Folk Tunes from the Women, curated by Kathryn Tickell, is a tune book like no other! This is a bumper book of more than 150 contemporary tunes by 100 unique composers from different areas, traditions, and backgrounds.
There’s a wide selection of jigs, hornpipes, reels, airs, marches, polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, and more. All tunes are presented as melody lines with chord symbols, making it a useful book for teachers and players alike.
Peter and Barbara Snape introduce “There Is a Tavern.” Similar to the well-known “Died for Love,” this song is by Lancastrian folk singer Emma Vickers. It is sung to the tune “McCafferty,” very similar to “Lord Franklin,” and has many floating verses.
John Roberts (1944-2025) receives the Lifetime Contribution Award in recognition of his contributions as a singer, song collector, historian, accompanist, teacher, and mentor. His award was presented posthumously on May 10, 2025, in Schenectady, NY. (We hope to share a recording of the award event, but there were technical issues causing delays.)
For the past six decades, John fostered a wonderful set of communities through his music and song, including the English folk music scene, the morris dance world, the Irish music world, the sea music world, CDSS camps at Pinewoods, and at folk festivals from coast to coast.
Supported by concertina, banjo, guitar, or melodeon, John’s solo performances offered a great balance of wit, historical knowledge, and musicianship—and always a warm invitation to join in. When John sang, he had the remarkable ability to transport listeners to the place and time of the song, a notable talent that engaged the audience with ease and confidence.
Tony Parkes (1949–2024) receives the Lifetime Contribution Award in recognition of his contributions as a caller of contras and squares for more than 50 years, choreographer, musician, band leader, author, workshop leader, dance historian, and dance organizer. His award was presented posthumously on November 22, 2025, in Concord, MA. (A recording of the celebration is coming soon.)
Tony Parkes touched the lives of innumerable dancers, musicians, and callers throughout his career. He was the author of Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text, the comprehensive book on calling, and more recently Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century, and his legacy will live on in those foundational volumes for decades to come. But Tony also embodied the consummate caller and musician, appearing weekly at the Concord (MA) Scout House for more than 20 years with the band Yankee Ingenuity, which he co-founded.
We are delighted to announce the three recipients of the CDSS Lifetime Contribution Award: John Roberts, Tony Parkes, and David Surette. More info about their award celebrations will be posted later this year.
David Surette (1963–2021) receives the Lifetime Contribution Award in recognition of his contributions as an inspiring music performer, teacher, scholar, and mentor. His award was presented posthumously October 19, 2025, in Concord, NH.
David will be remembered as a talented, kind, and generous person who fostered the love of participatory folk music in all those around him. He taught and mentored many young musicians and was an extraordinary talent on mandolin, guitar, and bouzouki. David toured with numerous contra dance bands, including Fresh Fish and Airdance. Each of these bands was arguably the finest in the country at their time and left a lasting impact on the evolution of contra dance music.
The Contra Connection was a series of articles for organizers and beginning callers by Larry Jennings, Dan Pearl, and Ted Sannella, published in the Country Dance & Song Society News between 1988 and 1995. All 24 articles are now in the Online Library for your perusal.
New in the CDSS digital archives! A collection of historic photos (c. 1920s-1960s, many undated) from Pinewoods, morris events in England, and other dance festivals and events. It can be accessed online by anyone and is still growing! From the Milne Special Collections and Archives at the University of New Hampshire.
The Fall/Winter 2024 issue of CDSS News has arrived! Meet the three recipients of the 2025 Lifetime Contribution Award; dance Mr. Smukler’s Inauguration; solve an ECD emoji puzzle; and much more!
Judy Cook introduces “Waterbound,” a play-party song from Grayson County, Virginia. The earliest known recording was 1929 by the Grayson County Railsplitters, and Judy shares a 1971 version by The New Golden Ring.
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.