Folk musicians came from far and wide to the fifth annual Washington Square Folk Reunion in New York City on Sunday, September 13, in an event organized by Jeannie Myers. Qualifications for the reunion are loose—one simply had to have played bluegrass or old timey music in Washington Square on Sunday afternoons in the 1950s or 60s.
Yet, the musicians who show up each year are among the nation’s most elite. Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell—the original Dueling Banjos from the 1972 film, Deliverance, were there, as was folk singer David Bromberg, legendary guitarist Barry Kornfeld, and David Bennett Cohen, the original keyboardist for the late-1960s psychedelic rock and blues band Country Joe and the Fish.
Hal Wylie, a 50s-era guitarist in the park played with Roger Sprung, who used to play banjo with Woody Guthrie. Danny Kalb, founder of the Blues Project was there, as was John Cohen, a founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers as well as a musicologist, photographer and filmmaker of note.
Suze Rotolo, onetime girlfriend of Bob Dylan, attended, as did Terri Thal, former wife of the late folksinger Dave Van Ronk. Watching it all and cheering the singers was John Goodman, the actor who played “Uncle Sweetheart” in Dylan’s feature film, Masked and Anonymous. What a day!
Guitarist Barry Kornfeld talks with Dave Bromberg, the folksinger.
David Bennett Cohen, original keyboardist for Country Joe and the Fish, arrives a Washington Square Park.
Steve Mandell and Eric Weissberg clown around for the camera when asked to pose for a Dueling Banjos picture.
Actor John Goodman, who wore a "Cubby" name tag, went largely unrecognized in the crowded park. When asked about playing "Uncle Sweetheart" in Dylan's movie, Masked and Anonymous, he called the whole experience "a hoot" and said the actors had fun making it.
Danny Kalb, founder of the Blues Project, joined the crowd in the park.
Hal Wylie and Roger Sprung are original performers from the park's earliest days. Sprung played banjo with Doc Watson and Eric Darling from the 1940s and his progressive bluegrass influenced later players such as Bela Fleck. Wylie and Sprung have played together for more than 25 years.
John Cohen, a founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers
Suze Rotolo, Bob Dylan's former girlfriend, and author of "A Freewheelin' Time." I asked her to sign my book, which she is holding.
Fiddler Kenny Kosek. He has played and recorded with Country Cooking, Breakfast Special, Bill Keith and Tony Trischka, and worked with Laurie Anderson, Steve Goodman, John Denver, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia, Loudon Wainwright III and The New Blue Velvet Band.
A group picture of all the folkies was taken in front of Washington Square arch.
