Airing time: 12pm Sunday, Replays 7:30pm Thursday
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Almost all music has a folk origin: blues, jazz, rock and even so-called classical. As Big Bill Broonzy famously said - "all songs are folk songs; ain't 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 was playing in Europe and the UK in the 70s, dabbling in folk rock and pop in California in the 80s, and creating a country garden in the 90s and teaching children to read.
These days, kind of retired, he is free to pursue any of the musical paths he loves: song-writing, tuition, and performance with guitar, piano, banjo, mandolin, autoharp, dulcimer, even bass; playing jazz, folk, blues and originals. Or to just kick back and listen to Bach or Grappelli ...
A long-standing performer of NZ folk, Davey also maintains a love affair with US old-time music nurtured since Doc Watson's LPs first made it to these shores. A natural entertainer since his debut on radio aged six, David thinks radio is the perfect performance medium.
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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:
Click on the title of an episode to listen
MLK Jnr
Each year we observe the US national holiday by playing some great African American folk songs
Duration: 57:13 | Date: 10 January, 2021
Sandy Denny
Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny was an English singer-songwriter who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as "the pre-eminent British folk rock singer".
Duration: 57:33 | Date: 3 January, 2021
Shona Laing
Our greatest female pop rock hitmaker has a strong voice, good fingerpicking and some genuine folk roots
Duration: 00:58:23 | Date: 20 December, 2020
Seasons Greetings
Our end-of-year show features Yuletide, Christmas and New Year’s Eve music, traditional and contemporary. We wish our listeners the happiest of holidays.
Duration: 00:50:34 | Date: 13 December, 2020
Aoife O'Donovan
The Irish-American songwriter and folk artist has an impressive catalogue, with lots of collaborations.
Duration: 00:57:54 | Date: 6 December, 2020
Sam Amidon
A folk artist with NuFolk arrangements, Sam hails from Vermont, and he’s breathing new life into the old songs.
Duration: 00:55:50 | Date: 29 November, 2020
Gillian Welch
With her partner David Rawlings, Gillian has built a repertoire that sits perfectly at the place where folk song meets country music.
Duration: 00:58:31 | Date: 22 November, 2020
Blind Folk
We listen to some influential musicians who have amazed us with their playing and singing despite their visual impairment.
Duration: 00:57:18 | Date: 15 November, 2020
Paul Metsers
An expat Kiwi has become one of the UK’s most loved songwriters.
Duration: 01:01:04 | Date: 8 November, 2020
Joni at 77
Around her 77th birthday, we trace Joni Mitchell’s artistic life, realising an hour can hardly hope to cover this musician’s brilliant work.
Duration: 00:59:41 | Date: 1 November, 2020
Rainbow Folk
We play the songs of artists who have blazed a trail for rainbow community rights just by being themselves.
Duration: 00:55:44 | Date: 25 October, 2020
Jon Hooker
The Christchurch guitarist Jon Hooker has a self-released solo album that makes some fingerpickin’ good listening.
Duration: 00:54:13 | Date: 18 October, 2020
Dervish
The Irish group Dervish celebrate 30 years of music with a great collection of Irish folk songs
Duration: 00:58:23 | Date: 11 October, 2020