This year’s Kerrville New Folk Finalists are AJAYE (Nashville, TN), Caitlin Cannon (Nashville, TN), Cheyloe (Birmingham, AL), Robert Deitch (Polk City, IA), Bill DiLuigi (Nashville, TN), Sarah Golden (Houston, TX), Melody Guy (Nashville, TN), Helena Hallberg (Zurich, Switzerland & Nashville, TN), Sammie Hershock (Marshall, MI), Taylor Lansdale (Lexington, KY), Charlotte Morris (Philadelphia, PA) Hudson Mueller (Houston, TX), Matthew Payne (Dripping Springs, TX), Rebekkah Powell (Boulder, CO), Michelle Raybourn (Nashville, TN), Natalie Royal (Nashville, TN), Monty Russell (Ruston, LA), Stephanie Sammons (Dallas, TX), Liam Slater (Nashville, TN), Casli Stephan (Tulsa, OK), Allison Strong (Union City, NJ), Cat Terrones (San Pedro, CA), Robert Thomas (Monncton, NB, Canada), and Logan Vath (Norfolk, VA). They will showcase their talents and songwriting skills at the Threadgill Theater on the Quiet Valley Ranch Campgrounds in the Texas Hill Country near Austin and San Antonio, beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT. The New Folk Concerts will also be livestreamed on the Kerrville Folk Festival’s website,https:// kerrvillefolkfestival.org.

After performing the two songs that they submitted during the New Folk Concerts, six songwriters will be selected as 2026 New Folk Winners by a panel of judges. As in the first round, the finalists’ songs will be evaluated based on originality, lyrics, melody, harmonic structure, and other elements of song-craft. Each of the six performing songwriters chosen as 2026 New Folk Award Winners, to be announced during the evening concert on May 24, will be invited to perform a 20-minute set as part of a New Folk Award Winners Concert on Saturday, May 30 that will also be livestreamed.

Established in 1972 at the urging of the late Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary fame, the Kerrville New Folk Concerts have become a highlight of the annual festival that is geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles and is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America. In addition to receiving $750 cash awards and two wristbands each for Kerrville’s 2026 fall “Welcome Home” Fest, being named as a New Folk Award Winner is regarded as a very prestigious honor. Kerrville New Folk winners also are invited to participate in a New Folk Winners House Concert Tour in Texas.

Extending for 18 days, the Kerrville Folk Festival is set for May 21 to June 7 and will feature more than 100 artists and acts. Besides concerts each evening, it features “Ballad Tree” song-sharing sessions, campfire jam sessions, concerts and activities for children, as well as songwriting and instrumental workshops, a canoe trip on the Guadelupe River, and wine tasting excursions for additional fees.

Finalists Named in Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest

Ten finalists also have been named in the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest and have been invited to showcase their talents during the 2026 Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival that takes place May 15-17 at the Galatyn Park Urban Center in Richardson, Texas — located just a few minutes north of Dallas. The finalists are Bud Bierhaus (Katy, TX), Paul Demer (Dallas, TX), Jerome Goosman (Nashville, TN), Jeff Hewitt (Garland, TX), Michelle Raybourn (Nashville, TN), Ben Reneer (Phoenix, AZ), Stephanie Sammons (Dallas, TX), Branlin Shockey (Rockwall, TX), Alicia Stockman (Heber City, UT), and Reed Waddle (Phoenix, AZ). As noted earlier, Raybourn and Sammons are also Kerrville New Folk Finalists.

Using a blind-screening process, a panel of judges chose the finalists who will perform two songs each on the Singer-Songwriter Stage inside the Eisemann Center during the annual event that is billed as North Texas’ largest music festival. The 10 finalists will compete for cash prizes and be judged based equally on the quality and presentation of their songs – with originality, lyricism, melody, harmonic structure, and overall songwriting craft among the criteria. Each of the finalists will also be afforded an opportunity to perform a set of songs on another stage as well during the festival. Visit https://www.wildflowerfestival.com for more information.

The entry fee for the National Singer-Songwriter Competition is $25 for two songs, while entrants in the South Florida Singer-Songwriter Competition — open only to singer-songwriters from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties — pay $15 for two songs. All entries must be wholly original, and AI must not have been used in writing the lyrics or composing the music. Entrants are required to submit lyric sheets, along with either a YouTube video or another URL where the song can be heard or a mp3 for the judges to assess. More information, along with online applications, may be found on the club’s website: sffolk.org.

Twelve finalists in the National Singer-Songwriter Competition will be invited to attend the festival (at their own expense) and perform on Saturday, Jan. 30. From among them, three winners will be chosen to perform in a round on Sunday and be invited back the following year as paid performers. Each of the three will also win $300. Ten to 12 finalists in the South Florida Singer-Songwriter Competition – depending on the number of entries received – will be invited to perform at Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 18. Three winners will be selected to perform in a round during the festival, and each will receive a cash prize of $200.

Since its inception, the South Florida Folk & Acoustic Music Festival has been a combination of a music fest, family reunion, community gathering, and weekend musical retreat, according to its organizers. It will feature performances by a number of local and nationally touring artists on two stages, a wide array of jam sessions and workshops, family-friendly activities, and local food and arts & crafts vendors. All festival activities will take place under cover. Discounted tickets are available online until 6 p.m. on Jan. 26.  While applications are continuing to be accepted from performing artists until Oct. 31, those already slated to perform include Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Alice Howe & Freebo, The Janzen Boys, Rod MacDonald, Mad Agnes, John McCutcheon, and mean Mary.

The South Florida Folk & Acoustic Music Club (formerly the Broward Folk Club), which presents the festival, is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote folk & acoustic music and to provide a community for people who share a love for it.

Other artists slated to showcase their talents during the festival include John Byrne Band, Cloudbelly, Ben de la Cour, Goldpine, Reggie Harris, The Kennedys, Heather Aubrey Lloyd, Sam Robbins, Jane Rothfield & Allan Carr, Kyle Swartzwelder, and Jesse Terry.

There’s also a festival within the festival for those who opt to camp onsite and enjoy some late-night musical revelry. The 40-acre campground – chock-a-block with tents – is home to a unique late-night scene, with singing by campfires and jamming into the early morning hours, as well as a Thursday night Camp Stage kickoff performance for campers only that will feature Hezekiah Jones and special guests Mason Porter and Chris Kasper.

Both day and full-festival passes are available for purchase. Discounted tickets are available for youth (ages 12-17) and children (ages 5-11), while all festival tickets without camping for Wee Folk (children up to age 4) are free.

For more information about the Philadelphia Folk Festival – including stage schedules — and to order tickets, visit folkfest.org.

Katie Dahl (Baileys Harbor, WI), Martin Gilmore (Denver, CO), Sara Beth Go (Nashville, TN), Cindy Kalmenson (Ojai, CA), Abigayle Oakley (Nashville, TN), and Madeleine Roger (Winnipeg, MB, Canada) will each perform 20-minute sets during a Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Winners concert at the festival on Saturday afternoon, May 31. The concert will also be livestreamed on the Kerrville Folk Festival’s website (kerrvillefolkfestival.org) and Facebook page, as well as on the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation’s YouTube channel.

This year’s Kerrville New Folk competition drew a record-breaking 1341 entries. The six performing songwriters named as 2025 New Folk Winners were selected by judges Adeem the Artist, Rj Cowdery, Matt Nakoa, Raina Rose, and J Wagner. Their songs were evaluated based on originality, lyrics, melody, harmonic structure, and other elements of song-craft. In addition to receiving $750 cash awards and two wristbands each for Kerrville’s 2025 “Welcome Home” Fest in the fall, the winners are also invited to participate in a New Folk Concert Series tour in the spring prior to next year’s festival. Being named as a Kerrville New Folk Winner is regarded as a very prestigious honor in singer-songwriter circles.

Established in 1972 at the urging of Peter Yarrow, the Kerrville New Folk Concerts have become a highlight of the annual festival that is geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles and is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America.

Now in its 55th year, the Kerrville Folk Festival extends through Sunday, June 8, and features more than 100 artists and acts. Besides concerts each evening, it features “Ballad Tree” song-sharing sessions, late-night and afternoon song circles and jam sessions at various campsites, concerts and activities for children, organized canoe and kayak trips on the Guadelupe River, Hill Country bike rides, guided nature walks, yoga, beer and wine seminars, a Young Artists Performance Incubator, a professional development program for teachers, as well as a songwriters school and instrumental workshops.

A listing of all of this year’s New Folk Finalists was included in a previously posted article: https://acousticmusicscene.com/2025/04/19/finalists-named-in-2025-kerrville-new-folk-competition/

Here are links to view the New Folk Concerts that took place on May 24 and 25:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a99XF8DZrRQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-zPMCRHcps

June 1 is the deadline for performing songwriters to submit applications online via the use of an entry form that can be found at https://solarfest.org/singer-songwriter-showcase-2025/. All entries must include video links to two original songs performed live, a brief bio, and a link to the artist’s website.

Judging will be done prior to the festival. One winner and four finalists will be invited to perform on the festival’s solar-powered main stage on Saturday, August 9. Cash prizes will also be awarded — $300 for the winner and $100 for the finalists. Each will receive two festival tickets as well. The winner and finalists will be notified by July 1.

Launched in 1995, SolarFest aims to connect people, the arts, ideas and technology, fostering partnerships and activism to create a vibrant present and a sustainable future. “In addition to workshops and great information on renewable energy, SolarFest has been the home to diverse and exciting music,” as singer-songwriter Phil Henry, a showcase organizer, previously told AcousticMusicScene.com.

“SolarFest’s Songwriter Showcase was so valuable to me when I was starting out in the world of folk and songwriting,” said Henry, 2005’s SolarFest Songwriter Showcase winner. “And many of our scene’s best have graced that stage – like Lara Herscovitch [a former Connecticut State Troubadour who co-organizes the showcase with him and is also a past winner], Louise Coombe, Connor Garvey, Jessica Smucker, and so many others. It’s a great festival with top-notch sound and an incredible vibe!”

Roots-rockin’ jam band Donna The Buffalo and psychedelic jamgrass band Into The Fog headline the festival. Also slated to perform are Phil Henry and the News Feed, Lara Herscovitch & the Highway Philosophers, world folk-rock ensemble HuDost, nuevo flamenco duo Patchouli & Terra Guitarra, Vermont’s own Bow Thayer Band and Ray Vega Band, and the party band Kotoko Brass — whose sound fuses Ghanaian percussion, Caribbean rhythms and joyous New Orleans horns. The festival closes out on Sunday afternoon, August 10, with a local talent expo showcasing some of the area’s up-and-coming performers.

This year’s Kerrville New Folk Finalists are AJAYE (Nashville, TN), Malena Cadiz (Los Angeles, CA), Katie Dahl (Baileys Harbor, WI), Sophia DeLeo (New York, NY), Jeremy Facknitz (Colorado Springs, CA), Jessica Willis Fisher (Nashville, TN), Abbie Gardner (Nashville, TN), Martin Gilmore (Denver, CO), Sara Beth Go (Nashville, TN), Helena Hallberg (Zurich, Switzerland/Nashville, TN), Brian Johannesen (Iowa City, IA), Cindy Kalmenson (Ojai, CA), Holly Lovell (Denver, CO), Hudson Mueller ((Houston, TX), Abigayle Oakley (Nashville, TN), Racyne Parker (Everett, WA), Morgan Lee Power (Waco, TX), Reckless Saints (Fort Myers, FL), Madeleine Roger (Winnipeg, MB Canada), Stephanie Sammor (Farmers Branch, TX), Tai Shan (Madison, TN), Isabel Shaye (Arlington, VA), Mike Vitale (Los Angeles, CA), and Christopher Worth (Portland, OR). They will showcase their talents and songwriting skills at the Threadgill Theater on the Quiet Valley Ranch Campgrounds in the Texas Hill Country near Austin and San Antonio, beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT. The New Folk Concerts may also be livestreamed on the Kerrville Folk Festival’s website [kerrvillefolkfestival.org] and Facebook page, as well as on the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation’s YouTube channel.

After performing the two songs that they submitted during the New Folk Concerts, six songwriters will be selected as 2025 New Folk Winners by a panel of judges that includes Adeem the Artist, RJ Cowdery, Matt Nakoa, Raina Rose, and J Wagner. As in the first round, the finalists’ songs will be evaluated based on originality, lyrics, melody, harmonic structure, and other elements of song-craft. Each of the six performing songwriters chosen as 2025 New Folk Award Winners, to be announced during the evening concert on May 25, will be invited to perform a 20-minute set as part of a New Folk Award Winners Concert on Saturday, May 31 that also will be livestreamed.

Established in 1972 at the urging of the late Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary fame, the Kerrville New Folk Concerts have become a highlight of the annual festival that is geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles and is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America. In addition to receiving $750 cash awards and two wristbands each for Kerrville’s 2025 fall “Welcome Home” Fest, being named as a New Folk Award Winner is regarded as a very prestigious honor. Kerrville New Folk winners also are invited to participate in a New Folk Concert Series tour in the spring prior to the festival.

Extending for 18 days, the Kerrville Folk Festival is set for May 22-June 8 and will feature more than 100 artists and acts. Besides concerts each evening, it features “Ballad Tree” song-sharing sessions, campfire jam sessions, concerts and activities for children, organized canoe and kayak trips on the Guadelupe River and Hill Country bike rides, guided nature walks, yoga, beer and wine seminars, a Young Artists’ Performance Incubator, a professional development program for teachers, as well as a songwriters school and instrumental workshops.

Finalists Named in Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest

Ten finalists also have been named this month in the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest and have been invited to showcase their talents during the 2025 Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival that takes place May 16-18 at the Galatyn Park Urban Center in Richardson, Texas — located just a few minutes north of Dallas. The finalists slated perform on Saturday, May 17, beginning at 12:30 p.m. CT, include Chris Baron (Portland, Oregon), Bud Bierhaus (Katy, TX), Daniel Boling (Albuquerque, NM), Mary Broussard (Scott, LA), Linda Dunnavant (Nashville, TN), Jesse Garcia (Glorietta, NM), Christine Hand (Dallas, TX), Michelle Rayburn (Nashville, TN), Erin Ash Sullivan (Harvard, MA), and Lindsay White (San Diego, CA).

Using a blind-screening process, a panel of judges chose the finalists who will perform two songs each on the Singer-Songwriter Stage inside the Eisemann Center during the annual event that is billed as North Texas’ largest music festival. The 10 finalists will compete for cash prizes and be judged based equally on the quality and presentation of their songs – with originality, lyrics, melody, and harmonic structure among the criteria.
Each of the finalists also will be afforded an opportunity to perform a set of songs on another stage as well during the festival. Visit wwildflowerfestival.com for more information.

Since its inception, the festival has ben a combination of a music fest, family reunion, community gathering, and weekend musical retreat, according to its organizers. Among this year’s performing artists – in addition to a number of Florida-based ones — are Vermont-based singer-songwriter Jason Butler, Hawaii’s Jason Colannino, Massachusetts-based husband & wife duo Crowes Pasture, Pennsylvania-based folksinger-songwriter Anne Hills, California—based duo Jack & the Vox (featuring Jack Maher and Victoria Vox), Illinois-based singer-songwriter Joe Jencks, South Carolina-based guitarist and singer-songwriter Jacob Johnson, Connecticut-based genre-bending trio Mad Agnes, Tennessee-based husband & wife duo Mare Wakefield & Nomad, Kentucky-based singer-songwriter Daniel Neihoff, Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter David Roth, prolific New York-based alt-pop artist Rachael Sage, Colorado-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Carla Sciaky, New Jersey-based comedic singer-songwriter Carla Ulbrich, and West Texas-based Americana singer-songwriter Hank Woji.

Singer-Songwriter Competition to Feature 12 Artists

The twelve finalists in the South Florida Folk & Acoustic Music Festival’s singer-songwriter competition — selected from among more than 40 entrants — will each perform two songs on Saturday. They are Rebecca Berlin, Janet Buehler, Jesse James DeConto (The Pinkerton Raid), Kala Farnham, Jacob George, Sue Horowitz, Lynn Holyfield, Roger Mason, Charlie Pace, Arielle Silver, Sara Trunzo, and Ezra Vancil.

Three winners selected by a panel of three judges (Bob Lind, Susan Mos and Michael Stock) will each receive a cash prize and an invitation to perform at next year’s festival. Last year’s winners were Lynn Biddick (LaCrosse, Wisconsin), Jane Fallon (Dunedin, Florida) and Sarah McCulloch (Davie, Florida).

A Wide Array of Jam Sessions and Workshops are Slated

A variety of jam sessions are slated. Among others, New Hampshire-based husband & wife duo Dan & Faith present “Telling Stories That Matter: Songs For Our Times;” Florida-based folk roots band Killbillies host “a “Traditional Irish Jam;” Rachael Sage invites people to “Share Your Original Songs;” Carla Ulbrich leads a “Funny Song Jam;’ Victoria Vox hosts a “Ukelele Hootenanny;” and Hank Woji leads a “Social and Political Consciousness and Activism Jam.” Ten workshops are also slated over the weekend to be led by such noted singer-songwriters as Joe Jencks, Rod MacDonald, David Roth, and Jack Williams, among others.

A festival schedule including bios of all of the artists slated to perform — along with performance times and links to their websites and to listen to them online – may be found at https://sffolk.org/festival-2025-schedule/. Tickets may be purchased online at https://sffolk.org/general-information/festival-tickets/.

The South Florida Folk & Acoustic Music Club (formerly the Broward Folk Club), which presents the festival, is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote folk & acoustic music and to provide a community for people who share a love for it.

The Honey Badgers were among five jury-selected finalists in an emerging artist competition that attracted 58 applicants who perform in various acoustic roots-based styles. Along with Erin Lunsford, Joseph Alton Miller, Dann Pell, and Red South & Blue Dawn, the duo performed a 20-minute set, followed by a short interview, in the Studio at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday afternoon. Four judges evaluated their live performances based on stage appearance, originality, personality, and overall consistency.

“It was a fantastic day overall at the Susquehanna Folk Festival,” The Honey Badgers said. “We loved the mix of free and ticketed shows, the bliss of air-conditioned performance spaces with a lovely walkable town right outside, and super kind audiences, volunteers and staff. We felt very lucky to end our evening opening for the incredibly Hot Club of Cowtown in the gorgeous Capitol Theatre. Playing our set was a thrill, but getting to watch such an impressive and fun headliner was the cherry on top of an awesome day.” The festival’s other headliners were acclaimed Celtic fiddlers Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy (along with their seven children) and The Klezmatics, a Grammy Award-winning klezmer(Jewish roots music) ensemble.

The Emerging Artist Showcase is considered a highlight of the annual three-day Susquehanna Folk Festival that extended from August 9-11 and also featured national and regional touring artists, a jam session, family activities, an archive challenge hosted by The Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center, and lots of dancing. The Susquehanna Folk Music Society (sfmsfolk.org), a Harrisburg, PA-based nonprofit organization that bills itself as Central Pennsylvania’s grassroots voice for folk music and dance, launched the festival in 2018. The society has been presenting traditional, contemporary and international folk music and dance events in Central Pennsylvania since 1985.

The festival will feature more than 50 musical artists and acts performing daily from 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. Seven stages –including the shady, family-oriented Dulcimer Grove — will offer a diverse array of international, regional and hyper-local performers, daytime workshops, in-the-round sets featuring several artists/acts, and more. As in years past, many artisans will display and sell their crafts, while a wide array of food and beverages will be available for purchase.

This year’s festival headliners are, Gangstagrass (a group whose innovative sound is a fusion of bluegrass and hip hop) John Oates (formerly of the popular Philadelphia-based pop-soul duo Hall & Oates), and virtuosic banjo player Tony Trischka’s EarlJam – A Tribute to Earl Scruggs (in which the acclaimed bluegrass artist and backing band trace the musical story of the American bluegrass legend known for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style).

Among the other notable artists slated to perform during the festival are Adam Ezra Group, Calvin Arsenia, Cajun band Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, Craig Bickhardt with Aislann Bickhardt, Johnathan Byrd, Ellis Paul, The Faux Paws, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Dom Flemons, John Flynn, John Gallagher, Jr., The Great Groove Band, Alice Howe & Freebo, Jess Klein, A.J. Lee & Blue Summit, Crys Matthews, Pete Muller and the Kindred Souls, Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt, Celtic roots ensemble RUNA, The Secret Sisters, Shanna in a Dress, Alexis P. Suter Band, Stephen Wade, Nigel Wearne, and Windborne. A number of talented Canadian artists are on the bill – including Angelique Francis Band, Cassie & Maggie, J.P. Cormier, Dave Gunning, Miss Emily, and Genevieve Racette.

John Flynn, a Delaware-based singer-songwriter and social justice activist & troubadour, has been a frequent performer at the festival and closes it out this year on the Main Stage. “When people ask me how I’m doing I often say ‘better than I deserve.’ They always think I’m joking but I’m really not,” he told AcousticMusicScene.com. “I am so grateful for the chances I’ve been given in this life and that’s kind of how I feel about the Philadelphia Folk Festival. These folks have supported my music from the very beginning, and it’s a real honor to be getting a chance to appear with so many wonderful artists on the final night of this year’s fest.”

Artists Affiliated with Music Artists Cooperative (MAC) and Xtreme Folk Scene Also Slated to Perform

The Philadelphia Folk Festival also will feature performances by members of the Philadelphia Folksong Society’s Musical Artists Cooperative (MAC) and from The Xtreme Folk Scene, a Philadelphia-based music community dedicated to supporting dynamic and innovative folk music that pushes the boundaries of tradition and celebrates the fusion of various genres.

The Musical Artists Cooperative (MAC) is an initiative designed to support professional musicians who perform regularly in the local area, with many touring nationally as well. Slated to perform on the Lobby Stage on Friday, Aug, 16, between 1-5:30 p.m. are Last Chance, CubiZm, Jefferson Berry & the UAC, Bethlehem and Sad Patrick, Jersey Corn Pickers, Kicking Down Doors, The Hoppin Boxcars, and Meghan Cary. On Saturday morning, Aug. 17, Mara Levine and Gathering Time will perform on the Craft Stage from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and on Sunday morning, Aug. 18, The Honey Badgers and The Edgehill Rounders play the Tank Stage from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Other MAC-affiliated artists set to perform during the festival include Emily Drinker, Aaron Nathans, David C. Perry, Jackson Pines, and Two of a Kind.

The Xtreme Folk Showcase, entitled “Anger, Hope, and Outrage,” will feature performances by Sug Daniels, Anarkkhipov, Persistent Resonators, A Day Without Love, and Matt Pless on the Tank Stage on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Xtreme Folk Scene also presents Xfest, an annual music festival featuring some of the edgiest folk artists in the greater Philadelphia area.

There’s also a festival within the festival for those who opt to camp onsite and enjoy some late-night musical revelry. The 40-acre campground – chock-a-block with tents – is home to a unique late-night scene, with singing by campfires and jamming into the early morning hours, as well as a Thursday night Camp Stage kickoff performance for campers only.

For more information about the Philadelphia Folk Festival – including stage schedules — and to order tickets, visit folkfest.org.