Message from Eliza Carthy

[ColinB]

This posted on Twitter by @elizacarthy

Norma is currently in hospital with pneumonia.

Midnight hard to sharesies…a friend in the US has advised us to do this in light of Mam’s current condition.
Please share, please give if you can.

https://ko-fi.com/elizacarthy

[David Gladwin]

Donated.

[David V B]

It is shameful to live in a country where this can happen. Given the nature of this website, there won’t be a person here who has not been affected by the work of Martin and his family. Hopefully everyone will do what they can. To my mind Martin Carthy is the single most important figure in English folk music and we need to cherish him, Norma and Eliza.

[Nick Reg]

It is shameful to live in a country where this can happen.

position

I'm sorry, I dont want to appear insensitive, but I am really struggling with this. I have real sympathy with the medical side of this and send them all my good wishes. But I'm sure that there are literally millions of people in a far far worse position financially, quite probably a lot of people on this board. Very few people of 80(even 10 years younger ) are working for a living. I am 70 and my income is the state pension (not as much as some as i was self employed) and a small private pension. I do not have record royalties coming in and the income on my savings is pitiful, although we still find something to give reasonable amounts to deserving charities. I am not bitter but this is just getting ridiculous . I feel genuinely upset and insulted.

[Andy]

I agree with Nick. There's a long, long list of musicians and their families that have been totally screwed by COVID.

This isn't confined to Musicians, either. Photographers have been hard hit too, along with caterers and many who are self-employed and reliant upon "normal" life to go on, with weddings, parties (no irony intended) and family events.

I have every sympathy, health-wise and sympathise, but...

[Alan2]

I agree with Nick. There's a long, long list of musicians and their families that have been totally screwed by COVID.

This isn't confined to Musicians, either. Photographers have been hard hit too, along with caterers and many who are self-employed and reliant upon "normal" life to go on, with weddings, parties (no irony intended) and family events.

I have every sympathy, health-wise and sympathise, but...

Im not insulted, just a bit surprised. I dont know how poor the family are, but it's unlikely they have a lower income than mine. I'm always a bit funny about people asking for money. A while ago, a couple whose wedding I went to had a friend on social media asking people,  who had mostly already given presents,   to donate to the struggling couple.  Its a strange world we're living in.

[Nick Reg]

I agree with Nick. There's a long, long list of musicians and their families that have been totally screwed by COVID.

This isn't confined to Musicians, either. Photographers have been hard hit too, along with caterers and many who are self-employed and reliant upon "normal" life to go on, with weddings, parties (no irony intended) and family events.

I have every sympathy, health-wise and sympathise, but...

Thank you. I expected a torrent of abuse, but probably not on this board. If it was a young musician with a family or, as you suggest, a photographer then it would be different. When, or if, I reach 80, I would be expect to be sitting at home living off my pension not going out to work. If I am fit enough I may follow hobbies etc but I wouldnt be doing a regular job. And if anyone wanted to send me a tin of cocoa or a packet of biccies fair enough.

[ColinB]

This is not new or confined to the Covid pandemic. A few years back the American jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell was hit with horrendous medical bills and was completely broke, if not in serious amounts of debt. Someone set up a similar appeal (on Crowdfunder or whatever) and his fans came to his rescue.

At the end of the day it's up to the individual to decide if they want to chip in or not. I'm not the Carthys' biggest fan but Eliza has been appreciative of the occasional play I give her on my radio show so you could say I'm returning the favour by posting this on here.

[quodlibet (Ian)]

I must admit, I'd have expected a modicom more sympathy around here. The appeal may not have everone's approval, but nearly plenty people disagree having contributed £47k+ so far.

[Nick Reg]

I must admit, I'd have expected a modicom more sympathy around here. The appeal may not have everone's approval, but nearly plenty people disagree having contributed £47k+ so far.

A lot of sympathy actually!

[Will S]

These days, I'd expect most musicians starting out to have people advising them about contributing to pensions, etc.  For those who started in the 60s, like Martin & Norma, I wonder if anything was ever said to them about it. I hope that they have paid their NI payments as self-employed musicians, and have a state pension, at least.  But I can imagine that it wasn't even considered back in the day.

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

I must admit, I'd have expected a modicom more sympathy around here. The appeal may not have everone's approval, but nearly plenty people disagree having contributed £47k+ so far.

Glad to hear this.

[Nick Reg]

These days, I'd expect most musicians starting out to have people advising them about contributing to pensions, etc.  For those who started in the 60s, like Martin & Norma, I wonder if anything was ever said to them about it. I hope that they have paid their NI payments as self-employed musicians, and have a state pension, at least.  But I can imagine that it wasn't even considered back in the day.

Martin would not have had any choice over NI payments , it would be based on the income declared on his tax return.

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

As this is on the public part of the forum I find this discussion uncomfortable, whatever my view. The people themselves could well read it and that probably isn’ t helpful, really.


A discussion on the subject of crowdfunding generally, may be interesting, but not right here.

[ColinB]

As this is on the public part of the forum I find this discussion uncomfortable, whatever my view. The people themselves could well read it and that probably isn’ t helpful, really.

A discussion on the subject of crowdfunding generally, may be interesting, but not right here.

I take your point Lorna. If the Mods want to move this thread elsewhere or delete it, that's ok with me.

Apologies if I've upset anyone by posting this on the public part of the board.

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

As this is on the public part of the forum I find this discussion uncomfortable, whatever my view. The people themselves could well read it and that probably isn’ t helpful, really.

A discussion on the subject of crowdfunding generally, may be interesting, but not right here.

I take your point Lorna. If the Mods want to move this thread elsewhere or delete it, that's ok with me.

Apologies if I've upset anyone by posting this on the public part of the board.

I was thinking maybe the original post could be locked here as that wasn’t the problem, people can choose to donate or not to- that’s their choice.

The discussion which followed could maybe be moved...But as you say, it’s the mods’ decision.

[Chris from Fieldtown]

These days, I'd expect most musicians starting out to have people advising them about contributing to pensions, etc.  For those who started in the 60s, like Martin & Norma, I wonder if anything was ever said to them about it. I hope that they have paid their NI payments as self-employed musicians, and have a state pension, at least.  But I can imagine that it wasn't even considered back in the day.

Really well said. From my experience of booking musicians for a folk club in the 70s and 80s, the amount of money most earned was modest and being able to afford a sensible pension probably beyond many. Given the massive contribution the Carthy clan has made to the promotion of our traditional music, I feel they deserve some serious support at a time of need. So sad that talent in the field of folk doesn't really translate to substantial money. The comparison with the pop/rock world is massive, where even one or two successful songs can guarantee a life of luxury.

[Jules Gray]

This is not new or confined to the Covid pandemic. A few years back the American jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell was hit with horrendous medical bills and was completely broke, if not in serious amounts of debt. Someone set up a similar appeal (on Crowdfunder or whatever) and his fans came to his rescue.

Of course it's a different scenario for musicians who live in countries with no free health service. Many American musicians die for want of the money to afford medical procedures.

Jules

[Andy]

This is not new or confined to the Covid pandemic. A few years back the American jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell was hit with horrendous medical bills and was completely broke, if not in serious amounts of debt. Someone set up a similar appeal (on Crowdfunder or whatever) and his fans came to his rescue.

Of course it's a different scenario for musicians who live in countries with no free health service. Many American musicians die for want of the money to afford medical procedures.

Jules

Not just musicians, either.

It's not that I don't have sympathy with people going through hard times, I really do. There's a lot of us about.

If Eliza has indeed raised £47k then that's brilliant and provides some security for her family.

[davidmjs]

Charity is obviously not the answer - a political and social system that supports people from the cradle to the grave (which is entirely affordable and achievable) is that.  But it is AN answer in a short-term sense and shows that people are kind and look after each other in times of great need.  I'm happy to have supported the appeal and am delighted they now have a little money to tide them over.  If you want everybody to have access to decent standards of living then you need to get out there and start changing the world for us all.  It all starts with people being kind to each other and this (well most of this), I think, is a nice reflection of that.