Hullo there!
What a great year for traditional singing 1999 has been. A hundred years after the formation of the Folk Song Society in London, when my grandfather and his brother were rewarded for their contribution of Sussex songs with honorary founder-memberships, the interest in preserving traditional songs and music has spread world-wide.
In February John (Copper) and I met lots of old friends and made many new ones at the 11th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jon (Dudley) and Jill unfortunately had a prior commitment so were unable to come along with us, thereby missing quite a number of "firsts" - the first time the Rottingdean songs had been sung in New Mexico (at least, by members of the family); the first time we had eaten alligator steaks; and the first time we had suffered a puncture - in our hire car - from a cactus needle.
March found us all four at the Folk Revival Conference to celebrate the centenary of the Folk Song Society at Brooklyn University, New York where we talked to packed audiences about the role the Copper family has played from the start in the preservation of the old songs and singing style. We sang a lot of songs too, with much enthusiastic support from all present in the choruses.
The big thrill of that occasion for me was the meeting up with two very dear friends, Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy. It was the first time for many years that we all three had been together and it took our minds back to those early days when the revival of the 1960's and '70's was nothing but a twinkle in the eyes of a handful of enthusiasts. We recalled that January night in 1952 when I sang with the family line-up as it was then: Dad, Uncle John, cousin Ron and myself, (the "boy"), at the English Folk Dance and Song Society's Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, London. That was where I first met Alan and we have been the greatest of friends ever since. At Brooklyn too, I had the pleasure of meeting again, John Langstaff who I had last seen at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the EFDSS in 1958 - my, how the years pile up!
During the summer we had two opportunities to sing our songs in our native village of Rottingdean, Sussex to raise money for worthy charities. In May under the extensive roof of an old sheep-shearing barn which has been converted into the delightful residence of Mr and Mrs Peter Hampton, we helped to raise funds for Christian Aid Week. And in July, in aid of the Kosovan Refugees Fund we sang on the terraced lawns of the local manor house, the home of Sir Jack and Lady Helena Hughes. Both events were a sell-out and a total sum of around £1,500 was realised for the charities mentioned. A few days later we appeared at Camden Lock, London billed in the company of an illustrious constellation of stars from the musical world to mark the occasion of the 20th anniversary of "Folk Roots", that popular and indispensable trade-magazine of the world roots and folk singing tradition.
Later in July we all went to the annual summer camp of the Country Dance and Song Society at Pinewoods a charming, pine-clad, lakeside venue near Plymouth, Mass., USA. This was the first time we had been there as a family following my solo gig at the camp four years before.
Throughout the year my six grand-children have joined us on local gigs as and when it has been possible. They have been building up their "singing hours" as diligently as any trainee air-pilot does his "flying hours", in readiness for a proposed trip to the USA in the new year when we hope to have at least a representative presence of the younger generation with us.
So it has been a pretty busy but very rewarding year.
Bob Copper
The photo of Bob Copper was taken after he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Sussex, Thursday 27 January 1999, from the Chancellor, Sir Richard Attenborough.
The Copper Family
New: 6 November 1999 | Now: 21 December 2000 | The background to this page is an enlargement from the Index to Jim Copper's pre-War song book written in an account book. | Garry Gillard