“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.”

This year’s concert will be a special one since that week will mark the 40th anniversary of Chapin’s tragic death on the Long Island Expressway in 1981 — on the day that he was supposed to perform on that very stage, since renamed for him. Several tribute show regulars were among the crowd in 1981 when what was supposed to be a joyous event turned into a vigil, Markus said.

“Harry is still so lovingly regarded in Long Island songwriter circles, both for his songwriting and anti-hunger activism,” Markus said. “Each year, the community comes together to, in effect, present the concert that he might have given, each putting their own interpretation on his songs. We’ve had some amazing arrangements, from folky to country, torch-song style to hard rock.”


The concert will also be a benefit for Long Island Cares, the Harry Chapin Food Bank. “The annual Harry Chapin tribute concert in Eisenhower Park is always a very special event for all of us at Long Island Cares because so many of Harry’s fans attend and are extremely supportive of Long Island Cares and the work we do to assist the more than 316,000 Long Islanders struggling with domestic hunger and high food insecurity,” said Paule Pachter, the nonprofit organization’s chief executive officer.

The concert is being co-promoted by the Folk Music Society of Huntington, of which Markus is a board member. This year’s show will be the 16th at the park and the 18th overall. Last year’s tribute streamed online only due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Besides Markus and Gathering Time, this year’s roster of performers includes newcomers ThemAgain, Roger Street Friedman, and Richard Parr, along with returning performers Patricia Shih, Robinson Treacher, Debra Lynne, Media Crime, Ed Ryan, Sid Cherry & Helen Schrier Pandal, Toby Tobias, Mike Barry, Folk Goddesses, Robin Greenstein, and Christine Solimeno, plus assorted side musicians.
The concert, for which attendees are advised to bring lawn chairs, will be held rain or shine, precluded only by thunderstorms. For more information, visit https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1767/Parks-Recreation-Museums.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and have been helping to promote the annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concerts for many years.

I first met Harry Chapin some 50 years ago at a Long island rally for the United Farm Workers during the lettuce and grape boycott of the early 1970s. I was 12-years old at the time and somewhere, amid all my papers, is a newspaper photo of Harry clasping my hand and that of Richard Chavez, brother of the late UFW leader Cesar Chavez, that day. Over the course of the next decade, I saw Harry many times in concert, at various events, and around town with his wife, Sandy. While spending a college semester abroad in London, England during the winter and spring of 1981, I was Harry’s guest at what turned out to be his last concerts in England. I still have fond memories of Harry’s concerts. Yet as much as I appreciated Harry Chapin 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.” Harry’s story songs, social consciousness and concern for ordinary people were very much in keeping with the longstanding traditions of folk music and the spirit of the folk community.

As the credits roll at the end of the recent documentary Harry Chapin: When In Doubt Do Something, I can be seen briefly singing Harry’s song “Circle” — along with others, including Harry’s brother Tom and daughter Jen — near the stage that bears his name at Eisenhower Park.

Being held in Stamford for the second consecutive year after outgrowing its previous location in the Catskills of upstate New York, the NERFA conference will feature several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps, informal jam sessions, panel discussions and workshops, a keynote by singer-songwriter Vance Gilbert, a Wisdom of the Elders session, a children’s concert, short performances by Connecticut State Troubadours, one-on-one mentoring sessions, a large trade show-like exhibit hall, communal meals, a welcoming party and happy hours, and lots of informal conversation and networking.

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 attending workshops and seminars to learn about options to further careers, promote the music, and attract audiences and listeners.

Singer-Songwriter Vance Gilbert Keynotes the Event

Gilbert – who embarks on a 22-date eastern Australia tour immediately following the conference — enthralls concert and festival audiences with his moving lyrics and his strong tenor voice that can morph into falsetto when needed, as well as his stand-up riffs on contemporary societal mores. His songwriting and performance clinics at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, NERFA conferences, and the Rocky Mountain Song School also have drawn rave reviews from attendees.

54 Artists/Acts Perform in Juried Showcases on Friday and Saturday Nights

In addition to his keynote, Gilbert will present two performance workshops and showcase his own musical talents during the conference. His “Collision Course” workshops are among some two-dozen featured workshops and panel discussions. Other workshops will focus on such topics as activist artists in tumultuous times, budgeting and business planning for venues, diversifying the community, the DIY artist, engaging the next generation, a guitar master class, teaching while touring, venue marketing, and writing the funny song. The popular “On the Griddle” instant critique session, also returns. Also slated are morning yoga sessions led by singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter, while MusiCares will fit folks for custom earplugs.

After the formal showcases, attendees will shuffle between four conference ballrooms to catch short sets by 40 additional artists who were selected by a different set of judges. Performing in these semi-formal showcases on Friday night are (in alphabetical order) Clint Alphin, Emily Barnes, Bethlehem & Sad Patrick, The Black Feathers, Shawna Caspi, Dave Curley, Friction Farm, Abbie Gardner, Sharon Goldman, Hoot & Holler, Greg Klyma, Abigail Lapell, Paddy Mills, Emily Mure, Musique a bouches, Piedmont Bluz, Poor Man’s Gambit, Katherine Rondeau & The Show, Robinson Treacher, and Josh White Jr. Saturday’s semi-formal Showcase artists include Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches, Lisa Bastoni, Rachel Beck, Sophie Buskin, Meghan Cary, Dunham Shoe Factory, Vance Gilbert, Alice Howe, Rod MacDonald & Mark Dann, Austin MacRae, Mama’s Broke, Mike McKenna Jr, Zoe Mulford, No Good Sister, NUA, Elaine Romanelli, The Small Glories, Christine Sweeney, Ernest Troost, and Brad Yoder.

Following the juried showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com and some three-dozen presenters, performers and others will host guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. Community sings, informal jam sessions, thematic song circles and round-robin song swaps round out the musical mix. Musicians are also apt to stake out other areas of the hotel and jam into the early morning hours. Some guerilla showcases also are slated for Friday and Saturday afternoons.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot Features Artists and Singing Folk DJs

An overflow crowd will likely descend on the AcousticMusicScene.com suite on Thursday overnight for its popular Midnight Hoot. Extending from 11:30-2:30 a.m., the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot is a pre-arranged, round robin song swap featuring a few singing folk DJs and some three-dozen artists/acts – each of whom will perform one song. A house band also will be there for anyone who desires accompaniment.

Now in its 11th year, the Midnight Hoot is intended to shine a spotlight on several folk DJs who also enjoy singing, while providing them, presenters and others with an opportunity to get a small sampling of the music of a lot of artists in a short period of time.

As in recent years, the musical festivities in the AcousticMusicScene.com suite will wrap up on Saturday overnight with an extended “O Canada” song swap. Carrying their instruments and the maple leaf, a number of talented Canadian artists will march into the room at 2 a.m. singing their national anthem.

Schedules for the AcousticMusicScene.com showcases appear below:

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 11:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

(One song per artist and folk DJ, not in order of appearance)

Host: Michael Kornfeld

Folk DJs: Jim Colbert, Graham & Barbara Dean, Wanda Fischer, Jon Stein

Artists: Clint Alphin, Antonio Andrade, Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches, Orly Bendavid & the Mona Dahls, Sophie Buskin, Quentin Callewaert, Susan Cattaneo, Sara Chodak, Greg Cornell, Dave Curley, Alyssa Dann, Nancy Dillon, Freebo, Friction Farm, Tret Fure, Gathering Time, Gina Holsopple, Alice Howe, Jaeger & Reid, Brian Kalinec, Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Mara Levine, Eric Lee, Rob Lytle, Pete Mancini, Kirsten Maxwell, Millpond Moon, Kim Moberg, Annie Moscow, Andrea Nardy, Nico Padden, The Renfrees, Patty Reese, Hank Stone, Taylor Pie, Toby Tobias

House Band: Greg Cornell (guitar), Mark Dann (bass), Jagoda (percussion), Eric Lee (violin), Nick Russo (banjo).

2:00 Long Island Sounds: Bryan Gallo, He-Bird, She-Bird, Hank Stone

2:30 Long Island Sounds: Scott Krokoff, Christine Sweeney, Toby Tobias

3:00 Hudson Valley Songsters: Steve Chizmadia, Susan Kane, Judy Kass

3:30 Voices of Upstate New York: Marc Black, Gina Holsopple, Colleen Kattau

4:00 Jersey Gals: Loretta Hagen, Katherine Rondeau

4:30 Sea Shanty Sing with The Royal Yard (Stuart Markus & Robin Greenstein)

Friday Night, Nov 10, 2017

11:45 Greg Cornell

12:00 STEADY ON: Celebrating Lilith Fair at 20: Sharon Goldman, Amy Soucy, Sloan Wainwright (with Stephen Murphy)

12:30 Harmonic Convergence: Gathering Time, KC Groves, Mara Levine

1:00 Keystone Staters: Antonio Andrade, Meghan Cary, No Good Sister

1:30 Two Trios: The Belle Hollows & The Early Mays

Saturday Night, November 11, 2017

11:45 Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches

12:00 Songswarm: Peter Calo, Brian Kalinec, Taylor Pie

12:30 A Trio of Duos: Friction Farm, The Levins, Miles & Mafale

1:00 Two Gals and a Geezer: Freebo, Alice Howe, Kirsten Maxwell

1:30 Three Guys from New England: Marc Douglas Berardo, Jud Caswell, Rob Lytle

2 :00 O Canada: Rachel Beck, Matthew Byrne, Shawna Caspi, Andrew Collins Trio, Elage Diouf, Gathering Sparks, Martin Kerr, Abigail Lapell, Mama’s Broke, David Newland (guest emcee), Cheryl Prashker (percussion), Benjamin Dakota Rogers

“We hope that all of our attendees will share a meal and/or a song with new friends they don’t yet know, embrace the spirit of community that NERFA represents, and have a great conference experience,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of NERFA’s board of directors and editor and publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com. He expressed thanks to Dianne Tankle, NERFA’s longtime conference director, and her team of volunteers for all of their efforts in arranging the event.

Here’s a link to a video montage that Neale Eckstein created following the 2016 NERFA Conference: https://www.facebook.com/neale.eckstein/videos/10154271098733893/

NERFA (www.nerfa.org) is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, a Kansas City, MO-based nonprofit organization that seeks to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance.

Editor’s Note: My thanks to Hank Stone for his assistance in setting up the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase room and for guest-hosting Friday afternoon song swaps along with fellow singer-songwriters Stuart Markus and Toby Tobias, and to Amy Blake, Arpie Maros and Sybil Moser for the loan of folding chairs.

In addition to hosting the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot and other showcases, leading a community meeting with the NERFA board of directors as its president, and assisting a few artist clients who will be showcasing their talents during the conference, I will be doing some mentoring on various public relations and strategic communications topics.

Extending from 12 noon-7 p.m. EST each day on ConcertWindow.com, The Ladies in the House Online Music Festival will feature female-driven music from two-dozen GoGirlsMusic and or Folk Alliance International members. Ariel Hyatt, founder of CyberPR, will present a 30-minute workshop on social media on Saturday afternoon, while singer-songwriter Tracy Grammer will present one on songwriting on Sunday.

Folks can logon to The Ladies in the House Online Music Festival via www.concertwindow.com. Although the festival is free, participating artists and workshop presenters will be accepting tips and are being encouraged by the festival’s organizers to offer fun tip rewards for generous festivalgoers. While participating artists will be setting up shows on their own channels (direct Concert Window links), all of the showcases and workshops will be tagged #LITHfestival. A complete schedule for the online music festival may be found by searching that hashtag on ConcertWindow.com, as well as at www.facebook.com/events/1650406141656101/. Festival organizers also will be in the chat room throughout the event to direct folks to the next showcase or workshop.

“GoGirlsMusic is thrilled to be partnering with NERFA and ConcertWindow for our second annual online music festival,” said Rorie Kelly, co-executive director of the online community that was launched in 1996 to promote, support and empower independent women musicians from around the world through networking and events. “Recently there has been a lot in the news about music festivals being very male dominated, and we at GoGirls want to turn the tables on that by producing a female-centered music festival,” the New York-based singer-songwriter and fiery acoustic rocker added. “If you’ve never attended an online music festival before, think of it like a pub crawl that you can attend in your pajamas without ever leaving your home. It’s a ton of fun and we can’t wait to beam two full days of female-powered music into your homes!”

GoGirlsMusic.com has previously produced such annual events as the GoGirlsMusicFest and Invasion of the GoGirls during SXSW, and it has hosted showcases at Folk Alliance International conferences that also were streamed around the world.

With geographic boundaries that extend from the northern Virginia suburbs to the eastern Canadian provinces, NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, a Kansas City, MO-based nonprofit organization that seeks to engage and empower the international folk music community through education, advocacy and performance. NERFA hosts an annual conference in Stamford, Connecticut in November and is increasingly seeking to engage in activities year-round that are beneficial to FAI members in its region and to the “folk” community more broadly speaking.

“We’ve partnered with festivals, venues and presenting organizations in the U.S. and Canada in recent years in hosting showcases and workshops,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of NERFA’s board of directors. “This online music festival is a natural extension of those efforts, as well as a way to embrace technology, provide a new platform for artists to expand their audiences, and expose people to a lot of talented musicians in the comfort of their own homes.” He expressed thanks to Cheryl Prashker, his predecessor as NERFA’s board president; Jessica Wrubel, NERFA’s board secretary; and Rorie Kelly and Delia Stanley, GoGirlsMusic’s co-executive director, for their efforts in helping to organize the online event.

“Concert Window has been a wonderful way for us to connect more deeply and really support each other’s music,” said Kelly, noting that GoGirls is an international community. “We love what they do and have been advocating for our members to use Concert Window since it first started up,” she continued. “For me personally, as a regional musician, it has really allowed me to expand my reach and perform for fans and friends around the globe who would otherwise not get to see me.”

Dan Gurney, Concert Window’s CEO, engaged in a Q & A session with GoGirls members during a weekly #ggchat on Twitter early last year. The chat was the brainchild of GoGirls founder Madalyn Sklar, a music business coach and consultant and noted social media maven. “We also interviewed him for our blog and got him to share his thoughts on how musicians could make the best use of the medium [that interview can be found at http://bit.ly/1ZJgWsa],” said Kelly.

The September 2016 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14.051 airplays from 146 different DJs. Label and release date appear in brackets below, while the number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of September 2016

1: Tears and Laughter, Robin Greenstein [Windy, 9/16] (98)
2: Penny’s Farm, Jim Kweskin And Geoff Muldaur [Kingswood, 9/16] (90)
3: North By South, Claire Lynch [Compass, 9/16] (70)
4: Careless, Richard Shindell [Amalgamated Balladry, 9/16] (65)
5: Fall Away Blues, Red Tail Ring [redtailring.com, 8/16] (64)
6: Very Next Thing EP, Banjo Nickaru And Western Scooches [On The Bol, 9/16] (63)
7: Celebration, David Mallett [North Road, 2/16] (55)
8: One More Song, Jack Tempchin [Blue Elan, 9/16] (51)
8: The Other Way Around, David Lamotte [DPI, 8/16] (51)
10: Magic Fire, The Stray Birds [Yep Roc, 8/16] (49)
11: Miller’s Creek, The Belle Hollows [Elm Hill, 8/16] (47)
12: Coming Home, O’Connor Band with Mark O’Connor [Rounder, 8/16] (46)
13: Kid Sister, The Time Jumpers [Rounder, 9/16] (45)
14: Down The Road, The Sommers Rosenthal Family Band [American Melody, 8/16] (43)
14: Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, Molsky’s Mountain Drifters [Tree Frog, 8/16] (43)
16: The Beautiful Not Yet, Carrie Newcomer [Available Light, 9/16] (40)
16: Original Traditional, Blue Highway [Rounder, 9/16] (40)
16: Undercurrent, Sarah Jarosz [Sugar Hill, 6/16] (40)
16: Western And Country, Dennis Jay [Linkhorn, 9/16] (40)
20: Honest Life, Courtney Marie Andrews [Mama Bird, 8/16] (38)
21: Rise Up, Erika Kulnys [erikakulnys.com, 8/16] (37)
21: Storyman, Sam Bush [Sugar Hill, 6/16] (37)
23: Borderland, Joe K. Walsh [Skinny Elephant, new] (36)
24: Kol Isha (A Woman’s Voice), Sharon Goldman [sharongoldmanmusic.com, new] (35)
25: Good Days a Comin, Ivas John [Right Side Up, 6/16] (31)
26: 75th Birthday Celebration, Joan Baez [joanbaez.com, 6/16] (29)
26: Choreographic, Rachael Sage [Mpress, 5/16] (29)
26: Rattle And Roar, The Earls Of Leicester [Rounder, 7/16] (29)
29: Pete, Woody & Me – Volume I: Keep The Flame Alive, Spook Handy [Akashic, 6/16] (28)
30: 99 Desires, Putnam Smith [Itchy Sabot, new] (27)
30: The Bear And The Bird, Ashley Storrow [Song Sparrow, 7/16] (27)
30: Solitaire, 3hattrio [Okehdokee, new] (27)
30: Wild Blue Yonder, The Western Flyers [thewesternflyers.com, 7/16] (27)
34: Blindfaller, Mandolin Orange [Yep Roc, new] (26)
35: Good Medicine, David Holt And Josh Goforth [High Windy, 6/16] (25)
35: Innocent Road, Caleb Klauder And Reeb Willms [West Sound, new] (25)
37: Greasy Creek, Erynn Marshall [Dittyville, 7/16] (24)
37: In Her Dream, Julie Parisi Kirby [Jaiya, 9/15] (24)
37: Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars, Dwight Yoakam [Sugar Hill, new] (24)
37: Weights And Wings, Brother Sun [brothersun.com, 4/16] (24)
41: Deep Waters, The Lonely Heartstring Band [Rounder, 6/16] (23)
41: The Ultimate Guide To English Folk, Various Artists [Arc, new] (23)
43: Copper Rooster And Other Tunes And Tales, Gina Forsyth [Waterbug, 6/16] (22)
44: Nine Pin, Kaia Kater [Kingswood, 5/16] (20)
45: Before Beginning, John Gorka [Red House, 7/16] (19)
45: Deliverance, The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc [Self, 4/16] (19)
45: The Price Sisters, The Price Sisters [Rebel, 8/16] (19)
45: Secular Hymns, Madeleine Peyroux [Verve, new] (19)
49: Great Shakes, Session Americana [Self, new] (18)
49: Heart And Soul, Blood And Bone, Jim And Lynna Woolsey [Broken Record, 8/16] (18)
49: Once Upon A Different Time, Jaime Michaels [Frumdahart, 6/16] (18)
52: The Ballad Of 3 Finger Brown, Ray Lambiase [Raytone, 8/16] (17)
52: Doolin, Doolin [Compass, 7/16] (17)
52: Heart Of A Song, Nancy Cassidy [Twitter Twatter, 6/16] (17)
52: Here To Stay, Adam Steffey [Mountain Home, new] (17)
52: The More I Learn, Bryan Sutton [Sugar Hill, 6/16] (17)
52: The Road That Winds, Audie Blaylock And Redline [Patuxent, 7/16] (17)
58: Excellent Day, Lizanne Knott [Proper, 4/16] (16)
58: 20,000 Versions Of The Sun, Greg Greenway [Sheen Of Heat, 8/16] (16)
58: Mile Twelve, Mile Twelve [Self, new] (16)
58: Notes… Sweet And Low, Solomon Cook [Raven, 8/16] (16)
58: Spring Tide, Beth Wood [Self, 6/16] (16)
63: Alive At Last: In Philadelphia, James Lee Stanley [Beachwood, new] (15)
63: Blue Skies, Mountain Heart [Compass, 5/16] (15)
63: Jump The Fire, Evie Ladin Band [Evil Diane, 5/16] (15)
63: Lift, Dave Gunning [Wee House, 7/15] (15)
63: Little Circles, The Wooks [Gnar Vector, 6/16] (15)
63: Live, Runa [runamusic.com, 7/16] (15)
63: So Lucky, The Lucky Sisters [Patio, 12/15] (15)
63: Wondrous Traveler, The Small Glories [Self, 2/16] (15)

Top Songs of September 2016

1. “Hole In The Ground” (34)
by Robin Greenstein
from Tears and Laughter
2. “Stray Cow Blues” (16)
by Richard Shindell
from Careless
3. “Deer On The Parkway” (14)
by Richard Shindell
from Careless
3. “Here I Am” (14)
by Robin Greenstein
from Tears and Laughter
3. “Hey Stranger” (14)
by Mandolin Orange
from Blindfaller
3. “I Heard The Road Call Me” (14)
by Robin Greenstein
from Tears and Laughter
7. “Celebration” (12)
by David Mallett
from Celebration
7. “Freight Train” (12)
by Banjo Nickaru And Western Scooches
from Very Next Thing EP
9. “Diamond Joe” (11)
by Jim Kweskin And Geoff Muldaur
from Penny’s Farm
9. “Hands Of Man” (11)
by The Stray Birds
from Magic Fire
9. “There Are No Words” (11)
by Kitty Donohoe
from Northern Border
9. “Wondrous Love, Lay Aside Your Crown” (11)
by Red Tail Ring
from Fall Away Blues
13. “Beyond The Ash And Steel” (10)
by Judy Kass
from Beyond The Ash And Steel
13. “Bravest” (10)
by Tom Paxton
from Looking For The Moon
13. “Down In The Milltown” (10)
by John Gorka
from Before Beginning
13. “Empty Train” (10)
by Claire Lynch
from North By South
13. “Jerusalem Ridge” (10)
by O’Connor Band with Mark O’Connor
from Coming Home
13. “John Henry Revisited” (10)
by David Lamotte
from The Other Way Around
13. “Keep Your Feet Moving” (10)
by Erika Kulnys
from Rise Up
13. “Kingdom Come” (10)
by Claire Lynch
from North By South
13. “Molly May” (10)
by Claire Lynch
from North By South
13. “Red Skies” (10)
by Joe K. Walsh
from Borderland
13. “Singing In The Street” (10)
by Jack Tempchin
from One More Song
24. “Between The Wars” (9)
by Molsky’s Mountain Drifters
from Molsky’s Mountain Drifters
24. “Get Up Stand Up” (9)
by 3hattrio
from Solitaire
24. “Girl With The Golden Hair” (9)
by David Mallett
from Celebration
24. “Land Of The Living” (9)
by Lucy Kaplansky
from The Red Thread
24. “Purple Rain” (9)
by Dwight Yoakam
from Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars
24. “Sweet To Mama” (9)
by Jim Kweskin And Geoff Muldaur
from Penny’s Farm
24. “You Are My Sunshine” (9)
by Banjo Nickaru And Western Scooches
from Very Next Thing EP

A regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, SERFA (www.serfa.org) exists to promote, develop and celebrate the diverse heritage of roots and indigenous music, dance, storytelling and related arts in the Southeastern United States. Its annual conference is a primary means of doing that. This is the sixth consecutive year that it is being held at the same location — a beautiful and tranquil spot nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This year’s conference opens with a barbecue, followed by a barn dance and an open mic on Wednesday night, and concludes on Sunday morning with a farewell breakfast.

Peggy Seeger is Conference Keynoter

Others to be honored for their contributions to music and culture in the Southeast include Jim Magill. founding director of the Swannanoa Gathering and outgoing SERFA board member, Jennifer Pickering, founding and current executive director of LEAF Community Arts, and Phil Jamison, who has dedicated more than 40 years to calling and researching dance.

Workshops Organized by Tracks; Controversial HB2 Legislation to be Discussed

A number of 75-minute workshops during the conference will be organized by tracks: Business, Dance, Motivational/The Road, Performance/Accompaniment, Promotion/Gigs, Recording and Songwriting. Seeger will lead one entitled Songwriting – Those Controversial Issues.

Controversy has swirled around the state of North Carolina of late with the recent passage and signing into law of the Public Facilities and Private Security Act, HB2, which discriminates against people based on sexual orientation and gender status. The SERFA board of directors recently unanimously adopted a statement that reads in part: “The backroom politics that created and passed HB2 is a blight on the face of North Carolina, and SERFA is proud to stand with the majority of not only North Carolina citizens, but the American people in general, businesses, artists and religious leaders who are advocates of equal rights for all, and against HB2. SERFA will continue to welcome all regardless of sexual preference, identity or gender, without regard to religion, nationality or race. We encourage unity and decry legislation that fosters discrimination, prejudice and fear.” During the conference, activist singer-songwriters Tret Fure and Si Kahn will facilitate discussions on Collaborative Songwriting: Writing a Social Justice Song Against HB2 and Local Voices for Justice: SERFA and HB2.

Besides the workshops and panel discussions, there will be a house concert presenters peer group meeting, yoga sessions led by singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter, communal meals, and, of course, a lot of music.

Official and Guerilla Showcases Abound

A number of artists have been selected by a panel of judges to present official showcases on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 7:15-10:30 p.m. Slated to perform on Thursday are Si Kahn, Sam Gleaves, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Bruce Michael Miller, Tish Hinojosa, Martyn Joseph, Christie Lenee, BettySoo and Victor & Penny. Friday’s official showcase lineup features No Fuss and Feathers, Lipbone Redding, Kirsten Maxwell, Lyal Strickland, Jon Shain & FJ Ventre, The Gather Rounders, Clint Alphin, Letters to Abigail and Rebecca Loebe. Saturday’s showcase artists include Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards, David Roth, Gene and Gayla Mills, Ian Foster, Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals, Lowell Levinger – Banana from the Youngbloods, Dave Curley and Mari Black World Fiddle Ensemble. Persons not registered for the conference can attend these showcases on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for $12 each night or $25 for all three nights.

Following the official showcases, late-night guerilla showcases will take place in various meeting rooms between 10:40 p.m. and 2 a.m. AcousticMusicScene.com, which has had a presence at the SERFA Conference for the past five years, will host late-night showcases on Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20, overnight. These will take the form of song swaps.

Here’s the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase schedule:

Thursday Night, May 19:

10:40 Mass. Appeal: Dan & Faith, Rob Lytle, Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, Steven Pelland

11:30 Women’s Voices: Meg Braun, Caroline Cotter, Judy Kass

12:00 A Trio of Duos: Fraser & Girard, Victor & Penny, The YaYas

12:30 Young Folk: Erika Kulnys, Kirsten Maxwell, Mike Tedesco

1:00 Strings & Songs: Dave Curley, Eric Lee, Kristin Rebecca

1:30 Last Round: Lorraine Conard, Karyn Oliver, Jeff Talmadge

Friday Night, May 20:

10:40 O Canada: Bob Ardern, Shawna Caspi, Ian Foster, Suzie Vinnick (with Cheryl Prashker on percussion)

11:30 NY/NJ Artists: Robin Greenstein, Mara Levine, Dennis McDoNoUgh!

12:00 Carolina Guys: Eric Bannan, Wes Collins, Todd Hoke

12:30 Austin Songwriters: BettySoo, Steve Brooks, Tom Meny

1:15 Nashville Cats: Clint Alphin, Anne E. DeChant, Claudia Nygaard, Becky Warren

Also during the conference, a number of artists will visit a local elementary school to share songs with youngsters and give them a chance to play instruments and learn about the various types of folk instruments and the styles of music they create.

SERFA conference programming is designed to afford participants opportunities to have some downtime, meet other attendees in informal situations such as meals and impromptu jams and even take naps, yet still get a lot out of it, said Estrin. “Last year, many commented on how refreshed and energized they felt leaving SERFA, which was one of our goals.”

Editor’s Note: In addition to hosting an AcousticMusicScene.com showcase, I will be part of two workshop panel discussions in the Promotion/Gigs track: Making Technology Work for You – Creating an Internet Identity, and Music Journalism – What Makes You Interesting. I will also again be a mentor offering advice and counsel on public relations, strategic communications, artist bios and one-sheets, website content and social media, and other topics of interest to performing artists and presenters. I am a Folk Alliance International board member and also serve as vice president of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) board of directors.

South Florida Folk Festival

Since its inception, the festival has been a combination of music fest, family reunion, community gathering, and weekend musical retreat. In addition to the festival’s headliners, a number of Florida-based musicians and other national touring acts are slated to perform. These include Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Ellen Bukstel, Kate Callahan, Annie & Rod Capps, Jud Caswell, Vincent Cross, Jennings & Keller, Michael Johnathon, Rod MacDonald & Rex Blazer, Danielle Miraglia, Grant Maloy Smith, Tret Fure, Amy Carol Webb, Ely Wininger, and John Wort Hannam & Scott Duncan (all the way from Alberta, Canada), among others. Some of the performing artists also will lead workshops, while there also will be a jam area for those who enjoy playing traditional folk and other acoustic styles of music. Campfires also are planned for both evenings after 8 p.m.

Kicking-off the weekend’s musical festivities on Saturday, Jan. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will be the 12 finalists in the festival’s singer-songwriter competition, each of whom will perform two songs. They are Eric Bannan (Pittsboro, NC), Cindy Bear (Jacksonville, FL), John John Brown (Winter Garden, FL), Mary Beth Campbell (Orlando, FL), Jane Fallon (Brookline, NH), Larry Mangum (Jacksonville, FL), Kirsten Maxwell (Huntington, NY), Al Scortino (Sebastian, FL), Jan Seides (Austin, TX), Debbie Tassone & Gary Frost (Stuart, FL), and Joe Virga (Cape Coral, FL). Three winners selected by a panel of judges will each receive the Vic Heyman Songwriting Award – a $200 cash prize and an invitation to perform at next year’s festival, as two of last year’s winners -– Robin Greenstein (New York, NY) and Martin Swinger (Augusta, ME) — will this year. In addition, all winners and runners-up may be afforded the opportunity to play ‘in-the-round’ during the festival’s second day, on Sunday, Jan. 17.

The annual songwriting competition is co-presented by Reba Heyman. Along with her late husband, Vic, Reba has been an integral part of the folk community in South Florida and nationally for many years. The couple has been known for decades for their generous financial backing of folk festivals and artists. They formerly ran a concert series in Rockville, Maryland known as Vic’s Music Corner, have established a scholarship fund for artists, and served on the boards of several music festivals.

For more information on the festival, which is co-sponsored by Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (STOP), and to order tickets in advance, visit www.southfloridafolkfest.com.

30A Songwriters Festival

Now in its seventh year, the 30A Songwriters Festival is set for Friday-Sunday, Jan. 15-17. More than 150 artists are slated to perform at more than 25 venues and locations along the northern gulf coast’s scenic Highway 30A in Walton County.

These artists and more will perform at amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios with capacities ranging from intimate venues that can seat 75 people to others that can accommodate several thousand.

“The 30A Songwriters Festival is one of the most diverse songwriters festivals I’ve ever been to,” says Shawn Mullins. “The wide range of songwriters performing, the great crowds, the unique venues, and the beautiful location all made for an incredible experience.”

Festival weekend passes, priced at $250, can be purchased online at www.30asongwritersfestival.com, where you’ll also find more information on the festival, its performers and venues – including a complete schedule when it’s available. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Cultural Arts Alliance’s office in South Walton and at Central Square Records in Seaside.

NPR’s Folk Alley, a multimedia music service produced by WKSU in Ohio, will be on site throughout the weekend, interviewing artists and filming and recording performances – segments of which will air throughout the year on the syndicated radio show, Live From Folk Alley, as well as on its website and mobile app.

The three winners were selected after each of them — along with nine other finalists — performed two songs on the opening day of the festival, Jan. 17, at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale. Butler, Greenstein and Swinger received the Vic Heyman Songwriting Award – a $200 cash prize and an invitation to perform at next year’s festival. In addition, they were afforded the opportunity to perform on the festival’s Gator Stage on the 18th.

The South Florida Folk Festival’s annual singer-songwriter competition is co-presented by the nonprofit Broward Folk Club (organizers of the combination music fest, family reunion, community gathering and weekend musical retreat) and Reba Heyman. Along with her late husband, Vic, Reba has been an integral part of the folk community in South Florida and nationally for many years. The couple has been known for decades for their generous financial backing of folk festivals and artists. They formerly ran a concert series in Maryland, established a scholarship fund for artists, and served on the boards of several music festivals.

More than 800 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents and managers, folk DJs and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music will converge on the Hudson Valley Resort in Kerhonkson, New York, Nov. 13-16, 2014, for the 20th Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. AcousticMusicScene.com will again have a major presence as it hosts afternoon and late-night song swaps, in addition to its popular Midnight Hoot at the close of the conference’s first day.

The NERFA Conference will feature several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, open mics, song swaps and informal jam sessions, informative panel discussions and workshops, a keynote by acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist David Amram, one-on-one and group mentoring sessions, a large trade show-like exhibit hall, tasty communal meals in the dining room, a welcoming party and happy hours, and lots of informal conversation and networking.

Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performers who attend the NERFA 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 attending workshops and seminars to learn about options to further careers, promote the music, and attract audiences and listeners.

Taking center stage during this year’s conference will be 15 artists/acts selected by a panel of judges, with each to perform a 15-minute formal showcase set in the resort’s theater on Friday and Saturday nights. Slated to perform on Friday are Bobtown, Claudia Schmidt, Cassie & Maggie MacDonald, Guy Mendilow Ensemble, Harpeth Rising, Dave Gunning, and David Jacobs-Strain. Saturday’s Formal Showcase lineup features Shtreimi & Ismail Fencioglu, SONiA disappear fear, Modern Man, Burning Bridget Cleary, No Fuss & Feathers Roadshow, Jory Nash, The Don Juans, and Tim Grimm Band.

After the formal showcases, attendees will shuffle between four conference rooms to catch short sets by 40 additional artists who were selected by a different set of judges. Performing in Quad Showcases on Friday night are Kristin Andreassen, Brothers McCann, Ellen Bukstel, Bumper Jacksons, Kate Callahan, Roger Street Friedman, Connor Garvey, Loretta Hagen, Phil Henry, Lara Herscovitch, JEWMONGOUS, Libby Koch, Mara Levine, Lords of Liechtenstein, Lois Morton, Hannah Shira Naiman, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes, and Young Novelists. Saturday’s Quad Showcase artists include Beaucoup Blue, Nancy Beaudette, Jeff Black, Chasing June, RJ Cowdery, Doll Sisters, Driftwood, Folk Goddesses, Matt Harlan, Jesse Stuart Few, Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, Matt Nakoa, No Good Sister, Rose Sheehan & Colin de la Barre, John Sherman & Randy Clepper, Lyal Strickland, Jesse Terry, Ernest Troost, and Victor & Penny.

Following the juried showcases each evening (as well as during the afternoons), AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. Open mics, informal jam sessions, private showcases, thematic song circles and round-robin song swaps round out the musical mix. It’s not unusual to see musicians staking out other areas of the hotel and jamming until 4 or 5 a.m.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot Features Artists and Singing Folk DJs

An overflow crowd will likely again descend on the AcousticMusicScene.com room (1506) on Thursday overnight for its popular Midnight Hoot. Following the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase and extending from 11:45 p.m. to 3 a.m., the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot is a pre-arranged, round-robin song swap featuring several singing folk DJs (Barbara and Graham Dean, Wanda Fischer and Jon Stein) and some three-dozen of artists/acts – each of whom will perform one song.

Now in its eighth year, the Midnight Hoot is intended to shine a spotlight on several folk DJs who also enjoy singing, while providing them, presenters and others with an opportunity to get a small sampling of the music of a lot of artists in a short period of time. It also enables artists to enjoy each other’s company and music before the conference really gets into full swing on Friday (although since increasingly more people have been arriving on Thursday, some intensive workshops will take place that afternoon).

A house band comprised of David Buskin (keyboards), Mark Dann (bass) and Marshal Rosenberg (percussion) also will be there for anyone who desires accompaniment.

Schedules for the AcousticMusicScene.com showcases appear below. Craft beers and wine are being graciously provided by Blue Point Brewing Company (Patchogue, NY) and Clovis Point (a boutique winery on Long Island’s North Fork).

Thursday Night 11:45 p.m. – 3 a.m.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot

Featuring one song by each of the following (not listed in order of appearance)

Folk DJs: Graham & Barbara Dean, Wanda Fischer and Jon Stein

Artists: Annika, Robert Sarazin Blake, Robert Bruey, Ellen Bukstel, Burning Bridget Cleary, Dan and Faith, Gathering Time, Marci Geller, Generations: Mike & Aleksi Glick, Rick Gottlieb, Loretta Hagen, Christopher Mark Jones, Stuart Kabak, Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Savannah King, Terry Kitchen, Libby Koch, Mara Levine, Bernice Lewis, Rob Lytle, Lois Morton, Zoe Mulford, Jory Nash, Aaron Nathans, Dan Navarro, Hugh O’ Doherty, Karyn Oliver, Amanda Pearcy, Glen Roethel, Elaine Romanelli, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado, Sorcha Cribben-Merrill, Hank Stone, Chuck Williams

House Band: David Buskin (keyboards), Mark Dann (bass), Marshal Rosenberg (percussion)

Friday Afternoon

12:15 Lower Hudson Valley Songsters: Susan Kane, Judy Kass, Glen Roethel
12:45 I’m From New Jersey: Christine DeLeon, Loretta Hagen, Kathy Moser, John
Sonntag
1:30 Brooklyn in da House: The Lords of Liechtenstein, Alex Mallett, Matt Nakoa
2:00 Texas Troubadours: Matt Harlan, Libby Koch & Amanda Pearcy
2:30 Long Island Sounds: He-Bird, She-Bird, Hank Stone, The Folk Goddesses
3:15 Long Island Sounds: Robert Bruey, Jerry DeMeo, Gathering Time, Rorie Kelly

Friday Night

11:45 Dan Navarro

12:00 Funny Folk: JEWMONGOUS featuring Sean Altman, Mark Berube, Lois Morton

12:30 Harmonic Convergence: Gathering Time, Mara Levine, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado

1:00 The Wisch List: Robert Bruey, Jenai Huff, Eugene Ruffolo
1:30 Folk You Should Know: Kristin Andreassen, Rob Lytle, Teresa Storch

2:00 Mass. Appeal: Brothers McCann, Danielle Miraglia, Pesky J. Nixon

Saturday Afternoon

1:45 Pirate Camp: Monty Delaney, Laura Joy, Stuart Kabak, Mike Laureanno

2:30: Salty Songs & Sailor Slang: Stuart Markus & Robin Greenstein

2:45 Pirate Camp Part II: Mya Byrne, Elaine Romanelli, Hank Stone, Jesse Terry

3:30 New Englanders of Note: Marc Douglas Berardo. Heather Pierson, The Boxcar Lilies

Saturday Evening

11:45 Burning Bridget Cleary

12:00 Funny Folk II: Modern Man and Lois Morton

12:30 POSItively Good Music: Freebo, Glen Roethel, David Roth

1:00 CT State Troubadours: Kristen Graves and Lara Herscovitch

1:30 Folk You Should Know: Friction Farm, Robinson Treacher, Laura Zucker

2:00 O’ Canada: Shawna Caspi, Irish Mythen, Young Novelists: Graydon James & Laura Spink, Cassie & Maggie MacDonald, Manitoba Hal, Jory Nash, David Newland, Cheryl Prashker

NERFA (www.nerfa.org) is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, an association that seeks to foster and promote contemporary, traditional and multicultural folk music.

Editor’s Note: My thanks to Stuart Kabak, with whom I partner in hosting late-night song swaps and open circles under the AcousticMusicScene.com Tent @ Pirate Camp during the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, for providing a carpeted wooden platform stage and stage lights for this year’s AcousticMusicScene.com showcases. Thanks also are due to him and fellow singer-songwriters Glen Roethel and Hank Stone for graciously offering to host afternoon showcases, and to Amy Blake, Sybil Moser and Gary Schoenberger for the loan of folding chairs.

In addition to hosting the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot and other showcases during the NERFA Conference, I will be participating in a panel discussion on social media and offering some group mentoring sessions focused on artist bios and one-sheets, electronic press kits (EPKs), media relations, social media, website content, and what presenters look for when considering artists for their concert series and festivals. I also serve on the board of directors for both Folk Alliance International and NERFA.

The newest of the five regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International, SERFA (www.serfa.org) exists to promote, develop and celebrate the diverse heritage of roots and indigenous music, dance, storytelling and related arts in the Southeastern United States. Its annual conference is a primary means of doing that. This is the third consecutive year that it is being held at the same location, a beautiful and tranquil spot nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This year’s conference opens with workshops, followed by dinner and a three-hour open mic on Thursday and concludes on Sunday morning with a continental breakfast and a special performance by composer and songwriter B.J. Leiderman, best known for creating themes for NPR’s “Morning Edition,” “Weekend Edition,” and “Marketplace.”

Workshops on a variety of topics will be offered each day. Among the subjects to be covered are booking and performing at senior centers, constructive critique, DIY tour booking, doing music and doing good, fair trade music, funny songs, help me say yes to your booking request, house concert etiquette for the musician, the next generation of folk music, releasing your inner geek: getting yourself out there and the tools to do it, the power of your newsletter, the roots of songwriting, social media, successful kickstarter campaigns, ”Wisdom of the Elders” (featuring Sonny Ochs, Ralph Lewis and his sons), and zen and the art of performing. Also scheduled are several workshops geared towards guitarists and a vocal class, as well as peer group meeting for house concert presenters and an American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 1000 meeting. In addition, a series of one-on-one mentoring sessions are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

A number of artists have been selected by a panel of judges to present official showcases from 7- 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Slated to perform are Caroline Aiken, Beggar’s Ride, Marc Black and Amy Fradon, Rj Cowdery, Robin Greenstein, Spook Handy, Susan Herndon, Lara Herscovitch, The Hollands, The Billy Jonas Band, Alicia McGovern, Buddy Mondlock, Darryl Purpose, David Russell, Lyal Strickland, Sultans of String, Hiroya Tsukamoto, and Mike Vial & The Great Lake Effect.

Following the official showcases, late-night guerilla showcases and AFM Local 1000 Song Circles will take place in various meeting rooms between 10:45 p.m. and 2 a.m. Although AcousticMusicScene.com has had a presence at the SERFA Conference for the past two years, it will host late-night showcases at one for the first time this spring. As at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences each November since 2007, the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase at Montreat will be done in the form of song swaps. These will take place on Thursday, May 16, overnight in Room 334.

Here’s the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase schedule:

10:40: Sandy Andina, Robin Greenstein, Elaine Mahon
11:00: Rj Cowdery, Claudia Nygaard, Jeff Talmadge
11:30: Beggar’s Ride, Marc Black & Amy Fradon, Friction Farm
12:00 Rob Lytle, Alicia McGovern, Buddy Mondlock
12:30: Todd Hoke, Lauren Lapointe, Kim Richardson
1:00 Robert Bobby, Tony Denikos, Linda McRae
1:30 Jon Shain, Sally Spring

The conference registration rate rises from $125 to $145 on May 13, although the last day to register and be listed in the program book is May 5. Persons not registered for the conference can attend these showcases on Friday and Saturday for $10 each night.

Editor’s Note: In addition to hosting an AcousticMusicScene.com showcase, I will be part of a panel discussion on social media and will again be a mentor offering my insights on public relations, strategic communications, websites and social media, and other topics of interest to performing artists and presenters.