Airing time: 12pm Sunday, Replays 7:30pm Thursday
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 an episode: Click on the kiwifruit to go to The Folk Music Hour page on the AIR website:
Click on the title of an episode to listen
Victoria Vigenser
Victoria Vigenser is an extraordinary talent and we predict a global future for her beautifully sung and thoughtful songs. A FMH NZMM special.
Duration: 00:00:00 | Date: 19 May, 2019
Folk Blokes
A programme of songs by Kiwi bloke artists, part of our NZ Music Month series.
Duration: 00:59:20 | Date: 12 May, 2019
NZ Women Folk
A programme of songs by Kiwi women artists, part of our NZ Music Month series.
Duration: 00:57:41 | Date: 5 May, 2019
NZMM Come All Ye
We launch into NZ Music Month with a programme of Kiwi singers and songs. Thanks to those who generously shared their music, we have enough for over two months!
Duration: 00:57:18 | Date: 28 April, 2019
ANZAC Special
As we honour the fallen, we play songs, both rock and folk, which touch on many wars, and ask why so many died to create our two nations and our legends.
Duration: 00:49:57 | Date: 21 April, 2019
Four Women of English Folk
Shirley Collins, Maddy Prior, June Tabor and Norma Waterson have all enriched the repertoire of Anglo-American Folk Music.
Duration: 00:57:49 | Date: 14 April, 2019
Robert Burns
Of the hundreds of recorded hours of Robert Burns' poems and songs, the Folk Music Hour plays some gems, and reveals the importance and enduring charm of this world famous Scot.
Duration: 00:54:01 | Date: 7 April, 2019
Siblings 2
A second programme of folk artists who happen to be sisters, or brothers, or both, from both sides of the Atlantic. Who would you nominate for a third such show? [email protected]
Duration: 00:58:27 | Date: 31 March, 2019
Sona Jobarteh
Sona Jobarteh's Kora music from The Gambia wowed WOMAD 2019, bringing light into NZ's darkest days. The festival was a triumph of shared cultures, kindness and peaceful coexistence.
Duration: 00:54:28 | Date: 24 March, 2019
Mimi Baez Farina
The younger sister of Joan Baez made a great contribution to folk song and to the humanitarian Bread and Roses organisation
Duration: 00:29:48 | Date: 17 March, 2019
Good For a Laugh
Folk Music sometimes seems to take itself a little too seriously. This programme mines the rich vein of humour in the genre.
Duration: 00:59:54 | Date: 10 March, 2019
Baltic Folk
We step outside the comfort zone of the Anglosphere to explore some beautiful folk music from Estonia
Duration: 00:57:07 | Date: 3 March, 2019
Folk Woverview
A listen to some of the 'folkier' acts at WOMAD 19 in New Plymouth, March 15 through 17 at the Bowl of Brooklands.
Duration: 00:58:33 | Date: 24 February, 2019
Mixtape 3
A repertoire of songs that don’t necessarily fit a theme but are too good to miss
Duration: 00:56:01 | Date: 17 February, 2019
McCutcheon Plays Seeger
Our annual Pete Seeger show honours his passing in late January; this one features John McCutcheon's tribute album "To Everyone In All The World".
Duration: 00:58:20 | Date: 10 February, 2019
Maeve Gilchrist
Maeve Gilchrist, the Scottish lever harp virtuosa now resident in the US, is on tour round the North Island in February. Details of the tour at KiwiFolk.org, or drop a line to [email protected] Here's a glimpse of her great playing and singing.
Duration: 00:56:54 | Date: 3 February, 2019
Summer Festivals
The first programme for 2019 plays some of the music from two summer festivals, the Auckland Folk Festival, and Kiwigrass near Hamilton.
Duration: 01:00:10 | Date: 27 January, 2019
Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny is regarded as one of the UK's finest singer-songwriters and her work has grown in stature over the years. Her effortless, smooth vocal delivery still sets the standard for many of today's female folk-based singers.
Duration: 01:00:23 | Date: 6 January, 2019