2021 Filk Hall of Fame Inductees

Example of Filk Hall of Fame plaque from 2019.

The Filk Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to filk over the years as performers, organizers, and facilitators. New inductees are announced annually during FilKONtario. The 2021 convention merged with HELIOsphere and was held virtually. The 2021 Hall of Fame inductees announced on April 13 are John and Mary Creasey and Merav Hoffman.

Here are the new Hall of Famers’ citations:

JOHN AND MARY CREASEY – 2021

John and Mary Creasey first discovered filk back in 1984, at the Worldcon in Anaheim; their involvement has increased exponentially since that time.

In 1989, realizing that there were too few sources for purchasing filk recordings, etc., they began Random Factors, to give the buying public another option. Eventually, they became the official representatives of Leslie Fish’s musical interests, and have produced recordings of her music: including “Our Fathers of Old”. They have also produced six albums for Joe Bethancourt, and one album featuring both, “Serious Steel”. They have also re?introduced long out?of?print recordings to both old fans and a new generation of filkers.

As dealers, both at cons and through mail order, they have sold filk recordings to every corner and continent of the world. Uncounted numbers of people have no doubt bought their first filk tape (yes tape) or CD from the Creaseys.

As fans and filkers, John and Mary have been fixtures at California Gencons and FilkCons, and frequent participants in ConChord’s “Totally Tasteless and Tacky Review. Genuinely nice folks, they are encouraging to newcomers, and fun to chat with.

Although John sadly passed away in 2018, after being in care for nearly three years before that, Mary is still very active in the filk community, and takes a turn hosting house-filks in the Los Angeles area. She still attends LosCon, and Consonance with her 12-string guitar in tow. The Creaseys are actually such an integral part of the filk community that their son Richard held his wedding at ConChord.

For these contributions to filk music and the filk community, John and Mary Creasey are inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame this eleventh day of April two thousand twenty-one.

MERAV HOFFMAN – 2021

has been active in filk for over twenty years, as a singer, songwriter and organizer in East coast filk fandom.

Her vocals are valued for solos and for her participation in the harmony groups, Lady Mondegreen (of which she is a founding member), The Funny Things and Goldberry. She is also a recurring part of Seanan McGuire’s backup band. Although not widely known as a composer, Merav has a collection of over forty songs, some to pre-used melodies and some totally original, all lyrically delightful.

Merav has twice served as conchair for Contata, and multiple times on concom. She has also run the filk track at Lunacon. After going as Interfilk Guest to Consonance in 2013, Merav became a director of Interfilk, currently serving as Vice-President. She spends copious time at the silent auction tables, and as an “Interfilk Wench”. She spearheaded the creation of the Harold Stein Memorial Filk Archive, a massive undertaking. She is very organized and has published two filk CDs of music from Spence Love’s archives (Contata 1994 and Contata 2008.)

Merav has hosted numerous housefilks in the NYC area and has hosted house concerts for traveling filk/folk musicians. Her hospitality also runs to hosting Passover Seder for area filkers. She is known for being a calm voice offering consistent support and encouragement. She is a quintessential Filk Gardener.

Merav is endlessly devoted to filk and to filkers, those still with us and those who have left this world. She has a big heart; Merav is there for all of us.

For these contributions to filk music and the filk community, Merav Hoffman is inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame this eleventh day of April two thousand twenty-one.

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