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

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

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

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

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

Juried Showcases Slated for Friday and Saturday Nights      

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

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

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

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

Here’s the AcousticMusicScene.com Showcase lineup:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NERFA Leaders Share Their Thoughts on the Conference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Panel Discussions and Workshops Explore a Variety of Topics

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

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

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

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

The regional events provide useful and enjoyable learning and networking opportunities, not to mention plenty of listening and performing opportunities for artists, presenters, agents and managers, DJs, and others engaged in the folk music field. Booking gigs is a primary objective of some performing artists who attend these annual conferences, while many presenters and folk DJs come primarily to scout out new artists and those who they have not previously heard and seen in live performance. However, these conferences are much more than that – they are really about forging connections and building community.

FARM Gathering in Illinois to Feature 14 Official Showcase Artists/Acts

The 14 artists/acts slated to perform during Official Showcases at the 2022 FARM Gathering on the evenings of October 21 and 22 are (listed alphabetically by last name or group name) Basset, Buffalo Rose, Sienna Christie, Djangophonique, Gina Forsyth, Ben Gage, Tim Grimm, House of Hamill, Jordan Hamilton, Donna Herula Trio, Spencer LaJoye, Annie Mack, Steam Machine, and Rupert Wates. Named as alternates were Tret Fure and Kelly Hunt featuring Stas Heaney. They were chosen from among nearly 170 entries. The FARM Gathering extends from October 20-23 at Doubletree Lisle Naperville in Lisle, Illinois -– near Chicago. Conversations and workshops during this year’s gathering will focus around themes of inclusion through song, storytelling, and community building. Grammy Award-winner Dom Flemons, The American Songster, will deliver a keynote address. While last year’s conference took place solely online, the 2022 Gathering will feature a combination of in-person and virtual content. For more information, visit farmfolk.org.

SWRFA Taps 16 Artists/Acts for its Official Showcases in Austin, Texas

SWRFA will host eight official showcases on Friday night, September 23 and another eight on Saturday night, September 24. The showcasing artists are listed below in order of performance (subject to change if needed). Sept. 23: Jean Rohe, David Starr, Karyn Oliver, Noah Zacharin, Deidre McCalla, Grace Morrison, Javier Jara, and Violet Bell. Sept. 24: Vanessa Lively, Erin Ivey, George Ensle, Shanna in a Dress, Abigail Lapell, Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale, Natalie Price, and Justin Farren. The Official Showcases will be held in the ballroom at the Holiday Inn-Midtown in Austin, Texas. In addition, an Alternates Official Showcase featuring Alicia Stockman, Beth//James, Ryan Biter, Leeann Atherton, Jason Erie, and Wild Ponies will take place in another room at the hotel following a pool party on Thursday night, September 22. The 23rd Annual SWRFA Conference extends from September 21-25. For more information, visit swfolkalliance.org.

A Bit About FAI, NERFA and Other Regional Affiliates

Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org), which draws the largest number of people to its annual conferences of any FAI region, will announce its juried Formal Showcase artists in August. Its conference is slated for November 10-13 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with Formal Showcases at the legendary Stone Pony. A hybrid event, much of the NERFA conference will also be livestreamed. Although NERFA is no longer accepting applications for its in-person formal showcases, conference attendees (in-person and virtual) may still apply for virtual showcases until August 15. Artists must be registered for the conference in order to do so.

Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) has opted not to host a conference this year, while Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) annual conference attendees converged on Black Mountain, North Carolina in May and will again.

Folk Alliance International (folk.org) — which hosts its 35th annual conference, February 1-5, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri — is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through preservation, presentation and promotion. Its conference theme is Facing the Future: Sustainability on Folk Music.

Editor’s Note: I serve on the boards of directors of both Folk Alliance International and NERFA and am a past president of NERFA. I have been a workshop presenter, moderator and/or mentor at FAI, FARM virtual, FAR-West, NERFA and SERFA conferences and will be participating in this year’s SWRFA conference. I am not involved in the selection of juried showcase artists, although I host late-night showcases under the banner of AcousticMusicScene.com at conferences.

The show can be viewed online at Harbortown Music’s Facebook page or YouTube channel. It may also be shared via the AcousticMusicScene.com group on Facebook. Although there is no set fee to view the livestream, tips for the artists would be most appreciated (suggested donation: $20) and may be made via paypalme.com/harbortownmusic.

About the Artists:

One of the most acclaimed voices in contemporary folk music, Amy Speace was discovered in 2006 by Judy Collins and signed to her record label. The Americana Music Association UK named the title track of her album Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne was named International Song of the Year in 2020. Speace’s latest release, 2021’s There Used To Be Horses Here. chronicles the year between the birth of her son and the death of her father. A new album, Tucson, is set for release this year. Collins, Red Molly, and Blues Hall of Famer Sid Selvidge among others, have also recorded her songs. Speace founded the East Nashville Song Salon in 2010 and teaches songwriting and performance at conferences, institutions, and privately. For more information, visit amyspeace.com.

Accompanying herself on piano, Kate Klim, whose songs mix her folk and pop sensibilities, was a winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition in 2010, has been part of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase, and has been a finalist in the Mountain Stage Newsong Contest, the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and the Telluride Troubadour Competition, among others. After a hiatus of a few years surrounding the birth of her two sons, she returned to the studio in early spring 2020 to begin recording her fourth album. Released earlier this month, Something Green is an album about hope, love, change, and new growth. For more information and to listen to some of her songs, visit kateklim.com.

Both artists also have YouTube channels. Here’s a link to view an official video of Amy Speace performing the title track of There Used To Be Horses There. And here’s a link to view the official lyric video for “Something Green,” the title track of Kate Klim’s new release.

About Your Hosts:

Michael Kornfeld, a veteran strategic communications and public relations professional – whose clients have included a number of independent recording artists and labels – launched AcousticMusicScene.com in 2007 to provide news, information and commentary for the folk, roots and singer-songwriter communities. The longtime president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, a nonprofit presenting organization on Long Island, NY, Kornfeld also serves on the boards of Folk Alliance International and NERFA, curates the annual Huntington Folk Festival, emcees concerts, and hosts showcases and mentors artists at various music conferences and festivals.

Kathy Sands-Boehmer is an enthusiastic and tireless presenter, promoter and supporter of independent musicians. For years, she booked and promoted artists, new and old, at a well-respected 225-seat venue north of Boston, Massachusetts; was an active leader of the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association (BACHA); and has also mentored and managed artists. She blogs about all kinds of great music for Everything Sundry and recently launched Harbortown Music as a resource for musicians and venues — building community, while promoting and presenting high-quality music. Sands-Boehmer works with Stephen Bach of The Digital Docs, who engineers all of Harbortown Music’s virtual shows and lends his technical expertise to the participating artists as well.

This has simply been a wretched week for the folk music community in the northeast. ⁠
⁠
Joe Virga has spent decades welcoming musicians into the fold, from his Cup of Joe Showcases at NERFA conferences, to his forever presence in the lobbies of Kerhonkson [NY] and Stamford [CT] – Joe was always ready, waiting and eager to hear everyone and share his songs. ⁠
⁠
During the first years of working “in the scene,” whenever I went to a show, my father would say: “Tell Bill I say hi! We went to school together you know!” He would say it every time as if I had forgotten, and I would pass on his message to Bill Staines whether it was Club Passim or the Me & Thee coffeehouse. Bill would smile a little and ask if my father was keeping out of trouble. While I didn’t know Bill particularly well, his clear legacy in the scene, along with my father’s insistence on a pre-existing connection (and I suspect Bill’s playing along), was one of the many things that made me feel like there was a pre-built sense of community when I started out. I don’t think I ever got a chance to thank Bill for that and I wish I had.⁠
⁠
Lastly, there simply was no better storyteller’s storyteller than Scott Alarik. His love of the literal history of the people behind the folk revival and the Northeast folk scene was unparalleled. He loudly praised our victories and he treasured and cared for our broken bits. ⁠
⁠
I am not a religious man, but even so, I hope these three great storytellers find a campfire in the great beyond and allow themselves a moment to revel in lives well lived and stories well told. ⁠ – Ethan Baird

Editor’s Note:

I’m very saddened by the passings of Scott Alarik, Bill Staines and Joe Virga. Although I didn’t know Scott or Bill well, I’d spoken with both on numerous occasions. One of the most prolific and influential folk music writers in the country, Scott covered folk for the Boston Globe, wrote for many national magazines, and was a regular contributor to public radio. He was also a singer-songwriter, an author (Deep Community: Adventures in the Modern Folk Underground and the novel Revival), and wrote the scripts and provided the video narration for Folk Alliance International’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. Bill was a New Hampshire-based traveling troubadour and prolific songwriter, who wrote such gems as “A Place in the Choir,” “Bridges,” “Child of Mine,” “Crossing the Water,” “River,” and “Roseville Fair.” I have a number of Bill’s albums and enjoyed seeing him in concert nearly every January here on Long Island, where he played annually as part of the Our Times Coffeehouse series for 30 years. Joe, a Brooklyn, New York-bred and Florida-based singer-songwriter, was a big presence at NERFA and Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) conferences, where he hosted Cup of Joe showcases and afforded many artists — particularly first-timers — opportunities to be seen and heard. We may never see and hear these three live again but, thankfully, we have their recorded music, writings, and memories to remind us of them.

Here’s a link to a video for Joe Virga’s song “A Prayer for the Living”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZi1TzwcIuQ

Here’s one of Bill Staines performing his classic “River”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiEsiO9ZRI

And in this video, Scott Alarik reads excerpts form Revival, his novel set in the folk world:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E17wu9DPlm8

Scott Alarik’s and Joe Virga’s passings were unexpected, and I’m not sure of their causes of death, while Bill Staines shared the following message on his Facebook page on Nov. 30:

Hi folks,

This old horse is tired. It’s time to ride on.

Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) – Sept. 24-26, 2021

Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA)’s virtual conference. Sept. 24-26, will feature 14 juried official showcases, along with a number of late-night guerrilla showcases, an open mic, seven 90-minute workshop sessions, and one-on-one mentoring.

Showcasing their talents during official showcases on Friday night, Sept. 24, will be The Black Feathers, Jacob Johnson, Nathan Evans Fox, Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio, Kray Van Kirk, Barbara Lica, and South for Winter. Saturday night’s official showcase lineup includes Abby Posner, Alright Alright, Jana Pochop, Sam Robbins, Emerald Rae, Jim Jones, and Conjunto Cats. Named as alternates were Buffalo Rose, Jordi Baizan and Annette Wasilik — each of whom will be afforded an opportunity to share a song prior to the start of an open mic on Friday.

It has been customary during the annual SWRFA conferences for all registered artists to be given a random song topic/prompt. They are expected to write about these during the weekend and perform their songs following Sunday brunch. SWRFA will seek to replicate this song-sharing event virtually on Sunday afternoon.

This is the second consecutive year that SWRFA – whose region includes the Southwestern United States and Mexico — has hosted its annual conference online, rather than in Austin, Texas.

“As was the case last year, Dalis Allen, SWRFA’s executive director, and our board members are eager to keep a sense of continuity and gather our community together in these challenging times,” said Brian Kalinec, SWRFA’s board president. “Back in 2020, we never would have imagined that we’d be doing a virtual conference again. We anticipate as many, if not more, participants than last year. And this year, we’re having nine late-night showcases as well.”

More information on SWRFA and its virtual conference, for which registration is available on a ‘pay what you can’ basis, may be found at swfolkalliance.org.

Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) – Oct. 14-16, 2021

Forward with Folk is the theme of the Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) Virtual Conference, Oct. 14-16. “It embraces our movement forward in adapting to a changing world while still curating treasured conference traditions such as the Venue’s Choice Concert, FAR-WestTeaches (panel discussions), guerilla showcases, and Best of the West awards,” according to the FAR-West website. New additions to this year’s online event include campfires (open mics), community spotlights and peer sessions. There will also be a virtual exhibit hall.

A series of 90-minute online panel discussions will include Collect Your Fair Share: Accessing All Your Streaming Revenues, Get Your Music in the Movies, Elevating Your Song: From Songwriting to the Studio, and The Creative Economy in Recovery: Opportunities for Musician Changemakers. There will be not be any juried official showcases this year. The spotlight is on the various individuals and organizations that will host private guerrilla showcases that premiere on Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 14 and 15.

“As the conference coordinator, I’m so excited to introduce FAR-West to the global community during our first-ever virtual conference,” said Julie Zipperer. Noting that FAR-West has been presenting online programming throughout the pandemic, she continued: “We look forward to continuing our online education and performance events year-round. We are not just a once-a-year conference; we are FAR-West year-round.”

Six ticket registration options for the FAR-West virtual conference are available, ranging from general fan to VIP. Post-event on-demand access to the conference programming will be available for either 30 days or 365 days, depending on the ticket type purchased. This means that people won’t have to scramble from room to room to catch particular artists/acts/programs at certain times and can also catch those that they missed during the regular hours of the virtual conference afterwards.

For more information on the virtual conference and to register online, visit far-west.org.

Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) – Oct. 27-30, 2021

Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) was the first of Folk Alliance International’s regional affiliates to embrace technology and provide educational programming and networking opportunities for FAI members and others in the wake of the pandemic. Under the banner of FARM Virtual Connections, it has been presenting Tuesday Tech Talks, educational panel discussions, mentor sessions, and peer gatherings since April 2020.

FARM Virtual Connections The Gathering, Oct. 27-30, represents its ongoing efforts to serve the Midwest (U.S. and Canadian) folk community and beyond. It will feature official and private guerrilla showcases, a keynote address by singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer, panel discussions, workshops, mentor sessions, and affinity/peer group discussions. Official Showcase applications are due by Sept. 30. Panel topics will be announced beginning early next month.

“Much as we miss seeing everyone in the flesh, the virtual world is offering some unique opportunities for meaningful connections we may not have been able to make in person,” said Annie Capps, director of Virtual Connections for FARM. “To that end, we’re gearing up for some inspiring conversations which, at their core, revolve around making those connections that continue to grow our community. Of course, there will be lots of amazing musical performances, all live streamed (no pre-recorded) and ample networking opportunities, like speed dating-style meet ups, spontaneous chat rooms and other fun activities to keep everyone engaged.”

Registration for FARM Virtual Connections The Gathering is on a sliding scale, from $25-$50. For more information and to register, visit farmfolk.org.

Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) – November 11-14, 2021

Rounding out the virtual regional conferences this fall is one being presented by Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), Nov. 11-14. Beloved long-standing NERFA conference traditions – including its coveted juried Formal Showcase, the Suzie Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase, late-night guerilla showcases, and an exhibit hall will be paired with new opportunities and programming — all designed to offer a dynamic, interactive and engaging online conference experience.

This year’s NERFA virtual conference will feature more than 100 hours of showcasing opportunities, according to Ethan Baird, the organization’s executive director. He cited Formal Showcases to be presented by some of the region’s finest acoustic listening rooms, as well as three days of open mics with some of the best digital producers on the scene – folks who have worked with Jonatha Brooke, Susan Werner and Dar Williams, among others – coaching participants to produce their best performances. “There will also be curated panels and workshops covering such timely topics as zero to professional set-up streaming systems for venues and the evolution of audience to community to fan base,” said Baird. “The entire event will be capped off with keynotes and awards ceremonies celebrating the community – our lessons learned, triumphs and losses,” he added.

Like the FAR-West virtual conference, NERFA’s will afford participants an array of registration options and on-demand access to the conference programming for either 30 days or 365 days after the virtual event, depending on the ticket type purchased.

Prior to the pandemic, NERFA’s board of directors had been engaged in discussions about transitioning to a year-round organization that can provide increased value and better meet the needs of the community it serves. With the inception of its NERFA 365 initiative late last year, the organization — whose geographic boundaries extend from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC to the eastern provinces of Canada — has done just that. NERFA hosts virtual panel discussions, artist and presenter peer group sessions each month, as well as a quarterly video spotlight series.

Visit nerfa2021.com for more information and to register for the conference.

Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA), the fifth North American-based regional affiliate of FAI, held a virtual conference in May.

Folk Alliance International Conference – Feb 23-27, 2022

Folk Alliance International hosts a hybrid conference (in-person, along with online elements), Feb. 23-27, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri — where the nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion is based. Registration for the conference is open now, while artists have until Sept. 30 to apply for juried official showcases. Visit folk.org for more information.

Editor’s Note: I am a board member of Folk Alliance International and NERFA (of which I am also a past president) and have been a mentor and/or panelist on public relations and strategic communications topics, among others, for FAR-West, FARM and SERFA, as well as FAI and NERFA. AcousticMusicScene.com hosts showcases at NERFA and SERFA in-person conferences.

Extending from 3-6 p.m. EST, the 2021 Folk DJ Emerging Artist Showcase is hosted by Folk Music Notebook, an online radio station showcasing a wide array of folk music 24/7 since May 2019. The showcase premieres with a video stream on its YouTube channel (Here is a direct link to view the video: https://youtu.be/ZOAHIRHvTb8], while there will also be a separate audio stream at www.FolkMusicNotebook.com.

Inspired by the Folk DJ Showcase that was started in 2003 at the annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference by Rich Warren (the former longtime host of The Midnight Special on Chicago’s WFMT that is also nationally syndicated) and the late Suzi Wollenberg, this virtual showcase will carry on the tradition that was interrupted with the cancellation of the November event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, notes Ron Olesko, a veteran folk DJ who founded and curates Folk Music Notebook.

Realizing that the NERFA Conference would not be taking place, Olesko contacted fellow DJs John Platt, Joe Pszonek and Bruce Swan to discuss doing something online in its place. “We brainstormed and came up with this virtual showcase, and I think what all the DJs have created will remind viewers and listeners of the spirit of the guerrilla Folk DJ Showcase that has been part of NERFA since 2003,” said Olesko. “If this event is well received, we might try another in the spring with other DJs from around the United States and Canada. The talent in our community continues to astound me, and I predict that the artists who are participating in this event will soon become audience favorites.”

Referring to the Folk DJ Showcase as a highlight of the NERFA Conference for a couple of decades, Platt, host of Sunday Supper on WFUV in New York, recalls “first getting turned on to [Canadian singer-songwriter] Rose Cousins and being gratified by the response to artists like [eclectic NY-based alt-roots-Americana band] Spuyten Duyvil that I introduced.” He believes “The lineup here is equally strong, and the beauty is you don’t have to pay for registration or have a hotel room to enjoy them.”

Here is the list of DJs and the artists whom they will be presenting (in order of appearance):

Years ago, I encouraged Lois to attend the annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conference and to apply for showcases at it. Accompanying herself on a mini-piano during the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase at the 2011 NERFA Conference, she drew a standing ovation from an audience that was captivated by her and thoroughly enchanted with her funny songs. Selected for an official juried showcase in 2012, Lois repeated that feat (a rarity at NERFA conferences). At my urging, she applied for and secured another official juried showcase a few years later.

Lois earned the praise of noted folk DJs like John Platt and Rich Warren. “Don’t be deceived. Underneath Lois Morton’s sweet grandmotherly demeanor lurks a wickedly clever songwriter,” Platt, host of Sunday Supper on New York’s WFUV, once commented. “The legacy of Tom Lehrer lives on in Lois.” Warren, the recently retired host of the long-running, nationally syndicated The Midnight Special, played her songs frequently and also invited her to perform live in Chicago on his WFMT radio program and concert series, Folkstage. Her song “The Diet is Cast” received an Imprint Radio Award from the late upstate New York folk DJ Terry Doyle for Best Live Performance and also was nominated for a 2012 MAC Award by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs. She received a 2014 MAC Award for a New York City cabaret revue, 20th Century Girl (featuring songs from her 2013 album of the same name), that was performed at Don’t Tell Mama and The Duplex.

[Here’s a link to a video of Lois Morton performing “The Diet is Cast:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZb30xZjUZc.]

Lois was also the subject of a cover feature in Acoustic Live! in New York City & Beyond. Richard Cuccaro, its editor & publisher, opined: “For any concertgoer who loves intricate wordplay, Lois is a lodestone discovery. Truly a gem.” Singer-Songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore, with whom she took courses at the Omega Institute, described her songs as “a beautiful blend of biting wit, constant surprises and poignant, human stories. They alternately provoke us to laughter at our modern foibles and touch our hearts with timeless, tender, heartfelt sharing.” Lois was also a frequent attendee of the Summersongs and Wintersongs songwriting camps in upstate New York.

She released three CDs of original songs – As I See It, Doorways In Time and 20th Century Girl – and, in November 2019, a six-song EP entitled Thinking It Through. In addition to her own topical songs, which she began writing in the late 1960s, and several of which were published in Broadside Magazine, Lois brought to life the legendary Edith Piaf in a lecture-cabaret program featuring songs and stories and also performed a show called “Raisins and Almonds: Jewish Songs for the Heart.”

Lois leaves behind a daughter (Amy), a son (Philip), three grandchildren, and a trove of songs that I hope will be discovered and enjoyed by people for years to come. Below are links to just a few of the many videos of her performing them that appear on YouTube:

“Twentieth Century Girl”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQaY9R2aBtk

“The Cell Phone Song”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f84Kg2n-cTI

“Confessions of a Clutterholic”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5kbjYkFR58

“The Diet Is Cast” (performed live at the 2016 NERFA Conference)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PemwZlKZzA

Gathering Time — the Long Island, NY-based trio of Stuart Markus, Hillary Foxsong and Gerry McKeveny — has drawn the attention of folk fans with a sound reminiscent of musical luminaries such as The Byrds, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. However, Gathering Time’s vocal harmonies and instrumental acumen on both originals and choice covers have broadened its appeal to a wider audience.

Although the trio has also toured in Canada and Europe, Gathering Time has forged a musical foothold throughout the Northeast U.S. – due in part to having secured several official juried showcases at Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conferences and being audience-voted as “Most Wanted to Return” artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2012.

Gathering Time’s new album, Old Friends, is a collection of classic folk-rock songs from the 1960s and 1970s. On it, the trio pays homage to some of the artists who influenced the sound of its original music through recreating and reinterpreting some of its members’ favorite songs — ones that Gathering Time revels in playing alongside its own and whose messages of love, concern and wisdom are as relevant today as they were a half-century or more ago.

Gathering Time’s songs have been widely played on folk radio for a number of years. Its previous three albums also made the top five on the monthly folk radio airplay charts. The trio’s 2016 release, Keepsake, was the #1 album and featured the month’s most-played song on folk radio during March 2016, while When One Door Closes … was the #3 album in January 2014 and Red Apples and Gold charted at #5 in September 2012.

Gathering Time’s cover of The Youngbloods’ classic “Getting Together,” which appears on Old Friends, was the most-played song on folk radio in July. That song was released to folk DJs ahead of the album at the urging of John Platt, host of Sunday Supper on New York’s WFUV, who also designated Old Friends the Spotlight Album of the Month for September on his New Folk Initiative blog. Writes Platt: “While they dive deep into the folk-rock canon from the ‘60s and early ‘70s on their superb new album, Old Friends, they don’t just honor the classics, [Gathering Time] make them their own with their delicious harmonies… These songs are indeed Old Friends, and the album reminds us why they’ve been part of the soundtrack of our lives.”

James Lee Baker is a Texas-based folk-rock balladeer who has been a finalist in several songwriting competitions. An official showcase artists at the 2019 Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) Conference, he has played stages throughout the southwestern U.S. “100 Summers” is the title track of his new album that was recorded in one take at Blue Rock Studios in Wimberly, Texas. Prior to its release this year, Baker released another album, Home Again, in 2017 and a pair of EPs in 2011 and 2014.

Here’s a link to view a video of James Lee Baker performing “100 Summers” live at Blue Rock Studios: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCicb0xFyYg

Scott Cook’s song “Say Can You See,” which topped the charts in August, appears on his recent seventh release, Tangle of Souls, the second most-played album on folk radio in both August and September. An internationally touring Edmonton, Alberta-based troubadour, Cook has been playing an average of more than 150 shows and a dozen festivals annually since 2007. However, like most artists, he’s not been touring during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Chosen by Falcon Ridge Folk Festival attendees as the “Most Wanted to Return” artist following 2019’s Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase, Cook performed as part of the virtual festival in July.

The September 2020 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 13,108 airplays reported on 434 playlists submitted by 114 different DJs. The number of reported spins appears in parentheses in the monthly top albums, songs and artists charts that can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
https://www.folkradio.org/chart/september-2020/#albums

Folk Alliance International (folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

NERFA (http://nerfa.org) is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International — a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. Serving FAI members from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC to the provinces of eastern Canada, NERFA attracts more than 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents, managers, folk DJs, and others engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music to its annual conference.

The NERFA conference features several jam-packed days and nights of music showcases, song swaps and jam sessions; one-on-one mentoring and peer group sessions; an exhibit hall; open mics; communal meals, and lots of informal conversation and networking. The conference is designed to help attendees forge connections and build community, while also providing learning and performance opportunities that can help enhance their professional and personal lives.

Through March 31, conference registration is $225 for FAI members and $285 for non-members; it includes Thursday-Saturday night dinners. Discounts and a limited number of scholarships also are available for Canadians, artists, folk DJs, and presenters.

Online Applications Available for Juried Official Showcases

Juried Formal Showcases are the premiere performance opportunities at the NERFA conference. Only 14 performance slots are available, with each running 15-minutes. The Formal Showcases take place between 7-9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and nothing else is allowed to compete with it. Immediately following the Formal Showcases, conference attendees will shuffle between three conference rooms to enjoy Semi-formal Showcases that run concurrently and extend from 9:45-11:20 p.m. each evening. As with the Formal Showcases, nothing else is allowed to go on during the Semi-formal Showcases. A line check, stage, professional sound and production services are supplied for all juried showcases, while Formal Showcase artists also will receive professionally mixed and recorded CDs of their performances.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the NERFA board of directors and also serve on the board of Folk Alliance International. I’m not involved with the judging for juried showcases, although AcousticMusicScene.com hosts late-night song swaps and afternoon guerilla showcases during the NERFA conference. A public relations and strategic communications professional, who counts a number of artists and an indie label among my clients, I also offer some pre-conference mentoring sessions via phone.