Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Bridger Folk Music Society papers, 1979-2014
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Bridger Folk Music Society.
- Title
- Bridger Folk Music Society papers
- Dates
- 1979-2014 (inclusive)19792014
- Quantity
- 2 boxes, (2.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 507
- Summary
- Materials concerning the Bridger Folk Music Society of Cache Valley, Utah.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
The Bridger Folk Music Society was founded in 1979 by Ron Goede, Sue Packer and Steve Nrny after Goede, who moved to Cache Valley in 1966 from West Virginia, began hosting sing-ins to suppliment the lack of local bluegrass and folk bands.
The society sponsored its first concert in 1980 when Bill Staines, folk singer and champion yodeler performed in the Newman Center for an audience of 14. After that, the society continued to develop concert venues in the valley and new volunteers such as Brad Cole and Mike Johnson joined the effort. In 1989, the Bridger Folk Music Society became a non profit organization, and started hosting concerts in the top floor of the Bluebird restaurant. Later, in the 1990s, the society began to support acoustic jam sessions in the Chapter II book store, which eventually developed into twice-monthly sessions in the Whittier Center in 1998.
Closely entwined with the Bridger Folk Music Society is the Cache Valley Contra Dance Group, which was organized by Kay Forsyth in 1990. Kay connected with Jerry Jurniak (a local mandolin player), Ron Goede, and several others to form a Ceili band to play Irish and Scottish Dance Music for contra dances. The the monthly gatherings gave the folk musicians an opportunity to perform thus strengthening the local folk community.
By 1993, the Society was flourishing and strengthening relations with both local and nationally-acclaimed folk musicians. That year they helped select performers to play at the grand opening of the Ellen Eccles Theater and Bullen Arts Center.
In 2003, Blair Larsen took the lead of the society while hosting a weekly show called, “Fresh Folk” on Utah Public Radio. He began booking regular concerts at Crumb Brother’s Bakery. Today, Bridger Folk Music Society continues to contribute a great deal to the cultural ambience of Cache Valley through regular events and concerts.
Source: Bridger Folk Music Society: 35 Years of Live Music and Dance in Logan (see exhibit text in Mss 507, Box 1, Fd 23)
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains the papers of the Bridger Folk Music Society which was established in Cache Valley in 1979. The materials are contained in two archival boxes, and consist of Society records as well as posters for musicians who played at the Bridger Folk Music Society. These papers are beneficial to anyone researching folk music in Cache Valley.
The first box consists of records from the founding of the society in 1989, including an interest survey sent out to Cache Valley residents, photographs from the Bridger Folk Music Society, news clippings of visiting performers, and papers of visiting performers who were connected with the Bridger Folk Music Society, such as Banish Misfortune, Bryan Bowers, Trapezoid, and others. The organizational papers of the society are ordered by material type while the documents concerning specific artists (the latter half of the box) are ordered alphabetically.
Box two contains of the oversized items in the collection including two Cache Valley magazines with published articles on the Bridger Folk Music Society and several posters advertising the upcoming concerts of visiting artists. The items in box two are ordered chronologically and according to material type.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Bridger Folk Music Society papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Bridger Folk Music Society papers USU_COLL MSS 507, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 507, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Papers of the Bridger Folk Music Society, 1979-2014Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Proposed: Bridger Folk Music Society |
1979 |
1 | 2 | Interest survey for the Bridger Folk Music Society |
1979 |
1 | 3 | By-laws of the Bridger Folk Music Society of Logan, Inc. |
undated |
1 | 4 | Photos of Bridger Folk Music Society members and eventsPhotos of Bridger Folk Music Society members and events |
2014 |
1 | 5 | Bridger Folk Music Society poster locations |
2009 January |
1 | 6 | Bridger Folk Music Society post cards |
undated |
1 | 7 | News clippings |
undated |
1 | 8 | Tickets to upcoming events |
undated |
1 | 9 | Advertisements/handouts for upcoming events |
undated |
1 | 10 | List of Bridger Folk Music Society artists 1980-2009 |
2009 |
1 | 11 | Banish Misfortune |
various dates |
1 | 12 | Bob Carlin |
1981-1984 |
1 | 13 | Bryan Bowers |
2012 |
1 | 14 | Christ Proctor |
1980-1981 |
1 | 15 | High Country |
1982-1984 |
1 | 16 | Margaret Macarthur |
undated |
1 | 17 | Kate Macleod |
2000 |
1 | 18 | John McCutcheon |
1986 |
1 | 19 | Mick Malony, Robbie O’Connell, James Keane, Liz Carroll |
1984 |
1 | 20 | “Sawyer Tom” Hayden |
1988 |
1 | 21 | Trapezoid |
1985 |
1 | 22 | Miscellaneous Correspondance |
various dates |
1 | 23 | “35 Years of Live Music and Dance in Logan”: Text used for exhibition on the Bridger Folk Music Society |
Summer 2014 |
Posters and advertisements for the Bridger Folk Music Society, 1979-2014Return to Top
Container(s): Box 2
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
2 | 1 | The State of the Arts in Cache Valley (article concerning the Bridger Folk Music Society on page 28) |
2001 March 25 |
2 | 2 | The Herald Journal’s Bridgerland: One Hundred Things to Love (article on page 20) |
1996 March 24 |
2 | 3 | Mick Moloney, Eugene O’Donnell, Tommy Sands and Regan Wick signed poster, for performance |
1994 February 5, Saturday |
2 | 4 | The Legendary Bryan Bowers |
2001 Sept 22, 2001 |
2 | 5 | Bridger Folk Music Society 1979-2009 poster (three copies) |
2009 |
2 | 6 | Alan Jabbour and Hal Cannon (2 copies) |
2009 October 25, Sunday |
2 | 7 | "Margaret Macarthur…..In Concert" |
[unknown year] April 21, Wednesday |
2 | 8 | Banish Misfortune (three copies) |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Folk music--Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho)
Personal Names
- Bowers, Bryan.
- Carroll, Liz.
- Duckin-Goede, Lisa.
- Goede, Ronald W., 1934-
- Hayden, Sawyer Tom.
- Keane, James, 1948-
- MacArthur, Margaret, 1928-2006.
- Macleod, Kate.
- McCutcheon, John, 1952-
- Moloney, Mick, 1944-
- O'Connell, Robbie, 1950-
- Proctor, Chris (Guitarist)
- Carlin, Bob.
Corporate Names
- Banish Misfortune (Musical group)
- Bridger Folk Music Society.
- Cache Valley Contra Dance Group.
- High Country (Musical group)
- Trapezoid (Musical group)