Besides several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps/in-the-rounds, open mics and informal jam sessions, the NERFA conference will also feature, informative panel discussions and workshops, one-on-one mentoring and peer & affinity group sessions, communal meals, awards presentations, an exhibit hall, a very special film screening, a reception, communal meals, a community meeting with NERFA’s volunteer board of directors, and lots of opportunities for schmoozing and networking. Singer-songwriters Flamy Grant and Janis Ian (best known for her early hits “Society’s Child” and “At 17”) will keynote the conference on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively.

Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performers who attend the conference; and many presenters and folk DJs do scout out new artists and those whom they have not previously heard and seen in live performance. However, the conference experience is much more than that; it’s really about forging connections, building community, and taking advantage of learning opportunities that can help enhance and enrich your professional and personal lives.

The conference’s programming committee, under the leadership of Ron Olesko, a NERFA board member and the creator and director of Folk Music Notebook (a 24/7 online radio station and community hub), has arranged a diverse array of workshops, panel discussions and special events.

“We are excited to present a special pre-release screening of a new film You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine,“ said Olesko. Filmed during a star-studded two-night tribute to the legendary songwriter at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium in October 2022, its national theatrical release is slated for later in November. Prine’s widow, Fiona Whelan Prine, president of Oh Boy! Records and a producer of the film will engage in a Q & A session following the screening. Anna Canoni, president of Woody Guthrie Publications, will give a presentation about her grandfather and the newly released Woody at Home: Woody Guthrie’s Home Recordings, 1951-1952. Buskin & Batteau, Christine Lavin, John Forster, and Carla Ulbrich — who occasionally perform together as the April Fools –will share some very funny folk songs. Also slated is a Friday morning production of Ms. Music: The Jackie Alper Story, a folk musical written and directed by Andy Spence and Sarah Dillon, that honors the late folk music legend in the New York Capital Region and an influential figure in the folk revival.

Also on the conference schedule are the ever-popular On the Griddle instant critique session during which a panel of folk DJs listen to the first 60 seconds of a number of songs and provides snap feedback. Sonny Ochs, a longtime folk DJ and sister of the late troubadour and activist Phil Ochs, will again host a Wisdom of the Elders session. It will feature acclaimed singer-songwriters Janis Ian and Tom Chapin a, along with Terry Thai (Bob Dylan’s first manager and former wife of Dave Van Ronk). Olesko joins Ochs in posing questions to them in a conversational format. A number of workshops and panel discussions designed to help artists and presenters as they try to navigate the challenges currently faced by the folk community are also on the agenda.

Juried Showcases Slated for Friday and Saturday Nights      

Taking center stage during the conference will be 14 artists/acts selected by a panel of judges from among more than 160 submissions – with each to perform a 15-minute formal showcase set on Friday and Saturday nights – the most coveted performance opportunity at the conference. Showcasing their talents on Friday night will be Phil Henry, Judy Kass, Weary Ramblers, Connie Kaldor, Taylor Abrahamse, Elise Leavy, and Cassie and Maggie. Saturday night’s featured artists include The Levins, Sadie Gustafson-Zook, Beecharmer, Louie Lou Louis, Mystery Loves Company, Paul Colombino, and The Honey Badgers.

Judges for this year’s official juried showcases were Richard Cuccaro (publisher of Acoustic Live! in New York City & Beyond), Aaron Nathans (singer-songwriter and recording artist), and Mary Stewart (artistic director of Hugh’s Room Live in Toronto, Ontario)

On Thursday evening, the conference’s opening night, a Presenters Showcase will feature short performances by 14 artists/acts chosen by select folk DJs and concert & festival presenters. Listed in order of appearance, they are Haunted Like Human, Nico Padden, Christine Baillargeon, Nora Meier, Selena Tibbert, Halley Neal, Mirabelle Skipworth, Marc Apostoides, Sam Edelston, Ben Diamond (AKA Son Stone), Allison Strong, Francesca Panetta, Sam Berquist, and Mark & Jill.

Following the juried and curator’s showcases each evening, a number of presenters, performers and others will host private showcases in first floor hotel rooms that extend from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. AcousticMusicScene.com will host a series of song swaps in place of its longtime popular Midnight Hoot on Thursday overnight.

Here’s the AcousticMusicScene.com Showcase lineup:

10:30 p.m             Songs of Social Justice: Dan & Faith, Hank Stone

11:00 p.m.            Reggie Harris & Pat Wictor

11:30 p.m.            Long Island Sounds: James O’Malley, Roger Street Friedman

12:00 a.m.             Americana Folk: Lynn Crossett, Susan Kane, Carolann Solebello

12:30 a.m.             Mixed Bag: Miles & Mafale, Arielle Silver

1:00 a.m.                Funny Folk: Mark Allen Berube, Barry Rabin, Carla Ulbrich

1:30 a.m.                Tunes from Texas: Claudia Gibson, Mystery Loves Company

2:00 a.m.              Doug Mishkin, Stuart Markus

NERFA Leaders Share Their Thoughts on the Conference

“We are thrilled about our new location, nore central to our region in a beautiful and spacious hotel that offers ample opportunity for gathering on a single floor, which will encourage interaction and socializing,” Olesko told AcousticMusicScene.com. “It’s perfect for encouraging collaborations and sharing of best practices.”

Echoing his sentiments, Cheryl Prashker, president of NERFA’s board of directors, said:

“I am excited that we have brought the conference to Albany, New York for the first time. The Desmond Hotel is a perfect space for our community that gathers each year to share their music, their knowledge, and their passion for giving to each other. I cannot think of a more important thing at this time.” Expressing gratitude for a music community of which she’s been a part for more than 25 years, she said: “It has shaped who I am as a musician and a person. All I hope to be able to do is offer the young musicians coming up some love and support as they navigate the business of folk music.”

NERFA is one of five North American regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International (folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. Although folks from throughout North America attend its annual conference, NERFA’s geographic boundaries extend from the eastern provinces of Canada south to the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. More extensive information on the organization and its annual conference may be found online at www.nerfa.org and www.nerfaconference.org. The four other North American regions – Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM), Folk Alliance Region – West (FAR-West), Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA), and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) already held their 2025 conferences. Folk Alliance International’s next conference is set for January — — in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Editor’s Note: Besides hosting a late-night song swap-style artist showcase during the conference, as I have under the banner of AcousticMusicScene.com most years since the online publication’s inception in 2007, I will be assisting two of my artist PR clients (Lynn Crossett and James O’Malley) and offering some one-on-one mentoring sessions on artist bios and one-sheets, EPKS, social media promotion, and various other aspects of public relations and strategic communications. As president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington (a nonprofit presenting organization on Long Island, NY), I also curated and will co-host a private showcase under its banner on Friday overnight. As a past president and former 15-year board member of NERFA who was not at last year’s conference, I really look forward to this one.

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.

Laura Stevenson (a Long Island, New York-based singer-songwriter) and Adam Weiner (who fronts the Philadelphia-based band Low Cut Connie) will deliver keynotes and perform during the conference, while some 130 other pre-selected musical acts and artists of various genres will showcase their talents at 15 local bars, restaurants and hotels on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Singer-Songwriter Cape May also features two afternoons of hour-long music business panel discussions and workshops, as well as mentoring sessions, at Congress Hall & Harrison Conference Center. There will be plenty of opportunities for networking with other singer-songwriters, musicians and music industry professionals.

While AcousticMusicScene.com is my labor of love, I am also a communications and public relations strategist and will participate in a panel discussion “ on “Marketing & Branding for Independent Acts & Artists” during a Friday afternoon conference session.

Bill Pere, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and author of Songcrafters’ Coloring Book, will present a workshop on “Building A Successful Career as a Songwriter” and share “The 8 Keys to Success in the Music Business” in another one. His wife, Kay Pere, a nationally known vocal and creativity coach, leads a workshop entitled “Regenerative Creativity: Making a Musical Life that Matters.” The Peres said that they are glad to be returning to SS Cape May for the 12th time to share their decades of experience and knowledge on the craft and business of songwriting. “Among the dozens of music conferences we have presented at over the last 30 years, SS Cape May is clearly one of the best for both new and experienced singer-songwriters to learn, network, and enhance their career goals,” they told AcousticMusicScene.com. “We always look forward to this weekend filled with the creative energy and aspirations of current and upcoming singer-songwriters.”

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has many implications for the music industry. Aspects of these will be explored in two workshops. Jeff Snyder, a professor emeritus who spent 25 years in higher education and chaired a music department, will share examples of the many uses of AI that are already happening during a workshop entitled “Hey AI … What Have You Done?,” while Dr. Michael Harrington, a frequent speaker at SS Cape May and other music conferences, will explain how to leverage AI as a creative tool while safeguarding your intellectual property in “Harnessing AI for Music Creation: A Legal Perspective.” Harrington — who created a popular Berklee College of Music course on copyright law in the music business, has served as an expert witness and co-authored amicus briefs on behalf of big-name artists and as a consultant in hundreds of music copyright and intellectual property matters — will also present a workshop on “New Copyright & IP issues in Music, Film, TV, Adverts, & Games.”

Lou Plaia (Hot Rats Entertainment), co-founder of ReverbNation – the world’s largest DIY artists services platform, moderates a panel discussion on “Maximizing Your Potential as a Musician.” Fellow music industry veteran Les Scott (Source Q Boutique), who specializes in music placement in film & television and currently represents more than 400 writers and artists, speaks on “Marketing Your Music for Film & Television.” There will also be a “Producer Panel” that will delve into the roles of producers, recording sessions, mixing & mastering recordings, production budgets, supervision, and more.

The conference registration desk opens at 11 a.m. on March 28, while panel discussions and workshops take place between 1 and 5 p.m. on Friday and 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Showcasing artists and panelists will receive credentials for the conference, while others may register to attend the daytime events for a small fee. Evening showcase performances –- apart from those at Congress Hall featuring keynoters Laura Stevenson and Adam Weiner, which are ticketed — are free and open to the public. The venues hosting them are all within walking distance of Congress Hall. In addition, Behr Brewing on Seashore Road in Cape May hosts a SS Cape May Kick-Off Party featuring live music on Thursday, March 27, from 6-9 p.m.

For more information, to register for the conference, and to view the evening showcase schedules, visit www.sscapemay.com.

Singer-Songwriter Toby Tobias — who co- hosts the NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) in Huntington, NY three Wednesdays each month — will host an open mic, while his co-host Richard Parr handles sound. Terry Seidl, also a Long Island-based artist, leads a song circle.

Among the short breakout sessions during the Acoustic Music Community Gathering will be Getting the Word Out: A Primer (presented by Michael Kornfeld), a Partial Capo Workshop for Guitarists (led by Hank Stone), a Performance Skills Workshop (presented by Carolann Solebello), and a Sea Chantey Sing (led by Stuart Markus).

Although refreshments will be provided as part of the price of admission ($15 in advance via PayPal; $20 at the door — cash and checks only), meals are intentionally not included so as to keep costs low. Folks are welcome to bring their own lunch if so desired, while many attendees are apt to go out for dinner afterwards.

To save money and provide organizers with an idea of how many people to prepare for, please consider purchasing your ticket in advance online via PayPal by taking a photo/scan of the QR code in the graphic image that accompanies this article. You can also purchase tickets via the link below:

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/8B3PQTPRV4UDA

Getting There: The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island is easily accessible by car and train. There’s a free, paved parking lot on-site, while the Long Island Rail Road’s Mineola station is about half a mile away.

Here is the afternoon’s schedule (subject to change):

1 p.m.- Welcoming remarks (MK), Introductions of key participants (that’s you), meet & greets

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.- Open Mic hosted by Toby Tobias

2:00 p.m.- Sea Chantey Sing (Stuart Markus)

2:45 p.m.- Partial Capo Workshop (Hank Stone)

3:45 p.m – 5:45 p.m. – Song Circle hosted by Terry Seidl

3:30 p.m.- Personalized Performance Skills Workshop (Carolann Solebello)

4:15 p.m – Getting the Word Out: A Primer (Michael Kornfeld)

5:00 p.m.- Possible repeat of one of the above

5:45 p.m. -Closing Remarks + Participatory Song

About the Co-Presenters:

AcousticMusicScene.com is an online publication that has been providing news and information for the folk, roots and singer-songwriter communities since January 2007. Michael Kornfeld, a PR and communications strategist who founded AcousticMusicScene.com as a labor of love, also has hosted artist showcases and song swaps at music conferences and festivals under its banner.

Folk Music Society of Huntington (FMSH.org) is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that was founded in the late 1960s. It co-presents the monthly Hard Luck Cafe concert series and the thrice-monthly North Shore Original Open Mic (NOOM) with the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, NY on Wednesday nights in its Sky Room, as well as a folk jam & sing-along one Sunday a month at the South Huntington Public Library.

The Our Times Coffeehouse (ourtimescoffeehouse.org) was established by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in March 1990 as a venue for live folk music. Following a three- year hiatus, the volunteer-run monthly concert series resumed in May and continues on the first Friday of each month featuring local, regional and nationally touring artists preceded by an open mic.

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.

“I’ve long thought it would be wonderful and extremely appropriate to do the show in Huntington, where Harry and Sandy lived and raised their family,” said Stuart Markus, the concert’s organizer and emcee. “Harry is still held in such beloved regard by residents of the town and public officials at all levels.”

Eighteen acts — comprised of nearly three dozen of Long Island’s top musicians and songwriters — will take to the stage that bears his name to honor the late Grammy Award-winning songwriter, humanitarian and anti-hunger activist. They’ll perform his breakthrough hit, “Taxi,” his best-known song “Cat’s in the Cradle” (which topped the charts in December 1974), fan favorites like “Flowers Are Red” and “Mr. Tanner,” and some of Chapin’s more obscure songs as well. Concertgoers are asked to bring donations of nonperishable food to support Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank founded by Chapin in 1980.

“All the performers are pro-caliber full-time and part-time musicians who perform regularly at local venues and/or tour on the folk circuit,” Markus said. “Throughout the two decades that we’ve been presenting the show, I’ve always encouraged them to treat the songs as their own — however they imagine them. The results have been some very creative interpretations,” he added.

Besides Markus and his folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time, this year’s roster of performers includes Akiva the Believer, Karen Bella, John Cardone, Roger Street Friedman, Grand Folk Railroad, Robin Greenstein, Lora Kendall, Mara Levine, Vicky Liotta, Debra Lynne & Lora Kendall, Media Crime, Judy Merrick, Miles & Mafale, Matthew Ponsot, Patricia Shih & Stephen Fricker, Robin Eve, Roger Silverberg, Talya Smilowitz, Christine Solimeno, Hank Stone, Martha Trachtenberg, Frank Walker, Lisa Ann Wharton, and Judith Zweiman & Duane Michael Tucker. Jen Chapin, Harry’s daughter and a touring artist in her own right, also will perform.

Long Island Cares’ staff and volunteers will be collecting donations of non-perishable food at a tent at the entrance to the Chapin Rainbow Stage and also selling t-shirts and Harry Chapin CDs, as well as distributing literature about the nonprofit organization’s programs and services. Concertgoers are advised to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Where to View the ‘Just Wild About Harry’ Concert Online

For those are unable to attend the concert in-person, it will also be livestreamed via a number of social media channels that follow. Although the concert is set for 7 p.m. ET, viewers are advised to log on earlier since there may be a few pre-show interviews with performing artists and members of the Chapin family.

Harry Chapin Fans Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/954037953400184/

Harry Chapin Foundation YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/dFZjPTrpqLo

Harry Chapin Foundation Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/488328867019092/

Harry Chapin Memories Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/835691325191299/

Harry Chapin Music Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/812448574320945/

Hey Long Island, Do You Remember…? Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/889951243173302/

I Grew Up in Huntington Township NY USA 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/1731745810691338/

Just Wild About Harry (The Harry Chapin Tribute Show) Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/1495851031039195/

L.I. Fans & Friends of Folk Music Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/1029824552128240/

Long Island Cares Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1604518290389306/

Long Live Harry Chapin Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/849747593717608/

Editor’s Note: A public relations and strategic communications professional, as well as the longtime president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, I have been helping to promote the annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concerts pro bono for many years.

I still have fond memories of Harry’s concerts. Yet as much as I appreciated him as a singer-songwriter who helped to forge my love of folk and folk-rock music, I so respected him for his activism, his community involvement, and his commitment to making this “A Better Place to Be.”

Hailed as “the songwriter laureate of modern city folk,” (The Boston Globe), Lucy Kaplansky is a New York City-based contemporary folk singer-songwriter with a luminous voice whose recordings have frequently topped the folk and Americana radio charts. Among the most respected and covered touring songwriters on the folk scene, Massachusetts-based Cliff Eberhardt, like Kaplansky, cut his musical teeth playing NYC clubs centered around Greenwich Village during the folk/songwriter renaissance of the 1980s. When not doing their own thing, Kaplansky and Eberhardt have been part of an On a Winter’s Night tour that also features John Gorka and Patty Larkin.

Prior to the evening concert on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage, Michael Kornfeld, president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com, conducts an on-stage conversational interview with the evening’s featured artists at 7:15 p.m. He also emcees a series of amplified song swaps from 1:30-4 p.m. near a canopy tent on the upper lawn area overlooking the stage and from 4-6 p.m. on-stage. These will be preceded by an hour-long open mic hosted by singer-songwriter Toby Tobias, who co-hosts the NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) that is co-presented by FMSH and the Cinema Arts Centre in the Cinema’s Sky Room on three Wednesday nights each month, while FMSH’s monthly Hard Luck Café concert series takes place on the third Wednesday.

Artists slated to showcase their talents during the afternoon include (in alphabetical order by last name): Josie Bello, Suzanne Ernst, Roger Street Friedman, Rorie Kelly, Ray Lambiase, Bill Lauter, Mara Levine, The Levins, Annie Mark, Stuart Markus, Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale, Louise Mosrie, Mark Newman, Nico Padden, Carolann Solebello, Hank Stone, Christine Sweeney, and Toby Tobias.

The complete schedule for the Huntington Folk Festival appears below:

1:30 Huntington’s Own: Josie Bello, Suzanne Ernst, Ray Lambiase

2:00 LI Guys: Hank Stone and Bob Westcott

2:30 LI Gals: Rorie Kelly, Nico Padden, Christine Sweeney

3:00 Huntington’s Own II: Bill Lauter, Annie Mark, Mark Newman

4:00 A Pair of Duos: The Levins and Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale

4:30 Let’s Hear It for the Guys: Roger Street Friedman and Toby Tobias

5:00 Classic Folk Covers: Mara Levine and Stuart Markus

5:30 Women of Note: Louise Mosrie Coombe and Carolann Solebello

6:00 Dinner Break

7:15 A Conversation with Cliff Eberhardt and Lucy Kaplansky

8:00 Evening Concert: Cliff Eberhardt and Lucy Kaplansky

Festivalgoers are advised to bring lawn chairs and blankets and a picnic supper (or they can walk into Huntington Village and enjoy a meal at one of its many restaurants).

The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is produced by the Town of Huntington and presented by the Huntington Arts Council. Additional support is provided by Presenting Sponsor Canon U.S.A., with partial funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning.

Neal grew up in Connecticut and loves getting back up to New England. “I’m really looking forward to spending some time in Vermont, which is so beautiful in the summertime. I love that the folks at SolarFest focus their attention on renewable energy and sustainable, healthy living, all very important things that I am so excited to learn more about, and be a part of! I’m also so excited to bring the guys from the band Pretty Saro along with me to play as my backing band for the show.” She anticipates it being “a really fun and special time.”

Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2019, Neal has released two albums featuring her original songs. Also a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition this year, Neal is delighted that Pretty Saro, an acoustic roots trio from Boston, Massachusetts, will join her when she performs at SolarFest.

Here’s a link to enjoy a video of Neal performing “Emily,” one of the two songs that she submitted to the SolarFest Songwriter Showcase judges: https://youtu.be/OpiQZgfFSQA.

Named as showcase finalists were Narissa Bond (Houston, TX), J.M. Clifford (Brooklyn, NY), Frank Critelli (New Haven, CT), and Carolann Solebello (Brooklyn, NY).

As previously reported on AcousticMusicScene.com, the SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase was free to enter and open to all artists who write and perform original music and are not currently signed to a major recording label. Entries were evaluated based on composition (music and lyrics), vocal and instrumental delivery, and overall live performance.

Launched in 1995, SolarFest — slated for July 15-16 this year — 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,” says singer-songwriter Phil Henry, a festival organizer. Among the more than 20 artists and acts who will showcase their talents during this year’s festival are Dar Williams, House of Hamill, HuDost, Lara Herscovitch & the Philosopher Kings, Pamela Means, Louise Mosrie Coombe, and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival “Most Wanted” Preview Tour featuring Phil Henry, Grace Morrison, Sam Robbins, and Erin Ash Sullivan. Henry, Herscovitch and Mosrie Coombe are previous SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase winners. More information on SolarFest may be found at solarfest.org.

When it wrapped in January, “Woody’s Children” was the longest continuously running folk music radio program in America and among the most influential. It was created and had been hosted by Sherman since its inception in January 1969. “Woody’s Children” began its lengthy run on WQXR, where Sherman also served a long stint as program director and later as senior consultant – having begun his career there as a clerk-typist nearly 70 years ago and become its director of recorded music and music director before ever going on the air. Prior to launching “Woody’s Children,” Sherman had programmed but not hosted another show called “Folk Music of the World.”

Pete Seeger, Sherman’s guest on the very first program, is credited with coining the name “Woody’s Children” out of reverence for Woody Guthrie and the singer-songwriters following in his footsteps. Seeger was a frequent guest on the show, as were Tom Chapin, Judy Collins, Odetta, Tom Paxton, and Peter, Paul and Mary, among others. Sherman also gave early career boosts to such artists as John Gorka and Christine Lavin.

Some of Bob Sherman’s favorite folk artists — including David Amram, Tom Chapin and Tom Paxton – helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Woody’s Children,” during a nearly sold-out December 7, 2018 concert at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space in Manhattan.

Although WQXR dropped “Woody’s Children” 35 years ago, Sherman, whose background was in classical music, continued to host a number of programs at the classical station as well from the 1970s until recently – including the Young Artists Showcase, which he began hosting in 1978 and whose final show aired earlier this month when he announced his retirement. He also hosted television programs (Vibrations and Camera Three) on PBS and CBS during the 1970s.

“Bob Sherman’s interest in both young classical music performers and all folk musicians informed his long-running radio show and were a wonderful service to New Yorkers,” Tom Chapin told AcousticMusicScene.com. Calling him “a remarkably warm and caring person,” Chapin continued, “I shall really miss visiting his ‘Woody’s Children’ radio show and singing him whatever new songs I had in my pocket, as well as the amazing Symphony Space concerts that brought my heroes and compatriots together to celebrate that long-running radio staple.”

John Platt, host of “Sunday Supper” on WFUV, noted: “I used to joke, ‘I wanna be Bob Sherman when I grow up, even though I was only a half-generation younger and already a radio professional for 30 years. It was his lifelong dedication to the music and his ongoing commitment to new artists that inspired me. It was only in the last few months, when his health finally declined, that he stepped back from his shows at WFUV and WQXR. He was as much a treasure within the music community and radio audience as the artists he played… I’ll always cherish our mutual admiration and, as I’ve said, I’ll continue to honor the legacy of ‘Woody’s Children.'”

NERFA (nerfa.org) is one of five North American regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International, a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion — and the only one to host its annual conference both in-person and online this year. Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) and Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) held in-person conferences in September and October, respectively, while Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) held its 2022 conference in the spring and Folk Alliance Region-West opted not to host one this year.

As in years past, the NERFA conference will feature several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps and jam sessions; open mics; one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions; an exhibit hall; keynote speakers, awards; a community meeting; an open-sing; and lots of informal conversation and networking. The conference is designed to help attendees forge connections and build community, while also providing learning and performance opportunities that can help enhance their professional and personal lives.

Unlike previous NERFA conferences, all of the events will not take place in one location. While the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel will be home to much of the in-person conference, Formal Showcases will be held at The Stone Pony — a venerable music club located just a few minutes away from it. NERFA Awards will also be presented there, as will two of the conference’s three nightly keynote addresses.

Artists Showcase Their Talents at The Stone Pony, the Host Hotel and Online

The juried formal showcases are considered the premiere performance opportunity during the conference. From among hundreds of submissions, 20 artists/acts were chosen to perform in-person at The Stone Pony, while another 20 were awarded virtual showcase opportunities. All will be streamed online for virtual ticket holders, while Saturday’s in-person formal showcases also are open to the public for $15 plus a service fee in advance via nerfaconference.org/tickets/ or $20 at the venue.

Virtual formal showcasing performers – each of whom submitted a pre-recorded live video – include Deidre McCalla, Emily Drinker, Genevieve Racette, Greg Greenway, ilyAIMY, Joshua Garcia, Justin Farren, Kray Van Kirk, Larry & Joe, Madison Violet, Natalie Price, Palmyra, Peter Calo, Rachael Sage, Rupert Wates, Sam Robbins, Shanna in a Dress, Taylor Abrahamse, and Travis Knapp. In addition to being screened online, all 20 virtual formal showcases will be presented on-site via a theater-sized video wall in the exhibit hall that will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy a Saturday afternoon showcase presented by Folk Music Ontario and the opening night’s Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase that will feature short performances by seven artists/acts selected by folk DJs, along with a keynote address by Sarah Craig, executive director of Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY — America’s longest continuously operating folk club. Following the juried and folk DJ showcases each evening, a number of private showcases curated by conference attendees will be held in various hotel rooms from 10 p.m. through the early morning hours on Thursday-Saturday overnight. Some hosts may also livestream their in-person showcases, while others are hosting virtual showcases.

Panel Discussions and Workshops Explore a Variety of Topics

The conference’s programming committee has created a streamlined array of 60-90 minute panel discussions and workshops. These include “Artists & Presenters: Safe Expectations & Boundaries,” “Blurring the Boarder: Do’s, Don’ts and Musts to Ensure a Successful Crossing,” “Bringing Your Venue Online,” “Coming Back from Quarantine – House Concert Edition,” “A Crash Course in Cutting the Cord & Becoming a Full-Time Musician,” “The Current State of Marketing Yourself,” “Defining Success in Your Career,” “Editing Videos for Fun and Profit,” “Export Ready – Preparing Yourself for a New Marketplace,” “How to Return from the Pandemic Stronger,” “How to Seize Financial Opportunities,” “The Ins & Outs of Co-writing,” “Keep the Story Going (The Lifecycle of a Song),” “Lifecycle of Record Production & Release,” “The Reality of Touring for Working Artists,” and “Recording Remotely.”

David Amram (“the renaissance man of American music”) and Vance Gilbert (a veteran touring singer-songwriter and past keynote speaker) will conduct performance critique sessions, while Jean Rohe and acclaimed singer-songwriter Dar Williams present songwriting workshops. Ron Olesko (a veteran folk DJ and the creator & curator of Folk Music Notebook) moderates a Wisdom of the Elders panel discussion featuring Kari Estrin (a radio promoter and artist development & career consultant), Mitch Greenhiill (a musician, composer, producer, and president of the music agency FLiArtists) and Biff Kennedy (an artist manager and radio promoter).

Virtual Tickets Enabling Online Access to the Conference for 30 or 365 Days are Still Available for Purchase

Virtual tickets that afford you online access to all official virtual conference programming (including live-streamed panel discussions and workshops, formal showcases and keynotes, as well as virtual private showcases) for 30/365 days following the conference are available for $35/$50 plus service fees at nerfaconference.org/tickets/.