Hootenanny, Then and Now

Pacific Northwest tight-harmony duo Hank and Claire return with a new program for library patrons. "Hootenanny, Then and Now" rekindles community singing, with songs chosen for their great backstories and sing-along fun. Chorus words provided. The songs themselves span over a hundred years of folk tradition, from the 1910 classic "Freight Train" to a great folksong written a couple of years ago. Our goals are not only to encourage group singing, but to illustrate that this genre, though not mainstream, is very much alive and well in the 21st century.

Hank Payne and Claire Favro got together in 2008 and are now married and living in Poulsbo, WA.  They pull from traditional and contemporary folk-influenced songs, and add a few originals. Hank and Claire are known for their tight-harmony singing and instrumentals with guitar, banjo, dulcimer, and bowed psaltery. Hank is an award-winning songwriter, and the duo is featured on “River City Folk: Best of 2017,” where they were introduced as “epitomizing the beauty and simplicity of two people who love the music so deeply and who love working together." More at www.hanknclaire.com.