FolkBlog

Singer/songwriter Terence Martin has died of pancreatic cancer. I didn’t know Terence Martin, but I’ve played tracks from his last several CDs because they were excellent.

• Martin’s website
• A remembrance of Martin

Bert Jansch,  Scottish guitarist best known for his work with seminal British folk group The Pentangle, has died of cancer at age 67. More here.

Other links:

• Mojo magazine blog, with some videos
• The Telegraph
• 2010 interview from The Guardian

American by birth, Liz Meyer has lived in Europe since 1985 and has been active in promoting bluegrass and American roots music on the continent. She has been a performer, songwriter, producer and the creative force behind the European World of Bluegrass festival and workshops.  I have played her music on Festival Radio.

A more thorough obituary is available on The Bluegrass Blog.

Jack Hardy, a leading light of the New York City folk music scene and mentor to singer/songwriters such as John Gorka and Christine Lavin, has died. Hardy hosted a regular dinner at his home for singer/songwriters, and was instrumental in forming a club for folk singer/songwriters in which they could hone their craft, as well as the Fast Folk Music Magazine.

Some more information on Jack Hardy:

• Jack Hardy’s website
• Remembrance of Jack Hardy
• Obit at Acoustic Music Scene
• Remembrance at Wicked Local Blog
• Jack Hardy wikipedia entry
• Jonathan Byrd tribute to Jack Hardy on Facebook
• NY Times Obit
• Mike Regenstreif Remembrance

I’ll update this post as I learn more.

George Pickow, husband of Jean Ritchie, photographer, record label head, folk photographer and dulcimer maker, has died at age 88.

Obituary from NY Times

Folk singer Chuck McCabe has died at age 65 of pancreatic cancer.  More information at his website.

Canadian singer/songwriter, who most notably performed with sister Anna in a folk duo, has died of cancer at age 63.  McGarrigle, formerly married to Loudon Wainwright III, was the mother of singer/songwriters Rufus and Martha Wainwright.

Montreal Gazette Obituary

Andy Whitman tribute to Kate McGarrigle

I got this message today from the West Virginia Writers Podcast:

Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know there’s been a followup podcast
to the Keith Pitzer interview. This is a tribute show with Keith’s friend Pops
Walker. Thanks for linking to the previous interview.

http://www.wvwriters.org/2010/01/episode-24-keith-pitzer-tribute-with.html

It seems like all I’ve done over the last week or so is post obituaries, but, sadly, people who are important in the folk world just keep dying and nothing I can do can stop that.  The most recent one is Tim Hart, member of Steeleye Span.  Hart, who also recorded with Maddy Prior, was 61 when he died of lung cancer on December 24.  Steeleye Span is the group that grew up around Ashley Hutchings after he left Fairport Convention and is one of the seminal UK folk/rock groups of the last 40 years.

I looked for a news release or obit  in a major publication, but this is the only one that came up.  Apparently there is no official website for Tim Hart or Steeleye Span, so here are some wikipedia links.

Wikipedia on Tim Hart

Wikipedia on Steeleye Span

Edit:  Some good resources and links in the comments.  Make sure you read them to get more information.

Singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt has died at age 45.  Chesnutt, of Athens, GA,  has been paralyzed since a car accident at age 18 and, although he never achieved a great deal of sales was a favorite of critics and other musicians.  He is perhaps best known as the musician featured in the second Sweet Relief album (after Victoria Williams).