AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Showcases at SERFA Conference in May

Nearly 200 people are expected to converge on the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Asheville, May 14-18, 2014, for the seventh annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference -- an extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking, and learning opportunities. John McCutcheon is the keynote speaker. AcousticMusicScene.com will host late-night song swaps and a Midnight Hoot on the opening night. [To read the full article -- including listings of artists performing in official and AcousticMusicScene.com showcases -- click on the headline.]

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Read more about the article Quick Q & A with Mark Erelli
Mark Erelli (Photo: Nancy Giroux)

Quick Q & A with Mark Erelli

Mark Erelli is a New England-based singer-songwriter who has been a winner in both the Kerrville New Folk Competition and the International Songwriting Competition. He’s played venues ranging from intimate coffeehouses and house concerts to the main stage at the Newport Folk Festival. As a multi-instrumentalist sideman, he has accompanied such artists as Paula Cole, Mary Gauthier, Lori McKenna and Josh Ritter. Kathy Sands-Boehmer posed some questions to him recently. [To read Kathy's Quick Q & A with Mark Erelli, click on the headline.]

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FARM, NERFA Offer Juried Showcase Opportunities

Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), regional chapters of Folk Alliance International, are both currently accepting applications for juried showcases during their respective annual conferences this fall. All showcase entries must be submitted online. [To continue reading the article, click on the headline.]

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NERFA, SERFA to Host One-Day Mini-Conference in Virginia

Two regional chapters of Folk Alliance International have slated a first-of-its-kind inter-regional one-day mini-conference. The Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) and Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) will hold the event at Unity of Charlottesville in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, September 6, 2014. Registration forms and showcase applications are now available on the NERFA website. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

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Muses in the Vineyard Set for May 17-18, 2014 in NJ

A number of talented local, regional and national touring female performing artists are on the bill for Muses in the Vineyard, a music festival celebrating women in song, that is slated for Saturday-Sunday, May 17-18 at Four Sisters Winery in Belvidere, New Jersey. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

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Top Albums and Songs for April 2014 (FOLKDJ-L)

Carter Girl, an album covering three generations of Carter Family music by Carlene Carter, the daughter of of June Carter Cash and granddaughter of "Mother" Maybelle Carter, was the most-played album on folk radio during April 2014, according to charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. Jesse Winchester, the late singer-songwriter who was revered and widely covered by other artists, had the month's top two songs ("Brand New Tennessee Waltz" and "Yankee Lady"). [To view the Top Albums and Songs chart for April 2014, click on the headline.]

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Q & A with Susan Werner

Susan Werner has never been one to adhere to just one musical style. A gifted singer-songwriter, who accompanies herself on both guitar and piano, she is known for her musical versatility and for her witty repartee during live performances. The Iowa native, who now calls Chicago home, has been delighting concert and festival audiences for two decades. Kathy Sands-Boehmer recently spoke with the classically-trained artist about her latest CD, Hayseed, and more. [To read Kathy's Quick Q & A with Susan Werner, click on the headline.]

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Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Finalists Named

Thirty-two songwriters have been named as finalists in the 2014 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Chosen from among hundreds of submissions from throughout the U.S. and Canada, the finalists will perform the two songs they submitted during the New Folk Concerts slated for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May 24 and 25, as part of the Kerrville Folk Festival. [To continue reading the article and see the list of Kerrville New Folk Finalists, click on the headline.]

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Showcase Artists Chosen for 2014 Bluegrass Ramble

Thirty artists and bands have been selected to participate in the Bluegrass Ramble series of showcases slated to take place at select venues throughout downtown Raleigh, North Carolina during the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s World of Bluegrass 2014, Sept. 30-Oct. 4. [To continue reading this article and see the list of Bluegrass Ramble showcase artists, click on the headline.]

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Entries Sought for 2014 FreshGrass Awards

Up-and-coming bluegrass artists who offer a fresh take on the genre are invited to compete for the 2014 FreshGrass Award, a highlight of the eponymous three-day bluegrass and roots festival held each fall at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

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Finalists Named in 2014 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest

Performing songwriters from the states of Maine and Texas dominate the list of ten finalists named this week in the 2014 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest. Each will perform two songs on the Singer Songwriter Stage during the 22nd annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival at Galatyn Park in Richardson, Texas, just a few minutes north of Dallas. Billed as North Texas’ largest music festival, it takes place, May 16-18. [To continue reading the article and see the list of finalists, click on the headline.]

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