FolkBlog

Sometimes, I think that folkies think they have the market on social activism cornered, and then I hear about bands in other genres doing cool stuff to make a difference in the world.  Beth Draeger, daughter of a longtime online friend, writes here about participating with members of the band Hanson in a charity walk for AIDS.

One of my favorite bands is Swan Dive (Bill DeMain and Molly Felder).  They have been producing infectious retro pop for quite some time.  It’s not folk music, but it’s really fine.  Here is the new video from their just released CD, Mayfair.  They are huge in Japan, but can’t get a cup of coffee here in the US.  I’ve never been able to figure out why.

Happy Canada Day to my neighbors north of the parallel.

Here is a list of Canadian artists you can hear right now on Festival Radio

• Annabelle Chvostek
• Anne Walker
• April Verch
• Basia Bulat
• Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
• Brian Vardigans
• Bruce Cockburn
• Cara Luft
• Catherine MacLellan
• Enter the Haggis
• Enoch Kent
• Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels
• Gordie Tentrees
• Gordon Lightfoot
• Great Lake Swimmers
• James Keelaghan
• Joni Mitchell
• Juliana Sparks
• Leonard Cohen
• Loreena McKennitt
• Lynn Miles
• Lynne Hanson
• Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
• Moxy Fruvous
• Natalie MacMaster
• Nathan
• Oh Susanna
• Sora
• The Bills
• The British Columbians
• The Clumsy Lovers
• The Duhks
• The Rankin Family
• The Wailin’ Jennies
• Tiller’s Folly
• Tim Harrison

I’ve succumbed.  My username is festivalradio.  Follow away.  I’ll try to tweet every time I update the playlist.

I’ve finally finished the Big Page of Artist Links.  I’ve been working on it off and on for a couple months.  Enjoy.

Listening to the Paul Kelly A to Z downloads on the Christmas iPod.  This came up:

Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it
Be careful what you pray for, you might regret it
You get your hands on that glittering prize
Now everybody’s coming at you from every side

Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it
Be careful what you want now, you might be sorry
Be careful what you want now, you might be sorry
You finally make it to your place in the sun
You stop and look around you but you’re friends with no-one
Be careful what you want now, you might be sorry

Go ahead, like a moth to flame, go ahead now
Be careful what you dream on, dreams come true
Be careful what you dream on, they can turn on you
Revenge is a dish they say best tasted cold
But revenge digs two graves, makes a young person old
Be careful what you dream of, it might come true

Go ahead like a moth to flame, go ahead now

Be careful what you pray for
Be careful what you dream on
Be careful who you bow to
Be careful who you vote for
Be careful what you suck on
Be careful what you pray for

Seriously, if you’re not downloading Paul Kelly’s A to Z downloads every month, you are so missing out on one of the world’s best songwriters giving away some of his best work for free. Free, I tell you, free. It’s not too late to hop on the bandwagon. This month brought to you by the letter N.

Elizabeth Alexander’s Inaugural Poem, “Praise Song For the Day”