Severin Browne comes from a musical family. His dad was a jazz musician who taught him to love and appreciate music from an early age. His brother Jackson is one of the most respected singer/songwriters over the last 50 years. Severin took up the accordion at an early age, thanks to The Lawrence Welk Show. However, the look of the instrument to a young boy soon gave way to the cooler looking and sounding guitar to a teenage Severin. By the early 70’s he was playing at clubs in LA which led him to sign a writing and recording deal with Motown.
Fast forward 30 plus years and Severin is still making music on his own and with the popular band, Tall Men Group. His latest album, Overdue is Severin’s honest autobiographical album filled with ten original songs.
In this interview, KC Café Radio Music Director Kathy Forste chats with Severin about his father’s influence on his music, his songwriting process, and even a cookie business he has with his brother, Jackson. Plus, as a bonus we hear three songs from Severin’s newest album Overdue. Be sure to check out Severin’s First Friday’s Facebook Show every month and visit his website for more information on his concerts and music.
As part of our live broadcast coverage from the 2018 FAR-West Music Conference, we had the privilege of helping to bring attention to three outstanding champions of folk music at the annual Best of the West awards ceremony.
FAR-West established the Best of the West (BOTW) awards in 2005 to honor individuals who have maintained an enduring presence in the folk and acoustic music scene in the West, and who continue to inspire others by embodying folk values and traditions. This year’s awards will be presented at the Best of the West luncheon on Saturday, October 13th at FAR-West’s annual conference in Woodland Hills, CA.
To receive Best of the West awards, an individual or organization must demonstrate excellence in one’s craft; an enduring presence in the geographic FAR-West folk community for at least a decade; embody or build upon folk values and traditions; and promote, nurture, foster and expand the audience and opportunities for folk music and musicians in the FAR-West geographic region.
Best of the West 2018 Ambassador: Bob Riskin / McCabe’s Guitar Shop
McCabe’s is among LA’s most treasured music venues—and one of the best spots on the West Coast to catch acoustic music. It is also a music school and unofficial community center. There’s no place quite like it. If fact, it is so unique and multi-dimensionally influential that the LA Weekly established their annual awards category: “Best Guitar Shop (That’s Not McCabe’s).”
McCabe’s namesake and original owner was Gerald McCabe, a furniture designer by trade, who in the mid-1950s, hooked up with the burgeoning folk and roots music community. Because of his woodworking skills, he occasionally got drafted to repair instruments and in 1958, he opened a small repair shop near the store’s current location. He quickly branched out into retail, hiring his ethnomusicologist friend, Ed Kahn, to sell books and records, and brought in another friend, Walter Camp, to help with guitar repair.
Bob Riskin, the current owner and chief maverick at McCabe’s came on board in 1959, at the age of 16. He adopted McCabe’s as his destiny after bringing his bashed-up 1912 Martin guitar in for repair. Pretty soon, Bob was on the payroll sweeping up wood shavings and learning the art of instrument repair from Old Man McCabe himself.
Along the way, the repair staff began developing innovative tools and techniques for instrument repair. Some tools players now take for granted – like string winders – came out of McCabe’s workshop. And in 1963 when the Rooftop Singers’ hit “Walk Right In” led to a demand for 12-string guitars, Bob met the demand by converting six-string Martins with their wide nuts into pretty sounding little 12-strings.
McCabe’s flourished in the early and mid-’60s, as US sales of guitars soared. In 1964, the shop moved to 3103 Pico, having outgrown its previous quarters. That same year, Bob met Esperanza (Espie), who would become his wife and co-owner of McCabe’s Guitar Shop.
Bob became a part-owner of McCabe’s in 1969, the year of the first concert. In 1972, Bob moved McCabe’s to its current location, expanding by a factor of four to 6,000 square feet.
But McCabe’s is much, much more than a fabulous a guitar shop. McCabe’s is a mecca, a holy ground for generations of musicians. It is a favorite destination for local musicians as well as legends passing through the area. Sometimes they come to get their instruments repaired, other times to share tunes in the back room – an intimate showcase space that makes a living room gig look like a concert hall.
McCabe’s as a successful venue and school is also a place where people come to learn about the music – as audience or as students – and the community that has grown up around it now has ties all across the USA and beyond.
In 1969, McCabe hosted its first back-room concert featuring Elizabeth Cotton, who was temporarily stranded in LA and needed to raise money to get back home. The first official concert at the store was the local group Bryndle (featuring Wendy Waldman), with a young Jackson Browne as the opening act.
In the five decades that followed, thousands of artists have played at McCabe’s. Singer-songwriters Richard Thompson and Joni Mitchell have used the venue as a musical laboratory. Performers include legends Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, Norman Blake, John Hammond Jr., David Lindley, and John Fahey. The stage has also hosted jazz visionaries as Sun Ra, Don Cherry, and Charlie Haden. R.E.M. performed there in 1987 at the height of its fame, and Beck and Liz Phair played there in the 1990s.
Typical of Bob Riskin’s generosity and love for the music, thousands of recordings from McCabe’s concert series have been donated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as part of the Southern Folklife Collection for archiving, preservation and sharing with future fans and pickers.
McCabe’s status as a legendary musical destination is well deserved. Since its inception, McCabe’s has been midwife, wet-nurse, and caretaker to multiple generations of musicians. From the purchase and care of that first guitar – through learning the craft (with many players returning to teach) – to being inspired to perform – McCabe’s has played a supporting role. Along the way the friendly guitar shop on Pico Street has attracted and built a broad and loyal audience, who come to appreciate and support the music and musicians. And this is how McCabe’s created a solid community that thousands of musicians and fans call their own.
Wendy Waldman comes by her musical talent through the blood – following in the footsteps of her composer father and grandfather, and her mother, a professional violinist. To that, she has added a great deal of the proverbial sweat and tears to craft a very meaningful life of music, undoubtedly with more still to follow. Born in 1950, she was raised in the Los Angeles area and joined its trend-setting music scene in the early seventies – a time of innovative and creative folk rock that created the sound of popular music heard the next decade.
Waldman’s first recordings came out of her 1970 collaboration with the band Bryndle. Formed with fellow artists Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, and Kenny Edwards, Bryndle was the seed that launched successful musical careers for all four artists. As each member eventually took a solo path, Wendy signed on as the youngest member of Warner Brothers’ “Brain Trust.”
Composing on piano and acoustic guitar, she was particularly skillful at writing blues-based tunes with unexpected Gershwin-like orchestral twists. Creating songs for some of the industry’s favorite sons and daughters, she helped shape the soundtrack for a generation.
Maria Muldaur was the first notable artist to introduce Waldman’s songs to a broad national audience with Mad Mad Me and Vaudeville Man. Over the next decade Wendy also wrote or collaborated to write for Judy Collins, Kim Carnes, Randy Meisner and others.
As a recording artist herself, Waldman’s early albums, Love Has Got Me in 1973 and Gypsy Symphony in 1974, were critically favored and influenced many fellow artists. Her self-titled LP followed in 1975, and then Strange Company 1978. In 1982, Waldman released Which Way to Main Street, which featured Peter Frampton on guitar. She also found herself in the recording studio backing up Linda Ronstadt, Al Kooper, and old friends Karla and Maria.
Waldman then moved to Nashville in 1982 to extend the reach of her songwriting and quickly found further success. As part of several songwriting teams she helped pen songs for Crystal Gayle, Johnny Van Zant, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, Jesse Colin Young, Alison Krause, Bette Midler, and Cher, Madonna, Celine Dion, and Earth, Wind & Fire. 1991 marked a special milestone when the team-written song “Save the Best for Last” – recorded by Vanessa Williams, and considered her signature song – was nominated for Grammys as both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
In a lighter vein, Fishing in the Dark (co-written with fellow FAR-West artist Jim Photoglo), was a #1 Country Hit for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1987, ultimately achieved Platinum Record status and has subsequently been recorded by Garth Brooks, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Emerson Drive and featured by the two different artists in different seasons of The Voice.
In 1988, Waldman opened an additional successful path as a Producer – working with the Forester Sisters, Suzy Bogguss, New Grass Revival, Artie Traum –breaking trail for other female producers.
After returning to Los Angeles, Waldman was one of a select few cornerstone artists who donated their time and talent towards the founding of FAR-West itself. She was (and still is) an enthusiastic recruiter and advocate, encouraging new artists & presenters to join their more established predecessors in helping to make Folk Alliance, both nationally and regionally here in the West, a meaningful advocate for the music. Her workshops and simply her presence at the annual conferences have always represented a generous donation of time, talent and enthusiasm for sharing the joys of a life in music.
In 2007, Waldman formed The Refugees with Cidny Bullens and Deborah Holland. The trio have released three albums featuring their rich musical chemistry and catchy harmonies and enjoyed a stint on NPR’s Mountain Stage.
For the last 15 years, Waldman’s studio has been the home of the venerated KFPK folk music show, “Folk Scene,” which was started in 1972 by Roz and Howard Larman and continues at the studio, now hosted by their son, Allen Larman. Waldman clearly believes in giving back to the source of her inspiration – in this case, the musical community which has been so generous to her.
Waldman continues to release solo albums and compilations. Her latest album is scheduled for release in late 2018.
Best of the West 2018 Lifetime Achievement in Community Service: The Guacamole Fund and Tom Campbell
Folk musicians have a very long history of delivering social commentary plus messages of activism and unity in their songs and performances. Social justice, end to war, protection of the Earth are just the beginning.
Through 40 years of collaboration with major artists like Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Crosby, Stills and Nash and many others, Tom Campbell and The Guacamole Fund have been there on the front lines, organizing shows, helping artists identify community programs to support as they tour, and much more.
This year, the 2018 Best of the West Awards at the October 13th conference luncheon will honor the Guacamole Fund with its first ever ‘Lifetime Achievement in Community Service Award‘.
Established as a non-profit in 1974, The Guacamole Fund helps publicize, raise funds, and raise consciousness around timely environmental, social, and cultural change issues. The Fund does its work by facilitating, organizing and producing benefit concerts, rallies, special ticket sales, receptions and media campaigns.
The Fund researches organizations that are actively involved in these public issues and brings this information to the attention of the entertainment community in order to stimulate involvement. The Fund also serves as a sounding board for the celebrity community, commercial production entities, musicians, and entertainment managers seeking help with evaluating proposals to support various causes.
Whenever possible, the Fund involves local activists in their efforts and community members may play significant roles in organizing actual events. They also act as the liaison between the local organization, the artist, the venues, and commercial entities.
The list of accomplishments is long, impressive and very unique. Guacamole Fund members have played significant roles in over 1,200 cultural, educational, environmental, social change and service events since 1974. Staff members have coordinated events ranging from very large outdoor rallies with an attendance of 1,000,000 people, to benefit concerts in stadiums accommodating 30,000 to 100,000. They have assisted with arena events hosting 2,500 to 20,000 people, concert halls and theaters seating 400 to 6,400, and receptions for 25 to 250. The Fund’s Ten/Four Club program offers artists an opportunity to raise funds for public interest work while on their commercial tours.
KC Cafe Radio’s live coverage from the 2016 Folk Alliance Region West music conference continued on Saturday, October 15, with an event that celebrated folk music’s finest in the great West. This year’s Best of the West (BOTW) honorees were legendary songwriter/performer Danny O’Keefe music educator Peter McCracken with the Centrum Foundation, and the Seattle Folklore Society.
Danny O’Keefe (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Danny O’Keefe, the FAR-West BOTW Performer Honoree, has released a string of albums since the early 70s that have cemented his reputation as one of the best songwriters of his generation. Although casual fans remember him best for his Top Ten hit, “Goodtime Charlie’s Got the Blues,” or Jackson Browne’s version of “The Road” on his classic Running on Empty album, his story didn’t end in the 70s. He has continued to record the occasional brilliant album and recently returned with “Light Leaves the West,” released in September 2015. Danny’s songs have been recorded by a veritable Who’s Who of legendary artists over the past thirty-plus years including Elvis Presley, Cab Calloway, Charlie Rich, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Earl Klugh, Chris Hillman, Conway Twitty, Leon Russell, Dwight Yoakum and Jerry Lee Lewis among many others. He has also shared his knowledge and experience with students and other musicians through classes and workshops that he has presented throughout the West for more than thirty years. As a prime mover in the Songbird Foundation, Danny has taken an active role in successfully preserving habitats for Western Songbirds and has selflessly held numerous benefit concerts in support of the environment, Native American rights, and other key social issues. For over four decades, Danny O’Keefe and his music have been a source of inspiration and delight for colleagues and fans throughout the world.
Danny O’Keefe joins previous Best of the West Performer Honorees Cris Williamson, Barbara Dane, Chris Hillman, Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro, Utah Phillips, Rosalie Sorrels, The Kingston Trio, Joe Craven, John McEuen, Laurie Lewis, and Barry McGuire.
Peter McCracken (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Peter McCracken and the Centrum Foundation were the BOTW Ambassador Honorees. The Centrum Foundation of Port Townsend, WA, is a unique arts education and advocacy program that promotes creative experiences that change lives through intergenerational workshops, bringing together aspiring and master artists to foster creativity, provide mentorship, and build community. Peter McCracken has long been an integral part of this inspiring organization, serving in many capacities over the years including Arts Program Manager and Traditional Arts Program Manager. Peter has established and led the Foundation’s Country Blues, Voice Works, and Ukulele programs and has organized many other short, themed, focused workshops. In 1992 he started the Blues Workshop and Festival and in 2000 he led the initial curatorial project for Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Preservation and Stabilization. As a visionary and administrator, Peter McCracken has influenced and inspired thousands of musicians from the western states and around the world through his brilliant leadership.
Peter McCracken and the Centrum Foundation join previous Best of the West Ambassador Honorees Russ & Julie Paris, Cassandra Flipper and Bread and Roses, Ed Pearl and the Ash Grove Foundation, Roz & Howard Larman, Steve Baker, Clark & Elaine Weissman, Mike McCormick, Bob Stane, Cloud Moss, Phil & Vivian Williams and Chris Strachwitz.
Seattle Folklore Society (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Seattle Folklore Society received an Organizational Achievement Award in recognition of 50 years of service to preserve and foster awareness and appreciation of folk and traditional arts in the Seattle area. A non-profit folk organization, founded in 1966, SFS has one of the largest and most stable memberships in the country. They produce folk music concerts, dances, song circles, camps and a newsletter. Many members are active concertgoers, dancers and players of the acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele and other folk instruments. The award was presented by Victory Music founder and Ancient Victorys president, Chris Lunn.
Joellen Lapidus is one of the pioneers of contemporary mountain dulcimer playing, songwriting, and instrument construction and is the author of the dulcimer instruction book “Lapidus on Dulcimer”. Joellen blends the Appalachian, Indian, Arabic, jazz, classical, and pop musical styles to give the dulcimer a new range of rhythmic, melodic, and tuning possibilities.
As a dulcimer maker, her work influenced many of the dulcimer builders of the 70’s and 80’s. Her instruments were known for their innovative shapes and exquisite soundhole and peghead inlay work. She introduced the dulcimer to Joni Mitchell and made three instruments for her between 1968 and 1976. She has also made instruments for David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Wendy Waldman and Garth Hudson. The March 2004 concert, recorded on her album, Joellen Lapidus In Concert, marked her first performance in over 10 years.
Joellen teaches dulcimer in West Los Angeles. She has also returned to her original musical loves – the clarinet and the accordion. She performs with the band “Extreme Klezmer Makeover” and with violinist Yvette Devereaux. Joellen’s newest album is called Dulcimer Music for the Pelican Ballet.
Recently, KC Cafe Radio Music Director Kathy Forste talked with Joellen, about her unique dulcimer influences, her musical upbringing living in New York, and how her musical horizons broadened as she traveled across the United States. They also talk at length about her unique dulcimer instrument creations, and the inspiration behind Pelican Ballet.
Long Island born and Brooklyn based Roger Street Friedman was born into a creative household. His father was an artist, his mother was a writer, and his two older brothers were budding guitarists. Everyone was passionate about music. At 18 Friedman left home to join the rock band The Walk as their bassist, recruited by veteran producer and engineer Michael Wright (who previously had worked with megastars Foreigner). Friedman’s band mates were considerably older and as a teenager he just didn’t gel with them. “I was an immature kid, I didn’t understand the work and dedication it took to be good at music,” Friedman says. He took off to Colorado and ended up skiing for a few years. He then spent the next twenty-eight years in a fulfilling career but wandering aimlessly in and out of musical pursuits until the loss of his parents, and an unexpected blessing, awoke the music within.
Friedman and his wife had been previously told they wouldn’t be able to conceive. Seven years ago they got pregnant and the bliss and awe of the gift of new life inspired Friedman to write his first complete song in years, “the Miracle Is You.” When his newborn’s babysitter suggested he record his next song, “Fiberglass Buddha,” in her husband’s home studio he had a huge epiphany. “Being in that studio, my world went from black and white to color. I made the decision to move my life in that direction again,” he says.
Friedman’s aesthetic is a diverse blend of folk, blues, R&B, rock n’ roll, and country. He’s been favorably compared to Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, The Dead, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and Joan Armatrading. His songwriting is concise and powerfully introspective, intimate, and filled with warmth.
Friedman’s debut album, The Waiting Sky was recorded by Felix McTeigue at a number of studios in Brooklyn, NY including, Saltlands Studio, Strangeweather, 802 Media Group (McTeigue’s facility) and Friedman’s home studio. “The songs emphasize life, loss, and having children, and Felix understood that,” Friedman says. McTeigue also understood the type of subtle and sophisticated band interplay needed to dynamically match each song’s powerful poignancy. In addition to Friedman’s live Rhythm section of Jim Toscano and Lee Marvin and stellar background vocalist Grace McLean, McTeigue augmented the sessions with such A-list players as Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm), Byron Isaacs (Levon Helm) ,Tony Leone (Ollabelle), Jason Crosby (Susan Tedeschi, Phil Lesh) Dawn Landes (Hem), and up and coming folk duo, Ari and Mia (who are in fact Friedman’s nieces). There are also appearances by Roger’s two older brothers. David on harmonica and Lev on background vocals.
Recently Friedman took some time out of his busy recording schedule to talk with KC Cafe radio Music Director Kathy Forste via Skype. They talked about the events in his life that inspired the songs on The Waiting Sky, the contributions that life, family and circumstances make in the creation of music as an art form, and what is instore for him in his new musical future.
KC Cafe Radio’s live coverage from the 2016 
