TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I have just seen this on Facebook...

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10239373342302124&set=gm.26008539932072686&idorvanity=203862739633759

Private group. What does it say?

Jules

I think it's about the statement Eliza has posted about her dad having to cancel his farewell tour as very sadly he's been diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimers. It seems that Martin's health has rapidly declined in the last few weeks.

https://www.facebook.com/elizacarthy

Yes,that's it,Colin, thank you.

Sad news

yes I saw it on instagram, apparently he was diagnosed a month ago. Very sad....

End of an era.

Jules

A sad, but inevitable announcement.

Martin appeared at Beardy a couple of years ago, solo. Unfortunately he was already at the point of forgetting lyrics or even the song he had just been playing, losing his way a few times and just coming to a halt, looking puzzled. He was treated well by the crowd who obviously loved and supported him and showed that very much.

At the time I sent a message to Eliza ( never acknowledged ) saying that he shouldn't be getting on stage solo any more and urging her to ensure that if he toured again, it was with her or a trusted musician accompanying him.

Dementia is awful. Sadly our family has experienced this with several becoming severely affected.

We send our love and best wishes to Martin, Eliza, their family and friends.

Never acknowledged?  Well, I never.

I didn't wish anyone to infer Eliza and I are acquainted

She can be quite chatty online but she's had some sh1t to deal with recently which I think is related to this week's news story about the number of female musicians in Scotland who have had unwanted attention from blokes on the folk music scene.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyv5gze9142o

Sad news about Martin Carthy, but when he did the performance for the album awards, he was clearly not the man he was. I hate the dementia thief.

As for the report on harassment of female musicians in the Scottish music scene, that’s nothing new as there wà an article about its prevalence in the British scene last year, I think.

I saw Martin and Eliza perform on Sunday evening at the Celtic Connections tribute gig for Dick Gaughan. Martin took a couple of attempts at starting the song and had to be prompted on the lyrics (Bonnie Woodha'). However the muscle memory is there and he played guitar beautifully as he played and sang the whole song. His voice is still strong.

The reception he got was overwhelming and yes I was a blubbing heap as a result. Of course no one had any idea that would be his final performance and I guess it was sort of fitting in a way that he was surrounded by fellow musicians who all obviously adore him. Dick Gaughan said on stage that Martin and Archie Fisher were the two he had learned the most from.

I've seen Martin in various line ups, with Chris Parkinson and Norma, with Swarb and just him solo. I feel enormously privileged to have see him live, Dick Gaughan too. I wish I had seen Nic Jones.

I wish I had been there - it sounds amazing.  I, thankfully, have seen Nic (with his son, c.2013, I think)...I'm told I have seen Dick G but have absolutely no recall of it at all, sadly.

I had a similar experience as Andy a few years ago here in NY. He had a few moments as Andy described but approached it with humour and experience of a life on stage, and the rather large crowd (by NY folk audience standards) were understanding…also as Andy described. He then shared the stage….alter? (Gig was in a large church on the Upper West Side) with co-headliner John Doyle, which was wonderful! Sad to realize it will be my last time seeing him.

Dementia is such a beast…my mum has it and is declining. The sad thing is the sense of what is still there…perhaps aching to get out, yet lost in the confusion. Sometimes mom will speak or sing little snatches of Irish, which she spoke as a child growing up in Donegal. We all grab our phones to record it when she does

I've just returned my ticket to Cecil Sharp House as I can no longer make it.  From what was said to me, I'm not entirely convinced that Martin won't actually be present...

Just caught up with the interview on R4 Front Row.

So sad, it"s happening to him and he knows it is . He's totally on topic then dries up and forgets his thread.  Eliza was with him to offer gentle, appropriate prompts.

I’m a bit confused by the double negative. Do you mean that you think that Martin won’t be there?

The opposite.  It's been stated he's retired from live performance and this is a tour of Eliza with guests doing Martin's material.  But what I was told seemed to imply that he would be present.  All will be revealed, I guess....

And talking of the Carthy family.... poor Eliza (and everybody else affected)

Content warning: upsetting storyline of online abuse

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg7v75kv3dxo :'(