Gretchen Peters – AcousticMusicScene.com

Remembering Ian Tyson, 1933-2022

Michael Kornfeld — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 16:48:05 +0000

Ian Tyson

Ian Tyson, an influential Canadian troubadour best known for having penned the hit songs “Four Strong Winds” and “Someday Soon” as half of the internationally acclaimed folk duo Ian & Sylvia, died on December 29, 2022 at his ranch in southern Alberta at age 89. Folk DJ Charlie Backfish will pay tribute to him and his music during a special edition of his long-running weekly radio show Sunday Street that airs January 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on WUSB 90.1 FM on Long Island, NY and online at wusb.fm or https://tunein.com/radio/WUSB-901-s2324/.

Born to British immigrants in Victoria, British Columbia on September 25, 1933, Tyson grew up in Duncan, BC. He was a rough-stock rodeo rider in his late teens and early 20s and took up the guitar as “the means by which to pass the time” during a two-week hospital stay while recovering from a shattered ankle — an injury he sustained in a bad fall while competing in the Dog Pound Rodeo in Alberta.

Tyson hitchhiked from Vancouver to Toronto in 1958 after graduating from the Vancouver School of Art and became part of the city’s nascent folk scene centered around the coffee houses of its bohemian Yorkville neighborhood. There he met a young singer named Sylvia Fricker, who would become his musical and life partner for a while. They moved to New York, where noted manager Albert Grossman (Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Pozo Seco Singers, etc.) signed Ian & Sylvia to Vanguard Records and they became an important part of the early 1960s folk revival.

The duo released its eponymously titled debut album in 1962 before getting hitched two years later. They would go on to record and release nearly a dozen albums. Although Ian and Sylvia’s 1964 sophomore release, Four Strong Winds, featured primarily covers of songs by others, its original title track became one of Canada’s best-loved songs and, along with “Someday Soon” and Sylvia’s “You Were on My Mind,” has been covered by numerous other artists — a number of whom will be featured on Sunday Street.

Here’s a link to view a video of Ian and Sylvia performing Four Strong Winds for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3m7ckGhnsc

As the folk boom began to wane later in the 1960s, spurred in part by the British Invasion, Ian & Sylvia moved to Nashville and began incorporating elements of country and rock into their music. They formed the band Great Speckled Bird in 1969 and becoming pioneers of country-rock, along with the Byrds and others.

After hosting a national Canadian television music show from 1970 to 1975, Tyson realized his dream of returning to the Canadian West. His marriage to Sylvia had ended in divorce in 1975 and Tyson, disillusioned with the Canadian country music scene, opted to return to his first love – training horses in the ranch country of southern Alberta.

Tyson Turns to Cowboy Songs and Western Music

His songwriting was greatly affected by his change in lifestyle – most notably on his third solo album, 1983’s Old Corrals & Sagebrush, comprised solely of traditional and new cowboy songs that he recorded after spending three idyllic years cowboying in the Rockies at Pincher Creek. Although Tyson didn’t know it at the time, a cowboy renaissance was about to find expression at the first Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering that year in a small cow town in northern Nevada. Invited to perform his ‘new western music” at it, Tyson was a regular attendee at the gatherings for more than 30 years. Tyson’s 1987 album Cowboyography also helped to re-launch his touring career across Canada and the U.S.

Tyson seriously damaged his voice following a particularly tough performance at an outdoor country music festival in 2006. “I fought the sound system and I lost,” he said afterwards. With a virus that took months to pass, his smooth voice was now hoarse, grainy, and had lost much of its resonant bottom end. After briefly entertaining thoughts that he would never sing again, he began relearning and reworking his songs to accommodate his ‘new voice.’ To his surprise, audiences now paid rapt attention as he half-spoke, half-sung familiar words, which seemed to reveal new depths for his listeners, according to publicist Eric Alper. Although a heart attack, followed by open heart surgery in 2015, further damaged his voice, Tyson continued to release music well into his senior years – including the 2015 album Carnero Vaquero and his last single, “You Should Have Known.” Released in September 2017 on Stony Plains Records, the Canadian label on which he released 15 albums since the 1980s, that song unapologetically celebrates the hard living, hard drinking, hard loving cowboy life.

Tyson was a Much-Honored Artist During His Lifetime

Tyson earned numerous awards and accolades over the years. A Juno Award recipient for country male vocalist of the year in 1987 and a Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer since 1989, Tyson was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame – along with his former wife and singing partner, Sylvia, three years later. He became a member of the Order of Canada in 1994, received a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2003, and was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2006. ASCAP paid tribute to him during the 20th annual Folk Alliance International Conference in 2008, while he was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.

January 7 Sunday Street Tribute to Ian Tyson will Feature Music, Stories and Reflections

On the January 7 edition of Sunday Street, Backfish will explore Tyson’s wide-ranging career. He’ll share some recently-recorded reflections from Tom Russell, a widely acclaimed folk and Americana singer-songwriter, painter and essayist who co-wrote may songs with Tyson and recorded Play One More: The Songs of Ian and Sylvia (2017), featuring some of the duo’s lesser-known songs.

A Tom Russell painting of his longtime friend, mentor and musical collaborator Ian Tyson.
“It’s hard to come forth with words about the passing of Ian Tyson, wrote Russell in a Facebook post shortly after he died. “My friend and mentor for so many years. He was the best man at our wedding in Elko. We co-wrote at least 10 songs including Navajo Rug [the 1986 Canadian country song of the year], Claude Dallas, Rose of San Joaquin, When The Wolves No Longer Sing, and Ross Knox. We had a good talk a little while ago. My thoughts go back to many great memories of co-writing songs in a cabin in the Rockies. It’s a sad day. He’ll be with me forever.”

Here are links to view videos of Russell and Tyson performing Tyson’s classic “Summer Wages” and their co-write “Navajo Rug” in Calgary in 2019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4Rk-E_spoI

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

The three-hour radio show will also feature stories and observations from Tyson himself, Sylvia Tyson, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, interspersed with music. “Many of Tyson’s songs, as well as his vocals on the songs of others will be part of the three-hour program, according to Backfish. Besides Tyson himself, Ian and Sylvia, The Great Speckled Bird, and Tom Russell, listeners will hear from Neil Young (who covered “Four Strong Winds” on his 1978 album Comes A Time), Gordon Lightfoot (who Ian and Sylvia mentored and whose song “Early Morning Rain” was the title track of their 1965 release), Greg Brown and Bill Morrissey, Lucy Kaplansky, Fourtold, Gretchen Peters, James Keelaghan and Jez Lowe, Marianne Faithfull, Cindy Church, Corb Lund (an Alberta-based Canadian country artist with whom Tyson performed a series of concerts in 2018 and who told CBC News in a 2019 interview “He’s kind of our Willie Nelson or Johnny Cash or Leonard Cohen. He’s a guy who’s most embodied the region in art, musically at least.”), Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, The McDades, Michael Martin Murphey, and Bob Dylan (who recorded Tyson’s song “One Single River,” along with the Band, in Woodstock, New York, in 1967).

FAI Folk Radio Airplay Charts – May 2020

Michael Kornfeld — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:05:43 +0000

The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury, as interpreted and performed by Gretchen Peters, was the top album on folk radio during May 2020, closely followed by 2020 by Eliza Gilkyson. “2020 Vision” by Danny Schmidt was the month’s #1 song, while Bob Dylan was the most-played artist. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.

A Nashville,TN-based singer and songwriter, Peters has earned considerable critical acclaim and accolades as a songwriter — as well as a singer. Her songs have been performed and recorded by such artists as Bryan Adams, Faith Hill, Etta James, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, The Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, and George Strait. Yet on her latest album, The Night You Wrote That Song – The Songs of Mickey Newbury, she pays tribute to a fellow member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame who had a major influence on her.

“I’m so grateful to all the folk DJs for playing the album and making this possible,” says Peters of her #1 chart position. “Mickey Newbury’s music has been a big source of inspiration to me since I was a teenager, and this album was a labor of love, a long time coming.”

Danny Schmidt is an Austin, TX-based singer-songwriter, whose song “2020 Vision” was written in mid-April and recorded in quarantine in the home studio that he shares with his wife Carrie Elkin, also a singer-songwriter. “The song is just a series of reflections on life in the age of the coronavirus,” according to Schmidt. “These are uniquely challenging times, but interestingly, even in isolation, the pandemic has created a shared experience between us all.” “2020 Vision” is currently available for free on Bandcamp.

The May 2020 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 12,881 airplays reported on 500 playlists submitted by 105 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (http://folk.org) is a Kansas City, MO-based nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

The monthly top albums,songs and artists charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of May 2020

1. The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury by Gretchen
Peters (83)
2. 2020 by Eliza Gilkyson (80)
3. Western Sun by Nell and Jim Band (57)
4. The Path of Stones by John Doyle (55)
5. Brother Sister by Watkins Family Hour (46)
6. Character by Rachael Sage (42)
7. Headlight by Della Mae (40)
8. Highway Philosophers by Lara Herscovitch (39)
9. We Fit Together by Barry Oreck (37)
10. Big Road by David Bromberg (36)
10. 25 Trips by Sierra Hull (36)
12. Early Morning Rain by Steve Forbert (34)
13. Spider Tales by Jake Blount (32)
14. Nonet by The Mammals (31)
14. Chicago Barn Dance by Special Consensus (31)
16. Time Traveler by Jason Wilber (30)
17. Bad for You by The Steeldrivers (28)
18. Eiderdown by Gordon Thomas Ward (27)
19. Live at Seagull Shop Restaurant by Jud Caswell (26)
20. Good Souls Better Angels by Lucinda Williams (25)
20. Home by Billy Strings (25)
22. Waterfalls by Thomas Aaron Garlow (24)
22. Ashes in the Morning by Ken Dunn (24)
22. Look Long by Indigo Girls (24)
25. The Perfect Plan by The Lowest Pair (23)
26. Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection by Pete Seeger (22)
26. Waltz for Abilene by Cindy Cashdollar (22)
28. Logan Ledger by Logan Ledger (20)
28. Hello Stranger by Eliza Meyer (20)
30. Mondegreens by Rachel Garlin (19)
30. Good Good Man by Vance Gilbert (19)
30. Lucky Girl by Claudia Nygaard (19)
30. Bet on Love by Pharis and Jason Romero (19)
34. The Loud Album by Carla Ulbrich (18)
34. Lucky in Love by Antonio Andrade (18)
36. Chasing the Sun by Bobtown (17)
36. Bravado by Rose Cousins (17)
36. Making Life Sweet by The Early Risers (17)
36. Lp5 by John Moreland (17)
36. Facets of Folk by Mara Levine (17)
36. Hang Me Out to Dry by Trip McCool (17)
36. Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne by Amy Speace (17)
43. Treat a Stranger Right by Frank and Allie Lee (16)
43. I Have Known Women by Saro Lynch-Thomason and Sam Gleaves (16)
45. The Family Songbook by The Haden Triplets (15)
45. How We Want to Love by Lisa Bastoni (15)
45. Straight to Marrow by Clint Alphin (15)
48. Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn by Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn (14)
48. Love and Leave You by 100 Mile House (14)
48. And Laurie Lewis by Laurie Lewis (14)
48. The Tree of Forgiveness by John Prine (14)
48. Song Like a Seed by Sara Thomsen (14)
48. Circadian by Letitia Vansant (14)
54. A Long Way Back – The Songs of Glimmer by Kim Richey (13)
54. Call the Captain by Western Centuries (13)
54. Losing Ground Vol. 1 by The Sweeplings (13)
54. Sins We Made by Harrow Fair (13)
54. Wildwood by Katie Dahl (13)
59. Alicia Viani by Alicia Viani (12)
59. Someday Soon Somehow by Scott Fab (12)
59. Strange Fascination by Chatham County Line (12)
59. Refuge by Sultans of String (12)
59. Caught It From the Rye by Tre Burt (12)
59. Hold My Beer V.2 by Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen (12)
59. Big Blue Sky in the Morning by Barbara Jo Kammer (12)
59. From a Distance by Valerie Smith (12)
59. The Storyteller’s Suitcase by Ellis Paul (12)
59. Work My Claim by Brooks Williams (12)
59. One Town Over by g.f. Patrick (12)
70. Harmony Ascension Division by Pete Bernhard (11)
70. Ready to Go by Reggie Harris (11)
70. Honest by Ordinary Elephant (11)
70. Wings of a Jetliner by Nate Lee (11)
70. The Light We Bring by Trout Steak Revival (11)
70. Ghosts of West Virginia by Steve Earle (11)
70. Assiniboine and the Red by The Small Glories (11)
70. Where the Wind Blows by Beppe Gambetta (11)
70. Best of the Rest by Si Kahn (11)
70. Be a Pain by Alastair Moock (11)
70. Everyday Moments by Connie Kaldor (11)
70. Blindsided by Mark Erelli (11)

Top Songs of May 2020

1. “2020 Vision” by Danny Schmidt (22)
2. “From a Distance” by Valerie Smith (20)
3. “A Prayer for the Sane” by Danny Schmidt (19)
4. “Peace in Our Hearts” by Eliza Gilkyson (16)
5. “Ohio” by Rachael Sage (14)
6. “Six Feet Apart” by Crys Matthews and Heather Mae (13)
6. “Promises to Keep” by Eliza Gilkyson (13)
8. “Take This Hammer” by David Bromberg (12)
8. “Just Dropped in (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” by
Gretchen Peters (12)
8. “Earthman” by The Dillards (12)
11. “A Simple Song” by Barry Oreck (11)
11. “The Path of Stones” by John Doyle (11)
11. “Why You Been Gone So Long” by Gretchen Peters (11)
11. “One Vote One Name” by Joel Rafael (11)
15. “Mothers” by Grace Morrison (10)
15. “Headlight” by Della Mae (10)
15. “East Side West Side” by The Mammals (10)
15. “Wash Your Hands” by The Twangtown Paramours (10)
15. “Heaven Help the Child” by Gretchen Peters (10)
15. “Bravery’s on Fire” by Rachael Sage (10)
15. “Frisco Depot” by Gretchen Peters (10)
22. “I Wonder” by Claudia Nygaard (9)
22. “Travelin’ the Road West” by Nell and Jim Band (9)
22. “No Place to Run” by Barry Oreck (9)
22. “In My Beautiful Dream” by Nell and Jim Band (9)
22. “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Eliza Gilkyson (9)
22. “Sing Merrily to Me” by John Doyle (9)
22. “My Heart Aches” by Eliza Gilkyson (9)
22. “Lafayette” by Watkins Family Hour (9)
22. “Bet on Love” by Pharis and Jason Romero (9)

Top Artists of May 2020

1. Bob Dylan (149)
2. Pete Seeger (105)
3. Eliza Gilkyson (91)
4. Gretchen Peters (85)
5. John Prine (66)
6. Nell and Jim Band (57)
7. John Doyle (55)
8. Della Mae (47)
8. Watkins Family Hour (47)
8. Danny Schmidt (47)
11. John McCutcheon (44)
12. Rachael Sage (43)
13. Pharis and Jason Romero (42)
14. The Steeldrivers (41)
15. Lara Herscovitch (40)
16. David Bromberg (39)
17. Barry Oreck (38)
18. Special Consensus (37)
18. Sierra Hull (37)
20. Steve Forbert (35)
21. Lucinda Williams (34)
22. Jake Blount (33)
23. The Mammals (32)
23. Valerie Smith (32)
25. Billy Strings (31)
25. Jason Wilber (31)
25. Joan Baez (31)
25. Carla Ulbrich (31)
29. Indigo Girls (30)
29. Mara Levine (30)
31. Little Richard (29)
32. Saro Lynch-Thomason and Sam Gleaves (27)
32. Gordon Thomas Ward (27)
34. Jud Caswell (26)
35. Ken Dunn (25)
35. Steve Goodman (25)
35. Tom Paxton (25)
38. Logan Ledger (24)
38. Thomas Aaron Garlow (24)
38. Laurie Lewis (24)

Mid-January is Music Festival Time in Florida

Michael Kornfeld — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 19:29:39 +0000

Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State can escape the winter doldrums and enjoy some fine music in mid-January. The South Florida Folk Festival and the 30A Songwriters Festival take place over the same weekend in different parts of the state. The former includes the finals of an annual singer-songwriter competition, while the latter features such big-name talents as Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris.

South Florida Folk Festival Features a Singer-Songwriter Competition

Jack Williams is among the headliners at the 2018 South Florida Folk Festival.
The Currys, The Dave Nachmanoff Band, and Jack Williams headline the 2018 South Florida Folk Festival. Presented by the nonprofit Broward Folk Club, the festival takes place Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 13-14. More than 40 musicians will perform on two stages at Fort Lauderdale’s Hugh Taylor Birch State Park (3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., just west of A1A) over the weekend.

Since its inception 20 years ago, 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 Ellen Bukstel, Kate Callahan (Connecticut State Troubadour), Caroline Cotter & Michael Thomas Howard, Jerry DeMeo, Jacob Johnson, Tom Lyman (all the way from Budapest, Hungary), Rod MacDonald, Laurie McClain, Danielle Miraglia, New Middle Class, Angela Parrish, Bill & Eli Perras, Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield, Doug Spears, Twangtown Paramours, Mare Wakefield & Nomad, and Laura Zucker, 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.

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 Bear & Robert (Jacksonville, FL), Randy Brown (Mineola, TX), Nigel Egg (Minneapolis, MN), Lauren Heintz (Winter Park, FL), Sonya Heller (Calicoon Center, NY), Judy Kass (Tarrytown, NY), Leah Kaufman (Raleigh, NC), Claudia Nygaard (Nashville, TN), Cecilia St. King (Delray Beach, FL), Kray Van Kirk (Arcata, CA), Joe Virga (Cape Coral, FL), and Joel Zoss (West Palm Beach, 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 the 2019 festival – as will 2017 winners Jane Fallon (Brookline, NH), Amber Ikeman (Bozeman, MT) and Austin MacRae (Ithaca, NY) at this event. In addition, all winners and finalists may be afforded the opportunity to perform ‘in-the-round’ during the festival’s second day, on Sunday, Jan. 14.

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 Features More Than 175 Performing Artists

Now in its ninth year, the 30A Songwriters Festival is set for Friday-Monday, Jan. 12-15. More than 175 artists are slated to perform at two-dozen venues and locations along the Florida Gulf Coast’s scenic Highway 30A in Walton County.

Emmylou Harris, a 13-time Grammy Award-winner, co-headlines the 30A Songwriters Festival.
The 30A Songwriters Festival features artists working in such genres as Americana, blues, country, folk, and soul. Headliners include Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, North Mississippi Allstars, Ann Wilson of Heart, Lee Ann Womack, and The Zombies. Although the festival schedule has not yet been finalized and posted online, among the other confirmed artists are David Berkeley, Dan Bern, Bonnie Bishop, Jeff Black, Crystal Bowersox, Randall Bramblett, Mary Bragg, Eliot Bronson, Edie Carey, Hayes Carll, Deanna Carter, Peter Case, Joe Crookston, Don Dixon & Marti Jones, Ian Fitzgerald, Ruthie Foster, Mary Gauthier, John Gorka, Ingrid Graudins, Patty Griffin, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Robby Hecht, Griffin House, Will Kimbrough, Korby Lenker, Liz Longley, Michelle Malone, The Mastersons, Kathy Mattea, James McMurtry, Rhett Miller, Dan Navarro, Old Salt Union, Gretchen Peters, Kim Richey, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, The Secret Sisters, Caroline Spence, Jesse Terry, Paul Thorn, Becky Warren, Reed Waddle, Seth Walker, and The War & Treaty.

These artists and more will perform at amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios — with capacities ranging from intimate indoor venues that can seat 75 people to outdoor settings that can accommodate a few thousand.

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

Festival weekend passes, beginning at $280, 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 Santa Rosa Beach, The Foster Gallery in Grand Boulevard, 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. The Sessions from the 30A Songwriters Festival will later air on the syndicated Folk Alley radio show and also will be archived at www.folkalley.com.

Official Showcase Artists Chosen for 30th Annual Folk Alliance International Conference

Michael Kornfeld — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 18:46:37 +0000

Folk Alliance International has announced the Official Showcase artists for its 30th annual conference taking place February 14-18, 2018, at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.

A platform for luminaries and rising stars, the annual conference is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community. Folk Alliance International’s Official Showcases are jury-selected nightly mini-concerts featuring emerging artists and touring legends from around the world. The performances are 30 minutes in length and are held concurrently on ten full-production stages throughout the host hotel over three nights.

More than 800 artists/acts applied for the opportunity to perform for hundreds of festival and venue bookers, agents, managers, labels, media, and music industry representatives. The curated showcases feature artists representing a diverse array of folk genres including Appalachian, Americana, bluegrass, blues, Cajun, Celtic, global roots, Indie-folk, indigenous, Latin, old time, traditional, singer-songwriter, spoken word, and every imaginable fusion.

Christie Lenee, winner of the 2017 International Finger Style Guitar Championships, is among the Official Showcase artists at the 30th annual Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City next February.
Here is a listing of the Official Showcase artists (confirmed to date and subject to change): AHI (Canada), Abbie Gardner (United States), The Accidentals ((United States), Aerialists (Canada), Alex Meixner Band (United States), Amanda Rheaume (Canada), Ambre McLean (Canada), Ana Egge (United States), Anais Mitchell (United States), Anika Moa (New Zealand), Anna & Elizabeth (United States), Anne McCue (United States), Ariane Mahrÿke Lemire (Canada), Baile An Salsa (Ireland), Beppe Gambetta (Italy), Black Umfolosi (Zimbabwe), Bon Débarras (Canada), Boogát Canada), Breabach (Scotland), Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer (United States). Celeigh Cardinal (Canada), Charlie Mars (United States), Chastity Brown (United States), Choir! Choir! Choir! (Canada), Christie Lenée (United States), Colter Wall (Canada), Connie Kaldor (Canada), Cosmo Sheldrake (England), Courtney Hartman (United States), The Crane Wives (United States), Crys Matthews (United States), Cubanisms (United States), Daniel Champagne (Australia), Danni Nicholls (England), Danny Burns (United States), Daoiri Farrell (Ireland), Dar Williams (United States), Darling West (Norway), Dayna Kurtz (United States), Delhi 2 Dublin (United States), Devarrow (Canada), Digging Roots (Canada), Disraeli (England), Dylan Menzie (Canada), Elephant Sessions (Scotland), Eljuri (United States), Elsten Torres (United States), Emi Sunshine & The Rain (United States), Erin Costello (Canada), Evie Ladin Band (United States), Fara (Scotland), Findlay Napier (Scotland), Fiver Fines (Canada), Fortunate Ones (Canada), The Fugitives (Canada), Giri & Uma Peters (United States), Grant Lee Phillips (United States), Gretchen Peters (United States), Guy Davis (United States), Hackensaw Boys (United States), Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage (England), Hans Theessink (Denmark), Hat Fitz and Cara (Australia), Heather Maloney (United States), Henry Nam (United States), inPLANES (United States), In The Willows (Ireland), Jack Semple (Canada), Jaimee Harris (United States), Jake Morley (England), James Maddock (United States), Jariath Henderson (Northern Ireland), Jayme Stone (United States), Jeremy Dutcher (Canada), Jeremy Kittel Trio (United States), Joe Purdy & Amber Rubarth (United States), John Blek (Ireland), John Flynn (United States), John Gorka (United States), John Oates (United States), John Smith (England), Jorma Kaukonen (United States), Julian Taylor (Canada), Kim Taylor (United States), Kolonien (Sweden), Kuinka (United States), Larissa Tandy (Canada), Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards (United States), Leaf Rapids (Canada), Les Grands Hurleurs (Canada), Les Poules à Colin (Canada), Lisa LeBlanc (Canada), The LYNNeS (Canada), Madisen Ward (United States), Making Movies (United States), The Mammals (United States), Martha Redbone Roots Project (United States), Martyn Joseph (Wales), Mary Gauthier (United States), The Mastersons (United States), Matthew Byrne (Canada), Maybe April (United States), Megan Bonnell (Canada), Mick Flannery (Ireland), Mile Twelve (United States), Molly Tuttle (United States), Monique Clare (Australia), Mountain Heart (United States), Natalia Zukerman (United States), Nathalie Pires with Ensemble Iberica (United States), NewTown (United States), Newpoli (United States), The Next Generation Leahy (Canada), Old Hannah (Ireland), Oliver Swain (Canada), Ouroboros (Canada), Over the Rhine (United States), Rachel Baiman (United States), Rachel Laven (United States), Radio Free Honduras (United States), Rafiki Jazz (England), Raine Hamilton String Trio (Canada), Roanoke (United States), Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley (United States), Rose Cousins (Canada), Rosie & the Riveters (Canada), Royal Wood (Canada), Ruby Boots (United States), Rura (Scotland), Ruthie Foster (United States), Ryan McNally (Canada), Sally & George (United States), Sam Baker (United States), Sam Reider and The Human Hands (United States), Sarah Jane Scouten (Canada), SaulPaul (United States), The Sea The Sea (United States), Sergio Beercok (Italy), Session Americana (United States), Shelley Segal (Australia), Shreem x Celtic Remixing (Canada), Skerryvore (Scotland), The Small Glories (Canada), Southern Avenue (United States), Steve Poltz (United States), The Stray Birds (United States), Suzie Vinnick (Canada), Talisk (Scotland), Tom Chapin (United States), Tom Prasada Rao (United States), Tommy Sands (Ireland), Trout Steak Revival (United States), Victor & Penny (United States), Villalobos Brothers (United States), Vox Sambou (Canada), Wallis Bird (Ireland), The War and Treaty (United States), The Western Flyers (United States), Wild Ponies (United States), Wild Rivers (United States), William Crighton (Australia), Ye Vagabonds (Ireland), and Yirrmal (Australia).

Breakthrough artists from previous conferences include The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Darlingside, David Francey, John Fullbright, Kaia Kater, Lake Street Dive, The Milk Carton Kids, Nickel Creek, The Stray Birds, Valerie June, The Waifs, and The Wailin’ Jennys. Past showcase performances have also included guest appearances by Judy Collins, Béla Fleck, Rita Coolidge, Ron Sexsmith, Archie Fisher, Peggy Seeger, and more.

Bringing together musicians, educators, and music industry professionals from around the world, the Folk Alliance International Conference is known for its community atmosphere, business and networking opportunities, and as a hotspot for discovering new talent.

The 2018 conference will feature presentations by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Richard Thompson, the Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp, the International Folk Music Awards, and the third annual Kansas City Folk Festival. Celebrating 30 years of community and song, the conference will YEARS OF COMMUNITY AND SONG, honor the first three decades of the organization’s growth and activity, as well as the broader story of folk music during that time.

Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org) is 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: This article is based on a news release issued by Folk Alliance International, on whose board of directors I serve. I’m also board president of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), one of its five regional affiliates, which holds it annual conference, Nov. 9-12, in Stamford, CT. I am not involved in the selection of Official Showcase artists.

January is Music Festival Time in Florida

Michael Kornfeld — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 16:00:33 +0000

Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State have opportunities to escape the winter doldrums and enjoy some fine music in mid-January. Both the South Florida Folk Festival and the 30A Songwriters Festival take place over the same weekend in different parts of the state.

South Florida Folk Festival

No Fuss and Feathers featuring The YaYas (Jay Mafale and Catherine Miles), Carolann Solebello and Karyn Oliver co-headline the South Florida Folk Festival.
The Kennedys, Zoe Lewis, No Fuss and Feathers, and Spuyten Duyvil headline the 2016 South Florida Folk Festival. Presented by the nonprofit Broward Folk Club, the festival takes place Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 16-17. More than 40 musicians will perform on two stages at Fort Lauderdale’s Hugh Taylor Birch State Park (3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., just west of A1A) over the weekend.

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.

Jackson Browne headlines the 30A Songwriters Festival.
Co-produced by Russell Carter Artist Management and the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, the 30A Songwriters Festival features artists working in such genres as Americana, blues, country, folk, and soul. Headliners include Jackson Browne, Grace Potter, Shovels & Rope, and Women, Wine & Song featuring Matraca Berg, Suzi Bogguss and Gretchen Peters. Although the festival schedule has not yet been finalized and posted online, among the other confirmed artists are Caroline Aiken, Dan Bern, Jeff Black, Randall Bramblett, Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Hayes Carll, Joe Crookston, Kris Delmhorst, Brigitte DeMeyer, Ani DiFranco, Annalise Emerich, Jay Farrar (from Son Volt), Ashleigh Flynn, Jeffrey Foucalt, Griffin House, Sonya Kitchell, Jim Lauderdale, Toby Lightman, Liz Longley, Heather Maloney, Parker Millsap, Shawn Mullins, David Olney, Grant Lee Phillips, Steve Poltz, Joel Rafael, Willis Alan Ramsey, Hayley Reardon, BettySoo, and Caroline Spence.

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.

January 2011 is Music Festival Time in Florida

Michael Kornfeld — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:21:18 +0000

Although most folk festivals in the U.S. happen outdoors during the summertime, at least two take place indoors on Florida’s respective coasts in January 2011: 30A Songwriters Festival and South Florida Folk Fest.

Produced by the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County and now in its second year, the 30A Songwriters Festival takes places at various venues on Scenic Highway 30A along Northwest Florida’s Panhandle Gulf Coast over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, Jan. 14-16.

A mix of established touring artists, talented local songwriters and emerging talents are included in the festival’s line-up. Among the dozens of artists slated to perform are such notable singer-songwriters as Randall Bramblett, Susan Cowsill, Rodney Crowell, Ashleigh Flynn, Jen Foster, Mary Gauthier, Madison Violet, Michelle Malone, Laurie McClain (who was among my favorite new discoveries during the 2010 NERFA Conference), Carmel Mikol, Louise Mosrie, Shawn Mullins, David Olney, Gretchen Peters, Vicki Peterson of The Bangles, Suzi Ragsdale, Kim Richardson, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, Vienna Teng, Reed Waddle and Dar Williams. Tickets, priced at $75, can be purchased online at wwww.30aSongwritersFestival.com or at Central Square Records in Seaside, FL.

The Broward Folk Club, a nonprofit organization created more than 20 years ago to promote folk and acoustic music and provide a community for people who share a love for it, hosts the South Florida Folk Fest on Jan. 22. It is slated to run from noon to 6 p.m. in the grand ballroom of the Sunrise Civic Center on West Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise, FL. A two-hour open mic will precede the fest.

A variety of factors, ranging from weather to finances, prompted organizers two years ago to scale back what had been a multi-stage festival to a one-day “Round-Up” featuring a number of singer-songwriters who had not previously played South Florida. For 2011, the club is seeking to bring back much of the tradition and essence of the old festival by featuring artists who have been either headliners or singer-songwriter contest winners from 1999 forward. Featured artists, each of whom will perform 40-minute sets, are Nick Annis, Ellen Bukstel, Greg Greenway, Rod MacDonald, Dave Nachmanoff, Carla Ulbrich and Bill Ward. Admission is $35 at the door; $25 for club members, and $5 less in advance. Children 16 and under will be admitted free. More information appears online at www.southfloridafolkfest.net.