Singer-Songwriter John Stewart, best known for his seven-year stint with the Kingston Trio and for penning the hit song “Daydream Believer," has died at the age of 68.  With his family by his side, Stewart passed away on Jan 19 at the same San Diego, California hospital at which he was born. 

Maintaining that “there are many, many folk music fans in Maine who would like an easier, more focused resource for keeping track of local artists,” Bob McKillop launched MaineFolkMusic.com on Jan. 16. McKillop – a musician, songwriter, music journalist, open mic host and entrepreneur from Portland – describes the site as “Maine’s folk music homepage” and says it is devoted to the state’s acoustic musicians, as well as touring folk artists who perform in Maine. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

The Philadelphia Folksong Society, a not-for-profit educational organization best known for presenting the annual Philadelphia Folk Festival each summer since 1962, will premiere “new” Woody Guthrie songs to help celebrate its 50th anniversary and pay tribute to the Guthrie family and the Woody Guthrie Archives for enriching America with the songs and spirit of Woody Guthrie. Branded as “In Woody’s Words,” the historic four-hour event is set for Sunday, Dec. 16, at Philadelphia’s World Café Live. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

On December 1, 1957,Chicago’s now legendary Old Town School of Folk Music opened its doors... Although the Old Town School of Folk Music has long since vacated its original space on West Ninth Avenue, it has maintained its philosophy that music is for everyone, where, as Frank Hamilton envisioned, “teacher and students would be partners in learning.” Today, the Old Town School of Folk Music enrolls nearly 6,000 students a week in its tuition program of classes and workshops -- some 2,700 of them children -- from various cultures and traditions , who come together to create music and learn from each other. Internationally known touring artists, local artists and the school’s own staff and students stage live performances almost every weekend... This December 1, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, a benefit concert to help fund the school’s education, scholarship, performance and youth outreach programs, will be held at Chicago’s historic Auditorium Theatre. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

Jug band music, which had its origins among African Americans in the urban South who often played homemade instruments like washboards & empty liquor jugs (poor man’s tubas) during the early 20th century, peaked in popularity during the ragtime era (1920s & 30s), and played an influential role on some of the leading names in folk and rock music in later years, is the focus of a new documentary film entitled “Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost.” Written and directed by lawyer, businessman, music and film buff Todd Kwait, the historical retrospective will be screened at Woodstock, New York’s Bearsville Theater on October 13, as part of the Woodstock Film Festival. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

An impressive lineup of artists will come together at St. Paul, Minnesota’s historic Fitzgerald Theater on Sunday, September 9, for A Tribute to Bob Feldman: Celebrating a Life in Music. Proceeds from the 7 p.m. concert will benefit the Bob Feldman Redwood Forest Fund to be disbursed to organizations engaged in efforts to conserve the Redwoods that the late founder and president of Red House Records so loved. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), chief sponsors of the “Internet Radio Equality Act” in the Senate, are vowing to press forward with it if webcasters and SoundExchange, the performance rights organization, have not reached a compromise agreement with respect to royalty rates by Labor Day. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].