CFS History pulled from the CFS newsletters by Dick Thies

CFS appears to have been founded about 1974. 1980-81 was labeled the 7th volume of the newsletter. The first Oregon Folklife Festival (in Avery Park) was in 1980 with Tom Cafazzo in charge. I think that The Best Cellar was started by Larry Edgar before CFS was a group. It was fading away but it was revived by John Swanson as part of CFS in 1980. The Silver Falls Musical Gathering started in 1979 (organized by Jeanne Holmes for the first 10 years).

1979-80

There were 23 concerts (mostly at the Old World Center before it was a brewery): Howling Gael; Euphonia; Clannad; Martin Carthy; Maple Trio (JudyFjell, Mark Weiss, and Nancy Spencer); Rosalie Sorrels; Brian Bowers; Utah Phillips; Cindy Smith; Malcolm Dalgleish & Greg Larson; Jim Kweskin; The Fiction Brothers; Barry & Lynn Luft; Salal; Kevin Burke & Michael O'Domnhail; Richard Scholtz & Cliff Perry; Glenn Ohrlin; Dave VanRonk; Jim Page; Mark Graham & Jerry Gallaher; Larry Hanks; Faith Petric; Clairseach; Old Crow

Dances: the first Dance of '79-80 was called by Sandy Bradley with corvallis' Euphonia as the "up-tempo dance band" (old timey music). Dances were $1.50.

Tidbits: In '79-80, LBCC offered a fiddle class. OSU offered a class titled "U.S. History through Folk Music" given by Larry Sult who sang with guitar or banjo.

Best Cellar: John Swanson revived the Best Cellar and made it part of CFS on Feb 23, 1980. The cover was 50¢. That opening night featured Clyde Curley and Craig Hollingsworth doing sea shanties and other fine tunes followed by The Maple Trio (JudyFjell, Mark Weiss, and Nancy Spencer).

CFS Meetings: The monthly meetings were lively events with a potluck, discussion of music groups that could come, issues like "(CFS) voted to buy some music stands for Larry Edgar", and sharing of music.

1980-81

There were 24 concerts: Jim Ringer & Mary McCaslin; Brian Bowers; De Danann; Bodie Wagner; Alex DeGrassi & Daniel Hecht; Waterbound; John McCutcheon; Utah Phillips & Priscilla Herdman; The Hurricaine Ridgerunners; Robert Force & Albert d'Ossche; Judy Fjell; Lisa Koch & Lisa Spencer; Larry Hanks & Laura Smith; Lisa Neustadt; Kevin Burke & Michael O'Domnhail; The Irish Tradition with Mick Maloney; Reilly & Maloney; Clairseach; Joel Bernstein; Bayou Ken & Zydeco Mouton; Hawks & Eagles; Tall Timber; Andy Irvine & Gerry O'Beirne; The Harmony Sisters; Pop Wagner

Tidbits: The hand written newsletter sometimes featured an instrumental tab or words of a song. Clyde Curley taught LBCC's fiddle class and brought a whole bunch of these fiddlers to Silver Falls. It was great to walk in on that group playing away.

The Oregon Folklife Festival: The first one was in Avery Park in August with Tom Cafazzo in charge.

Tax Status: "Work (by Tom Cafazzo, Bruce Marbin, Don Reid) towards tax exempt status is progressing"

1981-82

Tidbits: The Alberta duo Barry & Lyn Luft had lived and performed in Corvallis for a year and sent down some of their new LP records ($6.50 each);

"..about 260 people enjoyed the music of Silly Wizard and the laugh-a-minute stories of Andy Stewart" (that was a big crowd then)

The CFS logo came out in June 1982. (I think it was designed by Dave Rabinowitz).

There were 31 concerts: Eric Park, Hurricane Ridge Runners; Caswell & Carnahan; Utah Phillips; John McCutcheon; Frank Wakefield; Momma Mega; Balafon; Reilly & Maloney; Night Whale; Muddy Bottom Boys; Meg Christian & Ferron; Rosalie Sorrels; Linda Waterfall; Linda Allen; Oak & Ash & Thorn; Fred Small; G. S. Sachdev; Judy Fjell & Lisa Koch; Robert Force & Albert d'Ossche; Frankie Armstrong, Roy Bailey & Leo Rosselson; Silly Wizard; Joe & Antoinette McKenna; Peter Bellamy; The Moosetones; Bayo Seco; Wild Geese; Dumi; Boys of the Lough; Good Old Persons; Blue Flame Stringband.

1982-83

Tidbit: The Song Circle was the warm-up act for the Best Cellar.

Concerts: Caswell & Carnahan; Kevin Burke & Michael O'Donnel; Mark Nelson; Balefon; Doug and the Slugs; Judy Fjell; Eric Park & Mike Coulter; John Fahey; Laura Smith and Larry Hanks; Brian Bowers; Ossian; Preston Reid; John McCutcheon; Utah Phillips; Dale Russ & Mike Saunders; Kutamba; Rosalie Sorrels; Pop Wagner & Nancy Spencer; Sally Rogers; Golden Bough; Guy Carawan; Chris Proctor; Linda Waterfall; Stan Rogers, Mooncoin; Sandy Bradley

1983-84

(no newsletters were saved for that year)

1984-85

Tidbit: The Calendar was nicely hand written by Robin. Concerts were often at the Old World Center (not a brewery then).

Monthly Dances and Song Circle were in place, as was Silver Falls — A Musical Gathering. (It started in 1979).

CFS Concerts: la Bottine Souriante; Danny Carnahan & Robin Petrie; Clairseach; Kate Wolf; Maloney, O'Connell, Krane & Carroll; Sally Rogers; Johnny Cunningham; Trapezoid; Patrick Ball; Del Ray & the Blues Gators; Linda Waterfall; Bob Bossin; Rosalie Sorrels; Margaret Christl; Kelly, McMahon, & Sproul; Tom Dundee; Seona McDowell; Copperfield/Elipsis; We Three & Dale Russ; Holdstock & MacLeod.

1985-86

Monthly Dances, Song Circle, Oregon Folklife and Silver Falls continued.

CFS Concerts: Tannehill Weavers; Judy Small; Meta Mora; Tom May; Easy Club; Bodie Wagner; Reilly & Maloney; Dick Gaughan; Dale Russ & Mike Saunders; Motherlode; Del Ray & the Blues Gators; Fred Small; We Three; Good Ol' Persons; Hunter Davis; Bryan Bowers; Leon Rosselson; Leo Kretzner; Hester Street Klezmer Band; The Moosetones.

1986-87

(Note that Vice-president and Dance positions were added)

Tidbits: CFS and Beyond War joined for a special song circle for Peace and Thanksgiving. The calendar was no longer hand written.

The Oregon Folklife Festival (still at Avery Park): Anne Smith was in charge. The kick-off dance featured Rich Kuras calling and music by Clyde & Susan Curley, John & Sally White, and Creighton & Deborah Lindsay

CFS Concerts: Judy Small; Spirit of the West; Bill Staines; Alasdair Fraser & Paul Machlis; Gypsy Gulch; Night Noise; John McCutcheon; Sawtooth Mountain Boys; Danny Carnahan & Robin Petrie; The Georgia Sea Island Singers; Dewey Balfa; Fred Small; Sukuy; Judy Fjell; Holdstock & MacLeod; Priscilla Herdman; Golden Bough; Frankie Armstrong & Linda Allen; Dougie MacLean; Utah Phillips.

1987-88

Tidbits: "Give a Friend a CFS Gift Membership" was tried.

Monthly Dances, Song Circle, The Oregon Folklife Festival and Silver Falls continued.

CFS Concerts: Red Clay Ramblers; Bill Staines; Garnet Rogers; Peter Ostroushko; Claudia Schmidt; We Three; Connie Caldor; Andrew Calhoun; John McCutcheon; Motherlode; Sabia; Fred Small; Sally Rogers & Howard Bursen; Mark Graham; Tingstad & Rumble; Danny Carnahan & Robin Petrie; Judy Fjell; Sunny McHale Skyedancer.

1988-89

Tidbits: Dave Thormalen and Sharon Maurer led The Oregon Folklife Festival (still at Avery Park) and added a lot of new energy and great music to the event.

Monthly Dances, Song Circle (at Westminster house), Oregon Folklife and Silver Falls continued.

CFS Concerts: Reilly & Maloney; Betsy Rose; Ossian; Hollis Taylor; Claudia Schmidt & John Gorka; Bryan Bowers; Tom & Ellen Demarist & Chere Gullerud; Christine Lavin; Hollis Taylor Band; John McCutcheon; Greg Brown; Fred Small; Sukay; Critton Hollow String Band; Night Noise; We Three; Holly Graham; Scott Cossu; Bill Olliver; Good Ol' Persons.

Corvallis Folklore Society
P.O. Box 1690
Corvallis, Oregon   97339

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