Entries Sought for 2009 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest; Dallas Songwriters Association 2008 Song Contest Winners Named
The April 3 deadline is approaching for the 2009 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest that is associated with the annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, May 15-17, in Richardson, Texas, just a few minutes north of Dallas...
The Dallas Songwriters Association has announced the winners of its 2008 Song Contest. The grand prize winner and recipient of a Gibson guitar and other prizes is Mark Glasmire of Arlington, Texas, for “Missing You.” Glassmire also captured first place in the Americana/Folk/Bluegrass category.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Piedmont Blues Guitarist John Cephas, 1930-2009
“Bowling Green” John Cephas, one-half of the noted East Coast Piedmont-style blues duo Cephas and Wiggins, has died at age 78. His label, Alligator Records, reported that the guitarist and singer died of natural causes today at his home in Bowling Green, Virginia.
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New York Songwriter Joe Crookston Earns Album of the Year Award
Joe Crookston, an Ithaca, New York-based singer-songwriter and guitarist, received the prestigious Album of the Year Award during the 21st annual International Folk Alliance Conference, Feb. 18, in Memphis, Tennessee. His 2008 recording, Able Baker Charlie & Dog, ended the year as the #1 most-aired recording by folk/acoustic radio DJs in the United States.
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ASCAP New York Sessions Set for March 10
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) hosts what it bills as a one-day career boost for songwriters and composers in New York City on Tuesday, March 10. ASCAP New York Sessions will feature panel discussions and speakers focusing on such topics as marketing, digital distribution, airplay, recording and publishing. Technology demonstrations and studio master classes round out the day. Attendees also will have opportunities to connect with other songwriters and composers.
Registration for the program is $55 for ASCAP members and $75 for non-members through March 3. The prices rise by $20 after then. For more information and to register online, visit www.ascap.com.
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.
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1,600 Head to Memphis for International Folk Alliance Conference
More than 1,600 performing artists, presenters, agents and managers, independent label and recording industry representatives, folk DJs, music journalists, folklorists and educators will converge on Memphis, Tennessee, Feb. 18-22, for the 21st Annual International Folk Alliance Conference.
Ranked among the five largest music conferences in North America, it will feature four days of panels and workshops and four nights of artist showcases, feature performances and hundreds of private showcases that extend late into the night (or early morning hours, depending on your vantage point). Roger McGuinn, former frontman for The Byrds and one of the pioneers of folk-rock music, will deliver a keynote address, while other leading and emerging artists will pay tribute to Phil Ochs and Utah Phillips and honor...
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.
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Lara Herscovitch Named Connecticut’s State Troubadour
Lara Herscovitch, a talented contemporary singer-songwriter whose music features a nice blend of folk, pop and world styles, has been named as Connecticut’s State Troubadour for 2009 and 2010.
Appointed by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, based on a recommendation by a panel of music professionals that included Pierce Campbell, the previous State Troubadour, Herscovitch serves as an ambassador of music and song to encourage cultural literacy and promote the State of Connecticut. In addition to her regular touring schedule, she will perform at a number of state events in an emissary role over the next two years.
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