Airing time: 12pm Sunday, Replays 7:30pm Thursday
To support the show, please visit: patreon.com/folkmusichour
Almost all music has a folk origin: blues, jazz, rock and even some classical. As Big Bill Broonzy famously said: all songs are folk songs - never heard a horse sing!
Arguably the first Kiwi to make a living with a mandolin, David spent some of his musical life playing bluegrass, but was performing in the folk boom as early as 1964.
He performed in Europe and the UK in the 70s, and recorded original music for NZ film and television. He dabbled in folk rock and pop in California in the 80s while teaching kids to sing. In London in the 90s he learned to help special needs children to read.
Now retired and no longer performing, he is free to pursue any of the musical paths he loves: song-writing, tuition - guitar, piano, banjo, mandolin, autoharp, dulcimer, even bass - and he works to record his original songs, such as https://youtu.be/P2iClmUZAZk
A long-standing enthusiast for NZ’s own folk music, David also still loves US old-time music, nurtured since Doc Watson LPs first made it to these shores, and explores the folk tradition of the British and Irish isles. He is a fan of World Music and fiercely proud of WOMAD Taranaki. A natural entertainer since his debut on radio aged six, David thinks radio is the perfect performance medium and now has an extensive archive of programmes.
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Podcasts
To download the latest episode: Click on the kiwifruit to go to The Folk Music Hour page on the accessmedia.nz site:
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Josh White
Father and son were influential guitarists, balladeers and bluesmen.
Duration: 00:58:12 | Date: 24 March, 2024
Saint Paddy's Day
We help the Irish celebrate their national day with a medley of songs, tunes and humour.
Duration: 00:58:07 | Date: 17 March, 2024
The Folk Grammy
We drill down into the albums nominated for the 2024 Grammy Folk Award.
Duration: 00:58:11 | Date: 10 March, 2024
Mixtape 15
Another playlist of irresistible music, folk and beyond.
Duration: 00:58:19 | Date: 3 March, 2024
Summertime
Summer runs through the folk tradition and beyond, whether we long for it, love it or wish it weren’t so hot.
Duration: 0:57:44 | Date: 25 February, 2024
Woverview 2024
A month out from Womad 24 we look at the bill of fare, especially the folk music featured in this 21st WOMAD NZ
Duration: 0:58:6 | Date: 18 February, 2024
What I Heard on my Holidays
A playlist of pleasantly surprising tracks discovered during the summer break.
Duration: 00:58:10 | Date: 11 February, 2024
Tom Rush
Veteran singer and guitarist, Tom Rush, turns 83 in 2024, and by way of a tribute we share his early folk and blues recording.
Duration: 00:57:58 | Date: 4 February, 2024
Pete 2024
Our annual Pete Seeger show delights us with his work in the civil rights movement.
Duration: 00:57:33 | Date: 28 January, 2024
Colours
A playlist of folk where colour is a significant element.
Duration: 00:58:12 | Date: 21 January, 2024
Black Folk
Around the time of the US national holiday to honour Martin Luther King Jr, we mark the day with music from the rich legacy of African American folk.
Duration: 00:58:12 | Date: 14 January, 2024
Sandy In 2024
We begin another fab year of folk in the usual way, remembering the all-too-short career of Sandy Denny
Duration: 00:58:14 | Date: 7 January, 2024
Season's Greetings
Our end-of-year show included songs old and new for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Cheers.
Duration: 00:57:01 | Date: 17 December, 2023
Lankum
Four excellent Irish musicians are bringing their folk group, Lankum, to WOMAD in ‘24.
Duration: 00:58:05 | Date: 10 December, 2023
Nufolk
The 21st century shows no signs of tiring of new ways of playing folk.
Duration: 00:58:11 | Date: 3 December, 2023
Christy Moore
Christy Moore has a great record of performance, with original songs that highlight & extend the folk legacy of Ireland.
Duration: 00:58:21 | Date: 26 November, 2023
John Martyn
Since his passing in 2009, the music of the UK folk & experimental artist has come to be appreciated even more widely.
Duration: 00:57:36 | Date: 10 September, 2023
Mixtape 14
Another Mixtape with discoveries we simply must share.
Duration: 58:19 | Date: 19 November, 2023
Joni at 80
Joni Mitchell was born on November 7th, 1943, and we celebrate her 80th.
Duration: 00:58:12 | Date: 12 November, 2023
Songs of Peace
A programme of songs for Parihaka Day, November 5th, with an emphasis on peace and reconciliation.
Duration: 00:58:10 | Date: 5 November, 2023
Our 450th
Our 450th programme. We celebrate with a playlist of our favourite music, folk and beyond.
Duration: 00:58:40 | Date: 29 October, 2023
Emily Portman
The West Country folk singer is winning a following for her solo work as well as her collaborations with others.
Duration: 00:57:49 | Date: 22 October, 2023
The Moon
The beauty of the recent blue supermoon inspires a playlist of songs, folk and beyond.
Duration: 00:58:11 | Date: 15 October, 2023
Covers #4
Another playlist of superb interpretations of songs already recorded by some great writers.
Duration: 00:58:26 | Date: 8 October, 2023
Gráda Reunion
The Kiwi-Irish folk group, Gráda, is in NZ for a reunion tour that their fans thought might never happen.
Duration: 00:58:10 | Date: 1 October, 2023