Barton Hollow, the debut album by Americana-folk duo The Civil Wars, retains the top spot on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week. Albums by Malcolm Holcombe, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jonathan Byrd and Abigail Washburn follow. [To view the latest Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]
The Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) hosts a special one-day mini-conference on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, MA (home of the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse). [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
The Civil Wars' album Barton Hollow continues in the top slot in this week's Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart. Albums by Malcom Holcombe, Jonathan Byrd, Tim O'Brien and Wailin' Jennys follow. [To view the latest Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]
Entries are now being sought in the 2011 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest that is associated with the annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, May 20-22, at the Galatyn Park Urban Center in Richardson, Texas, just a few minutes north of Dallas. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
David Francey is the overall grand prize winner in the seventh annual International Acoustic Music Awards competition. One of Canada’s most revered singer-songwriters, Francey also captured first place in the competition’s Folk category for “The Waking Hour.” [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Chuck E. Costa, a talented singer-songwriter from Madison, CT, has been named as Connecticut’s State Troubadour for 2011-2012. He succeeds Lara Herscovitch, the state troubadour for 2009-2010. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Albums by The Civil Wars, Jonathan Byrd and Malcolm Holcombe retain the top three spots on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week, while Coyote Grace's Ear to the Ground moves into the #4 position and David Greely's Sud du Sud is #5. [To view the latest Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale, who also serves as volunteer chairperson for MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, will engage in a live chat on Facebook on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. EST. Fans and aspiring songwriters can join the chat and pose questions to Lauderdale about the contest and songwriting in general by visiting the official page of the contest at the social media site. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
The Newport Folk Festival, which has been held in or near the coastal Rhode Island resort city since 1959, is returning to its original roots as a nonprofit event, along with its older sibling, the Newport Jazz Festival. Both will now be produced under the umbrella of he newly formed Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. George Wein, 85, a pioneer among producers of outdoor festivals, will remain at its helm and, with his staff, continue to steer the folk festival that is set for July 29-31 at Fort Adams State Park. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Banjo player Jessie Baker, formerly part of Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, has joined bluegrass band Sierra Hull & Highway 111. “I’m really excited to be playing with such a talented group of musicians and singers,” said Baker in a prepared statement. “I’ve been a fan of Sierra’s since I saw her onstage with Ricky Skaggs playing “Boston Boy” at my first IBMA FanFest in Louisville, KY. I’m looking forward to being part of Highway 111.” [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Barton Hollow, the debut album by Americana-folk duo The Civil Wars, rose to the #1 spot on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week. Albums by Jonathan Byrd, Malcolm Holcombe, David Greely, and Peter Stampfel and Baby Gramps follow. [To view the latest Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]
Joe Derrane, a Boston-born button accordionist and composer, has been named top traditional artist of 2010 by the Irish Echo, the largest circulation Irish-American weekly newspaper. He is the first to receive this honor twice since its inception in 1993. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
