Bluegrass Sings Paxton is a multi-artist collection of a dozen select songs penned by Paxton and performed by a wide array of bluegrass singers and pickers assembled by producers Cathy Fink and Jon Weisberger. “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” is the album’s lead-off track. Other Paxton songs on the Mountain Home Music recording – seven of which were among September’s most-played songs on folk radio — include current IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Greg Blake’s rendition of “Leaving London,” previous three-time IBMA Male Vocalist Award recipient Danny Paisley’s take on the classic “Ramblin’ Boy,“ and past IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Claire Lynch’s rendition of “I Give You the Morning.” Sister Sadie’s interpretation of “The Last Thing On My Mind” closes out the album, which also features selections, old an new, recorded by Laurie Lewis (Central Square”), Bluegrass Hall of Famer Alice Gerrard (“The Things I Notice Now”), Grammy Award-winner Tim O’Brien (“You Took Me In,” a new gospel-tinged song co-written by Paxton, O’Brien and bandmate Jan Fabricius), Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer (“All I Want”), Aaron Burdett of The Steep Canyon Rangers (“The Same River Twice”), Chris Jones (“The Last Hobo”), and Sav Sankaran (“Looking for the Moon”).

[Here’s a link to enjoy a five-minute video featuring Tom Paxton discussing Bluegrass Sings Paxton and its songs, along with a few musical excerpts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUU8haC-nmU.]

House of Hamill, a self-described upcycled Celtic folk band, was the most played artist on folk radio for a second consecutive month – this time tying with singer-songwriter Kate McDonnell. Featuring Rose Baldino (fiddle and vocals), Brian Buchanan (fiddle, vocals and guitar), and Caroline Browning (bass, mandolin and piano), House of Hamill is a Pennsylvania-based, nationally touring trio that has performed at music festivals and established folk venues. Its fourth full-length release, Wildfire, topped the folk album charts in August, while its rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “The Highwayman” was that month’s top song. House of Hamill’s tight vocal harmonies, sophisticated instrumental arrangements, and acoustic pop sensibilities are evident on Wildfire. Like its live shows and previous releases, the album features a mix of original numbers, modern takes on centuries-old folk ballads, and choice covers. Recorded in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina, Wildfire also features House of Hamill’s original song “Banks of the Brandywine.” An ode to folklore that surrounds a notorious location on the Brandywine River in Chester County, PA, the song was recently selected as the grand-prize winner in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest – 2024 Session 1.

[Here’s a link to listen to the title track of House of Hamill’s new album, Wildfire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grwhwUutYiA.]

Kate McDonnell is an award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a gifted guitarist with a propensity to play the instrument differently than most. According to her official bio, she taught herself how to play the guitar, strung for a right-handed player, left-handed “upside down and backwards,” using her stronger right hand for chording and ignoring the customary positioning of the guitar strings. Part of a musically-inclined family, McDonnell began writing her own songs in 1989 and gained recognition in the early 1990s as both a Kerrville New Folk finalist and a finalist in the Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, as well as being voted the #1 singer-songwriter in a New Haven (Connecticut) Advocate readers’ poll following the release of her-self-produced debut album, Broken Bones. Since then, she has earned much critical acclaim and praise from such noted songwriters as Jonathan Edwards and the late Bill Staines, recorded five more albums, and toured internationally. Although she took a hiatus from performing for a decade to focus on working as a child therapist in day treatment programs, residential programs, and inner city schools, McDonnell never gave up songwriting. She returned to the studio in 2020 to record her fifth album, Ballad of a Bad Girl. Her sixth album, Trapeze, was released in September. It features 14 songs that she wrote over the past three years.

[Here’s a link to enjoy a recent video of Kate McDonnell performing her song “Pretty Good Day”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nUfNS26c6k.]

The September 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 10,787 airplays reported on 362 playlists submitted by 101 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 September 2024

1.Bluegrass Sings Paxton by Various Artists (124)
2. Labor Day: A Tribute to Hardworking People Everywhere by Si Kahn and
George Mann (103)
3. Trapeze by Kate McDonnell (58)
4. Wildfire by House of Hamill (56)
5. From China to Appalachia by Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Chao Tian (53)
6. The Legend of Sugarbelly by Guy Davis (52)
7. Ten Good Sermons by Eugene Ruffolo (51)
8. Manos Pan Americanos by Larry and Joe (45)
8. Boarding Windows in Paradise by Rebecca Frazier (45)
10. Everything Must Go by Donal Hinely (44)
11. Back to the Light by Heather Pierson (43)
12. Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (33)
12. The Set by Jerry Douglas (33)
14. The American Dream by Amy Speace (31)
14. Bloom Where You Fall by Hana Zara (31)
16. Dan Tyminski: Live From the Ryman by Dan Tyminski (30)
17. Carved in the Bark by Nick Carter (29)
17. A Prosperous Gale by Open the Door for Three (29)
19. Blessed by the West by Sarah Pierce (28)
19. Heart on a Wire by Carolyn Shulman (28)
19. Now, O Now by Rakish (28)
22. Terra Madre by Beppe Gambetta (27)
23. Earl Jam by Tony Trischka (26)
24. Willie Watson by Willie Watson (25)
25. Live at Steelstacks by River Drivers (24)
26. City of Glass by Aj Lee and Blue Summit (23)
27. “The Great Northwest by Steve Lundquist (22)
28. The First Day of December by Ivan Strunin (21)
29. Harbortowne by Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus (20)
29. Lessen the Blue by Larry Folk (20)
31. The Light Years by The Magnolia Janes (19)
32. Blame It on Eve by Shemekia Copeland (18)
33. The Unspeakable Milo Binder by Milo Binder (17)
33. The Two of Us by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (17)
33. Thus Spoke the Fool by Pony Bradshaw (17)
33. Bluegrass Tracks by Andy Statman (17)
33. Weird Wild Wonderful by Emily Hicks (17)
33. Quiet Town by Mindy Smith (17)
33. Hanging at the Luna Star by Lou Dominguez (17)
40. Wasted Luck by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (16)
40. Goldenrod by Teni Rane (16)
40. One of These Days by Cris Jacobs (16)
40. Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell (16)
44. Soliloquy by Craig Bickhardt (15)
44. Long Way Home by Ray Lamontagne (15)
46. Driven to Drive by Joe Ely (14)
47. Phthalo Blue by Andrew Marlin (13)
47. Polaroid Lovers by Sarah Jarosz (13)
47. More Than a Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith by
Various Artists (13)
50. Western Chill by Robert Earl Keen (12)
50. Diamond Days by Brooks Williams (12)
50. Daylight Savings Time by Steve Forbert (12)
50. The Price of Happiness by Miranda Hardy (12)
50. “weet Critters by Caleb Caudle (12)
50. Trees by Laurie Lewis (12)
50. Atlantic Sounds by Miscellany of Folk (12)
50. 20 by The Grascals (12)

Top Songs of September 2024

1. “I Can’t Help but Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” by Tom Paxton and Della Mae (27)
2. “I Give You the Morning” by Claire Lynch (17)
3. “Canaan” by Danny Schmidt (16)
4. “The Old Labor Hall” by Joe Jencks (13)
5. “Banks of the Brandywine” by House of Hamill (12)
5. “The Same River Twice” by Aaron Burdett (12)
5. “The American Dream” by Amy Speace (12)
5. “Central Square” by Laurie Lewis (12)
5. “Something You Got” by Jerry Douglas (12)
10. “You Took Me In” by Tim O’Brien (11)
10. “Ramblin’ Boy” by Danny Paisley (11)
10. “It Takes All Kinds” by Mark Stepakoff (11)
10. “Everything Must Go” by Donal Hinely (11)
10. “Up Here in the Mountains” by Heather Pierson (11)
10. “The Last Thing on My Mind” by Sister Sadie (11)
16. “Back to the Light” by Heather Pierson (10)
16. “A World Minus One” by Eugene Ruffolo (10)
16. “Wildfire” by House of Hamill (10)
19. “Long Way to Harlan” by Si Kahn and Laurie Lewis (9)
19. “The Things I Notice Now” by Alice Gerrard (9)
19. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Chao Tian (9)
19. “Gone Gonna Rise Again” by Michael Johnathon and Odetta (9)
19. “Late Bloomer” by Eugene Ruffolo (9)
19. “Back When Times Were Hard” by Si Kahn (9)
19. “No Child Should Ever Go Hungry” by Tret Fure (9)
19. “Pretty Good Day” by Kate McDonnell (9)
19. “Beautiful You” by Tom Prasada-Rao (9)
19. “Ain’t That Me and You” by Nick Carter (9)
19. “What’s Gonna Become of Me” by Jerron Paxton (9)
19. “Lawrence Jones” by Kathy Mattea (9)

Top Artists of September 2024

1. Kate McDonnell (60)
1. House of Hamill (60)
3. Highwaymen (55)
4. Guy Davis (54)
5. Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Chao Tian (53)
6. Eugene Ruffolo (51)
7. Heather Pierson (48)
8. Donal Hinely (47)
9. Larry and Joe (45)
9. Rebecca Frazier (45)
11. Bob Dylan (39)
11. Amy Speace (39)
13. Jerry Douglas (38)
14. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (36)
15. Laurie Lewis (34)
16. Hana Zara (31)
16. Open the Door for Three (31)
16. Rakish (31)
19. Dan Tyminski (30)
19. Tony Trischka (30)
21. John McCutcheon (29)
21. Leonard Cohen (29)
21. Nick Carter (29)
21. Beppe Gambetta (29)
25. Willie Watson (28)
25. Carolyn Shulman (28)
25. Sarah Pierce (28)
28. Tom Paxton and Della Mae (27)
28. Willie Nelson (27)
28. Tim O’Brien (27)
31. River Drivers (26)
31. Si Kahn (26)
31. Danny Schmidt (26)
34. John Gorka (24)
34. Dar Williams (24)
34. Joe Jencks (24)
37. Aj Lee and Blue Summit (23)
37. Nanci Griffith (23)
37. Joni Mitchell (23)
37. Tim Grimm (23)

A self-described upcycled Celtic folk band, House of Hamill features Rose Baldino (fiddle and vocals), Brian Buchanan (fiddle, vocals and guitar), and Caroline Browning (bass, mandolin and piano). The Pennsylvania-based, nationally touring trio has performed at music festivals and established folk venues. Its version of Ed Pickford’s “Pound a Week Rise” previously topped the songs chart on folk radio, while an all-violin cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” garnered more than 17-million views on Facebook and was reportedly shared more than 400,000 times.

House of Hamill’s tight vocal harmonies, sophisticated instrumental arrangements, and acoustic pop sensibilities are evident on Wildfire, its fourth full-length album. Like its live shows and previous releases, the album features a mix of original numbers, modern takes on centuries-old folk ballads, and choice covers. The trio’s rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “The Highwayman” was the month’s most-played song on folk radio.

[Here’s a link to view a live performance of House of Hamill performing “The Highwayman” in concert earlier this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqzdZVPbxJM.]

Wildfire — which was recorded in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina — also features House of Hamill’s original song “Banks of the Brandywine.” An ode to folklore that surrounds a notorious location on the Brandywine River in Chester County, PA, the song — which was #10 in August — was recently selected as the grand-prize winner in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest – 2024 Session 1. An international songwriting contest designed to help enable songwriters to express themselves, gain recognition, and get their music heard, the contest was made possible by Yoko Ono Lennon and proceeds from it help support the nonprofit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus mobile recording studio that provides young people with opportunities to create original music and digital media.

[Here’s a link to view House of Hamill’s official video for “Banks of the Brandywine”: https://youtu.be/KGK0E3ROGp8?feature=shared.For more information on the trio and to view more videos, visit houseofhamill.com.]

The August 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,755 airplays reported on 405 playlists submitted by 107 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 August 2024

1. Wildfire by House of Hamill (91)
2. From China to Appalachia by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Boarding Windows in Paradise by Rebecca Frazier (69)
4. Bloom Where You Fall by Hana Zara (58)
5. The Light Years by The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. The Legend of Sugarbelly by Guy Davis (43)
6. Hanging at the Luna Star by Lou Dominguez (43)
8. The First Day of December by Ivan Strunin (41)
9. Earl Jam by Tony Trischka (40)
9. Points of Light by Noah Zacharin (40)
11. Signposts and Marks by Erin Ash Sullivan (39)
12. The Two of Us by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
13. Goldenrod by Teni Rane (35)
14. Wasted Luck by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
15. Holding the Threads by Beth DeSombre (32)
16. A Prosperous Gale by Open the Door for Three (30)
17. City of Glass by AJ Lee and Blue Summit (28)
18. Terra Madre by Beppe Gambetta (26)
19. Alone Again….live by Steve Earle (25)
19. Trees by Laurie Lewis (25)
21. Starting Over by Dan Bern (23)
22. Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell (22)
23. Wanderers Like Me by The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (21)
23. Broken Homes and Hearts of Gold by The Lucky Nows (21)
23. Borned in Ya by Melissa Carper (21)
23. Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (21)
23. Driven to Drive by Joe Ely (21)
23. Soliloquy: Sixteen Solo Songs by Craig Bickhardt (21)
29. The Earth Turns and So Do We by The Honey Badgers (19)
30. Resurrection by Los Lonely Boys (18)
30. The Ghost of Tucumcari by Dana Cooper (18)
30. Cowgirl’s Delight by Phoebe White (18)
33. There’s a Bright Side Somewhere by Happy Traum (17)
33. Texicali by Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (17)
33. Look Up by Lynn Hollyfield (17)
33. Banjo Jubilations by Benny Bleu (17)
33. Proxy Music by Linda Thompson (17)
33. One of These Days by Cris Jacobs (17)
39. The Only Moment by Maya De Vitry (16)
39. Wanderer by Ruth Moody (16)
39. Blame It on Eve by Shemekia Copeland (16)
42. The Avett Brothers by The Avett Brothers (15)
42. Weary Ramblers by Weary Ramblers (15)
42. Transmissions by Amos Lee (15)
45. On Banjo by Alison Brown (14)
45. South of Here by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (14)
45. Listen to the World Spin by Paper Wings (14)
45. The Price of Happiness by Miranda Hardy (14)
45. Phthalo Blue by Andrew Marlin (14)
45. Ordinary Elephant by Ordinary Elephant (14)
45. Lace by Billy Eli (14)
45. The Beauty of This Now by Marc Douglas Berardo (14)
45. Wild Birds Warbel by Jubal Lee Young (14)
45. Hymn of Wild Things by Natalie Spears (14)

Top Songs of August 2024

1. “The Highwayman” by House of Hamill (21)
2. “Gentle Arms of Eden” by Erik Balkey and Jessica Smucker (18)
2. “Put No Walls Around Your Garden” by New Dangerfield (18)
2. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (18)
2. “Who Will Take My Place” by Tania Elizabeth (18)
6. “Our Work Here Is Not Yet Done” by Hana Zara (17)
7. “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (14)
7. “Worst of Both Worlds” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (14)
7. “People Against an Empire” by Hana Zara (14)
10. “Banks of the Brandywine” by House of Hamill (13)
10. “Think I’ll Have Another One” by Lisa Jeanette (13)
12. “Gold Watch and Chain” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (12)
12. “Listen to the Radio” by Beth DeSombre (12)
12. “Borderline” by Rebecca Frazier (12)
15. “Firefly” by Teni Rane (11)
15. “Zydeco Minor Swing” by Ivan Strunin (11)
15. “Ten Tons of Road” by Noah Zacharin (11)
15. “Leadfoot” by Billy Strings (11)
15. “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” by Lou Dominguez (11)
20. “Smokejumper” by House of Hamill (10)
20. “Speed of Life” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
20. “August Flower” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (10)
20. “Stones on the Road” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
24. “Dooley” by Tony Trischka (9)
24. “Saro Jane” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “High Country Road Trip” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “Ausable” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Goat on a Stone Wall” by Erin Ash Sullivan (9)
24. “Sit and Pick With You” by Beppe Gambetta (9)
24. “Into the Wild” by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (9)
24. “Chilly Winds” by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (9)
24. “The Sun in My Backyard” by The Magnolia Janes (9)
24. “Wildfire” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Into the Golden” by House of Hamill (9)

Top Artists of August 2024

1. House of Hamill (93)
2. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Rebecca Frazier (70)
4. Hana Zara (58)
5. The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. Guy Davis (50)
7. Lou Dominguez (47)
8. Sweet Honey in the Rock (45)
9. Tony Trischka (42)
10. Erin Ash Sullivan (41)
10. Ivan Strunin (41)
12. Noah Zacharin (40)
13. Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
14. Happy Traum (37)
14. Laurie Lewis (37)
16. Pete Seeger (35)
16. Teni Rane (35)
18. Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
18. Steve Earle (33)
20. Beth DeSombre (32)
21. Open the Door for Three (31)
21. Nanci Griffith (31)
21. Dan Bern (31)
24. AJ Lee and Blue Summit (30)
24. Johnny Cash (30)
26. Alison Brown (29)
27. Beppe Gambetta (28)
28. Billy Strings (27)
28. The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (27)
30. Tom Rush (26)
31. Craig Bickhardt (25)
31. John Prine (25)
33. Ellis Paul (24)
33. Bob Dylan (24)
33. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (24)
33. Benny Bleu (24)
33. Carrie Newcomer (24)
38. John McCutcheon (23)
38. Joe Ely (23)
40. Stan Rogers (22)
40. Richard Thompson (22)
40. Sierra Ferrell (22)

Neal grew up in Connecticut and loves getting back up to New England. “I’m really looking forward to spending some time in Vermont, which is so beautiful in the summertime. I love that the folks at SolarFest focus their attention on renewable energy and sustainable, healthy living, all very important things that I am so excited to learn more about, and be a part of! I’m also so excited to bring the guys from the band Pretty Saro along with me to play as my backing band for the show.” She anticipates it being “a really fun and special time.”

Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2019, Neal has released two albums featuring her original songs. Also a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition this year, Neal is delighted that Pretty Saro, an acoustic roots trio from Boston, Massachusetts, will join her when she performs at SolarFest.

Here’s a link to enjoy a video of Neal performing “Emily,” one of the two songs that she submitted to the SolarFest Songwriter Showcase judges: https://youtu.be/OpiQZgfFSQA.

Named as showcase finalists were Narissa Bond (Houston, TX), J.M. Clifford (Brooklyn, NY), Frank Critelli (New Haven, CT), and Carolann Solebello (Brooklyn, NY).

As previously reported on AcousticMusicScene.com, the SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase was free to enter and open to all artists who write and perform original music and are not currently signed to a major recording label. Entries were evaluated based on composition (music and lyrics), vocal and instrumental delivery, and overall live performance.

Launched in 1995, SolarFest — slated for July 15-16 this year — aims to connect people, the arts, ideas and technology, fostering partnerships and activism to create a vibrant present and a sustainable future. “In addition to workshops and great information on renewable energy, SolarFest has been the home to diverse and exciting music,” says singer-songwriter Phil Henry, a festival organizer. Among the more than 20 artists and acts who will showcase their talents during this year’s festival are Dar Williams, House of Hamill, HuDost, Lara Herscovitch & the Philosopher Kings, Pamela Means, Louise Mosrie Coombe, and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival “Most Wanted” Preview Tour featuring Phil Henry, Grace Morrison, Sam Robbins, and Erin Ash Sullivan. Henry, Herscovitch and Mosrie Coombe are previous SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase winners. More information on SolarFest may be found at solarfest.org.

Entries, which are due by May 15, will be evaluated based on composition (music and lyrics), vocal and instrumental delivery, and overall live performance. Judging will be done prior to the festival – with one winner and four finalists invited to perform on the festival’s solar-powered main stage on Saturday, July 15. Cash prizes will also be awarded — $300 for the winner and $75 or the finalists — while the winner will be invited to perform a full set at next year’s festival.

May 15 is the deadline to submit applications online via the use of a Google Form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxnBHBQY1YyxFP2hB4m8sDHcGWTudPcySNtCvlXndZFJYzww/viewform]. All entries must include links to two live performance videos, a brief bio, and a link to the artist’s website.

Launched in 1995, SolarFest aims to connect people, the arts, ideas and technology, fostering partnerships and activism to create a vibrant present and a sustainable future. “In addition to workshops and great information on renewable energy, SolarFest has been the home to diverse and exciting music,” says singer-songwriter Phil Henry, a festival organizer. Among the more than 20 artists and acts who will showcase their talents during this year’s festival are Dar Williams, House of Hamill, HuDost, Lara Herscovitch & the Philosopher Kings, Pamela Means, Louise Mosrie Coombe, and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival “Most Wanted” Preview Tour featuring Phil Henry, Grace Morrison, Sam Robbins, and Erin Ash Sullivan. Henry, Herscovitch and Mosrie Coombe are previous SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase winners.

“The Singer-Songwriter Showcase gives up-and-coming singer-songwriters an opportunity to stand and deliver original music on a beautiful stage with stellar production,” Henry told AcousticMusicScene.com. “For me, being selected and winning SolarFest was a critical acknowledgement that was so important early in my career.”

More information on SolarFest and its Singer-Songwriter Showcase may be found at solarfest.org.

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.

Billed as the largest free Celtic festival in North America, the Celtic Classic has drawn nearly 300,000 people in past years. Now in its 34th year, the festival did not take place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Celtic Cultural Alliance is adhering to all federal and state guidelines with respect to the pandemic this year. Festival hours are 4-10 p.m. EST on Sept 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 25, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.

Artists slated to perform include Barleyjuice, Blackwater, Celtic Aire (the U.S. Air Force’s Celtic band), Chambless & Muse, Chivalrous Crickets, Emish, Fig for a Kiss, House of Hamill, Seamus Kennedy, Kennedy’s Kitchen, Kilmaine Saints, Moxie Strings, Rogue Diplomats, RUNA, and Gerry Timlin.

Other musical attractions during the weekend include pipe band, fiddle and drum major competitions. Irish dancers from the O’Grady Quinlan Academy of Irish Dance also will take part in the festivities.

North America’s largest highland games take place during the Celtic Classic for the 14th time. The U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships feature events that trace their origins back to medieval Scotland; these include the lifting of heavy stone, throwing 16 and 22-pound hammers, and sheaf and caber tossing. Border collie exhibitions, The Showing of the Tartan parade; a Haggis Bowl (in which whoever eats one pound of Scotland’s national dish wins); a Celtic Heritage Hollow featuring children’s activities, Celtic societies and clans tents, blacksmith demonstrations, and cultural competitions; and a Celtic marketplace featuring crafts, merchandise and collectibles also are on tap.

More information on one of the most popular events in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, including daily schedules, may be found at celticfest.org.

Featured artists — each of whom had a juried official showcase at the 2018 NERFA Conference in Stamford, CT –- and the afternoon schedule appear below:

12:00 p.m.: House of Hamill
12:30 p.m.: Diane Perry
1:00 p.m.: Rod Abernethy
1:30 p.m.: Ellen Bukstel
2:00 p.m.: Kipyn Martin
2:30 p.m.: C. Daniel Boling
3:00 p.m.: Meghan Cary
3:30 p.m.: Cassandra House

Here are website and video links for the participating artists:

Rod Abernethy
https://rodabernethyguitar.com/home
https://youtu.be/Rui0Xfy0q_s

C. Daniel Boling
http://www.danielboling.com/bio.html

Ellen Bukstel
http://ellenbukstel.com/
https://youtu.be/DP6B89aenOc

Meghan Cary
http://www.meghancary.com/
https://youtu.be/wSNJ6NspqZk

Cassandra House
https://www.cassandrahouse.net/home
https://youtu.be/fnOkwZ3w5kY

House of Hamill
https://www.houseofhamill.com/
https://youtu.be/YtfvRLP4h8s

Kipyn Martin
https://www.kipynmartin.com/
https://youtu.be/ACX_Q9L0Sqs

Diane Perry
https://www.dianeperryfolk.com/
https://youtu.be/PCairKiDfKM

NERFA 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. More than 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents, managers, folk DJs, and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music attended NERFA’s 24th annual conference in Stamford, CT in November. NERFA is governed by a volunteer board of directors that has been engaged in ongoing efforts to make it more of a year-round organization in order to best meet the needs and serve the interests of FAI members from the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC to the provinces of eastern Canada. The Spring FolkFest is an example of this, as was the 2018 Mid-Winter FolkFest that NERFA presented at Club Passim. So, too, are the NERFA Presents Young Folk showcases that have taken place over the past three summers in partnership with a few music festivals in the U.S. and Canada, as well as NERFA Showcases co-presented with several other nonprofit venues and presenting organizations in the region.

Although it didn’t adopt its current name until incorporating as a nonprofit in1994, Club Passim (clubpassim.org) has its roots in what was then Club 47, a folk venue that opened its doors at another Cambridge location in 1958 before moving five years later to its current location on Palmer Street and then changing its name to Passim in 1969. Passim has been a cornerstone of the arts community of New England for more than half a century. Located in the heart of Harvard Square, Club Passim is one of the few “listening rooms” in the greater Boston-Cambridge area. It’s a place where audiences and artists can interact with one another in an intimate setting. More than 400 shows are presented each year, featuring artists from a broad range of musical genres. A musical Mecca for the folk and singer-songwriter scene since its early days, Passim retains a folk aesthetic. Among the many folk luminaries who have graced its stage are Joan Baez, Shawn Colvin, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Tom Rush, and Suzanne Vega.

Editor’s Note: I am president of the NERFA board of directors. My board colleagues join me in extending thanks to Kathy Sands-Boehmer (a former board member and vice president) for taking the lead in arranging the Spring FolkFest and to Matt Smith and his team at Club Passim for partnering with NERFA on this event for a second consecutive year. Thanks also to NERFA board member Jessica Wrubel (Razzi Entertainment) for designing the online poster.

Since its inception, the festival has been a combination of a music fest, family reunion, community gathering, and weekend musical retreat, according to its organizers. Besides the co-headliners, among the other artists slated to perform are The Belle Hollows, Randy Brown, Ellen Bukstel, Escaping Pavement, Friction Farm, Anne Hills, House of Hamill, John Latini, Rod MacDonald, Austin MacRae, The Moon and You, Micah Scott, Cecilia St. King, Debbie Tassone & Gary Frost, Joe Virga, Dan Weber, Rupert Wates, Annie Wenz, and The Whispering Tree.

Some of the performing artists will also lead participatory workshops or jams during the afternoons.

Singer-Songwriter Competition to Feature 12 Artists

Kicking-off the weekend’s musical festivities on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will be the 12 finalists in the 2019 South Florida Folk Festival’s singer-songwriter competition, each of whom will perform two songs. They are Jordi Baizan (Houston, TX), Robert Bruce Baldwin (Lake Worth, FL). Michael Stephen Borok (Peekskill, NY), Susan Cattaneo (Boston, MA), Gracious Me (Fairfax, VA), George Gray (Tallahassee, FL), Pat Lamanna (Hyde Park, NY), Conni Laine (St. Simons Island, GA), Grant Livingston (Miami, FL), Bob Patterson (Saint Augustine, FL), Paul Smithson (Eustis, FL), and Chuck Williams (Mattapoisett, MA)

Three winners selected by a panel of judges will each receive the Vic Heyman Songwriting Award – a $200 cash prize, will perform in a winners’ round on Sunday afternoon, and will be invited to perform at next year’s festival. In addition, all of the finalists will be afforded the opportunity to perform ‘in-the-round’ that second day

The 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, known for decades for their generous financial backing of folk festivals and artists, formerly ran a concert series in Rockville, Maryland known as Vic’s Music Corner. They also served on the boards of several music festivals and established a scholarship fund for performing artists.

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

Back by popular demand, after a much lamented one-year absence, two open mics are again on the schedule; Rob Hinkal of IlyAIMY hosts the Friday and Saturday afternoon sessions.

Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performers who attend the conference; and many presenters and folk DJs do scout out new artists and those whom they have not previously heard and seen in live performance. However, the conference experience is much more than that; it’s really about forging connections, building community, and attending workshops and seminars to learn about options to further careers, promote the music, attract audiences and listeners, ad enrich our lives.

Among some 40 scheduled workshops and panel discussions are several focusing on social media and websites. Sonny Ochs, a longtime folk DJ and sister of the late troubadour and activist Phil Ochs, will moderate “Singing The Truth: Activism and 35 Years of Phil Ochs Song Nights,” featuring performing panelists Greg Greenway, Reggie Harris, Joe Jencks, Colleen Kattau, and Pat Wictor. Among the artist-centric offerings are the popular “On the Griddle” instant critique session and ones on crowd-funding, DIY video, financial planning for artists, “Making the Most of Your Release,” “Mental Health Survival Kit for Musicians,” “Navigating Social Issues with Music and Story,” “Step-By-Step Streaming Success,” and “Womenfolk: Fostering Equity, Safety and Success.” Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt will conduct a vocal harmony how-to session. For presenters, there will be sessions on finding the funds for your venue and sound reinforcement, as well as one entitled “Keep the Fire Bright: Preventing Burnout in Presenting Organizations. “

Morning yoga sessions will again be led by singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter, while MusiCares will be on site again to fit folks for custom earplugs.

Juried Showcases Slated for Friday and Saturday Nights

Following the formal showcases, attendees will shuffle between three rooms in close proximity to one another to catch short sets by 30 additional artists/acts who were selected by a different set of judges. Performing in these semi-formal showcases on Friday night are (in alphabetical order) Asaran Earth Trio, Quentin Callewaert, Noah Derksen, Josh Harty, House of Hamill, Rachael Kilgour, Low Lily, Kipyn Martin, Nathans & Ronstadt, Next Generation Leahy, Kerri Powers, Monica Rizzio, Annie Sumi, and UPSTATE. Saturday’s semi-formal showcase artists include Rod Abernethy, Big Little Lions, C. Daniel Boling, Ellen Bukstel, Susan Cattaneo Band, Emerald Rae, Roger Street Friedman, Cassandra House, Joe Jencks, Kolonien, Moonfruits, Diane Perry, The Promise is Hope, Quarter Horse, and Suzie Vinnick. Like the formal showcases that immediately precede them, nothing else is allowed to compete with the semi-formal showcases during the conference.

On Thursday evening, the conference’s opening night, the Suzi Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase will feature short performances by 15 artists/acts chosen by DJs. Listed in order of appearance, they are Sweet Corn & Sunflower (Annie Sumi & Tannis Slimmon), Bruce Foley & Mary Coogan, Bill Baker, Letitita VanSant, All Types of Kinds, Katie Dahl, Grace Morrison, Eric Lee, Sam Steffen, Susan Shann, Marian Halliday, Sue Horowitz, Belle of the Fall, and Plywood Cowboy.

Following the juried and folk DJ showcases each evening, AcousticMusicScene.com will join dozens of presenters, performers and others in hosting guerilla showcases in their hotel rooms that extend through the early morning hours. Some guerilla showcases also are slated for Friday and Saturday afternoons. Musicians may well stake out other areas of the hotel and jam until 4 or 5 a.m.


AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot Features Artists, Singing Folk DJs


An overflow crowd will likely descend on the AcousticMusicScene.com suite (2031) on Thursday overnight for its popular Midnight Hoot. Extending from 11 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., this hoot is a pre-arranged, round robin song swap featuring several singing folk DJs (Jim Colbert, Barbara and Graham Dean, and Jon Stein) and some three-dozen artists/acts – each performing one song.

Now in its 12th year, the Midnight Hoot is intended to shine a spotlight on several folk DJs who also enjoy singing, while providing them, presenters and others with an opportunity to get a small sampling of the music of a lot of artists in a short period of time. A house band comprised of Mark Dann (bass), Jagoda (percussion), and Eric Lee (fiddle/violin) will be there for anyone who desires accompaniment.

While Michael Kornfeld, AcousticMusicScene.com’s editor & publisher, hosts the Thursday-Saturday overnight showcases, his friends Mira Shapiro and Hank Stone will serve as guest hosts on Friday afternoon. Closing out the afternoon will be performance of Si Kahn’s Mother Jones in Heaven, a musical play about the legendary labor organizer (starring Viv Nesbitt, with John Dillon on guitar).More information and a short video about the musical play may be found online at www.motherjonesinheaven.com.

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

Schedules for the AcousticMusicScene.com showcases appear below.

AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot (Room 2031)

Thursday Night 11 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

(One song per artist/act and folk DJ, not listed in order of appearance.)

Host: Michael Kornfeld

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

Artists:

Rod Abernethy, Mike Agranoff, Antonio Andrade, Lisa Bastoni, Belle of the Fall, Shawna Caspi, Crowes Pasture, Alyssa Dann, Diamonds in the Rust, Neale Eckstein, Kala Farnham, Roger Street Friedman, Gathering Time, Gina Holsopple, Joe Iadanza, ilyAIMY, Joe Jencks, Stuart Kabak, Brian Kalinec, Rachael Kilgour, Eric Lee, Mara Levine, Pete Mancini , Kirsten Maxwell, Hugh O’Doherty, Andrea Randa, Monica Rizzio, Mike P. Ryan, Susan Shann, Carolann Solebello, Hank Stone, Linda Sussman, Jesse Terry, The Royal Yard, and Letitita VanSant

House Band: Mark Dann, Jagoda, Eric Lee

Friday Afternoon Hosts: Mira Shapiro, Hank Stone, John Dillon and Viv Nesbitt

2:00 Mass. Appeal: Amy Kucharik, Eric Lee, Rob Lytle
2:30 Marylanders: Heather Aubrey Lloyd, Kipyn Martin, Letitita Van Sant
3:00 Fab Folk: Sophie Buskin, Rachael Kilgour, Nathans & Ronstadt
3:30 More Fab Folk: Gina Holsopple, Mike Laureanno, Hank Stone
4:00 Si Kahn’s Mother Jones in Heaven, a musical play about the legendary labor organizer (starring Viv Nesbitt, with John Dillon on guitar): 55 minutes.

Friday Night Host: Michael Kornfeld

Saturday Night Host: Michael Kornfeld

11:45 Long Island Sounds: Gathering Time, Joe Iadanza, Rorie Kelly & Nico Padden,
and Hank Stone
12:30 Blues & Roots: Jon Shain & FJ Ventre and Pat Wictor
1:00 Two Duos & A Trio: Gathering Sparks, Deeper Than The Skin: Reggie Harris & Greg Greenway, and The Malvinas
1:30 Celtic Set: Emerald Rae and House of Hamill
2:00 O Canada: Big Little Lions, Melanie Brulee, Shawna Caspi, Scott Cook, Ken Dunn, Gathering Sparks, Piper Hayes, Moonfruits, Gillian Nicola, Cheryl Prashker (percussion), Corin Raymond, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Tannis Slimmon, Annie Sumi, and Lucie Blue Tremblay

“I hope that attendees will share a meal and/or a song with new friends they don’t yet know, embrace the spirit of community that NERFA represents, and have a great conference experience,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of NERFA’s board of directors and editor and publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com. He expressed thanks to Dianne Tankle, NERFA’s founder and conference director since its inception, and her team of volunteers for all of their efforts in arranging the event. Tankle will be stepping down from her leadership role following this year’s conference.

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

NERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community — traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional — through education, advocacy and performance. 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.

Editor’s Note: My thanks to Hank Stone for his assistance in setting up the AcousticMusicScene.com showcase room and for guest-hosting Friday afternoon song swaps– along with Mira Shapiro, Viv Nesbitt and John Dillon — to Amy Blake, Arpie Maros and Sybil Moser for the loan of folding chairs, and to Stuart Kabak for the loan of stage and decorative lights that help to create a listening room ambiance in the suite.

In addition to hosting the AcousticMusicScene.com Midnight Hoot and other showcases and leading a community meeting with the NERFA board of directors as its president, I will moderate a panel discussion on artists ‘website and social media and offer mentoring sessions on strategic communications and public relations topics during the conference.

The Whispering Tree features singer-songwriter Eleanor Kleiner and multi-instrumentalist Elie Brangbour. Inspired by the duo’s new home in New York’s pastoral Hudson Valley, Invisible Forces explores duality and the struggle for a sense of permanence in the face of inevitable change.

House of Hamill is the young Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based husband-and-wife duo of Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan – both of whom are accomplished traditional fiddle players, classically trained violinists, and vocalists. “Pound a Week Rise” is from their sophomore release, March Through Storms.

The September 2018 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,817 airplays reported on 573 playlists submitted by 132 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The top albums and songs charts are compiled under the auspices of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance The monthly top albums and songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of September 2018

Top Songs of September 2018

Here’s a link to view the official video for House of Hamill’s “Pound a Week Rise”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UtQJj9D2Rg

1. “Pound a Week Rise” by House of Hamill (23)
2. “Change Should’ve Come by Now” by Kate Campbell (22)
2. “Little Falcon” by Ben Bedford (22)
2. “These Houses” by The Whispering Tree (22)
5. “Fat Cat” by The Whispering Tree (19)
6. “Damn Sure Blue” by Kate Campbell (17)
7. “Down by the Riverside” by Eliza Gilkyson (15)
7. “When Fall Comes to New England” by Cheryl Wheeler (15)
9. “Cardboard Boxes” by Loudon Wainwright III (14)
9. “Wayside” by Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton (14)
11. “Redwing” by Sarah Sample (13)
11. “Wichita Lineman” by Darol Anger and Emy Phelps (13)
11. “Summer’s End” by John Prine (13)
11. “Ride Away” by Kathy Kallick Band (13)
11. “Is It Too Much to Ask” by David Roth (13)
11. “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” by Loudon Wainwright III (13)
11. “Bells” by The Whispering Tree (13)
11. “Sailing Off to Yankeeland” by Childsplay (13)
19. “Ode to Billie Joe” by Kathy Mattea (12)
19. “Garden” by The Whispering Tree (12)
19. “(It’s A) Horrible World” by Kathy Kallick Band (12)
19. “Pockets Full of Rain” by Kathy Kallick Band (12)
23. “Bigger Win” by Moors and McCumber (11)
23. “Uncle John’s Band” by Darol Anger and Emy Phelps (11)
23. “Heavy” by The Whispering Tree (11)
23. “Chocolate on My Tongue” by Kathy Mattea (11)
23. “01” by Jon Brooks (11)
23. “Cuckanandy / Chris Childs” by Childsplay (11)

Editor’s Note: Both The Whispering Tree and House of Hamill are among the artists and acts who will showcase their talents in AcousticMusicScene.com showcases during the 24th annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference in Stamford, Connecticut in November.