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Entries Sought in 2024 Kerrville New Folk Competition

Entries are now being accepted in the 2024 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26, 2024, during the first weekend of the annual Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas Hill Country near Austin and San Antonio. The first 800 entries received by March 15 will be judged, and 24 finalists will be named in mid-April. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article that also includes information about a New Folk Concert Series tour and the initial festival lineup.]

FAI Folk Radio Charts – January 2024

Alice Di Micele had the top album (Interpretations: Volume 1) and was the most-played artist on folk radio during January 2024. “The Great Forgetting” by Natalia Zukerman edged out "Let’s Get Happy Together” by Jim Kweskin, the month’s second most-played artist, for top song. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and see the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]

Nominees Named for 2024 Juno Awards

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has revealed the nominees for the 2024 JUNO Awards – including those for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and Traditional Roots Album of the Year. The coveted awards will be presented on Saturday, March 23 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hosted by Canadian pop star Nelly Furtado, the ceremonies will be broadcast live across Canada at 8 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CBC Radio One and CBC Music, and may be viewed online globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s YouTube page. In the running for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year are The Returner (Allison Russell), We Will Never Be The Same ((Good Lovelies), Beyond the Reservoir...

Grammy Winners Named in American Roots Music Field

Winners in the 66th GRAMMY Awards’ American Roots Music Field were recognized during a ceremony that took place prior to The Recording Academy’s televised and livestreamed awards show from Los Angeles, California on Sunday, February 4, 2024. Brandy Clark, Jason Isbell and Allison Russell, who led the nominees with three nominations each, were among the winners. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article that includes a listing of winners in the American Roots Music Field and select other categories.]

Winners Named in South Florida Folk and Acoustic Music Festival’s Singer-Songwriter Competition

Lynn Biddick (LaCrosse, WI), Jane Fallon (Dunedin, FL) and Sarah McCulloch (Davie, FL) have been named as winners in the 2024 South Florida Folk and Acoustic Music Festival’s Singer-Songwriter Competition. [Click on the headline to continue reading this short article.]

Lucas Rotman Wins Music For Humanity Songwriting Contest

Lucas Maehara Rotman, a Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was named the first-place winner in the first annual Music for Humanity Songwriting Contest during the upstate New York-based nonprofit organization’s 158th Free Performance Night at Noble Coffee Roasters in Campbell Hill, NY, on December 16, 2023. [ Click on the headline to continue reading this article, which includes comments from the contest winner and mention of the runner-up and honorable mention recipients.]

The Top 100 Americana Albums of 2023

The Americana Music Association has released a listing of the top 100 albums of 2023 as reported to the Americana Radio Airplay Albums Chart (powered by CDX) during the period extending from January 1—December 12, 2023. Topping the chart is Weathervanes by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, which also had the #1 and #3 singles with “When We Were Close” and “Death Wish,” respectively. Charley Crockett had the #2 album (The Man From Waco) and #2 song (“Trinity River”). [Click on the headline to view the Top 100 Americana Albums Radio Airplay Chart for 2023. Editor's Note: Not all of these albums are strictly acoustic.]

FAI Folk Radio Charts – November 2023

More Than A Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith, a compilation album featuring various artists performing songs written or recorded by the late singer-songwriter, was the most-played album on folk radio during November 2023. One of its track, “Listen to the Radio” performed by Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, was the top song. Veteran Canadian singer-songwriter Sylvia Tyson was the month’s most-played artist. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. [Click on the headline to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted with permission.]

GRAMMY Awards Nominees Named in American Roots Music Field

Nominees have been named for the 66th annual GRAMMY Awards to be presented by the Recording Academy on Sunday, February 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Brandy Clark, Jason Isbell and Allison Russell lead the nominees in the American Roots Music Field with three nominations each. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to see the complete list of nominees in the American Roots Music Field, along with select others.]

FAI Folk Radio Charts – September 2023

The Kennedys, a popular folk-rock and Americana duo, had the most-played album (Headwinds),topped the artists chart, and had four of the month’s top ten songs on folk radio during September 2023. Christian Parker’s rendition of “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” edged out three of them as the month’s most-played song. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]

Black Bear Americana Music Fest Set for Oct. 6-8, 2023 in Goshen, Connecticut

The Black Bear Americana Music Festival returns to the Goshen Fairgrounds in Goshen, Connecticut for a fifth year, October 6-8, 2023. Dozens of national touring artists and local New England-based ones will perform on several stages, while music and art workshops are also on the docket. [Click on the headline to continue reading this festival preview.]

Winners Named in 2023 Americana Honors & Awards

The 23rd annual Americana Honors & Awards were presented at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 20, 2023. Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Bonnie Raitt, The War and Treaty, S.G. Goodman, and SistaStrings were named as recipients of coveted awards during an awards show that is the highlight of the annual AMERICANAFEST, a five-day celebration of American roots-inspired music put on by the Americana Music Association, September 19-23. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view a few videos.]