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Boomerfolk?<\/strong><\/p>\n Tom and Dan Lynch, circa 1970 Baby boomers are members of a population bubble of folks born shortly after World War II. “Fiddling” Dan Lynch and I are two of them. That’s us in the photo above, taken about 1970. (Nice lamb chops, Tom!) Dan, a multi-instrumentalist, was my first real musical mentor. It was Dan who taught me how to flatpick a guitar and to appreciate real folk music. We performed with several informal old-time music bands. I have fond memories of that time in my life. For me, this is the root of my personal boomerfolk<\/strong><\/em> journey.<\/p>\n We boomers tend to believe that we are responsible for every positive social change that happened in the last sixty years… civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights, the end of the Viet Nam War, and even personal computing, the Internet, organic farming, alternative energy, rock and roll, you name it. One of our tools was our music. We believed that the power of song<\/a> would correct wrongs and change minds for the better. Dang! We had a pretty busy six decades, and we are still at it.<\/p>\n Perhaps inspired by an empty nest, looming retirement, the death of parents or other such life passages, baby boomers tend to seek out that which gave us comfort or meaning in our past. Or perhaps it is the ‘haven’t we been here before?’ feeling as we look at what is happening in the world around us. We dust off our guitars and set out on the road again<\/a>… making sure that we can get back each evening for a glass of warm milk and an early bed time.<\/p>\n So allow me to offer the following definition.<\/p>\n Boomerfolk<\/strong> This month I wrote a song for my boomerfolk brothers and sisters.<\/p>\n![\"Tom](\"http:\/\/www.tomsmithmusic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/tom-and-dan-music.jpg\")
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\nPhoto: Armen Varteressian<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tomsmithmusic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/perry2.jpg\")
It was my good friend Perry Desmond-Davies<\/a> who introduced me to the term boomerfolk<\/strong><\/em>. When we met about two years ago I mentioned that I used to perform quite actively in public, but while building a family and a non-music professional career, my folk music was mostly limited to my own kitchen and the school where I work. She gave me a kind, knowing expression and said something like “Oh yes. We are boomerfolkies.” (Hmmm… I think Perry is perhaps a fellow boomerfolkie in spirit but my assessment is that she is much younger than a true boomer. Her music is also much more than boomerfolk. I can’t wait to hear her forthcoming studio album, which will include some great original compositions and cover songs. It will be released in September. Watch for it<\/a>!)<\/p>\n
\n(noun) People as the carriers of culture of the baby boomers, those born during the post World War II baby boom.
\n(adjective) Of or originating from the boomerfolk, e.g. a boomerfolk song<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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