Author Archive

SERFA Returns to Black Mountain, NC, May 4-7

More than 250 people will converge on Black Mountain, North Carolina, May 4-7, 2023 for the annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference. An extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking and learning opportunities, the conference will be keynoted by Jeff Place and features 16 juried official showcases, along with a number of late-night private showcases. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

Entries Sought for SolarFest ’23 Singer-Songwriter Showcase

SolarFest -- slated for July 15-16, 2023 in Brandon, Vermont -- is again hosting a Singer-Songwriter Showcase following a hiatus of several years. It’s free to enter and open to all artists who write and perform original music and are not currently signed to a major recording label. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

Finalists Named in 2023 Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest

The Top 10 Finalists have been named in the 2023 Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest that is held in conjunction with the Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, May 19-21 at Galatyn Park Urban Center in Richardson, Texas – just a few minutes north of Dallas. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]
Kerrville New Folk Finalists Named for 2023

Kerrville New Folk Finalists Named for 2023

Twenty-four songwriters have been named as finalists in the 2023 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Chosen from among hundreds of submissions from around the world, the finalists will perform the two songs they submitted at the New Folk Concerts slated for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May 27 and 28, as part of the 51st annual Kerrville Folk Festival. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to see the complete list of finalists.]
FAI Folk Radio Charts for March 2023

FAI Folk Radio Charts for March 2023

Acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Karan Casey had the top album (Nine Apples of Gold), was the most-played artist on folk radio, and had four of the top 10 songs during March 2023, while Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy’s “Woman of the House” was 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 view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Winners Named in 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Winners Named in 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Winners of this year’s Canadian Folk Music Awards were recognized at a bilingual, celebratory and music-filled event during the CFMA 2023 Awards Weekend, March 31-April 2, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Alberta-based singer-songwriter John Wort Hannam picked up two awards (Contemporary Album of the Year and Solo Artist of the Year for his album Long Haul). So too did Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves (Traditional Album of the Year and Instrumental Group of the Year for Hurricane Clarice) and Toronto-based, genre bending global roots music instrumental group Sultans of String (Global Roots Album of the Year for Sanctuary and Producers of the Year - Chris McKhool and John “Beetle” Bailey). [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]
Semifinalists Named in 2023 Songwriter Serenade Competition

Semifinalists Named in 2023 Songwriter Serenade Competition

Fifteen songwriters have been invited to showcase their original songs and compete for prize money at the St. John’s Outdoor Pavilion in Schulenburg, Texas on Saturday, May 13 after being named as semifinalists in the 2023 Songwriter Serenade competition. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]
FAI Folk Radio Charts for February 2023

FAI Folk Radio Charts for February 2023

CornMaiz Stringband had the top album (Fresh-Picked Kentucky Music) and was the most-played artist on folk radio during February 2023, while “Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” was 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 monthly top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission.]

FAI Folk Radio Charts for January 2023

Upstate Crossroads by Ithaca, New York-based fiddler Tim Ball was the top album on folk radio during January 2023, while “Four Strong Winds” by the folk duo Ian and Sylvia was the month’s most-played song and the late Canadian troubadour Ian Tyson, who died in December, 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 continue reading this article and to view the monthly top albums, songs, and artists charts that are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission.]

Annual FAI Folk Radio Charts for 2022

Pharis & Jason Romero, a British Columbia-based folk duo, had the top album (Tell ‘Em You Were Gold on Smithsonian Folkways) and most-played song (“Souvenir”) on folk radio during 2022, while John McCutcheon, a revered Georgia-based folksinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was the year’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 annual top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission.]

Teghan Devon Wins Mid-Atlantic Song Contest

Teghan Devon has been named the grand-prize winner of the 39th annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest presented by the Songwriters’ Association of Washington (SAW). The Maryland-based folk-pop singer-songwriter was recognized for her song “Our Garden,” which was also the first place (Gold) winner in the contest’s Folk-Acoustic category. Tony Denikos, also of Maryland, was awarded second place overall for his song “Purple Hearts, ” which was also the second place (Silver) winner in the Americana category. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article.]

GRAMMY and International Folk Music Awards Presented

Winners in the 65th Grammy Awards’ American Roots Music Field were recognized during a ceremony that took place prior to The Recording Academy’s televised awards show from Los Angeles, California on Sunday, February 5, 2023. Folk Alliance International presented its annual International Folk Music Awards in Kansas City, Missouri on February 1. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view a couple of videos.]