bringing the sound of folk to the youth

Some say that the age of folk music is dead; whilst others will disagree, it is hard to ignore the new wave of folk that is coming through the current music scene, such as Mumford and Sons. It is not something that you will read about often unless you buy the specialist publications but it is still a very popular type of music genre here in ol’ blighty. Although two of folk’s most renowned performers are from across the pond (well one and a half John was born in England and moved after attending university) they do like to spread their wings and come to England and do a tour.

 The current tour of Debra Cowan and John Roberts has got the attention that is needed. The pair are not duo, but they do perform together on stage. They have been in the UK doing a small tour that see’s them going all over the country entertaining people who appreciate the sound of folk music. With 15 dates under their belt in the UK getting the sound across will be easy for this pair. Although Debra very rarely works to a set list (only when she has other instrumentalist with her) and John never works to a set list, John says that “at least one of you must know what you are doing”. This only brings more spontaneity to the show that will be happening right in front of you, giving you value for what you paid for.

This was ever so more evident when the pair descended on the Leeds City College Technology campus for a small press call. Whilst giving the audience a captivating interview where they learnt about how folk came about and how they both got in to it, they gave an “experimental” performance where Debra was playing guitar to “where the drunkards roll” and John suggested going up a fret whilst picking up his concertina. Although they were put on the spot and the key change came in to play they pulled it off with ease, giving the students and other faculty members a very good show. Throughout the remainder of the press call, students were given the opportunity to ask questions, questions hat would give them more insight in to this old genre of music that was different form today’s current chart toppers.

Debra also does not write any of her own songs as she has set the bar too high for herself, also she says there are “better writers out there.” When she does take on a new song she makes it her own she “see’s the movie” when she sings it. This is ever more so when she sings “alcohol” by Ray Davies from the Kinks. The performance she gave to the college was both entertaining and enlightening, for if you have heard the original then you will hear how Debra has made this her own. You can hear her own influences run high all the way through her album version, which again creates her own folk sound and takes it away from that Kinks sound that it originally had.

It is important that today’s youth still get to hear this type of music as in theory it is what inspired today’s chart toppers to get inspired and make something unique, that will get people interested in and talking. This is what Debra and John will go on doing over and over, year after year as it is what they love and feel passionate about. By giving this gift to the youth will get them heard by new potential fans, to them though this is about making people realise the power that folk music holds, whether you write your own songs or not.