Best Old Town School Of Folk Music Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 26 - La Peña, Part 4: Desde La Peña hasta World Music Wednesday 19:22

4y ago19:22

19:22

En la parte final de la serie, La Peña comes to a close, and makes room for a new and broader concert series, which continues to this day: World Music Wednesday. In this episode we hear stories--en inglés y español--from Juan Díes, Mateo Mulcahy, and Roberto Arce, alongside música latina from the archives.Original recordings featured in this episod…

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Ep 25 - La Peña, Part 3: Music and empanadas 18:16

4y ago18:16

18:16

“I think some people came because they could eat the empanadas. You know, and then, the music.” En la tercera parte de la serie, we hear how the La Peña concert series finally came to be. In this episode we hear stories--en inglés y español--from Jim Hirsch, Juan Díes, Luis Jahn, and Roberto Arce, alongside música latina from the archives.Original …

1
Ep 24 - La Peña, Part 2: "The school was in dire straits" 14:48

4+ y ago14:48

14:48

In the early 1980s, the Old Town School came the closest it ever has to shutting its doors. How did they manage to stay open? Escucha la historia en la segunda parte de la serie La Peña. In this episode we hear stories--en inglés y español--from Juan Díes, Jim Hirsch, Michael Miles and Roberto Arce, alongside música latina from the archives.Origina…

1
Ep 23 - La Peña, Part 1: El principio 10:16

4+ y ago10:16

10:16

Esto es la historia de La Peña, the first Latin music concert series at the Old Town School, pretty much the predecessor to today’s enormously successful World Music Wednesday concerts. But the story of La Peña is really just one part of a larger story, about how the Old Town School in the 1980s was brought back from the brink of closure, in large …

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Trailer - La Peña: Música Latina en la Old Town School 3:48

4+ y ago3:48

3:48

Esto es la historia de La Peña, the first Latin music concert series at the Old Town School--the predecessor to today’s enormously successful World Music Wednesday concerts. To tell the tale, we’ll share stories and music, en inglés y en español, from the people who were there. Episodes come out the first Wednesday of the month, starting in March. …

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Ep 22 - Second Half, Part 4: Jim DeWan & Elaine Moore 13:43

5+ y ago13:43

13:43

A running theme throughout Old Town School history is people finding deep connections and community, forging lifelong collaborations, friendships, and often falling in love. In this last episode of our Second Half series, we wanted to share one such story, from two people who met while working at the school in the late 1980s. Married now for years,…

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Ep 21 - Second Half, Part 3: Remembering Becca Babcock 13:01

5+ y ago13:01

13:01

[Content warning: Brief profanity, conversation about death and chronic illness.] In these excerpts from a conversation between Mary Babcock and Lorena Velázquez-Hinojosa, Mary shares memories of her daughter Rebecca "Becca" Babcock, who worked at the front desk of the Old Town School from 2005 until her death in 2012 at the age of 31. They talk ab…

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Celebrating 50 Years at 909 W Armitage (REBROADCAST) 47:08

5+ y ago47:08

47:08

Before we take an end-of-year break, we want to recognize something pretty significant. The Old Town School and the music store formerly known as the “Different Strummer” have had a home at 909 W Armitage for 50 years. Fifty years! In celebration of that milestone, and of the many people and communities that have had a home there over the decades, …

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Ep 20 - Second Half, Part 2: Jon Langford & Sally Timms 15:32

5+ y ago15:32

15:32

Jon Langford and Sally Timms--of The Mekons and countless other projects--have been part of the Old Town School community in a myriad of ways since the 1990s. Just a few months after Langford was honored as a “Music Legend” by the school, the two friends and longtime bandmates sat down to talk about their memories and reflections on the place. This…

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Legendary Horse Race Announcer Tom Durkin 52:32

5+ y ago52:32

52:32

Peter travels to Saratoga Springs, NY for an interview with retired horse race announcer Tom Durkin. In this last episode of the calendar year, (and Fall semester) Peter posts an interview he did for his upcoming documentary on horse racing announcers. They talk about words, the stress of the being a race announcer, hypnosis and much more. New epis…

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Ep 19 - Second Half, Part 1: Peggy Lipschutz 15:55

5+ y ago15:55

15:55

Welcome back! This season, we bring you Second Half: a new series drawn from the interviews we've collected as part of our oral history partnership with StoryCorps, featuring Old Town School folks and their stories. In part one, we introduce you to Chicago artist Peggy Lipschutz, who is about to celebrate her 100th birthday. She’s been part of the …

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Save Old Town School of Folk Music 50:08

5+ y ago50:08

50:08

The Old Town School of Folk Music is in turmoil. Teachers are unionizing, enrollment is dropping, and the administration is selling one of its buildings. Peter talks with John Mead, an OTS teacher and steering committee member, and Rich Gordon, a student organizer who started a change.org petition to Save Old Town School, which has more than 8,000 …

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Teaser & Rebroadcast - 60 Years of Folk, Part 1: Come for to Sing 34:04

5+ y ago34:04

34:04

Welcome back! We've got a fresh new season for you, to begin this Thursday, December 6th, and we want to tell you a little about it. Plus: Today is the Old Town School's 61st anniversary! In celebration, we bring you a special rebroadcast of "60 Years of Folk, Part 1: Come for to Sing" from last season's audio documentary, all about the people, pri…

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Guest host Bill Baykan with Michael Galbincea from Flashpoint Chicago 48:39

5+ y ago48:39

48:39

Bill Baykan (Teaching in the Arts guest #1) sits in for Peter this week, Bill's guest is Michael Galbincea, Chair of the Animation and Digital Art Program at Flashpoint Chicago.By Teacherman

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Ep 18 - 60 Years of Folk, Part 6: Old Town School today 43:42

6+ y ago43:42

43:42

The Old Town School has grown exponentially in the new millennium--both in terms of its reach and the two new buildings it’s grown into since 1998. Sixty years in, this episode introduces some of the people who have made it what it is today, and those who will shape it in the years to come--from executive director Bau Graves to Old Town School Teen…

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Ep 17.5 - EXTRA: La Peña 22:22

6+ y ago22:22

22:22

In this special episode, Resource Center engineer Raul Fernandez shares a selection of archival recordings from the La Peña concert series, a weekly showcase of Latin folk music and dance that ran at the Old Town School from the mid-1990s through the 2000s.Original recordings from the La Peña concert series featured in this episode (in order of occ…

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Ep 17 - 60 Years of Folk, Part 5: Expanding the definition of folk 49:45

6+ y ago49:45

49:45

From Wiggleworms to the Latin Music Festival, this two-part episode explores how the school has expanded class offerings and community programs to be more inclusive and broad-reaching over the past 36 years. This is part five of a six-part documentary series on the 60-year history of Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, told through the voices …

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Ep 16.5 - EXTRA: Robbie Fulks & Steve Dawson 17:04

6+ y ago17:04

17:04

This is a special extra episode featuring excerpts from a conversation between longtime friends Robbie Fulks and Steve Dawson, fellow songwriters and performers in Chicago. In 2017 Fulks concluded 7 years of weekly shows at The Hideout, on the heels of releasing the Grammy-nominated album, Upland Stories. Dawson recently co-wrote a book on songwrit…

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Ep 16 - 60 Years Of Folk, Part 4: A bigger tent 47:17

6+ y ago47:17

47:17

By the early 1980s, “folk” was a four-letter word, and the Old Town School was nearly empty. Part four of the series explores how the school endured by broadening and redefining the meaning of “folk” throughout the 80s and 90s, under the leadership of executive director Jim Hirsch and program director Michael Miles. This is part four of a six-part …

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Ep 15.5 - In sacred trust: Stephen Wade, Fleming Brown & Hobart Smith 21:05

6+ y ago21:05

21:05

This is a special mini episode on the musical lineage between Hobart Smith, Fleming Brown, and Stephen Wade, who was featured on our last episode. You’ll hear archival recordings of Hobart and Fleming, as well as excerpts from Stephen’s conversation with Old Town School teaching artist Matt Brown this spring, as part of our oral history partnership…

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Ep 15 - 60 Years Of Folk, Part 3: Folk clubs and all-night parties 48:37

6+ y ago48:37

48:37

Folk music changed significantly over the 1960s, and the Old Town School was no different--even as it sought to preserve the traditional music that defined it from the start. This episode features stories from Mike Dunbar, Ed Holstein, Stephen Wade, and more from the school’s second incarnation at 909 W Armitage Ave, where Ray Tate took over leader…

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Ep 14.5 - EXTRA: Ted & Marcia Johnson 8:28

6+ y ago8:28

8:28

This is a special mini episode featuring the stories of Ted and Marcia Johnson, who you heard in both of the last two episodes. Ted and Marcia met at the Old Town School in in the early sixties, and have now been married for over 50 years. Ted was involved before the Old Town School even began, in a group guitar class led by Frank Hamilton in Dawn …

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Ep 14 - 60 Years Of Folk, Part 2: Folksingers and folk families 38:52

6+ y ago38:52

38:52

This episode shares the stories of the school’s fabled opening night on Dec. 1st, 1957, and the early years when it was housed at the Immigrant State Bank Building at 333 West North Avenue. You’ll hear archival music and recordings from Ella Jenkins, Big Bill Broonzy, the Johnsons, the Armstrongs and more, including many people who participated in …

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Ep 13 - 60 Years Of Folk, Part 1: Come for to Sing 36:13

6+ y ago36:13

36:13

Sixty years ago, in the holiday season of 1957, Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music first opened its doors. This Thanksgiving Day, The Archives celebrates the 60th anniversary with a six-part documentary on the school’s history, through the voices and songs of the people who were there. This first episode tells the remarkable story of how Win S…

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Ep 12 - Five from the Archives - City of New Orleans 8:23

7+ y ago8:23

8:23

In this episode on “City of New Orleans,” we chat with longtime Chicago folksinger Ed Holstein about his friend Steve Goodman, and other memories from the booming 1970s Chicago folk scene. This is the final chapter of our series on key songs of the Old Town School songbook. Follow us on Facebook to stay in touch until our next podcast!Original reco…

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Ep 11 - Five from the Archives - Cindy 8:21

8y ago8:21

8:21

Part five of our series on songs of the Old Town School songbook delves into the American folksong “Cindy.” Episode 11 features folklorist, Volo Bogtrotter and fiddle teacher Paul Tyler, and a performance of his arrangement of the song, as well as a rare version by North Carolina ballad singer Lee Monroe Presnell.Original recordings featured in thi…

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Ep 10 - Five from the Archives - Gypsy Davy 8:30

8y ago8:30

8:30

In the second of two podcasts featuring descendents of the old Scottish folksong, “The Gypsy Laddie,” we follow the trail that led across the ocean to the United States, and to what would become “The Gypsy Davy.” Episode 10 features an interview with Mark Dvorak, and a never-before-released field recording of “Gypsie Davy” by Mae Kennedy McCord, co…

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Ep 9 - Five from the Archives - The Gypsy Rover 8:09

8y ago8:09

8:09

Tracing the journey of the ballad “The Gypsy Laddie” from the British Isles to the southern United States, we see one of the most fascinating examples of the way folk songs adapt to the singer, and the time and place in which they are singing. This episode on “The Gypsy Rover” features a rare Alan Lomax recording, in part one of two on descendents …

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Ep 8 - Five from the Archives - Sloop John B 7:33

8y ago7:33

7:33

Episode 8 of the Archives tells the story of “The Sloop John B,” and the song’s special place in Old Town School history. Listen through for interviews with folksinger and school co-founder Frank Hamilton, Ted Johnson (former guitar and yodeling instructor at the school), and a rare performance of the song by all three founders of the school.Origin…

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Ep 7 - Five from the Archives - John Henry 8:10

8y ago8:10

8:10

This episode on the classic American ballad “John Henry” is the first of five featuring key songs of the Old Town School songbook. Like our last story on “We Shall Overcome,” this is part of our Five from the Archives series, in which we take five minutes (more or less) to delve into the stories behind rare recordings from our collection. Original …

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Ep 6 - Five from the Archives - We Shall Overcome 6:53

8+ y ago6:53

6:53

In the first episode of our Five from the Archives series, we tell the story behind the rise of the protest song “We Shall Overcome,” featuring its journey from the southern black church to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement--as well as its connection to the Old Town School of Folk Music.Recordings featured in this episode:- “We Shall Overc…

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Ep 5 - Appalachian Balladry Workshop by Anna & Elizabeth 49:25

8+ y ago49:25

49:25

Episode 5 of the Archives features excerpts from a workshop on Appalachian balladry by Elizabeth Laprelle and Anna Roberts-Gevalt of the duo Anna & Elizabeth, conducted in the Old Town School's Maurer Hall on September 28, 2015.Links to music referenced in this episode:- Roscoe Holcomb demonstrating traditional Appalachian ballad singing style: htt…

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Ep 4 - The Armstrongs, Part 4: The Wandering Folksong 23:19

9y ago23:19

23:19

In the fourth and final episode of our podcast on the Armstrong family, we delve into George’s inspiration for the 1974-1985 WFMT radio program The Wandering Folksong, and discuss the enduring significance of folk music and the oral tradition.Original recordings featured in this podcast include:- Bagpipes performed by George Armstrong, 3/20/1982- “…

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Ep 3 - The Armstrongs, Part 3: From the Mountains to the Midwest 23:21

9y ago23:21

23:21

In Episode 3 we continue to meditate on George and Gerry’s contributions to the music community of Chicago. We chatted with their daughter Rebecca, who shared memories of family recording trips and music parties at the Armstrong home.Original recordings featured in this podcast include:- Bagpipes performed by George Armstrong, 3/20/1982- Interview …

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Ep 2 - The Armstrongs, Part 2: George & Gerry Armstrong, Unsung Musicologists 24:39

9y ago24:39

24:39

In Episode 2, Mareva Lindo and Emma Rothman explore the Armstrongs’ trove of field recordings, focusing on their trips to Beech Mountain, NC, where they collected songs from friends such as the Hicks Family, Frank Proffitt, and Lee Monroe Presnell. Original recordings featured in this podcast include (in order of occurrence):- Bagpipes performed by…

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Ep 1 - The Armstrongs, Part 1: Introducing the Armstrongs 19:52

9y ago19:52

19:52

The Archives is a podcast brought to you by the Resource Center at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. This series is dedicated to exploring and celebrating the people and events that have shaped the vibrant folk community of Chicago, with the Old Town School at its center. In Episode 1, Mareva Lindo and Emma Rothman introduce the Armstrong fa…

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