[Here’s a link to enjoy the official video’s for Willie Nelson’s “Last Leaf:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NySpcFpPcQg.]

The November 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 10,648 airplays reported on 366 playlists submitted by 99 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

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.

Top Albums of November 2024

1. Last Leaf on the Tree by Willie Nelson (73)
2. Hydra by Nuala Kennedy and Eamon O’ Leary (57)
3. Golden by Genevieve Racette (41)
4. Lonesome Road by Joel Mabus (40)
5. The American Dream by Amy Speace (39)
5. Bluegrass Sings Paxton by Various Artists (39)
7. Now, O Now by Rakish (35)
8. Storm Season by Tania Elizabeth (32)
9. Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (31)
10. Thirteen by Colin O’Brien (30)
10. Things Done Changed by Jerron Paxton (30)
10. Where the Islands Overflow by Susan Graham Pepper (30)
10. Highway Prayers by Billy Strings (30)
10. Can’t Steal My Fire: The Songs of David Olney by Various Artists (30)
15. Postcards of the Reckoning by Sean Kiely (27)
15. Deep Feeler by Liv Greene (27)
15. Gold in Your Pocket by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms (27)
18. Fever Longing Still by Paul Kelly (26)
18. In the Real World by Eric Bibb (26)
18. This Hen’s Gonna Crow by Colleen Kattau (26)
18. Quiet Town by Mindy Smith (26)
18. Lantern in the Dark: Songs of Comfort and Lullabies by Edie
Carey and Sarah Sample (26)
23. Heart of the Swan by Carla Sciaky (25)
23. Life on Interstate 40 by Kurt Anderson (25)
23. Love, Dan by C. Daniel Boling (25)
26. With a Guitar and a Pen by Tish Hinojosa (24)
27. Nine Becomes One (Chapter 7) by Joe Crookston (23)
27. Pathways by Julian Taylor (23)
29. Everything Must Go by Donal Hinely (22)
30. The Sound of That by Mark Stepakoff (20)
31. Backbone by Kasey Chambers (19)
31. Hot Jazz, Cool Blues and Hard-Hitting Songs by Barbara Dane (19)
33. Who We Are by Dan and Faith (18)
33. Love Your Mind by Twisted Pine (18)
33. Trapeze by Kate McDonnell (18)
36. Still + Bright by Amythyst Kiah (17)
36. Smokey Mountain High by Mike McKenna Jr (17)
36. Dan Tyminski: Live From the Ryman by Dan Tyminski (17)
36. Purple Gas by Noeline Hofmann (17)
40. Heartbreak, Misery and Death by Grayson Capps (16)
40. Long Days and Short Stories by Daryl Mosley (16)
40. Snake Hollow by Tristan Israel Band (16)
40. Harbortowne by Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus (16)
44. Nowhere Next by Yonder Mountain String Band (15)
44. Bloom Where You Fall by Hana Zara (15)
46. Wall Dogs by Tim Stafford and Thomm Jutz (14)
46. Haunted by Steve Madewell (14)
46. The Set by Jerry Douglas (14)
46. Woodbird by Jenny Burtis (14)
50. Far Away With You by Woody Platt (13)
50. The Legend of Sugarbelly by Guy Davis (13)
50. The Light Years by The Magnolia Janes (13)
50. Never Too Late by Neale Eckstein (13)
50. Willie Watson by Willie Watson (13)
50. From China to Appalachia by Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Chao Tian (13)
50. Shady Lane by George Jackson and Brad Kolodner (13)

Top Songs of November 2024

1. “Last Leaf” by Willie Nelson (23)
1. “Oh Mercy, Where Are You Now?” by Joe Crookston (23)
3. “The American Dream” by Amy Speace (17)
4. “The Dark-Eyed Gypsy” by Nuala Kennedy and Eamon O’ Leary (16)
5. “Keep Me in Your Heart” by Willie Nelson (15)
6. “We Won’t Go Back” by Carla Ulbrich (12)
6. “Talkin’ About a Revolution/Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” by
Chicks With Dip (12)
8. “American Insanity” by Mike Ward (10)
8. “Sing It Loud” by Kim Moberg (10)
8. “Love Along the Way (Live)” by Larry and Joe (10)
11. “Cherry Blossoms” by Doug Irwin (9)
11. “Put a Woman in Charge” by Raise the Vibration (9)
11. “Lining Track” by Women of Kelley (9)
11. “The Cuckoo” by Susan Graham Pepper (9)
11. “Are You Ready for the Country” by Willie Nelson (9)
11. “Willie-O” by Nuala Kennedy and Eamon O’ Leary (9)
11. “I Will Hang My Harp on a Willow Tree” by Nuala Kennedy and Eamon
O’ Leary (9)
11. “Love Them, Too” by The Rough and Tumble (9)
19. “My Way or the Highway” by Craig Werth (8)
19. “I Can’t Wait to Wake Up Tomorrow” by Mark Stepakoff (8)
19. “Irises” by Sean Kiely (8)
19. “Haunted” by Steve Madewell (8)
19. “One More” by Sean Kiely (8)
19. “Cotton Jenny” by Jane Fallon and Mike Worrall (8)
25. “I Will Rise” by Colleen Kattau (7)
25. “From Friends to Strangers” by Genevieve Racette (7)
25. “Thanksgiving Song” by Mary Chapin Carpenter (7)
25. “Big Dark’s Fancy” by Cindy Kallet (7)
25. “Wall Guitar” by Alison Brown and Steve Martin (7)
25. “Dance to the Manulenjo” by Noel Paul Stookey (7)
25. “Wild Geese” by Liv Greene (7)
25. “Weighing Down” by Julian Taylor (7)
25. “Broken Truth” by Tim Grimm (7)
25. “Thanksgiving” by Si Kahn (7)
25. “If I Could Only Fly” by Tish Hinojosa (7)
25. “Deep Feeler” by Liv Greene (7)
25. “Light in the Window” by Salamander Crossing (7)
25. “All Those Smiling Faces” by Paul Kelly (7)
25. “Baby Days Blues” by Jerron Paxton (7)
25. “The Pill” by Eilen Jewell (7)
25. “Backbone (The Desert Child)” by Kasey Chambers (7)
25. “I Will Not Go Down” by Amythyst Kiah (7)
25. “900 Miles” by Kurt Anderson (7)
25. “48 and Goal” by Kieran Kane (7)
25. “Slim and the Devil” by Willie Watson (7)

Top Artists of November 2024

1. Willie Nelson (86)
2. Nuala Kennedy and Eamon O’ Leary (57)
3. Joel Mabus (55)
4. Amy Speace (43)
5. Genevieve Racette (41)
6. Rakish (38)
7. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (37)
8. Billy Strings (36)
9. Bob Dylan (34)
9. Barbara Dane (34)
9. Tania Elizabeth (34)
12. Susan Graham Pepper (30)
12. Jerron Paxton (30)
12. Colin O’Brien (30)
15. Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms (29)
15. Joe Crookston (29)
17. Sean Kiely (28)
17. Stan Rogers (28)
17. Colleen Kattau (28)
17. Eric Bibb (28)
21. Mindy Smith (27)
21. Edie Carey and Sarah Sample (27)
21. Liv Greene (27)
24. Pete Seeger (26)
24. Grateful Dead (26)
24. Carla Sciaky (26)
24. C. Daniel Boling (26)
24. Paul Kelly (26)
29. John McCutcheon (25)
29. Kurt Anderson (25)
29. Joni Mitchell (25)
29. Donal Hinely (25)
33. Julian Taylor (24)
33. Tish Hinojosa (24)
35. Tom Russell (22)
35. Larry and Joe (22)
35. John Prine (22)
35. Mary Gauthier (22)
39. Dan and Faith (21)
39. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (21)

[Click on the link below to listen to “World Keeps On Singing” from Eliza Gilkyson’s new album, Home: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3USAjMv1a6U.]

The June 2023 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11, 548 airplays reported on 392 playlists submitted by 109 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

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.

Top Albums of June 2023

1. Home by Eliza Gilkyson (85)
2. Seven Stones by Katie Dahl (75)
3. Nine Becomes One by Joe Crookston (57)
4. Bits and Pieces by Malcolm Holcombe (51)
4. 55 by Ellis Paul (51)
6. When My Momma Sang to Me: Songs of Murphy Hicks Henry by Various Artists (45)
6. Gettin’ Together by Michael Jerome Browne (45)
8. O Sun O Moon by Bruce Cockburn (44)
9. Promise to Harry by The Sherpas (43)
10. On Banjo by Alison Brown (41)
11. Undaunted by Corey Purcell (39)
12. Nuevo South Train by Larry and Joe (38)
13. Now by Graham Nash (36)
14. I Only See the Moon by The Milk Carton Kids (35)
15. On My Way by Owen Walsh (33)
16. All the Love by Brittany Jean (30)
16. The Kitchen Sessions by John and Sheila Ludgate (30)
16. Traveling Wildfire by Dom Flemons (30)
16. The Beauty of It All by Brian Kalinec (30)
16. The Legend of Sam Davis by Aaron Smith and the Coal Biters (30)
21. California by The Refugees (29)
21. Forgottonia by Chris Vallillo (29)
23. Into the Night by Robinson and Rohe (26)
24. Among Other Things by Bella White (25)
24. Skylark by Open Road (25)
26. How to Shine by Jaime Michaels (24)
26. Stand in the Joy by William Prince (24)
28. Mighty Poplar by Mighty Poplar (23)
28. Rona by Queen Esther (23)
28. Between Hello and Goodbye by Greg Greenway (23)
31. Constellations by Meredith Moon (22)
31. Only This Far by The Rough and Tumble (22)
33. Circumstance by Alice Howe (21)
33. Cup of Sugar by Tim O’Brien (21)
33. Crossing the Causeway by Mary Beth Carty (21)
33. The Mother of Trouble by Vance Gilbert (21)
33. Wide Open Light by Ben Harper (21)
33. Rants and Romance by Rod MacDonald (21)
33. Gentle Man by Mitch Hayes (21)
40. Nine Apples of Gold by Karan Casey (20)
40. The Sea Beside Us by Beth DeSombre (20)
40. The Little In-Between by Tim Grimm (20)
43. Great Blue North by Special Consensus (19)
43. The Chicago Sessions by Rodney Crowell (19)
45. Folkocracy by Rufus Wainwright (18)
46. Lucky Me by Liz Miller (17)
46. Keep Your Courage by Natalie Merchant (17)
46. Elan by Rachel Hair and Ron Jappy (17)
46. Nothing by Julia Crafton (17)
46. Makin’ a Run by The Silas Powell Band (17)

Top Songs of June 2023

[Here’s a link to enjoy Joe Crookston’s Looking for Yes,” the most-played song on folk radio during June 2023: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jNNNvTdktII.]

1. “Looking for Yes” by Joe Crookston (19)
2. “World Keeps on Singing” by Eliza Gilkyson (17)
3. “A Ways to Go” by The Sherpas (13)
3. “Both Doors Open” by Katie Dahl (13)
3. “55” by Ellis Paul (13)
3. “Temperance River” by Katie Dahl (13)
7. “Since I Was Eight” by Katie Dahl (12)
7. “Sunflowers” by Eliza Gilkyson (12)
7. “The Welcome Song” by Jan Aldridge Clark (12)
10. “The Point” by Chuck Brodsky (11)
10. “Foggy Morning Breaking” by Alison Brown (11)
10. “True North” by Eliza Gilkyson (11)
13. “Looking Through My Father’s Eyes” by Randall Kromm (10)
13. “Sacristy” by Katie Dahl (10)
13. “Joy Revolution” by Raye Zaragoza (10)
13. “The Banks of Sweet Dundee” by Corey Purcell (10)
13. “Nuevo South Train” by Larry and Joe (10)
18. “Conscience of Man” by Malcolm Holcombe (9)
18. “How Deep” by Eliza Gilkyson (9)
18. “Where I’m Coming From” by Robinson and Rohe (9)
18. “Midnight Special” by Lead Belly (9)
18. “To Keep the World We Know” by Bruce Cockburn (9)
18. “Coffee Blues” by Michael Jerome Browne (9)
24. “Dad Worked Hard” by Rachael Kilgour (8)
24. “Tall Tree” by Eric Kilburn (8)
24. “Colin Went Down to the Water” by Bruce Cockburn (8)
24. “Cocktail Swing” by Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem (8)
24. “Fill Those Shoes” by Malcolm Holcombe (8)
24. “Are You a Friend of Dorothy?” by Jill Sobule (8)
24. “Bits and Pieces” by Malcolm Holcombe (8)
24. “When I Think of Her” by Julie Gold (8)
24. “Safety Zone” by Eliza Gilkyson (8)
24. “Henry Martain” by Aaron Smith and the Coal Biters (8)
24. “Summer Grass” by Katie Dahl (8)
24. “Cosmos” by Ellis Paul (8)
24. “Kings and Pharaohs” by Owen Walsh (8)

Top Artists of June 2023

The popular festival, which will feature four stages of music, officially kicks off on Friday, July 28 at noon. That’s when 15 artists/acts have been invited to perform in the 2023 Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase on the festival’s Mainstage. Appearing in this year’s showcase are (listed alphabetically by last name or name of group, not in order of appearance) are Sandy Cash, Katie Dahl, Leslie Evers, The Honey Badgers, Eric Kilburn, Latin Americana, Chris LaVancher, Juliet Lloyd, Carol Ann Montag, Halley Neal, Kevin Neidig, Noble Dust, Andy Sydow, and Tiffany Williams. Kemp Harris is the first alternate. Although there is no compensation for showcasing artists, each will receive full admission, on-site camping and meals for the festival, plus one guest pass per act.

The Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase is not a contest, and artists won’t be judged per se during the festival, although the audience is surveyed as to which showcase artists they’d like to see return the following year to participate in a Most Wanted Song Swap. In evaluating submissions, a panel of three judges looked for high-quality performances of interesting, well-crafted, acoustic-based material. This year’s judges were Susan Forbes Hansen (a folk DJ on WWUH and WHUS in Connecticut), Bruce Martin (from Blues Café in Southbury, CT) and Barbara Shiller (former president of CT Folk). “This year’s judges all said [that] it was extremely difficult to choose the final slate,” said Anne Saunders, the festival’s artistic director. “The level of talent and quality of the submissions was all pretty high — and much of it from newbies they did not know previously. We do so love when that happens.”

Phil Henry, Grace Morrison, Sam Robbins, and Erin Ash Sullivan will showcase their talents during this year’s Most Wanted Song Swap. In addition,the four are participating in a Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Presents The “Most Wanted” Tour leading up to the festival. They will showcase their talents at SolarFest in Brandon, VT (July 15), Club Passim in Cambridge, MA (July 16), The Listening Booth in Lewes, DE (July 21), Moore Music in Rockville, MD (July 22), and Earp’s Ordinary in Fairfax, VA (July 23).

During the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, an Activities 4 Kids program, Circle of Song acoustic stage, Family Stage and Workshop Stage also will begin on Friday afternoon, July 28, while evening Mainstage performances and nightly dancing are slated to follow the daytime programming. Mainstage performances extend until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights (followed by late-night musical revelry at the campgrounds featuring informal jams, artist showcases and song circles). Sunday’s musical festivities wrap up at 6 p.m. For those camping on the fairgrounds, there will be some late-night musical revelry featuring an array of informal jams, artist showcases and song circles that help foster a sense of “folk” community and a different kind of festival experience.

“We are very happy to be bringing back both DANCE and our Thursday Tastings and Farmers Market program,” said Saunders. While acknowledging that both will be smaller than in the pre-pandemic years when the festival took place on a farm in upstate New York, she noted “but that’s as expected; the important thing is that they are back.” So too will be a full array of craft and food vendors.

Prior to the start of the actual festival, the aforementioned Pre-Fest Tastings & Farmers Market will take place on Thursday afternoon, while a Thursday Night Music Stage will be hosted by Scotten Jones (a co-founder of the Lounge Stage that hosted live music on Thursdays for many years) and Kathy Sands-Boehmer of Harbortown Music beginning at 4 p.m. Artists slated to appear include Lisa Bastoni, Marc Douglas Berardo, Joe Crookston, Kirsten Maxwell, No Fuss and Feathers, Rod Picott, RaSkull Flagg, Robinson & Rohe, Rachael Sage, Tom Smith, and Rachel Sumner.

[Here’s a link to a Spotify playlist that Kathy Sand-Boehmer compiled featuring songs by artists who are part of the Thursday Night Music Stage lineup.

Three-day festival tickets are $240 with camping or $165 without camping. Single -day tickets also are available for $60. All three-day tickets include Pre-Fest Thursday admission, while tickets for Pre-Fest Thursday also can be purchased for $20 at the gate. Children 12 and under will be admitted free, while tickets are heavily discounted for teens. The campgrounds will open by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26. More information on the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival can be found at falconridgefolk.com.

American, Canadian, Irish and Scottish artists will be featured in what Cheryl Prashker, the festival’s artistic director and general manager; hopes will be “a magical online experience.” Nearly eight hours of pre-recorded music made especially for the festival will be viewable via the festival’s website (CelticFestival.ca), as well as its Facebook page (https://facebook.com/goderichceltic) and YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/channel/UCHRa3SZ8Y1wn88xYtNvR4Lg/featured?view_as=subscriber). FolkMusicNotebook.com, a 24/7 online music channel, will also stream the festival on its website.

From its humble beginnings as one-time memorial concert in 1993, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival is now the oldest pan-Celtic festival in North America. In addition to a three-day outdoor festival showcasing some of the world’s best Celtic musicians, dancers and artists, it has grown/evolved to include a weeklong Celtic College and a Celtic Kids Camp, as well as a series of rural outreach mini-concerts,

The festival –- whose physical location is surrounded by the Irish and Scottish heritage reflected in the nearby communities of Belfast, Dublin, Kincardine, Lucknow and Seaforth — was founded on the spirit of community and connecting people with Celtic roots and exploring new Celtic expressions. It generally features more than 60 hours of live musical performances by dozens of artists and acts on five stages, ranging from small intimate ones to a high-powered main stage.

Postponing the 28th edition of the Goodrich Celtic Roots Festival to August 2-8, 2021
“was a really emotionally hard decision to make,” Prashker acknowledged, ”but we’re going all out with this virtual one.” Prashker -– who is also part of the Celtic roots group RUNA and a ‘percussionist to the folkies’ — noted that when she assumed her position with the festival two years ago it was her “secret hope to put the beautiful small town of Goderich on the world map … and now it will be on the world stage virtually.”

Here’s a link to view a short commercial for the festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fcUWQrzE0

The virtual Goderich Celtic Roots Festival 27.5 will feature pre-recorded performances by Ariko (Canada), Bourque Emissaires (Canada), Cherish The Ladies (U.S.), Shane Cook (Canada)), Joe Crookston (U.S.), The deBarra Brothers (U.S. & Ireland), Flack (Canada), Eve Goldberg (Canada), Joe Jencks (U.S.), Kruger Brothers (U.S. & Ireland), Emory Lester (Canada), Malinky (Scotland), North Atlantic Drift (Canada), Brian O’Headhra & Fiona MacKenzie (Scotland), One for the Foxes (Ireland & U.S.), Reynolds, Robinson & Lodge (Canada), and RUNA (U.S. & Canada).

“We returned to the festival the following year and, by that time, I had absolutely fallen in love with the town and the people, not to mention the beach at Lake Huron,” said Prashker. Noting that “There is an energy here that many say is what keeps them coming back time and time again,” she continued, “Each year after that, even if RUNA was not booked at the festival, I would come back anyway and teach at the Celtic College.” That led to her spending more and more time in Goderich — visiting and eventually moving there and assuming her current dream job. “It reads like a fairy tale (at least to me it does.), and I am so honored to be here,” she added, expressing hope that online festival viewers will get a small glimpse of the spirit and beauty of Goderich that drew her there.

The annual Celtic Roots Festival is run under the auspices of the Goodrich Celtic Folk Society — a charitable nonprofit organization that produces events designed to foster awareness, participation, and education in the world of traditional Celtic culture. Although admission to the virtual festival is free, there will be a virtual tip jar (celticfestival.ca/donate) and all contributions will go to the participating artists.

Lisa Bastoni (Northampton, MA), Liv Greene (Washington, DC), Scott Mulvahill (Nashville, TN), Daniel Neihoff (Paducah, KY), D.b. Rielly (New York, NY), and Aaron Smith (Harrison, AR), will each perform 20-minute sets during a Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Winners concert at the festival on Sunday afternoon, June 2, and will receive cash honorariums and other prizes. They were selected as 2019 New Folk Winners by songwriters Joe Crookston, Ellis Delaney and Rebecca Loebe who served as judges. More than 500 songwriters had initially submitted entries.

Established in 1972 at the urging of Peter Yarrow, the Kerrville New Folk Concerts have become a highlight of the annual festival that is geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles. It is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America.

“New Folk is our way of finding new, exciting, excellent songwriters from around the world,” said Dalis Allen, producer of the Kerrville Folk Festival. “Our line-up every year is full of artists who have remained a part of the festival long after their first introduction in the competition.”

Kerrville, completing its 48th year, extends through Sunday, June 9. Besides concerts each evening, Kerrville features “Ballad Tree” song-sharing sessions, late-night and afternoon song circles and jam sessions at various campsites, concerts and activities for children, organized canoe and kayak trips on the Guadelupe River and Hill Country bike rides, a professional development program for teachers, as well as a three-day songwriters school and instrumental workshops. For more information, visit www.kerrville-music.com. A listing of all of this year’s New Folk Finalists was included in a previously posted article: https://acousticmusicscene.com/2019/04/16/2019-kerrville-new-folk-finalists-announced/

Justin Farren is Top Winner in Songwriter Serenade

Neihoff was also among the winners in the 13th annual Songwriter Serenade that took place on May 4 in Moravia, TX. First-Place honors in that competition went to Justin Farren, a Sacramento, California-based singer-songwriter, who was also a 2016 Kerrville New Folk Winner and is one of the “Most Wanted to Return” artists at this summer’s upcoming Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, NY, following audience voting after last year’s Grassy Hill Emerging Artists Showcase. He was chosen from among 15 semi-finalists in the Songwriter Serenade by a panel of judges who evaluated them based on lyrics (imagery, story, creativity, and originality), melody (structure, phrasing, and rhythm), and performing ability (vocals, musicianship), as well as stage presence/audience rapport.

Taking second through seventh place, respectively, were Scott White, Wyatt Espalin, Daniel Neihoff, Kyle Donovan, Kora Feder, and Scott Marin. In eighth through 15th – in alphabetical order – were Hilary Adamson, Helene Cronin, Teghan Devon, 
Jackson Emmer, Claudia Gibson, 
Keith Larsen, 
John Statz, and
Alicia Stockman. Prize monies were awarded to all of the finalists.

Singer-songwriters Mary Bragg (last year’s first-place winner), Susan Gibson and Walt Wilkins judged the Songwriter Serenade.

Scheduled to perform (in order of performance) at the Threadgill Theater on the Quiet Valley Ranch Campgrounds in the Texas Hill Country on Saturday, May 25, from 1-4 p.m., are Scott Sean White (Terrell, TX), Lynne Hanson (Ottawa, Ont, Canada), Lisa Bastoni (Northampton, MA), John Louis (Minneapolis, MN), Cari Ray (Nashville, TN), Angela Parish (Los Angeles, CA), Jordi Baizan (Houston, TX), Lyndy Butler (Hurricane, UT), Nancy Beaudette (Shirley, MA), Aaron Smith (Harrison, AR), Tia McGraff (Port Rowan, Ont, Canada), Scott Mulvahill (Nashville, TN), Liv Greene (Washington, DC), D.B. Rielly (New York, NY), Katy Vanderwood (Minneapolis, MN), and Eric Kilburn (Acton, MA).

New Folk Finalists slated to perform on Sunday afternoon, May 26, include Michael Braunfeld (Philadelphia, PA), Avery Hill (Portland, OR), Amanda Pascali (Houston, TX), Claudia Gibson (Wimberley, TX), Daniel Neihoff (Paducah, KY), Rick Frydman (Lawrence, KS), Hope Dunbar (Utica, NE), Karen Dahlstrom (Brooklyn, NY), Beth Snapp (Kingsport, TN), Sophie Buskin (Brooklyn, NY), James Wyatt Martin (Austin, TX), Clementine Volker (Holland), Gordon & Christy McLeod (Garland, TX), Alice Howe (Newton, MA), Kyle Donovan (Boulder, CO), and Sarah Jane Nelson (Star City, AR).

Named as alternates were Joanna Howeron & Mike Cross (Austin, TX), Leah Gams Johnson (Nashville, TN), Arlon Bennett (Tappan, NY), and Lisa Nicole Grace (Edmonton, Alb, Canada).

After performing, six songwriters will be selected as 2019 New Folk Winners by songwriters Joe Crookston, Ellis Delaney and Rebecca Loebe who are serving as judges. The six, to be announced during the evening concert on May 26, will receive cash honorariums and other prizes, as well as the opportunity to return the following weekend to each perform 20-minute sets during a Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Award Winners concert at the festival on Sunday, June 2.

Established in 1972 at the urging of Peter Yarrow, the Kerrville New Folk Concerts have become a highlight of the annual festival that is geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles and is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America. In addition to receiving cash awards and additional performance opportunities, being named as a New Folk Award Winner is regarded as a very prestigious honor.

‘New Folk is our way of finding new, exciting, excellent songwriters from around the world,” said Dalis Allen, producer of the Kerrville Folk Festival. “Our line-up every year is full of artists who have remained a part of the festival long after their first introduction in the competition.”

Besides concerts each evening, Kerrville features “Ballad Tree” song-sharing sessions, campfire jam sessions, concerts and activities for children, organized canoe and kayak trips on the Guadelupe River and Hill Country bike rides, yoga, beer and wine seminars, a Young Artists Performance Incubator, a professional development program for teachers, as well as a three-day songwriters school and instrumental workshops. The festival runs for 18 straight days – Thursday, May 23– Sunday, June 9.

Among the notable artists slated to perform during the festival are Balsam Range, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, David Bromberg Quintet, Joe Crookston, Jeff Daniels, Mary Gauthier, John Gorka, Patty Griffin, Eileen Ivers, Christine Lavin, Martha Redbone, Tom Paxton and The DonJuans, Riders in the Sky, The Seldom Scene, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Alexis P. Suter Ministers of Sound, Tempest, Trout Fishing in America, and Molly Tuttle.

A number of talented Canadian artists are also on the bill — including Melanie Brulee, Matthew Byrne, Elage Diouf, Earle and Coffin, Jay Gilday, Terence Jack, David Myles, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Dana Sipos, and The Small Glories. From the UK are Scottish folk-roots rockers Skerryvore (my favorite new musical discovery during the 2018 Folk Alliance International Conference) and Gloucestershire duo The Black Feathers. Limerick, Ireland’s Hermitage Green makes its Philadelphia Folk Festival debut, as do Australian singer-songwriter Tom West and Tuvan throat singers Alash.

Also of note are Michigan-based band The Accidentals (named among Yahoo Music’s 10 Bands to Watch” in 2017), Washington, DC area-based singer-songwriter Crys Matthews (grand prize winner of the 2018 NewSong Music Competition and winner of the People’s Music Network’s Social Justice Songs Contest at the 2017 Northeast Regional; Folk Alliance Conference), Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter Matt The Electrician, and rollicking, high-energy folk-rockers Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes.

Among the up-and-coming local touring artists who will showcase their talents during the festival are April Mae & the June Bugs, Michael Braunfeld, Meghan Cary & Analog Gypsies, Orion Freeman, Marion Halliday & Trickster Sister, Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt, and Brittany Tranbaugh. A Friday morning album release celebration for Kicking Down Doors and Tin Bird Choir will take place on the Camp Stage.

As the names above suggest, the Philadelphia Folk Festival features an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary music that stretches the boundaries of folk, helping to broaden its appeal and reach a new generation of listeners. National and international touring artists of note as well as emerging ones are on the bill.

In partnership with the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, the festival will also showcase the talents of three up-and-coming young artists/acts –the previously mentioned Benjamin Dakota Rogers and Earle and Coffin, as well as Lula Wiles, a female Americana trio recently singed to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings– during a NERFA Presents Young Folk song swap on Saturday morning.

In addition to musical performances and workshops on eight stages – including an accordion workshop, contra dancing with Groovemama, a Martin Guitar Jam, and a late Sunday afternoon Klezmer dance party — there will be an array of children’s activities in the shady Dulcimer Grove – including craft-making and performances by The Give & Take Jugglers and a number of children- and family-oriented artists. As in years past, many artisans will display and sell their creations in an open-air juried crafts area.

There’s also a festival within the festival for those who opt to camp onsite and enjoy some late-night musical revelry. The 40-acre campground – chock-a-block with tents — is home to a unique late-night scene, with singing by campfires and jamming into the early morning hours. David Dye, host of the syndicated World Café radio program, will host a special Thursday night concert on the Camp Stage — featuring multi-ethnic Latin pop songstress Gina Chavez, contemporary blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Toranzo Cannon, and Scots folk band Talisk — exclusively for all-festival camping ticket holders.

Both day and full-festival passes are available for purchase. Children under 12 will be admitted free with an adult, while discounted tickets are available for youth, ages 12-17

For more information about the Philadelphia Folk Festival and to order tickets, visit www.pfs.org/philadelphia-folk-festival/.

Editor’s Note: As president of the NERFA board of directors, I have the honor and pleasure of hosting the “NERFA Presents Young Folk” showcase on Saturday morning, Aug. 18, at 11 a.m.

South Florida Folk Festival Features a Singer-Songwriter Competition

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.

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.

The Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artists Showcase is not a contest, and artists won’t be judged per se, although the audience is surveyed as to which showcase artists they’d like to see return next year to participate in a Most Wanted Song Swap. This year’s Most Wanted Song Swap will feature Bettman & Halpin (Denver, CO), Kipyn Martin (Columbia, MD) and Kirsten Maxwell (Huntington, NY).

Among the Northeast’s most popular music festivals, the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, now in its 29th year, takes place August 4-6 at Dodds Farm on Route 7D in Hillsdale, New York, located in the foothills of the Berkshires near the tri-state corner of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The festival features dozens of artists performing on several stages, a dance tent, children’s music and activities, and a wide array of crafts, food and other vendors. A Pre-Fest Tastings Day & Farm Market is slated for Thursday, Aug. 3, featuring locally grown food, drink and artisanal items, along with performances by a number of artists from the late afternoon through the evening on The Lounge Stage presented by Tribal Mischief Productions.

This year’s artist lineup includes Adam Ezra Group, Eric Andersen, Michael Braunfeld, Brother Sun, Buddy System, Jim & Madeline Christensen, Joe Crookston, Sawyer Fredericks, Abbie Gardner, The Gaslight Tinkers, Great Bear, Hoopoe, Kalliope Jones, David Massengill, Rod MacDonald, Will Mentor, Beth Molaro, Patti O’Brien Melita, Nerissa & Katryna Nields, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, Paul Rosenberg, The Russet Trio, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams (always a highlight at the dance tent), The Storycrafters, Still – The Homegrown Band, Tempest, Upstate Rubdown, Vishten, Kathryn Wedderburn, Annie Wenz, and Zydegroove. The Falcon Ridge House Band — featuring Rad Lorkovic, Mark Dann and Eric Lee –also will be on hand to accompany a number of other artists.

Those camping at Falcon Ridge and staying up through the early morning hours can enjoy an array of informal jams, mini-showcases and after-hours song circles that help foster a sense of “folk” community and a different kind of festival experience at the Big Orange Tarp, Budgiedome, Pirate Camp and elsewhere. Singer-songwriters Terry Kitchen and Tony Kearney host the Nite Owl Swap and Nite Owl Hoot.

Three-day festival tickets are $165 with camping or $125 without camping through July 10 and rise by $25 after then. Single -day tickets also are available, as are discounted tickets for teenagers (ages 13-18). Gates open for campers on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 3. More information on the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival can be found at www.falconridgefolk.com.

Editor’s Note: Although I enjoyed arranging and hosting late-night song swaps at Falcon Ridge under the banner of AcousticMusicScene.com for nearly a decade – in partnership with Tribes Hill and, more recently, Pirate Camp, I’m taking a break from doing so this year. I enjoyed visiting various campsites and checking out a number of artists who were new to me last year and plan to do so again. I’m coordinating the free, daylong Huntington Folk Festival on Long Island, NY on the Saturday prior to Falcon Ridge.

The ten finalists selected by a panel of judges, based on both their songwriting craft and the presentation of their songs, are Hannah Bethel (Tennessee), Kevin Chambers (Tennessee), Nathan Evans Fox (Texas), Mike Laureanno (Rhode Island), Heather Mae (Washington, DC), Tom Meny (Texas), Emmeline Miles (Texas), Emily Scott Robinson (Texas), Marilyn Rucker (Texas), and Mike P. Ryan (Virginia).

After showcasing their talents on Saturday, May 20, four of the finalists will receive $500 each and will perform in a 75-minute spotlight round on Sunday afternoon, while $100 will be awarded to the remaining six. All ten finalists will also be invited to perform sets on the festival’s Courtyard Stage.

Other artists slated to perform on the Singer Songwriter Stage during the festival include Albert and Gage, Rj Cowdery, Joe Crookston (who also presents a day-long songwriting workshop on Friday that’s limited to 30 students), Jon Christopher Davis, Justin Farren, The Flyin’ A’s, John Fullbright, Butch Hancock, Shake Russell and Michael Hearne with Mike Roberts, Ryanhood, 2-Bit Palomino, and Beth Wood.

In addition to its Singer Songwriter and Courtyard Stages, Wildflower! will feature several other stages with an eclectic array of musical artists (ranging from rockers The B-52s and Lynyrd Skynrd to southern country rockers The Outlaws, folk-rockers Orleans, and soulful blues and folk singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster), as well as the Wild! Marketplace, a Taste of Texas Food Garden, a Kidz Korner family area and petting zoo, strolling entertainers, and more.

Three-day festival passes may be purchased online for $65, while single-day adult tickets are available for $30 online and $40 at the gate. For more information, including performance schedules and a ticket link, visit www.wildflowerfestival.com.