
FAI Folk Radio Airplay Charts – June 2020
Cabin Fever: Songs From the Quarantine by John McCutcheon was the top album on folk radio during June 2020, while the revered folksinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist also was the month’s top artist and “$20 Bill (For George Floyd)" by Tom Prasada-Rao was the month’s #1 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 monthly charts that are posted with permission.]
Nominees Announced for 2020 IBMA Awards
Nominees have been named in 17 categories for the 2020 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards. On June 26, the International Bluegrass Music Association also announced the 2020 inductees into the Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame and a number of Distinguished Achievement Awards recipients.
[To continue reading this article and to see the complete list of nominees, click on the headline.]
Old Songs and Folk Music Notebook Partner to Present a Virtual Festival, June 26-28
Old Songs, a three-day festival celebrating traditional music and dance, usually held at the Altamont Fairgrounds in upstate New York on the last weekend in June, is partnering with Folk Music Notebook, the 24/7 internet folk radio channel created and curated by veteran folk DJ Ron Olesko, to present a virtual festival, June 26-28, 2020. The audio-only event will feature new performances by artists who would have been at this year’s festival, along with archival recordings from past festivals.
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Kate Wolf Virtual Music Festival, June 25-28
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prompted the postponement of the 25th annual Kate Wolf Music Festival until next June. However, you can enjoy a series of live streaming and pre-recorded concert sets from a number of the artists who were slated to perform at the Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, California from the comfort of your own home, June 25-28, 2020.
[To continue reading this article and to view the artist lineup and schedule, click on the headline.]
Clearwater Sets 2020 Virtual Revival, June 20
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, a festival celebrating environmental activism and education, traditionally held over the Father’s Day weekend, won’t be taking place at Croton Point Park in Croton-On-Hudson in New York’s Hudson Valley this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, you can enjoy music by some of the artists who would have been there and more from the comfort of your own home on Saturday, June 20, during Clearwater’s 2020 Virtual Revival.
[To continue reading this article and see the complete festival schedule, click on the headline.]
2020 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees Announced
Nominees in six categories have been named for the 2020 Americana Honors and Awards. The winners will be recognized on Sept. 16 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
[To continue reading this article and to view the list of nominees and a few videos, click on the headline.]

Online Tribute to John Prine Premieres June 11
Family and friends of John Prine will share memories of and songs by the internationally acclaimed and revered singer-songwriter during Picture Show: A Tribute Celebrating John Prine on Thursday, June 11. The online celebration of his life and music will stream on Prine’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, as well as Oh Boy Records' Twitch channel, at 7:30 p.m. EDT/6:30 p.m. CDT/4:30 p.m. PDT and can be replayed through Sunday. A songwriter’s songwriter, who toured and plied his craft for nearly 50 years, Prine died April 7 at the age of 73 from complications of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
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FAI Folk Radio Airplay Charts – May 2020
The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury, as interpreted and performed by Gretchen Peters, was the top album on folk radio during May 2020, closely followed by 2020 by Eliza Gilkyson. “2020 Vision” by Danny Schmidt was the month’s #1 song, while Bob Dylan was the 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.
[The monthly top albums,songs and artists charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission. To view them, along with some additional narrative, click on the headline.]
Doc Watson Week on Social Media, May 25-29
A number of artists will celebrate the life and legacy of American music legend Doc Watson on social media during the week of May 25-29, 2020 under the auspices of MerleFest, one of America’s premiere music festivals.
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DelFest Hosts Free Virtual Festival Over Memorial Day Weekend
DelFest will stream performances from previous editions of the festival launched by Del McCoury, an acclaimed bluegrass musician, and members of his extended family, May 21-May 24, 2020 -- the originally scheduled festival weekend.
Called DelFest At Home and celebrating musical highlights from DelFests past that have taken place in western Maryland for more than a decade, the free online event will showcase the festival’s namesake and his family, along with other notable bluegrass artists and jam bands.
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Kerrville Folk Festival Hosts Virtual Celebration; 24 New Folk Finalists Named
Although the annual Kerrville Folk Festival won’t be taking place in late May- June on the Quiet Valley Ranch campgrounds in the Texas Hill Country due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, “virtual concerts” featuring nearly 40 of the artists who were booked to perform during it will be streamed from the festival’s website and its Facebook page on three successive Saturdays in late May-early June. Meanwhile, 24 songwriters have been named as finalists in the 2020 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Contest for Emerging Songwriters that organizers hope will take place Oct. 9 and 10 during the 49th annual Kerrville Folk Festival that has been tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 8-18.
[To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
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