News – U.S. National

Dick Kniss, Bassist for Peter, Paul and Mary, 1937-2012

A memorial services was held in Saugerties, New York on Sunday for Dick Kniss, a bassist who accompanied Peter, Paul and Mary for decades and co-wrote "Sunshine On My Shoulders” with John Denver. Kniss died Jan. 25 of pulmonary disease. He was 74. [To read the short article in its entirety, click on the headline.]

‘Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune’ Set to Air on PBS Stations

PBS Television's acclaimed American Masters' series of documentaries opens its 26th season with Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune this month. The revealing biography of a conflicted, truth-seeking troubadour who, with guitar in hand, stood up for what he believed in and challenged us all to do the same, premieres nationally on Monday, Jan. 23 at 10 p.m. (ET) on PBS stations (Check your local listings). [To read the article in its entirety, including reflections on Phil and the film from his sister, Sonny Ochs, click on the headline.]

Top Albums and Songs of 2011 (FOLKDJ-L)

Alison Krauss and Union Station's Paper Airplane is the top album of the year and "Scarlet Town" from Gillian Welch's The Harrow and the Harvest, the #2 album, is the top song of 2011, based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. [To view the Top Albums and Songs charts compiled by Richard Gillmann, click on the headline.]

Warren Hellman, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Founder, 1934-2011

Warren Hellman, a San Francisco-based financier and philanthropist who founded and funded the city’s nationally renowned Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and toured earlier this year with his band, The Wronglers, died Dec. 18 from complications of leukemia. He was 77. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

Hayes Carll Has #1 Album on Americana Airplay Chart for 2011

Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter Hayes Carll’s Lost Highway release KMAG YOYO is the #1 album of 2011 on the Americana Airplay Chart. The album-based chart prepared for the Americana Music Association represents reported play on broadcast, satellite and Internet radio stations as well as nationally syndicated shows that submit weekly spin counts. [ To view the article in its entirety, including mention of the year-end Top 10 on the Americana Airplay Chart, click on the headline.]

2012 Grammy Nominees Named in American Roots Music Field

Nominees in more than 75 categories have been named for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, to be broadcast live from Los Angeles, California on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, on CBS television stations. [To see a list of nominees in the American Roots Music Field -- including those for Best Folk Album, Best Americana Album, Best Bluegrass Album, Best Blues Album, and Best Regional Roots Music Album -- click on the headline.]

Remembering Terence Martin, A Gifted Singer-Songwriter

Terence Martin, a gifted New York-based singer-songwriter and published poet, has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Martin, who succumbed to the disease on Nov. 7, was born in London, England, grew up in Los Angeles, California, and moved east in 1997 to become part of New York’s thriving acoustic music scene. He recorded and released six albums independently and was working on another one at the time of his passing. [To read a short article, as well as personal remembrances and reflections from Jim Colbert, a fellow singer-songwriter, click on the headline.]

The Banjo is Focus of PBS Documentary Premiering Nov. 4, 2011

Give Me The Banjo, a documentary chronicling 300 years of American history and popular culture through the country’s quintessential musical instrument – from its earliest use by enslaved Africans in colonial times to the 21st century – premieres Friday, Nov. 4, at 9 p.m. ET on PBS television stations(check your local listings). [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

Arthur Alligood Wins 2011 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest

Arthur Alligood has been named the grand prize winner in the 10th annual Mountain Stage NewSong Contest.Alligood, who hails from the small town of White House, TN, near Nashville, was chosen from among more than 2,000 entrants and selected from among 12 finalists. The international finals for the noted performing songwriter contest -- presented by the live performance radio show and produced by the independent music organization NewSong Music -- took place last Thursday evening, Oct. 20, at the World Financial Center’s Wintergarden in New York City. [To read the article in its entirety, click on the headline.]

Clearwater Honors George Wein with Power of Song Award

Music festival impresario George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival, among others, will receive the first Power of Song Award during an Oct. 21 benefit concert in New York City. Monies raised during the event, which is set for 8 p.m. at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, will support the environmental education programs of Clearwater, a nonprofit organization launched by Pete Seeger and others more than 40 years ago to help spur awareness of and preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers Win IBMA’s Top Award

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers were named Entertainer of the Year during the 22nd Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards show on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, ending a three-year winning streak by Dailey & Vincent. [To read the article in its entirety and learn of all the award winners, click on the headline.]

2011 Future of Music Policy Summit Set for Oct. 3-4 in Washington; Online Survey on How Artists Make $ from Music Launches Sept. 6

How can artists earn a living in today’s changing music landscape? What’s the future of mobile music? Does the future of music licensing portend a new world order or a system collapse? These are among the many questions to be addressed during the 2011 Future of Music Policy Summit at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Monday - Tuesday, Oct.3-4. The nonprofit Future of Music Coalition also is enlisting U.S.-based professional musicians and composers across genres to participate in an online survey between Sept. 6 and Oct. 28 as part of its multifaceted Artist Revenue Streams research project. [To view the full article, click on the headline.].