Folk Songs of the Catskills: A Celebration of Camp Woodland

Recorded at Nevessa Studios in Saugerties, NY on four days in March and April, 2000

Featuring: Joanna Cazden, Bob & Louise DeCormier, Ronnie Gilbert, Joe Hickerson, Geoff Kaufman, Abby Newton, Pete Seeger, Artie Traum, Happy Traum, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Mickey Vandow, and Eric Weissberg

The particular inspiration for this album came from Betty Haufrecht, upon the death of her husband Herb in 1998. Herbert Haufrecht had worked as a music director at Camp Woodland, outside of Phoenicia, NY, during the 1940's, and had helped collect the songs that he would finally see through to publication in 1982 by SUNY Press in Albany, NY as Folk Songs of the Catskills. Betty wanted to see Herb's legacy remembered in part with a recording of songs from that marvelous collection. We worked together to coordinate singers and recording dates, and during four days in March and April, 2000, this CD came into being. Sadly, Betty died of cancer in May of 2001, but she was able to hear this recording, and trust that it would be carried through to production. I cannot possibly say enough to convey my thanks to Betty for her love and strength, Nancy Edge for her energy, and the artists on this album for their talent, so freely given.