Queen City Balladeers
Encyclopedia
The Queen City Balladeers is a non-profit folk music
organization in Cincinnati, Ohio
. It was established in 1963 by a group of students at the University of Cincinnati
, and for over forty years have been sponsoring and promoting folk and acoustic music
in the Greater Cincinnati area. It is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, and its membership includes a wide variety of people from all backgrounds and age groups. Many Balladeers are also part or full-time musicians, writers, instrument makers and sound technicians as well as avid fans of folk, acoustic and world music
.
The Leo Coffeehouse, founded by QCB members, is the longest-running folk venue in the midwest and was also started in 1963. For years it was held in the basement of the University of Cincinnati
YMCA
. It was moved to Old St. George's Church in Corryville in 1999, and in 2006 was moved to the Zion United Church of Christ in Norwood, Ohio
. Leo Coffeehouse is run entirely by the Queen City Balladeers volunteers, and is held every Sunday evening from September through May. Many nationally-known artists like John Denver
, John McCutcheon
, Utah Phillips
, Jean Ritchie
and even Jerry Springer
have performed at Leo, but the coffeehouse is mainly an outlet for the many Tri-state area artists. These artists love performing to a "listening room" such as Leo, so they willing perform free of charge. Leo is an incredible place for an evening of high-quality entertainment.
The Balladeers also sponsor and assist with other local music events, such as Edensong (held in Cincinnati's historic and beautiful Eden Park, Cincinnati
each Friday in July), the Appalachian Festival (held at Coney Island
), and many other festivals and concerts in the Tri-State area.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
organization in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. It was established in 1963 by a group of students at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, and for over forty years have been sponsoring and promoting folk and acoustic music
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
in the Greater Cincinnati area. It is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, and its membership includes a wide variety of people from all backgrounds and age groups. Many Balladeers are also part or full-time musicians, writers, instrument makers and sound technicians as well as avid fans of folk, acoustic and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
.
The Leo Coffeehouse, founded by QCB members, is the longest-running folk venue in the midwest and was also started in 1963. For years it was held in the basement of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. It was moved to Old St. George's Church in Corryville in 1999, and in 2006 was moved to the Zion United Church of Christ in Norwood, Ohio
Norwood, Ohio
Norwood is the second most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is an enclave of the larger city of Cincinnati. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census. Originally settled as an early suburb of Cincinnati in the wooded countryside north of the city, the area is...
. Leo Coffeehouse is run entirely by the Queen City Balladeers volunteers, and is held every Sunday evening from September through May. Many nationally-known artists like John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, John McCutcheon
John McCutcheon
John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer and multi-instrumentalist who has produced 34 albums since the 1970s. He is regarded as a master of the hammered dulcimer, and is also proficient on many other instruments including guitar, banjo, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, fiddle, and...
, Utah Phillips
Utah Phillips
Bruce Duncan "Utah" Phillips was a labor organizer, folk singer, storyteller, poet and the "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest". He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an anarchist...
, Jean Ritchie
Jean Ritchie
Jean Ritchie is an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player.- Out of Kentucky :Abigail and Balis Ritchie of Viper, Kentucky had 14 children, and Jean was the youngest...
and even Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
have performed at Leo, but the coffeehouse is mainly an outlet for the many Tri-state area artists. These artists love performing to a "listening room" such as Leo, so they willing perform free of charge. Leo is an incredible place for an evening of high-quality entertainment.
The Balladeers also sponsor and assist with other local music events, such as Edensong (held in Cincinnati's historic and beautiful Eden Park, Cincinnati
Eden Park, Cincinnati
Eden Park, owned and operated by the Cincinnati Park Board, is located in the Mt. Adams community of Cincinnati, Ohio. The park began as the designation for the city's water supply, purchased in 1859. However, early on the city saw that the area could also serve the dual purpose of city park...
each Friday in July), the Appalachian Festival (held at Coney Island
Coney Island, Cincinnati, Ohio
Coney Island is a small amusement park and waterpark located in the California neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio and Anderson Township, on the banks of the Ohio River east of Downtown Cincinnati...
), and many other festivals and concerts in the Tri-State area.