The Watersons and the Power of Folk Music

The Watersons were a British family folk group, formed in the early 1960s by three siblings and a cousin. Their sound was rooted in the traditional music of England’s East Riding, and they were particularly known for their close harmony singing.

The Watersons

The Watersons were a British musical group who established the resurgence of traditional English folk music in the 1960s. The Watersons were a family group from the Hull area of Yorkshire, consisting of three sisters and a brother. Their mother and grandmother were also musicians, and their uncle was a well-known folk singer. The family were all brought up singing traditional songs, and they often performed at local events.

The family

The Watersons are a British family folk group, originally from Hull in Yorkshire, who performed and recorded traditional songs from the repertoire of the English folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. The core members were three siblings: Norma Waterson née Davey (born 4 June 1941), Lal Waterson (née Smith, 3 May 1943 – 21 June 1998) and Mike Waterson (15 December 1941 – 22 June 2011). Although never commercially successful in terms of record sales, their very appearance on stage was enough to electrify an audience and their recordings are now acknowledged as both influential and innovative within the genre.

Their music

The Watersons were an English family group who were particularly associated with the revival of the traditional songs of the Yorkshire Dales. They recorded most prolifically in the 1960s and 1970s, although the group had its origins in the early 1950s when three of the four main members – Lal, Norma and Mike Waterson – were still children. Their music was heavily influenced by traditional sources from their native East Riding of Yorkshire, as well as from further afield in Britain and Ireland. The Watersons’ repertoire included both instrumental and vocal pieces, and they were particularly known for their three-part harmony singing. In addition to recording their own albums, The Watersons also contributed to a number of important folk projects, including The Voice of the People series (on which they appeared on six albums) and The Full English (on which they appeared on one album). Lal Waterson also wrote a number of original songs which have since become folk standards, such as “Bright Phoebus” and “Moonshine”.

The Power of Folk Music

The Watersons were a British folk music group who were influential in the revival of the folk music of England in the 1960s. The group was made up of siblings Lal, Mike, Norma, and Roy Waterson, and their cousin John Harrison. The Watersons are known for their work in collecting and performing traditional songs from the areas of England where they lived.

The history

The Watersons were an English family folk group from Hull who were particularly important in the preservetion and performance of traditional songs from the Yorkshire region. The group was founded in the early 1960s by Fate Burns (born Francis James Bainbridge, 1939–2005), Norma Waterson (née Caroline Elizabeth Wood, born 1941) and Mike Waterson (1942–2011). Francis James Bainbridge and Caroline Elizabeth Wood married in 1961 and shortly afterwards Norma and Mike joined them to form The Four Winds. The Watsons’ mother, Louise Adela “Lou” Wiseman (né Grandy, 1909–1988), also sang with them on occasion. In 1965, the family group recorded their first album, Frost and Fire – A Calendar of Ceremonial Folk Songs for Elektra Records; it included “Turn Ye to Me”, sung a cappella in three-part harmony.

In 1966 the group expanded to include Martin Carthy (guitar, mandolin, fiddle) and his then wife Shirley Collins (vocals, English concertina). Carthy had first met the Waterson family in 1959 when he went to see them perform at a Folk Union One club event; he subsequently joined forces with them on a number of occasions. The full group was now known as The Watersons and they recorded their second album Lal & Mike Waterson: Bright Phoebus in 1972. This was followed by an album of field recordings made by Alan Lomax in 1951–52 featuring Bert Lloyd, A Growing Wildness came out in 1973.

With the addition of Anne Briggs, who contributed vocals and played guitar and English concertina, The Watersons recorded For Pence and Spicy Ale in 1974. This was their last album as a family group;Norma Waterson subsequently pursued a solo career while her husband Mike formed the band Cherryholmes with their children Callum Macdonald (guitar), Eliza Carthy (fiddle) and Molly Waterson (vocals).

The influence

Folk music has been around for centuries, and it has been used to convey messages, share stories, and promote social and political change. The power of folk music lies in its ability to connect people from all walks of life and bring them together for a common cause.

The Watersons are a British folk music group that has been using their music to promote social and political change since the 1960s. The group is made up of siblings Norma Waterson, Lal Waterson, Mike Waterson, and Martin Carthy. They are considered to be one of the most influential folk groups of all time, and their music has been covered by artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

The Watersons’ songs are often about working-class life, love, loss, and social justice. One of their most famous songs, “ Wade in the Water ,” is about the Underground Railroad . This song helped slaves escape from the American South to the safety of the Northern states. The Watersons’ music is still relevant today, as it speaks to the human experience in a way that is universal and timeless.

If you are looking for a way to connect with people from all walks of life, or if you want to use your voice to promote social and political change, consider picking up a folk guitar and start playing some of the great folk songs that have stood the test of time.

The popularity

The Watersons were an English Folk group from Hull, who were particularly popular in the 1960s and early 1970s. The group was formed by three siblings, Norma, Lal and Mike Waterson, who were all born into a family of folk musicians. Their aunt, Elizabeth Waterson, was a well-known folk singer in her own right, and their cousin John Harrison was also a member of the group. The Watersons’ sound was characterised by close harmonies and a strong provincial accent; their lyrics often dealt with dark subject matter such as death, sex and poverty.

The group’s popularity coincided with the revival of interest in folk music in the 1960s, which was led by figures such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. The Watersons were one of the few British folk groups to achieve mainstream success, and their records sold well both in the UK and the US. The group split up in 1968, but reformed a few years later and continued to perform and record until Norma Waterson’s retirement in 1999.