One of the great achievements of FAME has been the Traditional Folk Song Circle at Dublin Roasters. For six years it has been held at Dublin Roasters on the Second Saturday (from1-3 pm) of every month. On February 10th we will celebrate those six years and look forward to many more. Over those years more than 330 people have attended and we have sung more than 660 songs! The average attendance for the circle is 17. Each month every person gets to choose a song from the Rise Up Singing songbook. Sometimes we get around twice, other times we have the “Lightning Round” where folks just call out a song and a page number. It is always great fun and a wonderful way to get introduced to new songs and new friends.
I have been performing for audiences for over 50 years now – hard to believe that my first performance was so long ago. But one of the greatest joys I have is when people sing along. Music sung and/or played together is an amazingly unifying experience. To hear other voices or instruments blending with mine fills me with an energy that is hard to describe. And when folks start adding harmony – Lord, have mercy!
Some folks tell that they really can’t sing, or I don’t want to hear them sing, etc. To which I respond – The more you sing, the better you sing. The same works for an instrument – the more you play, the better you play. It works even better when you are playing or singing with others. The rest of the group helps keep you in tune, on key. I am learning to play fiddle and I really don’t sound so great by myself, but when I am playing with others I improve vastly.
I encourage you to play with a circle or two. I manage to get at least two in every week. Some of them are weekly jams, others are monthly. It is an opportunity for you to hone your singing or playing, learn some new tunes/songs and meet some really fine people.
I especially want to thank Tomy and Dori for keeping the Dublin Roasters Traditional Folk Song Circle going. And Caryl does background research on the songs which shows up in our newsletter (and it will be posted in our blog – staging.frederickacoustic.org/blog )
“I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality.” ~ H. A. Overstreet (1894-1985)
Peace,
Rick