>  
>>>>>> So she got up, unplugged the computer, and threw out my wine.
>>>>>>  
>>>>>> She's such a bitch.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> <  


     

Please place June 6th on your calendar

"One Night to Remember in Goshen: June 6^th"

This certainly will be a night to remember; if nothing else but for the mere twenty dollars it will cost you! On June 6^th an elegant dinner comes with entertainment in Goshen. And it goes to an incredibly worthy cause.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. and the entertainment includes Rich Blauvelt & Grace Street Music – a songwriter blessed to bring many of his songs services at Goodwill Church in Montgomery, NY; Judy Songer –a Christian contemporary singer and recording artist; The Gravikord Duo – upbeat and joyful with a rhythm that refuses to be pinned down in any way; David Alpher & Jennie Litt – a cabaret duo with sophisticated, tuneful, humorous music that embraces styles from jazz to blues to faux Elizabethan and beyond; Miro Ludvik – a singer-songwriter performing acoustic, blues, and folk/traditional music ; The Wayne Fugate Trio  – a combo performing bluegrass and that is somewhere beyond or behind all musical borders; Bob Lusk – the troubadour of Ulster County …a folk music guru known for his interpretations of classic traditional and folk tunes from around the world; and Glen Macken (emcee) whose past credits include: Judas in 'Jesus Christ Superstar', Frankie in 'Forever Plaid' and Billy Bigelow in 'Carousel'.

How did this all come to be? Well, four of our local women will be hosting this dinner to benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, Breast Cancer Walk. Vita Dowdell, Alison Fitzpatrick, Cheryl Winship and Kathy Kurek and have done so with great cooperation from many supporters. Besides the business community The First Presbyterian Church of Goshen sponsors the team's "One Night to Remember" in their Church Hall.

And why did this come to pass? There is a trio of local ladies known as our  "Crem de la Crem" team (named after Cremilyn Vaughan – team captain Vita Dowdell's mom) that includes Vita, Alison and Cheryl. They will be walking the Boston 3-Day (60 miles) in Boston this summer on August 15-17th.

Imagine!  All of this organizing, all of this walk training, all of their work as teachers and teacher's aides – and you have a wonderful way to support them! Come join them and celebrate the lives of those who have been touched by breast cancer.

Dinner includes a delectable fare of Chicken Francaise, Green Beans Almondine, Roasted Potatoes, Salad, Assorted Breads and Dessert. 

For reservations call: Vita Dowdell (294-7721), Alison Fitzpatrick. (778-1437), Cheryl Winship (615-1542), Kathy Kurek (291-7295)

And here is the clincher: every single penny goes to the Breast cancer Three Day.

If you would like to support this team and make a donation please access the following link:  http://08.the3day.org/goto/vita

Or, you can mail a check payable to: Breast Cancer 3-Day, and mail to: Vita Dowdell, 12 McNally Street, Goshen, NY 10924

New Folk Obit Page

Over the past few years I keep hearing about folk musicians I have known who have passed on. I have frequently put their obits on my blog, but decided it would be good to have an archive page, so I created one at  http://folkobits.blogspot.com/. If there is someone in the folk community you think should be here, email me at bobluskmusic@gmail.com.  Thank you - Bob Lusk  

Rich Bala Concert this Sunday

The Saugerties Bard
On Sunday May 18th from 3- 5 pm, Rich Bala, folk balladeer will present a program of historic music including songs of the 19th Century songwriter (1798-1861), Henry Backus. Mr. Backus was known throughout the Northeast as the "The Saugerties Bard". He was the composer of romantic, regional and historic songs such as ""My Hearts in Old Esopus" and "Explosion of Steamer Steindeer ".

The concert will be at the historic Dutch Arms Chapel, 16 John St. in the village of Saugerties, NY. Admission is $8.00.

Following are several articles about Henry Backus by John Thorn that may be found at
http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=347538
http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=348029

Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash in NYC 7/13/08

This is a great event. Steve is a real authentic folk singer - finest kind - but I'm very sorry to hear of Eric Levine's passing. Eric was an old friend of mine - taught me the melody to Abe Sammon's Applejack which had been collected in High Falls by his grandfather Norman Studer, the famous educator and Camp Woodland director. Eric too was an authentic folk singer -
hadn't heard him in a long time, but he used to play a great 12 string guitar. - Bob

From "Stephen & Marilyn Suffet" <Suffet@worldnet.att.net>

Greetings!
This is an early heads-up for an event that is two months away, the Eighth Annual Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash in New York City. We are dedicating it to the memory of our dear friend, comrade, and fellow MacDougal Street Rent Party member Eric Levine. As you already know, Eric passed away last week at the age of 51. He had performed in all seven of the previous Woody Guthrie Birthday Bashes, and he was planning to do this coming one as well. He had
even picked out the songs he was going to perform: Pastures of Plenty, Hobo's Lullaby, and a parody of I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night which he called I Dreamed I Saw Woody Guthrie Last Night. Unfortunately, Eric took that last song with him, so we can only guess what it said.

We know Eric will be with us in spirit if not in flesh, and we welcome you to join us in honoring his memory along with celebrating what would have been Woody Guthrie's 96th birthday.

Here are the details:

Eighth Annual Woody Guthrie Birthday Bash
Round Robin Songfest
Sunday . July 13, 2008
7:00 to 9:30 PM

Featuring...
MacDougal Street Rent Party (Joel Landy . Anne Price . Steve Suffet . Gina Tlamsa)

Also featuring...
Hillel Arnold . Jessica Feinbloom . Emma Graves plus Carlos Vazquez on the bass

Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery . New York City
Between Houston & Bleecker Streets
$6 cover + one drink minimum.

The site is supposedly wheelchair accessible -- Eric would never have played there if it weren't -- but like most places it could be better. If you have any questions, please call 212-614-0505 for information.

Be there!
--- Steve

Bob Norman, former SO! Editor, Passes

I considered Bob to be a good friend even though I rarely saw him. I'm shocked and saddened by his passing.
From Mark Moss at Sing Out! Magazine -

Bob Norman, who edited Sing Out! from 1970 to 1977, died on Sunday, May 4th, after a long battle with prostate cancer.

A songwriter and singer, Bob had 4 recordings to his credit and a 30+ year career touring and sharing his music. His gentle and relaxed demeanor belied the passion he maintained for his family and friends, as well as the broader world around us ... always a central focus of his life's work and mission.

Bob was already editing Sing Out! when I first met him and began my involvement with the magazine (back in the summer of 1970). I know that wasn't the most popular period for Sing Out! (or folk music), but the stew of traditional music with politics that was emblematic of his tenure at Sing Out! was a real inspiration for me, and his friendship and guidance through the years, including nearly ten years serving on the Sing Out! board for the first phase of my tenure here, was indisputably one of my true guiding forces in helping to retool
what we do here. It's safe to say that without Bob's steady hand, bridging the "old" Sing Out! and the "new" one, I simply would not have been able to learn on the job or have kept things going.

He was a great friend to me, to Sing Out! and to folk music. I'll miss him.

Below is the official obit from the family:

Robert Stephen Norman, 61, of Lawrenceville died on Sunday at his home of metastatic prostate cancer.

Born in New London, CT, he was a Lawrenceville resident since 1994 after living in New York City for 30 years. Bob graduated form Columbia University in 1969 with a degree in English Literature Bob had been a copy editor for Business Week Magazine for twenty years, but his passion and true vocation was music. He was a well-known singer/songwriter folksinger locally and across the country for over 30 years. From 1970 to 1977, he was editor-in-chief of Sing Out!, and was on its board until 1990. His CD titles include: Romantic
Nights on the Upper Westside; To the Core; Love, Lust, and Lilacs; and Time Takin' Man. His music fused varied influences of blues, country, contemporary folk, and classical guitar writing about topics ranging from the streets of New York to local life in Lawrenceville.

Son of the late Victor and Francis (Sharaf) Norman and brother of the late Jon Norman, he is survived by his wife Clara Haignere, his son Samuel Norman-Haignere, his nephew Daniel Norman, and his nieces: Forest Cattich and Martina Norman Botinelli.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11 AM at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville. Burial will be in the Lawrenceville Cemetery. The family extends an invitation to friends to come to their home at K18 Shirley Lane, Lawrenceville after the burial. A memorial service will be held on May 17th at a time and place to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, please tax-deductible donations can be made to Sing Out! Magazine (P.O. Box 5460 Bethlehem PA 18015) or to the Westminster Conservatory Young Artist's Program. Check should include a note that it is for the Young Artist's Program in Memory of Bob Norman to Westminster Conservatory, Attn Sandra Franc, 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton NJ 08540.

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