Sunday, December 8, 2019

FOLK. ROCK. BLUES. ROOTS - Folk City at 60



Don't think twice!
Buy a couple of tickets today.

Music lovers,

It’s that time of the century again!

New York City’s first “honest-to-God Folk Music Cabaret”** is celebrating another decade of making a difference in America. 

Gerde’s Folk City was the place where “the cross fertilization of musical eras and styles forged important links in the chain of American Music.” (I can’t say it better than Suze Rotolo!)


We’re offering a night of music, words and multi-media to commemorate the conversion of my grandfather’s Italian restaurant into one of the world’s most influential music venues EVER. 

In 1960, my dear friend Israel Goodman Young and Mike Porco made a handshake deal to create a “little club” by inviting America’s best traveling musicians to come in from the cold for an honest week’s work. 

In February of that year, Porco, Oscar Brand, Charlie Rothschild and Logan English invented what we now call THE OPEN MIC. 

The free Monday night Hootenanny was the deal breaker between Izzy and Mike. Word of this free stage show literally traveled across the Nation. Folk City went on to host The Village’s first “talent night” starring Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Simon and Garfunkel throughout the years. 

The thought of eventually getting hired for a week was every musician’s goal. 

And that’s how it all started. 

Sixty years later, Gerde’s Folk City still matters. I have the great honor to invite us all to get together again and cheer Mike Porco’s good name. 


The links to info and tickets are included here. 

Link to venue:

Ticket sales:

FaceBook event:


Our line up includes:
Carolyn Hester- Mike Porco’s first hire!
Rob Stoner
Terre Roche
James Maddock
Willie Nile

Bongo frontman Richard Barone and I are hosting. Join us!

Times Square is 45 blocks from the original Folk City but there’s a train that’ll get you there. 



Folk, Rock, Blues and Roots,

Bob


**That’s a quote from Dave Van Ronk. 

1 comment:

  1. I too was a part of the scene way back Then, I'm 85 and still alive. There's a picture of Carolyn Hester and I singing a duet at Gerde's in the early 1960's in my recent video, "As I Look Back on my Life." It appears at 2:20 in the middle of the song. Here's the URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2jdZGbBRPo Thanks for a great article. www.johnmusic.com www.johnwinnmusic.com.

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