FMSNY’s 4 for Folkies
Join Laura Ciporen, from the Folk Music Society of New York, for 15-minute, 4-question interviews with today's Folk and Traditional Music artists. We'll learn how they describe their own vibe and what makes them unique among Folk groups; how they came to love Folk and what it means to them; who some of their biggest influences are; and fun, personal anecdotes along the way.
New to the Folk music community? Become an instant insider as the artists talk about personal connections and the experiences that shaped their musical lives.
Hardcore Folkie? Learn details about your favorite performers that you've never heard (band mates even sometimes surprise each other!) and discover experiences and influences you may have in common.
Visit the podcast page on our website for more information on some of the places, albums, and people referenced in the episodes. And join us for all the amazing events and opportunities to bring more Folk and Trad music into your life. Find out more at folkmusicny.org.
(FMSNY, pronounced ”fims-knee,” = Folk Music Society of New York, which has been ensuring Folk music THRIVES in NY since 1965.)
Listen on:
Episodes
Friday Jun 19, 2026
Friday Jun 19, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Fintan Warfield ahead of Porchstomp, June 20th on Governors Island.Fintan became a Senator in Ireland in his early 20s and discusses how Folk music was key to politicizing him by giving him the stories that weren't told in history class. We also discuss the tricky nature of one of the Porchstomp closing songs, This Land Is Your Land, and how participation is essential in song and politics. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info.
Friday Jun 19, 2026
Friday Jun 19, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Clara Riedlinger and Olivia Perske ahead of Porchstomp, June 20th on Governors Island.Clara and Olivia love how words feel in their mouths and thrill at the sound of an H. They talk about finding, in each other, their harmonic matches speed-dating style, and finding themselves by asking questions. They ponder how folk music is so in the air even ice cream trucks get in on it. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info.
Sunday May 03, 2026
Sunday May 03, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Sarah "Songbird" Burkey ahead of her May 29 concert (part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound festival!) and May 30 workshop in NYC.Sarah writes songs that sound "as old as the coal that sleeps in the hills" and uses traditional ballads for the catharsis of singing out sadness, trauma, and heartbreak. And she can trim a 50 verse ballad down to 20 so there's no rambling. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info on both events.
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Colleen Cleveland ahead of her Apr. 25 concert and workshop in BKLYN, NY.With 600+ songs handed down through 5 generations in the Adirondacks and only partially recorded in 16 hours of story and song in the Library of Congress, Colleen has a magnificent and unique legacy to share. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info on both events.
(Pls excuse the difficult audio quality at points.)
Friday Mar 13, 2026
Friday Mar 13, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Macdara Yeates, the young, traditional Irish singer making his solo NY debut March 20th and 21st in a concert (part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival!) and workshop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He discusses the power of a personal connection to music, a wild concert in India, and his favorite Jazz spot in NYC. Bonus 5th question inside! Visit folkmusicny.org for more info on both events.
Thursday Feb 12, 2026
Thursday Feb 12, 2026
Laura Ciporen talks with Alison Kelley (she/her) and Anayis "A.J." Wright (they/them) ahead of their Friday, Feb. 13 house concert in Queens, NY. Twa Corbies discuss creating unique sounds, surprisingly parallel early musical experiences, and what's so great about NYC. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info on the concert and twacorbiesmusic.com to find their music.
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Laura Ciporen talks with Lindsey Smith, Lafayette Matthews, and Jules Peiperl ahead of their Dec. 19 event at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. A Sheffield Solstice also features Joy Bennett, Chris Koldewey, A.J. Wright, and David Jones. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info.The Ranzo Boys discuss "putting the queerness back in Folk and Traditional music" and their love for the Folk community where everyone can, and should, join in.(Note: Lindsey Smith is a FMSNY Board member.)
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Laura Ciporen talks with Sophie Lavoie, François-Félix Roy, and Fiachra O'Regan ahead of their Nov. 21, 2025 concert at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Visit folkmusicny.org for more info on this event and more folk and trad music content.
Grosse Isle explains the group's name, discusses folk music's role as community and its power to make a grandmother cry with a fiddle tune, and why Fiachra, the banjo player of the group, cuts the banjo out of his monitors when they play.
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
A full weekend of folk in the city! Find details on our website, get tickets on Eventbrite!
One performer, Chris, invites you to try out anything in his instrument menagerie and start a life-long habit with a basic tune. He also talks about how NY State and NYC are both like Folk music in that you can find history right beside the new. "It's about then, and now, and carrying it on."
Friday Aug 08, 2025
Friday Aug 08, 2025
Final sampling of the astounding teachers and performers on TradMaD staff this year. There's still time to register! Visit tradmadcamp.org.
Amy got into folk music because it’s just FUN! As is her rock band where the focus is climate change. She encourages adults to be brave and try new things like picking up a new instrument or coming to TradMaD for the first time where you can make instant friends by singing together. And her room may be haunted.