Several Folk Festivals Set for the First Weekend in May

A lot of good music is in store for folk and roots music fans in central Ohio, northern Florida and southern Arizona during the first weekend of May. That’s when the Central Ohio Folk Festival takes place in Columbus, the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival comes to St. Augustine, and the Tucson Folk Festival returns to, you guessed it, Tucson. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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Early Bird Tickets for MerleFest 2009 Available Until April 3

Three- and Four-day early bird tickets for MerleFest 2009, representing an average 10% discount over regular admission prices, are available until April 3. MerleFest, one of the most popular Americana music festivals, celebrates the music of the late instrumental virtuoso Eddy Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson. The “traditional plus” music festival – featuring a diverse array of roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region and beyond -- takes place April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Continue ReadingEarly Bird Tickets for MerleFest 2009 Available Until April 3

Kottke, Colvin and Hot Rize Headline RootsFest Denver, March 28

Swallow Hill Music Association, which bills itself as Denver’s home for folk, roots and acoustic music, hosts RootsFest Denver in Colorado’s “Mile High City” on Saturday, March 28. Acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke, multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin and bluegrass band Hot Rize headline the festival at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Tickets are $55, $75 and $125. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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George Wein May Return to the Helm of the Newport Folk Festival

Fifty years after launching the first Newport Folk Festival, George Wein, 83, a pioneer among producers of outdoor music festivals, hopes to return to steer another one this summer at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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NSAI Hosts Songwriters Festival and Spring Training in Nashville

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) stages its 17th annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, March 31-April 4. The songwriters’ festival, which takes place at numerous venues throughout Music City USA, also coincides with NSAI Spring Training (A Songwriter’s Symposium), a two-day intensive seminar for writers of all genres and experience levels. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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Early-Bird Tickets Available for Pagosa Folk ‘n Bluegrass Festival

Early-bird ticket prices for the Pagosa Folk ‘n Bluegrass Music Festival are available through Feb. 15. The festival is slated for June 5-7 at Reservoir Hill Park in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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Boston Bluegrass Union Presents Awards, Festival in February

A number of individuals who have made substantial contributions to furthering bluegrass music in New England will be presented with 2009 BBU Heritage Awards during the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival presented by the Boston Bluegrass Union over Presidents Day Weekend, February 13-15, at the Sheraton Framingham in Framingham, Massachusetts. [To read the entire article, including information about the award recipients and the the festival, click on the headline.]

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Wintergrass Returns to Tacoma, Washington in February

The 15th annual Wintergrass music festival, featuring a mix of straight-ahead bluegrass, newgrass and beyond performances and workshops by nationally touring and regional artists, is set for February 19-22 at four locations in downtown Tacoma, Washington. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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BCMFest Celebrates Celtic Music and Dance in Boston

A wide array of Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Appalachian and other Celtic-inspired music and dance is on tap during BCMFest, Boston, Massachusetts’ annual grassroots, musician-run, winter Celtic music festival, Jan. 9-10, 2009. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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January is Festival Time in Oregon

Although summertime is the traditional festival season, a couple of music festivals of note take place in Oregon during January. The Fifth Annual River City Bluegrass Festival is slated for Jan. 9-11 in Portland, while the Florence Winter Folk Festival is set for Jan. 17-19. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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MerleFest 2009 Lineup Announced

MerleFest, one of America’s most popular Americana music festivals, has announced its 2009 artist lineup. Celebrating the music of the late instrumental virtuoso Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson, the “traditional-plus” music festival – featuring traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region -- takes place April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Continue ReadingMerleFest 2009 Lineup Announced