At an early age, Lynn felt a strong connection with language and storytelling, and became interested in folk songs and ballads. In elementary school the regular visit of a "singing lady" was her favorite subject. Eager to learn, she borrowed library books and recordings to study ballad lyrics, spending hours learning songs by ear from the singers of the day: Joan Baez, Judi Collins, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Johnny Cash.
At Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts she performed with the Chamber Singers, a 12-person a cappella group led by Dr. Jacob Liberles. After college, she helped organize the Alumni Chamber Choir, a group still performing more than 35 years later.
After college, she performed monthly for 27 years at Blanchard's Tavern in Avon, Massachusetts, gaining performance experience and expanding her repertoire. After the Tavern closed, Lynn gathered some of her talented new singing friends to form The Old Howard Troupe, an English Music Hall performing troupe.
Her repertoire today reflects all of her singing experiences, ranging from ballads to tender love songs, from hearty drinking songs to English Music Hall. She continues to draw inspiration from the recordings and performances of Jean Redpath, Brian Peters, The Copper Family, John Roberts and Tony Barrand, and many others.
Lynn ranges far and wide in her black “Folkmobile” for traditional music and song, and has become friends with many singers at Youth Traditional Song Weekend, New England Folk Festival, Old Songs Festival, Traditional Music and Dance Camp (TradMaD) at Pinewoods, Connecticut Sea Music Festival, Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival, Folk Song Society of Greater Boston, pub sings, chantey sings, and other more informal folk gatherings. She hosts ballad swaps, trad swaps, and the occasional “Ballads Around the Firepit.” She loves to host late-night ballad swaps and sings to hear older performers share the songs of their youth.
For nearly 20 years, Lynn and her sister Karen Haffner have organized a Traditional Ballad Singing Competition for Students (Grades 4 through Age 25) at the South Shore Folk Music Club in Duxbury, MA, encouraging young people to learn traditional ballads and perform them in a warm and friendly atmosphere for cash prizes.
She lives in Randolph, Massachusetts with her cats and her songs and provides social media support to a number of folk music nonprofit organizations.
Photo by Carmen Hale
Lynn with sister Karen Haffner
Lynn Feingold performs with Lynn Noel as
"The Alewives"
