73-3 Autumn 2011

The series of articles on the centenary of the English Folk Dance Society moves to the decades following the Second World War – starting with a general overview from the 1950s to the 1970s. The English Country Music Movement from the 1970s is examined by John Adams, with Dan Quinn looking at The Old Swan Band – then and now. And in our series of morris teams that started in the featured era, we have Windsor Morris.

The Singer, Song and Source series features Martin Simpson, and the song ‘The Sheffield Apprentice’. There are two sources – Mary Gibson (from North Carolina), who sang the song to Cecil Sharp in 1918, and Hedy West (from Georgia) who was a popular American folk singer in 1960s Britain.

With this issue, English Dance and Song magazine reaches its 75th Anniversary. Editor Derek Schofield looks back at the last 75 years, with contributions from former editors, Hugh Rippon, Dave Arthur and Paul Davenport. Read the very first issue, published September 1936, here [pdf, 1.4MB].

Sarah Morgan writes about Community Choirs and a recent conference, and Jo Breeze previews the Maud Karpeles biography.

Sadly, we report on the death of singer Mike Waterson.

The list of 150 folk festivals in England and Wales from the Winter issue is also available here: www.efdss.org/festivals/2011

Plus all the regular features – Festive Round-up, EFDSS Matters, Lives Remembered, news, reviews and dance events.

Sound Files

‘The Sheffield Apprentice’ sung by Martin Simpson (from his new CD, Purpose + Grace, thanks to Topic Records), and the same song sung by Hedy West (from the CD reissue, Ballads and Songs of the Appalachians, thanks to Fellside Recordings). www.topicrecords.co.uk and www.fellside.com

Listen to ‘Walter Bulwer’s 2 & 1’ from Old Swan Band’s new CD, Swan for the Money. Thanks to Wild Goose Records www.wildgoose.co.uk