The Hootenanny" Show

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The rise in popularity of folk music naturally lead to a TV series, the “Hootenanny” show, and any number of concert spinoffs of the program.

A particular “Hootenanny” show also involved one of DIAN JAMES' favorite performance recollections.

"I was in Texas for a “Hootenanny” show .. .Judy Collins was there as well as a number of others. I adored Judy as a singer & friend, and used to harmonize with her records a lot ...I told her we should try one together.

We were in a huge gymnasium… all tiled etc. & the acoustics were from heaven !! We did a song together - “Great Selchie of Shule Skerry” (The Great Silkie Sea) - and Judy played guitar.

The English song is minor keyed, and since our voices sounded like one, It was truly amazing ... We started singing, and the gym filled up with everyone in hearing distance ... It was like being in paradise.

The sound just bounced off the tiled walls. Everyone was struck with goose pimples, and when we finished, the roar of applause filled the room like thunder ... WOW! Just thinking of it takes me right back, and I can almost experience it again. It was mind boggling !!”

Dian James

June 2004

(Dian James passed away in May 2006.