"Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune," a new film about the American troubadour whose music continues to influence and inspire songwriters today, is currently in limited release. Phil's sister Sonny shares some thoughts about her late brother and the documentary about him with AcousticMusicScene.com readers. [To read the article, click on the headline.]
Jonathan Byrd's Waterbug release Cackalack moved into the top position on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week, followed by albums by Clare Burson, The Civil Wars, Peter Cooper and David Greely. [To view the current Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline]
Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul & Mary fame) and other artists who share his concern about social justice through their songs will be part of a day-long series of social change music programming at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire on Saturday, Jan. 22. Dartmouth partners with the Public Domain Foundation, a nonprofit organization launched by Stookey more than 30 years ago to encourage the making and use of music for social change, to present nearly 10 hours of programming in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Hundreds of musicians and music lovers from Connecticut, the rest of New England and beyond are expected to converge on Hartford, Jan 28-30 for the People’s Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle (PMN)’s 2011 Winter Gathering. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].
More than 130 acts, from solo artists to full bands, will be selected to showcase at various venues over two nights during the fourth annual Singer-Songwriter Cape May music business conference set for March 25-26 in the historic Victorian-lined New Jersey seaside resort community. The deadline for singer-songwriters in all genres to submit showcase applications has been extended until Jan.28. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Tim O'Brien's Chicken & Egg tops the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart for the first week of January 2011. Albums by The John Hartford Stringband, Peter Cooper, Jakob Dylan, Joe Pug, Great Big Sea, Sahara Smith, Dan Baker, John McCutcheon and Jonathan Byrd follow. [To view this week's Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]
Although most folk festivals in the U.S. happen outdoors during the summertime, at least two take place indoors on Florida’s respective coasts in January 2011: 30A Songwriters Festival and South Florida Folk Fest. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Dick Pleasants has been a mainstay on radio in Boston, Massachusetts and environs for forty years and has provided support for numerous artists and folk music venues during that time. As he prepares to retire, a number of his musical friends will pay tribute to him during “A Pleasant(s) Evening at Sanders” on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Sanders Theater on Harvard University’s campus in Cambridge. Proceeds from this special celebratory event will benefit WUMB’s capital campaign. A room in the new WUMB studios and offices will be named after Pleasants. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
A wide array of Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Appalachian and other Celtic-inspired music and dance is on tap during the Boston Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest). Boston, Massachusetts’ annual grassroots, musician-run, winter Celtic music festival takes place Jan. 7-8, 2011. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
Submissions are now being sought for the 19th annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest, one of America’s most popular Americana music festivals. Open to aspiring songwriters who derive no more than 50% of their income from songwriting or music publishing, the contest deadline is February 18, 2011. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
The Grascals, Dailey & Vincent and Rhonda Vincent & The Rage top the list of nominees in the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) 37th Annual Bluegrass Music Awards. Winners will be announced during an awards show on February 6 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee that caps the organization’s national convention, February 3-6. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]
David Greely's self-released Sub du Sud jumped into the #1 position on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week, while Jonathan Byrd's Waterbug release Cackalack moved into the #2 spot. Albums by Clare Burson, Peter Stampfel and Baby Gramps, and Eleanor Murray follow. [To view the current Folk Top 50 album chart, click on the headline. In light of the holidays, there will not be another chart until January.]
