David Olney, Beloved Singer-Songwriter, 1948-2020
David Olney, a revered folk and Americana singer-songwriter, died after suffering an apparent heart attack on Saturday night, Jan. 18, while onstage at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. During a musical career that spanned more than four decades, Olney, 71, recorded and released more than 20 albums and had his songs covered or co-written by such other notable artists as Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Laurie Lewis, Del McCoury, and Linda Ronstadt.
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Performing Songwriter Contests Open for Entries
Entries are now being sought in three performing songwriter competitions: the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest, Songwriter Serenade, and Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition. Although these contests take place in Texas, they are not solely for songwriters based in the state.
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Folk DJ Radio Airplay Charts – December 2019
The Longest Night of the Year, Volume 2 [Hudson Harding Music] -- a compilation featuring songs recorded by various artists -- was the top album and featured 11 of the 25 most-played songs on folk radio during December 2019. Topping the monthly songs chart was “Bringing in the Light” by Gathering Sparks, the Southern Ontario folk-roots duo of Eve Goldberg and Jane Lewis, that appears on both its album, All That’s Real, and the compilation. 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 charts are posted here with permission. To view them, click on the headline.]...
Performing Arts Professionals to Gather in NYC
Several thousand people are expected to converge on New York City, January 10-14, 2020, for the annual conference of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP). The global performing arts gathering, marketplace and conference will feature more than 1000 artist showcases (including a number of folk and roots music artists), nearly 400 exhibitors, daily plenary sessions, a wide array of professional development sessions, and networking opportunities galore. Daily plenary sessions also will be streamed via Facebook Live, while Wavelengths: Global Music Conference at APAP and other pre-conference sessions on Jan. 9-10 are open to the public -- as are some of the ticketed showcases at venues throughout the city.
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SERFA Conference Set for May 13-17, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Registration is now open for the 13th annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference, with super early-bird discounts available through January 31. An extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking and learning opportunities, the conference – slated for May 13-17 in Chattanooga, Tennessee -- will be keynoted by acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier and will feature some two-dozen juried official showcases.
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Entries Sought in 2020 Kerrville New Folk Competition
Entries are now being accepted for the 2020 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, 2020, during the first weekend of the 49th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas Hill Country near Austin and San Antonio. The first 800 entries postmarked or submitted online by February 29 will be judged, and 24 finalists will be named in April.
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Folk DJ Radio Airplay Charts – November 2019
The Early Risers had the top album (Making Life Sweet) and the three most-played songs on folk radio during November 2019. Renowned folksinger-songwriter Si Kahn, whose albums have previously topped the charts, edged out the New England-based duo of Putnam Smith and Ashley Storrow for the month’s most-played artist and had the second most-played album (Best of the Rest). So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.
[The monthly charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission. To view them, click on the headline.]
Grammy Award Nominees Named in American Roots Music Field
Nominees in 84 categories have been named for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards to be presented by The Recording Academy on Sunday, January 26, 2020. Yola and I’m With Her lead the nominees for awards in the American Roots Music Field with three and two nominations, respectively. Those awards will likely be presented prior to the live broadcast airing on CBS television stations that evening from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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Nominees Named for 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards
Singer-Songwriter Dave Gunning, who hails from Nova Scotia, tops the list of nominees for the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards with four nominations. Jenn Grant (also a Nova Scotia-based singer-songwriter), The Small Glories (the Winnipeg-based duo of Cara Luft and JD Edwards), and Vishten (an Acadian trio from Canada’s East Coast) each received three nods, while more than half-a-dozen other artists/acts received two nominations apiece. They are among the many artists and groups from throughout Canada vying for awards in 19 categories to be presented at the PEI Convention Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, during two Awards Weekend Concerts on April 3-4, 2020.
[To continue reading this article and see a complete listing of nominees, click on the headline.]...
Ron Olesko Receives NERFA’s Creator of the Year Award for Folk Music Notebook
Veteran folk DJ Ron Olesko was the recipient of the inaugural Creator of the Year Award presented by the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) during the nonprofit organization’s 25th annual conference in Stamford, CT, Nov. 7-10, 2019. Olesko, a NERFA stalwart, who has been hosting a folk show (Traditions) on WFDU-FM (Teaneck, NJ), was recognized for launching Folk Music Notebook, an online radio station showcasing folk music 24/7 earlier this year.
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Finalists Chosen in South Florida Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition
Finalists have been named in the 2020 South Florida Folk Festival’s Singer-Songwriter Competition. Each of them will perform two songs live during the festival at its new location, the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds in Davie, on Saturday, Feb. 8.
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Folk DJ Radio Airplay Charts – October 2019
Debra Cowan had the top album (Greening the Dark) and the three most-played songs on folk radio during October 2019. She also was the month’s most-played artist. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International from 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, click on the headline.]
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