[FM] Poor Jack Hardy

Fri, 01 Jun 2001 07:07:18 -0700

Hi, Folks;
As one of the (other) finalists at the Wildflower songwriting competition, Ive been following the Jack Hardy debate with some interest. Im almost as old as Jack, (his ears must be burnin' up!) and have been writing a long time, too. I turned in a strong pair of songs, and theres a part of me that wants to whine that Jack ate my cookie. The older side of my brain points out that any of us would hate to be disqualified just because theyd been around the block a few times.
Were all trying to reach a wider audience, and in that sense, my career is still emerging, and so is Jacks... so; to the festival folks I say, hire this guy and let me move up in the line!
Beau Regards, Chuck McCabe
woodshed@gte.net

folkmusic-admin@grassyhill.org wrote:

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> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
> "Re: Contents of folkmusic digest..."
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> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. KEY/HARDY (Sean La Roche)
>   2. Re: Radio in L.A. (Jim Smollon)
>   3. Re: Songwriting Contests (stevekey@aol.com)
>   4. Re: Radio in L.A. (smith2@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil)
>   5. Jack Hardy/Established Artists Entering "Emerging
>  Songwriter" (elbert)
>   6. Hardy, etc. (Christian Bauman)
>   7. Merging (wanda lu)
>   8. Re: Eric Schwartz at Kerrville (eric@ericfolkerth.com)
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 31 May 1980 14:37:46 -0700
> From: Sean La Roche <laroche@swcp.com>
> Reply-To: laroche@swcp.com
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: [FM] KEY/HARDY
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> What--Steve Key should not be allowed to enter a songwriting contest
> because he had a Kathy Mattea cover? Did Jack Hardy ever have a cover
> like that?
> I totally agree-for what its worth--with Spook Handy--the person
> (Male-Female?) from New Brunswick, NJ. And if I knew how to cut and
> paste, or whatever it is called, I'd quote his/her sentiments below.
> Anyway--the name Spook Handy totally blew me away--what a great name!
> Almost as hip as Felix McTeigue
> Sean La Roche
> laroche@swcp.com
> PS: Rumour has it that Suzanne Vega entered the Rocky Mountain Folks
> Festival competition this year, or was it Telluride??, but didn't get
> chosen because she got aced out for the last spot by Bob Hillman for his
> third appearance in a row. Some people never stop trying!
> SLaR
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 22:57:41 -0400
> From: Jim Smollon <jsmollon@icx.net>
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: Re: [FM] Radio in L.A.
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> Shirley Cottle wrote:
>
> > Try Hugh Blumenfeld's about.com webcast schedule for Folk Radio 24/7.
> >
> > http://folkmusic.about.com/musicperform/folkmusic/bl_radioschedule.htm
> >
> > Matter of fact, Hugh's whole site is great.
>
>  Sorry to pop in... but so is Hugh.
>
> jim smollon
>
> [Alan sez: I agree. Not only is http://folkmusic.about.com a great site, but Hugh is one of the most literate and inventive songwriters around.  A real asset in folkworld.]
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 3
> From: SteveKey@aol.com
> Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 10:42:41 EDT
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: [FM] Re: Songwriting Contests
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> I feel misrepresented by this thread.  I did NOT say Jack Hardy shouldn't
> enter songwriting contests.  I expressed surprise to see his name there, and
> then pointed out that I, 40ish winner of Kerrville back in the days before
> electricity, would LIKE to enter a certain contest at a certain New England
> venue but I can't because they have rules stating that anyone who has been
> booked as a featured act is ineligible (even though I last played there
> during the Carter  Administration).  Let Jack enter.  If he is not accepted,
> let him play the show in Hoboken that features all the Kerrville Rejects.  If
> he wins, let the Rejects sneer at him as they used to him in the Fast Folk
> days when he wouldn't accept their songs to be recorded for the samplers. And
> hi to Robin, nice to hear from you again.  Keep in touch--SK in DC
>
> In a message dated 5/31/01 8:00:52 AM, folkmusic-admin@grassyhill.org writes:
>
> >I'd like to address the issue brought forth by Steve, Gloria and Robin.
> >
> >It's one that has bothered me for quite some time now.  A lot of folks
> >feel
> >that established musicians shouldn't be allowed to enter song writing
> >contests and/or formal showcases
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 4
> From: <smith2@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil>
> Date: Thu, 31 May 01 10:01:50 EDT
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: Re: [FM] Radio in L.A.
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> >but if you
> >live or work somewhere with at least a 56K Internet connection, you can
> >ease your musical hunger pangs with Grassy Hill Radio, a streaming 24x7
> >station
>
> I haven't figured out how to get that wireless 56K connection in the
> car. Could be a marketing possibility for internet radio if they can
> hack that one.
>
> Mark
> smith@stones.com
> http://smith.freehosting.net
> http://photos.yahoo.com/marklsmith
>
> [Alan sez: There are a couple of alternatives to that coming onto the horizon. First, of course, are the satellite radio services that we've mentioned here before. http://www.digitalaudioguide.com/faq/satellite/faq.htm but lately I've been thinking that what I really need is sort of a TIVO for the car connected to my 802.11 wireless network at home when I'm parked and caching AV content during my internet idle time that I can then access when I'm driving. The missing piece is the 802.11 car computer, but you could use a standard ibook to do roughly the same thing.]
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 10:08:30 -0400
> Subject: [FM] Jack Hardy/Established Artists Entering "Emerging
> Songwriter"
> From: elbert <elbert@jhu.edu>
> To: <folkmusic@grassyhill.org>
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> It's been a long time since I've sent anything to the list, but I've
> continued lurking.  I guess this topic has finally made me stir, so I'm
> jumping back in.
>
> First, let me say that I think this is a great discussion.  It's not easy to
> have a thoughtful and civil discussion about something that is so
> potentially divisive.  In some ways, it kind of reminds me of the recent
> discussions about Casey Martin using a golf cart and the Supreme Court's
> decision... maybe that is because everyone here seems to accept that even if
> they'd rather not see the Jack Hardy's of the world in these contests, they
> really like and respect the guy and do want him to have more exposure.  I
> have never met Jack, but am certainly aware of his status as a mentor and
> respected friend throughout folk music.  For the sake of this discussion, I
> think we're fortunate that it is Jack at the eye of the little storm.
>
> So, what do I have to add to the discussion?  Well, it seems to me that the
> whole issue grows out of the success of the current folk scene.  We
> certainly have "record numbers" of singer/songwriters out there working up
> good new material and trying to participate well beyond the local open mic.
> There's no doubt that's a good thing and we're seeing lots of really high
> quality writing and performing.
>
> We also have a larger number of exciting festivals and listening rooms than
> ten or fifteen years ago.  Add to that the great house concert "underground
> railroad" and our community seems to be thriving.
>
> Of course, with all this success the complexities don't disappear.
> Balancing the art with the business hasn't gotten any easier.  Maybe that's
> particularly poignant when dealing with
> folk music, but the truth is that every artist has to find a way to do it...
> or end up singing all their songs alone on the couch (or maybe for the dogs
> and cats).  And as much as many of us might like the idyllic image of folk
> music embracing everyone, it isn't really folk music unless you can get some
> folk to hear your songs!  So... contests, showcases and their ilk have
> become a mainstay of the singer/songwriter scene.
>
> By-and-large, they are fun and highly functional.  Artists get exposure,
> something for their press kit, a path to better bookings and a chance to
> meet other artists.  Promoters get a low-risk way to bring in more acts and
> generate some interest.  Audiences get to hear people they don't know and
> discover new favorites.  It seems to me that despite the potential problems
> that arise, that's a pretty good list of benefits.
>
> Does is feel a little "oogey" when the same people start showing up again
> and again or when a "legend" wins?  Yeah, a little bit to me.  But rather
> than fill the web sites with a complex set of rules to avoid such things,
> maybe we can generate some alternative options for these people (new
> bumpersticker: "More Carrots, Fewer Sticks!").  Maybe we can have contests
> for "emerging songwriters" and separate contests for "songs", without regard
> for the experience of the writer.  Maybe we can create showcases or group
> showcases that we set aside for people who seem to have slipped under the
> radar a bit.  It'd be fun to have a showcase of four five people and each
> one brings along a "mentor" or their choice.  Or maybe we can give someone
> like Jack a "lifetime achievement" award or something like that.  I
> certainly don't know the answer, but I think a good direction would be to
> create *more* opportunities for all members of our community, rather than
> write rules to create fewer.
>
> Guess that's my two cents.
>
> Ciao-
> David Elbert
> elbert@jhu.edu
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 06:12:11 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Christian Bauman <dwoboogie@yahoo.com>
> Reply-To: christianbauman@pobox.com
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: [FM] Hardy, etc.
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> Friends,
>
> Loved both Bill Parsons's and Tim Robinson's comments
> yesterday re: the "appropriateness" of Jack Hardy
> being in a songwriting contest. Thanks to both of you
> for speaking up. And especially to Tim for pointing
> out what I knew but many don't: that the songs Jack
> performs in a contest were probably written within the
> week, as opposed to most of us who would perform our
> two "greatest hits."
>
> Fact is, if you want to take someone to task for this
> -- "this" being such a "legend" competing against
> "up-and-comers" -- then Jack is not the one to take
> your complaint to.
>
> As Jack has said more than once, entering these
> contests is sometimes the only way he's going to get
> on the stage at some of these festivals.
>
> Jack Hardy is indeed a legend (to those who even know
> he exists), and unquestionably a brilliant songwriter,
> and also a brilliant performer.
>
> But his bank account does not reflect that. His
> touring schedule does not reflect that.
>
> It's taken Jack 30 years to get where he is, and where
> he is should be humbling to those others of us who
> have or still do work the road: he has the
> unquestioned respect of his peers, a small (SMALL) fan
> base, and an incredible body of work that may or may
> not survive after he is gone. (Not to be morbid.)
>
> Some may have stopped playing long ago, with results
> such as this. Most people, actually.
>
> If Jack shows up with a guitar in his hand -- be it at
> a campfire or a contest -- i say: get the hell out of
> the way and let the man play.
>
> Smooch,
>
> -Chris
>
> =====
> *********************************************************
> Christian Bauman
> christianbauman@pobox.com
> "You may grow old, even ugly, but if you are a good cook
> people will always find a path to your door" -James Beard
> *********************************************************
> [Alan sez: If you've been living under a rock and don't know Jack's music, you can check him out at http://www.primecd.com/jackhardy.htm He truly is brilliant. And the only struggling artist I know that has his own 10-CD package of collected works (out on Prime CD)]
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 05:55:23 -0700 (PDT)
> From: wanda lu <wandalucille@yahoo.com>
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Subject: [FM] Merging
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> Hey Bill:
> There were so many "Emerging Songwriter's" events
> happening around here for a while, that I suggested
> some of us do a "Submerging Songwriter's" round or
> two!
> We had great visions of donning snorkels and bathing
> suits and making a splash!
> My feeling is that one can Emerge as long as they want
> to.  If you feel your work has not had adequate
> recognition or a fair hearing, go for it.
> But it's risky. It's kind of like being the old maid
> at the debutante ball!
> Meanwhile, I happily continue to write my songs and
> perform where I like without worrying too much over
> what kind of merging I do anymore. What a relief!
> The rest of y'all keep on keeping on!
> love, wanda lu paxton (formerly greene)
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:23:33 -0500
> From: "eric@ericfolkerth.com" <eric@ericfolkerth.com>
> Subject: Re: [FM] Eric Schwartz at Kerrville
> To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
> Reply-To: folkmusic@grassyhill.org
>
> >Over the past few years, Eric has distinguished himself as an anecdote to the
> >excesses of overly earnest balladry in our community.  His medicine is smart,
> >witty and often patently offensive to the norms of mainstream culture AND the
> >sacred cows of political correctness .  I'll be honest with you: I love it.
>
> Ironically, the first song I ever heard from him was the drop-dead
> gorgeous ballad "Only Be," on an mp3.com station. It's an absolutely
> *awesome* song. Folks can check it out here:
>
> http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/196/eric_schwartz1.html
>
> Eric Folkerth
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Please visit Eric's official music site:
> http://www.ericfolkerth.com
> Also, check out:
> http://www.mp3.com/ericfolkerth
>
> [Alan sez: Eric has some *crushingly* good ballads. My current favorites are "Is it Wrong?" and a new one he played for me in the hall at FA, I think it might be called, "Did this really happen?"]
>
> --__--__--
>
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