History of PNW Folklore

The Beginning     The Pacific Northwest Folklore Society was founded in 1953 by Walt Robertson and friends in the University District of Seattle to support the understanding and development of the folklore and folk music of this region. Don Firth wrote Early Organization, about the beginning of the Society. After a rough beginning during the turbulent years of the McCarthy “Red Scare,” the Society became inactive by the early ‘60s.

Second Act     Fast forward to 2007. Don Firth and Bob Nelson, two founding members of the Society in 1953, and I decided to revive it. Our first event was a house concert with Jeff Warner, a world-class folklorist and folk singer from New Hampshire. He had trouble finding a venue in Seattle, and we thought it was time to revive the Society in order to present and preserve the more traditional folk music and provide a venue for traditional folk musicians, particularly those from our region.

We began monthly Coffeehouse Concerts in 2008, first in a small coffeehouse near Green Lake, then at a café in Crown Hill, at the Wayward Coffeehouse (now gone) in Greenwood, and finally at the Couth Buzzard since May, 2010. We also began occasional Sunday afternoon concerts at the Everett Public Library in 2009.  Over those years we have presented local performers such as the Canote Brothers, Squirrel Butter, Pint & Dale, Tania Opland & Mike Freeman, Morgan & Graves, Reggie Miles, Carolyn Cruso, Sarah Comer, Alice Stuart, Kate MacLeod & Kat Eggleston, Dale Russ, and many others. We have also attracted some outstanding nationally-recognized performers such as Claudia Schmidt, Kate Power & Steve Einhorn, Debra Cowan, Curtis & Loretta, Small Potatoes, Eleanor Ellis, Cindy Mangsen & Steve Gillette, in addition to Jeff Warner. We even presented several international artists: Jocelyn Pettit from Canada, Brian Peters from England, and a prize-winning country blues duo, Max DeBernardi & Veronica Sbergia, from Italy. The Couth  Buzzard is now a sought-after intimate venue for many outstanding musicians. As I look back, what we began in 2007 has far exceeded my modest expectations. We fill an important niche in the local live music scene. Stewart Hendrickson

Old Posters     Bob Nelson’s collection of concert posters around the Pacific Northwest

Past Concerts presented by PNWFS

Pacific Northwest Folklore – Paul Ashford

The Paul Ashford Archive

Walt Robertson – Seattle Folksinger

Walt Robertson (1928-1994) – Obit, Seattle Times

Paddy Graber (1925-2015)

Don Firth (1931-2015)

Seattle Folksingers Who Led The Way

Honor the Tradition

Inside Everett: Interview with Folksinger Bob Nelson

BALLADS AND BOOKS – FOLKLORE FOLK MUSIC OF THE NORTHWEST
KCTS-TV Show, Jan. 20, 1959
KCTS-TV Show, Jan. 27, 1959

STAN JAMES ( 1935 – 2008)

HOOTENANNIES IN SEATTLE

ORAL HISTORIES – Interviews with Don Firth and Bob Nelson

FOR PETE’S SAKE – Reflections on the Life and Legacy of Pete Seeger, a video interview with Bob Nelson

ARTICLES REPRINTED FROM THE VICTORY REVIEW:

EARL ROBINSON – SEATTLE-BORN COMPOSER/SONG WRITER/ACTIVIST (January, 2008)

DON FIRTH & BOB NELSON IN CONCERT AGAIN (October, 2007)

PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOLKLORE SOCIETY– CONCERT REVIEW (December, 2007)

THE WALT ROBERTSON I KNEW – Part 1 (June, 2006)

THE WALT ROBERTSON I KNEW – Part 2 (July, 2006)

RIVERS OF WASHINGTON (August, 2005)

JAMES STEVENS – PAUL BUNYAN AND THE FROZEN LOGGER (November, 2005)

PADDY GRABER – A LIVING TRADITION (March, 2004)

KLEZMER IN SEATTLE (November, 2002)

SONGS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST (August, 2002)

LIVING TRADITIIONS (May, 2002)