Posts tagged "NERFA"
NERFA Hosts Conference In-Person and Online

NERFA Hosts Conference In-Person and Online

More than 400 performing artists, presenters, promoters, managers, agents, and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music will converge on Asbury Park, New Jersey, November 10-13, 2022 for the annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference, while more will enjoy the event virtually. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article previewing the conference.]

SWRFA Conference Returns to Austin, Sept. 21-25, 2022

For the first time in three years, Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) will hold an in-person annual conference in Austin, Texas. Set for Wednesday, September 21-Sunday, September 25, 2022, its 23rd annual conference will feature official and in-room showcases; communal meals; panel discussions, seminars and workshops addressing many facets of the music business; a film screening; Wisdom of the Elders; mentoring sessions; a DJ reception; an exhibit area, and lots of networking opportunities. AcousticMusicScene.com will host song swaps and a Midnight Hoot on Saturday overnight. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

FARM, SWRFA Select Official Showcase Artists

Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA), two regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International, have selected artists/acts to participate in juried official showcases during their respective annual conferences this fall. Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) will do so in August. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

International Folk Music Awards Presented

Folk Alliance International honored artists and others in the folk music community during the annual International Folk Music Awards show that took place May 18, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri on the opening night of FAI’s 34th annual conference. It was also streamed online. Allison Russell was named Artist of the Year (2021) and also accepted the award for Album of the Year (Outside Child), while Crys Matthews’ “Changemakers” was named Song of the Year. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view a few videos.]

Live From Nashville: Amy Speace & Kate Klim

Singer Songwriters Amy Speace and Kate Klim will swap songs live from Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. EDT/6:30 p.m. CDT/4:30 p.m. PDT during the second of an occasional series of online concerts co-presented by Harbortown Music and AcousticMusicScene.com. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]
Quick Q & A with Annie Sumi

Quick Q & A with Annie Sumi

Annie Sumi is an ethereal folk artist from Canada, whose intimate and expansive music invites listeners into a familiar otherworld. Inspired by the mirrored relationship between physical and emotional landscapes, the young, Ontario-based singer-songwriter’s music speaks of human experience through the language of the senses. She has toured across Canada, parts of the U.S. and Europe, and released three albums since 2015. Kathy Sands-Boehmer, chief innovator and merry-maker at Harbortown Music, recently asked Annie Sumi some questions about her music -- including her latest recording, Solastagia, which was released last fall. [Click on the headline to read the Q & A.] Annie Sumi (Photo: Jake Jacobson)
Folk from the North Country Live Streams Jan. 26

Folk from the North Country Live Streams Jan. 26

Kathy Sands-Boehmer’s Harbortown Music and Michael Kornfeld’s AcousticMusicScene.com team up to present Folk from the North Country – a livestream concert featuring Ontario, Canada-based artists Benjamin Dakota Rogers, Angela Saini and The Young Novelists – on Wednesday , January 26, at 7:30 p.m. EST. Featuring songs and conversation, 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. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article, which also includes audio and video links.]...

In Memoriam: Scott Alarik, Bill Staines & Joe Virga

Scott Alarik, Bill Staines and Joe Virga — each of whom made important contributions to the folk music community in the U.S. — passed away in early December 2021 and will be greatly missed. Ethan Baird, executive director of Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), pays tribute to them below. [Click on the headline to read Ethan's reflections and an extended editor's note with more information about Scott, Bill and Joe -- along with video links.]

FAI Regional Conferences Go Virtual This Fall

Four Folk Alliance International regional affiliates have opted to present their annual conferences online this fall in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. First up is the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) virtual conference that is slated for September 24-26. Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) hosts its virtual conference October 14-16; Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM)’s Virtual Connections The Gathering takes place October 27-30; and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) 2021 virtual conference is set for November 11-14. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

Folk Community Mourns the Passing of Two Stalwarts: Clark Weissman and Reba Heyman

Last week, the folk community lost two seminal figures: Clark Weissman, co-founder of Folk Alliance International (along with his late wife Elaine, 2005), and Reba Heyman, an omnipresent supporter (along with her late husband Vic, 2009). Aengus Finnan, executive director of Folk Alliance International, remembers them and reflects on their contributions. [Click on the headline to read this remembrance piece.]

Folk DJs Present Emerging Artist Showcase Online, Jan. 23

Folk DJs from throughout the northeastern United States and Canada, along with a couple from outside the region, will present a free, online emerging artist showcase on Saturday, January 23, 2021. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to see the list of performing artists.]
Lois Morton, A Witty Singer-Songwriter, 1933-2020

Lois Morton, A Witty Singer-Songwriter, 1933-2020

The Long Island music community has lost one of its most unique and gifted singer-songwriters. Lois Morton -- who delighted audiences throughout the New York metropolitan area and beyond for years with her abundant charm and humorous songs of social commentary on such subjects as cell phones, clutter, diets, psychotherapy, and road rage -- passed away on Dec. 17 at 87. [To continue reading this article and to view a few video, click on the headline.]