You never miss what you have until it`s gone. With that in mind, here`s a list of folk performers who once were riding high locally but have now moved on to other things and folk clubs that once were and are no more:
Thom Bishop is writing scripts and, reputedly, the Great American Novel in Los Angeles. He visits occasionally.
Tom Dundee, one of the leading solo acoustic performers in the early
`80s, recently played at the Holstein`s sendoff celebration but has been generally keeping a low profile.
Steve Goodman, best known as the writer of ”City of New Orelans,” died in 1984 at age 36.
Anne Hills left town a popular and highly respected singer who had her fingers in many pies, including co-running the Hogeye Music Center in Evanston (which is still going strong) and recording several albums on the Hogeye label. She was also one-third of the Best of Friends trio (the others were Tom Paxton and Bob Gibson).
Mike Jordan, once an energetic folkie, now fronts the rockabilly band the Rockamatics but has been ill recently.
Bonnie Koloc stills lives in the city, writing and performing her own jazz-inflected compositions, but her folk days are over.
Megan McDonough recently finished an extended stint in the `60s musical
”Beehive.”
Cindy Mangsen, a radiant singer with a crystalline voice, is a librarian in upstate New York.
Buddy Mondlock, a No Exit regular, is now living in Nashville but returns occasionally.
Keith Nichols, guiding light behind the late and lamented Chicago Houselights concert series, has headed south in search of love and a warmer climate.
John Prine, the postman from Maywood, has written some powerful songs
(”Hello in There,” ”Sam Stone,” ”Angel From Montgomery”) since his Wells Street days. In recent years, he has made quirky albums on small labels that were hits with critics.
Bill Quateman left in search of fame and an overnight success that never came.
Claudia Schmidt, an eclectic singer with a strong theatrical bent, started at the No Exit and graduated to Holstein`s before leaving the city to follow her own idiosyncratic path.
Frank Tedesso writes brutally honest songs about love, life and the human psyche. He has been spending time in New York City.
And places . . .
Folk music in Chicago began at the old Blue Note in 1952 with Win Stracke, Chet Roble, Big Bill Broonzy and Larry Lane performing on Monday nights. The first true folk club, though, was the famous Gate of Horn, where you could hear leading performers for as little as $2.
Probably the most durable folk club was the Earl of Old Town, a Chicago original. Anybody who was anyone (or wanted to be) played here at one time or another. Earl Pionke, the wizard of Wells Street, now runs Earl`s Pub on Lincoln Avenue.
Richard Harding deserves a citation all to himself. He ran Mother Blue`s and Poor Richard`s before finally opening his legendary Quiet Knight, where he booked the best of folk from John Prine to Kris Kristofferson to a green kid from Iowa named Bonnie Koloc. His most recent venture, the short-lived Da Vinci`s on North Avenue, failed to get off the ground.
Somebody Else`s Troubles, the only Chicago folk club named after a Goodman song (and owned by Goodman and Pionke, among others), was a favorite haunt.
There was Charlotte`s Web in Rockford and Harry Hope`s in Cary, the Fifth Peg on Armitage and the more recent Hobson`s Choice, run by Chicago folk legend Bob Gibson, and the short-lived the Point at the Gingerman, both on Clark Street.
Probably the most idealistic was the Amazingrace Coffeehouse, a student-run cooperative that presented quality entertainment at dirt cheap prices and where people sat on the floor, cross-legged and eager to listen.
Stages, a marvelous concert hall with an imaginative booking policy (by the Holstein brothers), brought first-class talent to town from the Irish band Clannad to the late Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers. It is now the dance club Cabaret Metro.
Then there were the lesser known clubs: the Rising Moon, Old Town North, the Blind Pig, the Sacred Cow, the Crystal Palace, Small World, the Fickle Pickle near State and Division, the Oblique on Rush Street, the Montmarte on Chicago Avenue, Phase One in Hyde Park, Mountain Moving Coffeehouse, Someplace Else in Park Forest and the latest casualty, Holstein`s.
R.I.P. too to Come for to Sing, the wonderful folk music quarterly that drew its last breath in 1987.
THIS IS NOW
Down but not out-some regulars on the current folk beat:
Tricia Alexander is a contemporary songwriter, a bit on the jazzy side.
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The Amazing Howe Brothers do political satire as well as a generous portion of Renaissance music.
Brian Anderson is a contemporary singer and songwriter.
Andrew Calhoun is a jarringly original, sometimes disturbing voice on the folk scene-in other words, he`s just what`s needed. He has several albums to his credit and is publishing his own book of poetry, ”Love Without Measure,” which he describes as ”stark and searching”-like his songs.
Peg Compton is a registered nurse who sings contemporary material with a new-age and soft rock feel.
Phil Cooper and Margaret Nelson sing eerie old ballads from the Celtic and early-American traditions that are guaranteed to send a chill up your spine.
The warm baritone of Jim Craig can regularly be heard at the No Exit and other venues about town.
Mark Dvorak, an instructor at the Old Town School, leans toward traditional songs.
Chris Farrell hosts the open stage at Earl`s Pub on Sunday nights. His debut album, ”Night Ballads,” is due out in March.
If you`re lucky, you may be able to catch Bob Gibson at an occasional gig, but he has been concentrating on writing children`s material in recent years.
Brian Gill is another contemporary singer and songwriter.
Fred Holstein may be without a permanent home now, but he will be sure to be around town.
James McCandless is an electrician by profession but a singer of personal tales by choice.
The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band performs Yiddish music from the turn of the century.
Lee Murdock specializes in songs of the Midwest.
The duo of Kathy O`Hara and Diana Laffey add a bit of musical spice to their shows.
Dave Porter performs original material with a twist of jazz.
Wells Street veteran Jim Post is bringing his ”Galena Rose” to the Old Town School at the end of this month.
Privateer sings of shipwrecks and other maritime ballads from the Great Lakes.
L.J. Slavin plays mountain music on tin whistle and banjo.
Michael Smith, a highly accomplished songsmith, is best known as the author of ”The Dutchman,” which brought Steve Goodman much success.
No one is more traditional than Art Thieme (he claims to know 500 to 600 songs, from murder ballads to lumberjack tunes from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War). He lives in western Illinois but occasionally travels up to these parts.
Harry Waller manages a hot dog stand but performs every once in a while when coaxed.
GUIDE TO THE FOLK SCENE
Here is a select list of clubs, coffeehouses and organizations that present folk music on a regular or occasional basis, followed by a listing of radio shows featuring folk music. When available, upcoming events are listed: David Adler Cultural Center, 1700 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville;
367-0707. Lee Murdock, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Feb. 5; $5.
Aural Tradition, P.O. Box 14407, Chicago 60614-0407. Supports traditional and contemporary folk music by presenting concerts, musical parties and other events. Membership: $6, $12, $15.
Blind Faith Cafe, 525 Dempster Ave., Evanston; 328-6875. Tuesdays, classical and steel guitar with Andrew Calhoun.
Chicago Maritime Society, c/o Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.;
348-2017. Phil Elmes, president. Historical society of Great Lakes maritime history. Sponsors the Maritime and Folk Festival each summer.
Chicago Songwriters` Association, 1228 W. Jarvis St.; 585-7942. Not-for-profit group of professional songwriters.
Durty Nellie`s Pub, 58 N. Bothwell St., Palatine; 358-9150.
Earl`s Pub, 2470 N. Lincoln Ave.; 929-0660. Owned by Earl Pionke of Earl of Old Town fame. Open stage with Chris Farrell on Sundays; Dwain Storey and Charley Koster on Wednesdays. No cover, one drink-minimum.
Flying Fish Records, 1304 W. Schubert Ave.; 528-5455. Chicago`s big local record label. Sponsors occasional record release parties.
Fox Valley Folklore Society; Juel Ulven, 755 N. Evanslawn Ave., Aurora;
897-3655. Sponsors concerts, open mikes, singarounds and a folk festival each September.
Friendship Concert Hall, Janice and Algonquin Roads, Des Plaines;
255-5380. Muriel Anderson and Fred Holstein, 8 p.m. Jan. 29; $6 in advance, $7 at door.
Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave.; 282-7035. Occasionally sponsors traditional Irish music concerts.
”Jim Post`s Galena Rose (How Whiskey Won the West).” Performance Theatre of the Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W. Armitage Ave.; 853-3636. A one-man musical docudrama presented at 8 p.m. Jan. 29-30 and 1 p.m. Jan. 31; $10.
The Listening Place, 1107 S. Austin Blvd., Oak Park. Coffeehouse and music.
Michelangelo`s, 329 E. Indian Trail, Aurora; 897-3655. Fox Valley Folklore Society holds open mike first Wednesday of each month and sing-arounds on other Wednesday evenings.
Mont Claire Coffeehouse, Mont Clare Congregational Church, 6935 W. Medill Ave.; 889-8174. Music first Saturday of every month at 8 p.m.; $3 cover. Quarterly concert series. Annual summer folk festival.
None of the Above Coffeehouse, 2d Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry Ave.;
929-4852. Folk, poetry, storytellers on the third Saturday of every month at 7:30 p.m. (next show Feb. 20); $2 cover.
No Exit Cafe and Coffeehouse, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave.; 743-3355. Rusty old coffeehouse that gave many a starving folkie a start. Folk music Thursdays through Sundays; $1-$3. Upcoming: Tricia Alexander, Jan. 29-30; Privateer, Feb. 4; James McCandless, Feb. 12; Jan Marra, Feb. 19; Brian Gill, March 12;
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Art Thieme, March 18. Call for details.
Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W. Armitage Ave.; 525-7793. (Mt. Prospect branch, 411 S. Maple St., Mt. Prospect, 255-5380; La Grange branch, c/o Lyons Township Adult Education Center, 100 S. Brainard Ave., La Grange, 354-4220.) Classes from banjo and old-time country blues to Irish stepdancing, children`s programs, acoustic music shop, Different Strummer. Mr. Coffeehouse two Fridays each month; $3. ”The Story of the Old Town School of Folk Music,” photographs and essays by its founders, friends and students, will be published in March at $14.95. Upcoming concerts: Celtic music from the Boys of the Lough, March 4, $8-$12; Hot Rize, bluegrass, March 6, $6-$10; ”The Masters of the Folk Violin” includes bluegrass, Cape Breton and Cajun music, March 12, $12; Eastern European Music Festival, April 9-16. Call for times and details.
Orphans, 2462 N. Lincoln Ave.; 929-2677.
Plank Road Folk Song Society, P.O. Box 283, Brookfield 60513. Promotes and preserves traditional and acoustic music in the Chicagoland area. Quarterly newsletter, the Plank Road News. Monthly concerts, workshops, open stages, sing-arounds. Membership $5.
The Roxy, 1505 W. Fullerton Ave.; 472-8100.
Townhall Pub, 3340 N. Halsted St.; 472-4405. Open stage on Mondays.
Two Way Street Coffeehouse, 1047 Curtiss St., Downers Grove; 969-9720.
University of Chicago Folk Festival, Mandel Hall, 5706 S. University Ave. Festival runs Feb. 5-7. Performers include: Irish musicians Mick Moloney, Jimmy Keane Jr. and Robbie O`Connell; Bill Monroe disciples Kenny Baker and Josh Graves; the old-time Creole music of Boisec, Ardoin, Canray and Fontenot; Benton Flippen, master fiddler from the North Carolina tradition, plus piano blues from Austin, Tex.; a Yugoslavian instrumental ensemble; a Mexican folk harp player; and old-time country ballads. $6-$10. Call for schedule: 702-9793 or 702-7300.
The Village Squire, 125 Washington St., Dundee; 428-4483. Andrew Calhoun performs in this restaurant setting on Thursday.
RADIO
”Bluegrass Express”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 7-8 p.m. Sundays.
”The Flea Market”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 5-7 p.m. Sundays. Host: Stuart Rosenberg. Ethnic music from around the world.
”Folk Sampler”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 7-8 p.m. Saturdays. Traditional.
”Folkstage”: WFMT (FM 98.7), 12:15-12:45 a.m. Saturdays.
”The Folk Show”: WNUR (FM 89.3), 8 a.m.-noon Sundays. Eclectic, from Richard Thompson to Pete Seeger.
”The Midnight Special”: WFMT (FM 98.7), 10:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m. Saturdays; rebroadcast 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays.
”Mixed Bag”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 8-9 p.m. Saturdays. Folk, comedy, swing, acoustic, vintage and new recordings.
”Best of `A Prairie Home Companion` ”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 10 a.m.-noon Sundays.
”The Thistle and Shamrock”: WBEZ (FM 91.5), 8-9 p.m. Sundays. Host:
Fiona Ritchie.
WHPK (FM 88.5), the University of Chicago station, offers four traditional folk programs Mondays through Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. The lineup: Mondays-”Stoney Lonesome,” bluegrass; Tuesdays-”Atlantic Sound,”
Irish; Wednesdays-”Cajun Jamboree”; Thursdays-”Music from Around the World,” international folk.