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 May 29th KFF Virtual Celebration is slated to begin at 10 a.m. CT with a special montage of Kerrville Folk Festival video footage and photos. Artists slated to perform during the afternoon and evening include Dana Cooper (2 p.m.), Shake Russell (3 p.m.), Ray Prim (4 p.m.), The Deer (5 p.m.), Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis (7 p.m.), and Jackie Venson (8 p.m.). More Video clips and images from past festivals will be shared during set changes.

The Virtual Celebration will stream online at https://kerrvillefolkfestival.org and on the festival’s YouTube channel and will be re-aired on Saturday, June 5. Virtual campfires hosted by members of the Kerrmunity are also in the offing. More details will be posted on the website in coming days. Although the virtual celebration is free to view, donations to the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation are welcome.

Named as finalists in the Grassy Hill-Kerrville New Folk Competition are (in alphabetical order): Taylor Abrahamse (Toronto, ON, Canada), Beth // James (Austin, TX), Randy Lewis Brown (Mineola, TX), Sav Buist (Traverse City, MI), Shawn Byrne (Nashville, TN), Chaislyn (Baton Rouge, LA), Sam Luke Chase (Marshfield, MA), Scott Cook (Edmonton, AB, Canada), Paul Demer (Dallas, TX), Lacy Green (Nashville, TN), Donal Hinely (Denton, TX), Humbird (Minneapolis, MN), Kennedy Road (Toronto, ON, Canada), Spencer LaJoye (Denver, CO), My One And Only (Nashville, TN), Jeremy Parsons (San Antonio, TX), Kyle Rasche – Chain of Lakes (Oak Park, MI), Sam Robbins (Nashville, TN), Alexa Rose (Asheville, NC), Rachel Summer (Winchester, MA), Andy Sydow (Denver, CO), Dan Weber (Richardson, TX), Tiffany Williams (Nashville, TN), and Brad Yoder (Pittsburgh, PA). They were chosen from among nearly 700 entries.

After performing the two songs that they submitted during the New Folk Concerts, six songwriters will be selected as 2021 New Folk Winners. The six, to be announced during the Virtual Celebration on May 29, will each receive $650 cash honorariums and other prizes, and will be invited to perform (in-person) during a New Folk Award Winners Concert on the first weekend of the 49th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival that is tentatively slated for Oct. 1-10, 2021.

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. In addition to receiving cash awards and additional performance opportunities, being named as a New Folk Award Winner is regarded as a very prestigious honor.