Fourteen artists/acts have been selected (from among more than 130 applicants) to perform official showcases during the 2018 Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) Conference slated for October 25-28 at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel & Conference Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan: Almond & Olive (Illinois), Cari Ray & The Shaky Legs (Indiana), Noah Derksen (Manitoba), The Early Mays (Pennsylvania), Hayes Griffin and Nate Roberts (Michigan), Jessica Paige (Missouri), Sons of the Never Wrong (Illinois), Heather Styka (Illinois), Jen Sygit (Michigan), Thunderwude (Michigan), Suzie Vinnick (Ontario), Rupert Wates (New York), Dan Weber (Washington), and Ted Yoder (Indiana).
Named as alternates, in order of selection, are Brian Ashley Jones (Tennessee), Andrea von Kampen (Nebraska), Joe Shields (Michigan), Brad Cole Trio (New York), Kendra Swanson (Wisconsin), Sam Pacetti (Florida), and Susan Cattaneo (Massachusetts).
Official Showcases take place on Friday and Saturday evenings, and no other activities are scheduled at the same times.
Like other conferences put on by regional affiliates of the nonprofit Folk Alliance International, the annual FARM conference provides useful and enjoyable learning and networking opportunities, not to mention plenty of fine listening and performing opportunities for artists, presenters, agents and managers, folk DJs, and others actively engaged in the traditional and contemporary folk music field. FARM serves the American heartland and the Canadian prairies.
In addition to the coveted official showcase slots, artists have many other opportunities to perform and gain exposure to presenters and radio DJs in attendance. These include Performance Lane (an open mic of sorts featuring select artists who are not performing in juried showcases), late-night private showcases hosted by conference attendees in their hotel rooms, informal jams, song circles and community singing that extend from 11:30 p.m. into the early morning hours.
Friday and Saturday afternoons will feature an array of workshops and panel discussions, as well as mentor sessions, while Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. (a Detroit-based blues and roots singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist) will deliver a keynote address on Friday night.
An awards presentation also is slated for Friday. Dave Siglin, the longtime former program director for The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI (one of the most venerable folk clubs in the U.S.) will receive the Folk Tradition in the Midwest Lifetime Award. Chuck Mitchell, an actor, singer and guitarist, who grew up near Detroit, will receive the 2018 Lantern Bearer Award presented to an individual who has contributed locally and regionally to folk performance arts and he folk music community for 25 years or more.
A detailed conference schedule will be posted in September on FARM’s website, www.farmfolk.org, where additional information and online conference registration forms also can be found.
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