Meeting And Singing With Friends, Old and New

From left, David Wylde, Roly Clarke who leads the folk club at Wherwell, Alice Wylde, and a gentleman whose name I can't recall.

Five years ago, or perhaps it was longer ago than that. I was leading a ballad-singing workshop at the West Virginia State Folk Festival in Glenville, WV. A couple came into the tent during the informal session, and when I asked if anyone knew a certain ballad (which one escapes me now), the lady raised her hand.

Innocently, I asked if she'd like to sing her version. And was I ever surprised! The most beautiful, clear voice rang through the air.

"Wow!" I said. "Where are you from?"

"Right here in Gilmer county," she said. "But I live in England now. This is my husband David, and he sings too, but he's English so he sings English songs."

What a fantastic session that was. Alice and David Wylde both shared ballads with us. The next year, Alice was on stage for one of the concerts at the festival, as she should have been for years, had anyone known about her. But she's not one to push herself forward, for as she'll tell you, she's just "a holler girl who likes to sing."

Alice and David have made the trip to Glenville for years, and I look forward to seeing them at the festival every year. So when my sisters and I were planning our trip, I contacted Alice to see if it might be possible to meet up with her and David while we were there. And lo and behold, the Stonehenge Inn was only a few miles from their village.

They met us for dinner at inn, and it was so lovely to catch up with them and to learn a bit about their life in England. A chance meeting in West Virginia when David was traveling on business led to their romance and marriage (and if you ask me, I'd say the romance continues to this day).

Alice and David invited us to a sing-aound at a pub not far away. My sisters were tired and decided to stay at the inn and rest, but I raring to go. There are no such events where I live, sadly, since so few people sing the old songs any more. I'd have to travel several hours at best to find a place where people get together to sing ballads and old songs. So I wasn't going to miss this opportunity, or miss the chance to spend more time with David and Alice.

The drive to the pub was beautiful, and I had absolutely no idea where we were. Turns out the sing-around was in the little village of Wherwell, and the group was called the White Lion Folk Club. They've been meeting monthly for over 20 years but that evening's meeting might have been their last, at least until they can find a new meeting place because the pub plans to renovate the space for other uses. So sad.

In Wherwell, from Wikipedia

It was the best of evenings, with funny songs, ribald, sad, historical, a show tune--you name it.



There were plenty of opportunities for sing-along too. I sang Pretty Saro, not my best as my throat was sore from travel, wind, and talking--and later told my version of Rindercella, which seemed to delight the group. I felt so welcome and was made to feel part of the group. How I would love to go back.

Here is a video I made of the last song of the evening, called Keeping the Old Songs Alive. An appropriate choice.

You can learn more about Alice and David Wylde, their performances and CDs, here.

And, what a treat, you can hear them on YouTube! Just click here.




Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.