Folkies

You could tell a lot about a person by the music that they listened to. At the risk of stereotyping a little bit, and in the spirit of good fun, I’m going to take a look at some of the major types of music fans you could find during the Seventies.

Folk music broadened considerably during the Seventies to include singer/songwriter material by performers such as James Taylor (whom half the girls in my area had crushes on). It wasn’t enough to play 3 chords, sing slightly off-key and sound self-righteous. At times it was tough to define just who was a “folk,” “folk rock” or even a “soft rock” musician.

So, what were “Folkies” like?

Female Folkies. These tended to outnumber the men. FFs often fit the “Earth Mother” hippie stereotype: long hair, loose, casual clothes (no synthetics, please) and maybe some real tie-dye (not the phosphorescent stuff they sold on 8th Street in the Village). They were typically into sprouts, tree-hugging and reusable hemp shopping bags. Most were “good girls,” the type that Mom hoped you’d bring home (but whom you rarely did).

Male Folkies. Think of the guys you see on home improvement shows, but more casual. MFs often had bushy beards and long hair, which came down to the shoulders on their flannel shirts. They were “involved fathers” who drove VW busses, did woodworking and organized recycling drives. You might even find them at a NOW meeting.

Favorite Folkie Acts: Carly Simon, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins.

Folkie Subgroups: Political Folkies who followed Pete Seager around, and Religious Folkies, who did Folk Masses and bought records by bands with names like Second Chapter of Acts.

Good Things About Folkies: Made good neighbors (rarely blasted stereos). Baked good bread. Could help you fix your car.

Not so Good Things About Folkies: Tried getting you to eat tofu. Made you feel guilty about using anything disposable. Sang along with Carly Simon records.