FOLK MUSIC FOLKS. . . THE NON-POP PERFORMERS

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Both titles can be purchased — for $8.98 each — from Flying Fish.

GINNY REILLY AND DAVID MALONEY

Over the years the "pop" industry has produced a number of individuals and groups that have adapted folk material to their own styles . . . and thus brought the music to a wider audience. The "folk revival" of the 60's, in fact, was largely the result of such acts (Peter, Paul, and Mary — for example — helped popularize the work of Pete Seeger and the previously unknown Bob Dylan).

I may be biased, but I think we could all use another folk revival (the sooner the better) . . . and the folk/pop duo known as Reilly and Maloney may be just the act to start one. I have to admit that when I first went to see Ginny and David perform, I was more than a bit skeptical of what had been described to me as their "new, clean" folk music. But I came away awed by the pair's ability to reach out and touch each member of the audience with their talents and their personalities (and that, after all, is what folk music is about).

The team's repertoire is somewhat heavy on songs about love relationships, but they also do tunes by (and perform in shows with) the likes of Tom Paxton, Jim Post, and Tom Dundee. You may wonder (as I do), upon listening to their work, why they felt a need to "clean up" the lyrics of well-known songs. Nevertheless, it's difficult not to admire their excellent presentations. And judging by the act's rapidly growing following, I'd say a lot of people are impressed.

Reilly and Maloney have four albums available at the moment ( At Last, Alive, Good Company, and Everyday ), and David has a solo recording entitled The Harvest Is In. All of them may be ordered — for $7.50 apiece, postpaid — from Freckle Records, Dept. TMEN, P.O. Box 4005, Seattle, Washington 98104.

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