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The Greencards: The Pursuit Of Perfection

It was a cold day when The Greencards paid us a visit, but not by Midwestern standards: just below freezing with some snow. But to the two Australian leaders of the band, Carol Young and Kym Warner, and their guitarist from the Deep South, our Folk Alley studios might as well have been situated in Antarctica. The Brit, Eamon McLoughlin, didn't mind — he was too busy tuning and trying to ready the others.

From a former interview, I knew The Greencards' members were perfectionists, so we made sure the TV camera operators and audio experts were ready. We knew the group would be well-rehearsed, so the technicians decided they'd be ready, as well. When the Grammy-nominated "Crystal Merchant" began, all the preparation on both sides of the cameras paid off. As you listen and watch, however, you won't notice the technique, because the music is so engaging. And between songs, all four members were surprisingly casual, taking turns responding off the cuff.

Copyright 2022 Folk Alley. To see more, visit Folk Alley.

Jim Blum has been sharing his love of folk music as a radio host on WKSU-FM for more than 25 years and, since 2003, also on FolkAlley.com. Blum graduated with a B.A. from Kent State University, played bass in a bluegrass and swing band and used to be a landscaper. As host and music programmer for Folk Alley and WKSU's weekend folk music, Blum has nearly three decades of experience broadcasting to a folk community that is now, thanks to the Internet, global in scope. His broadcasts include his own mix of musical influences featuring classic folk heroes, acoustic instrumentals, world rhythms, contemporary singer/songwriters, Americana, bluegrass and other roots-based sounds. He also acts as a valuable resource for area venue owners and concert coordinators as well as holding the position of artistic director for the Kent State Folk Festival, the nation's second oldest folk fest held on a college campus.