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I'm a Minnesota Girl, living in the south. I tell my friends I try not to talk and think like a Yankee, but sometimes I slip up!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Collaboration....




Folk music, folk rock... call it what you will. It's all about collaboration.

Rodney Crowell writes songs for everyone who's discerning enough to recognize him for the great he is. Emmylou sings harmony for anyone she admires, and her presence always adds an ethereal quality to everyone she joins. Townes Van Zandt contributes Texas folk and country, as does Willie Nelson. Dylan influences... well, everybody, and no one sounds the worse for singing a Dylan song.

No greater collaboration in folk or folk rock existed in recent years than Sarah McLachlan's stubborn refusal to take no for an answer when creating Lilith Fair - a traveling song show for female musicians, primarily folk, with rock and country influences. The Indigo Girls were featured in the fair all three years, although, like other artists in 1999, they did not play all the dates - only Sarah did. Lilith fairgoers got great individual performances, but they were also treated to collaborations. And a favorite of folk artists is to collaborate on an old song, "from the roots" of folk music.

One of the most beloved, "The Water is Wide", is thought to be a Scottish folk song that dates back to the 17th century ("Waly, waly"). Catch IG collaborating with Jewel and the great Sarah McLachlan on this beautiful song. (Hang in there for the short dialogue in French at the beginning). The 4 part harmony, a cappella, at the end, is amazing.

3 comments:

Pam said...

I'm a HUGE Sarah fan! I hear about Lilith Fair every year.

Donna said...

I want you to listen to me very carefully ... we'll take this nice and easy ... step away from the folk music and Indigo Girls.

Don't get me wrong. I love acoustic guitars, the harmony in this video is beautiful. I've always enjoyed Jewel, who deserves more credit than she's usually given, and I appreciate the talent, passion, and upbeat happy music of Sarah McLachlan - the Sylvia Plath of music. :)

What? Too harsh?

Here's to brighter tomorrows!

quid said...

I've got one more. Just one. Then it's over.

This could be worse. This could be my week to do "folk music of the Dakotas".