FMSNY’s 4 for Folkies

Sarah Elizabeth Burkey: Appalachian ballads for singing out heartbreak, deep roots, and the beauty of the mountains

Laura Ciporen talks with Sarah "Songbird" Burkey ahead of her May 29 concert (part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound festival!) and May 30 workshop in NYC. Sarah writes songs that sound "as old as the coal that sleeps in the hills" and uses traditional ballads for the catharsis of singing out sadness, trauma, and heartbreak. And she can trim a 50 verse ballad down to 20 so there's no rambling. Visit folkmusicny.org [https://folkmusicny.org] for more info on both events.

Colleen Cleveland: A grand Adirondack legacy of song and the will to keep it fresh on into the future

Laura Ciporen talks with Colleen Cleveland ahead of her Apr. 25 concert and workshop in BKLYN, NY. With 600+ songs handed down through 5 generations in the Adirondacks and only partially recorded in 16 hours of story and song in the Library of Congress, Colleen has a magnificent and unique legacy to share. Visit folkmusicny.org [https://folkmusicny.org] for more info on both events. (Pls excuse the difficult audio quality at points.)

Macdara Yeates: Connection, authenticity, and Dublin Folk

Laura Ciporen talks with Macdara Yeates, the young, traditional Irish singer making his solo NY debut March 20th and 21st in a concert (part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival!) and workshop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He discusses the power of a personal connection to music, a wild concert in India, and his favorite Jazz spot in NYC. Bonus 5th question inside! Visit folkmusicny.org [https://folkmusicny.org] for more info on both events.

Twa Corbies: Mediaeval sounds, spooky love, and precocious toddlers

Laura Ciporen talks with Alison Kelley (she/her) and Anayis "A.J." Wright (they/them) ahead of their Friday, Feb. 13 house concert in Queens, NY. Twa Corbies discuss creating unique sounds, surprisingly parallel early musical experiences, and what's so great about NYC. Visit folkmusicny.org [https://folkmusicny.org] for more info on the concert and twacorbiesmusic.com [https://twacorbiesmusic.com] to find their music.

The Ranzo Boys: Finding community, belonging, and Peter Bellamy

Laura Ciporen talks with Lindsey Smith, Lafayette Matthews, and Jules Peiperl ahead of their Dec. 19 event at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. A Sheffield Solstice also features Joy Bennett, Chris Koldewey, A.J. Wright, and David Jones. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info. The Ranzo Boys discuss "putting the queerness back in Folk and Traditional music" and their love for the Folk community where everyone can, and should, join in. (Note: Lindsey Smith is a FMSNY Board member.)