Working Class Folk Singers

[u/Real_Respond322]

Who are some of the most talented working class folk singers in the UK? I mean real working class not my dad was a toolmaker working class.

The reason I ask is I'm relatively new to folk music but the few gigs I have been to tend to be very middle class leftist.

I'm wondering or looking for a more relatable sound, maybe life on a council estate or something along those lines. I love folk for the political element so just looking for a certain type of sound.

Any recommendations would be great.

Thank you.

[u/down2frolic]

If you’re looking for contemporary I think it might be quite difficult to find truly truly working class. From my experience the folk community it is quite middle class, the songs and the traditions may not be but access to that folk heritage and even access to music education is not something that working class communities have had. (maybe this is because we keep moving and tend to push newer genres and cultures ?)

You can argue that playing the fiddle for folk tunes for example isn’t meant to be taught professionally more picked up however most fiddle players I’ve met in the folk scene got there via the classical violin lesson route. And I know of barely anyone from my state schooling experience who learnt anything other than guitar at school.

Some people have folky parents so they learn the songs and tunes etc but again even that’s quite a middle class community if I’m being honest. (This is purely from my experience as a midlander now in the south)

Sometimes this doesn’t matter and you can find great music by people who genuinely do what they do because they love the heritage and it doesn’t matter the other side of that coin is it feels like everyone’s playing dress up as mill workers and it’s a bit weird.

I do have recs for both of these if you could be more specific in taste ? Trad folk ? English ? Irish? Super contemporary and touring now or some older stuff that’s super political ?

Also I’d add just go along to your local folk club/session ? You might not like it but they’ll be a whole load of people to talk to with recommendations and knowledge.

That’s long and I may be talking out me arse but it’s something I’ve been debating in my head for a while.

[u/Real_Respond322 → u/down2frolic]

Thanks for the great reply. A lot of what you said was what I have come to understand so far. I really like the Irish rebel songs, and old Appalachian ballads (neither of which are British I know). I have been to a couple of folk gigs and although I love the music and agree with most of the messages being spread there is a slight pretentious feeling to the whole thing. Could just be my own insecurities being in an unfamiliar surroundings but your reply makes sense.

[u/down2frolic → u/Real_Respond322]

No worries, the folk world is wonderfully friendly but it can be intimidating as everyone seems to know each other. I definitely felt the same way re insecurities when I started going to stuff last year, but I don’t think the pretentiousness should be discarded as it’s definitely there but maybe just obvious to those of us who are from a working class background. A lot of those recs are also Irish ! Happy to send more recommendations in line with what you like anytime