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Philadelphia Folk Festival Set for Aug. 15-18

Philadelphia Folk Festival Set for Aug. 15-18

Thousands of music lovers are expected to converge on Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford Township, near bucolic Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, Aug. 15-18, for the annual Philadelphia Folk Festival that will feature more than 100 artists and acts on eight stages. Now in its 58th year, the family-friendly event, produced and presented by the Philadelphia Folksong Society, is the longest continuously running outdoor music festival in North America. [To continue reading this article -- which includes audio and video links -- click on the headline.]

Folk DJ Jan Hall to Receive Estelle Klein Award

Jan Hall, host and producer of the syndicated weekly radio show, Folk Roots Radio, has been named the winner of the Estelle Klein Award that is presented by Folk Music Ontario during its annual conference in September. Established in 2000, the award honors the work of an individual or group that has made significant contributions to the Canadian province’s folk music community. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Song Swaps During Huntington Folk Festival, July 27

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III headlines the 14th Annual Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 27, at Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington, New York. Opening for Wainwright on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage at 8 p.m. that evening will be his daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche. Extending from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a dinner break from 6-8 p.m., the free event – co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council – is part of the 54th Huntington Summer Arts Festival. [To continue reading this article and see the complete festival schedule, click on the headline.]

New Bedford Folk Festival Set for July 6-7, 2019

The New Bedford Folk Festival is one of the Northeast’s most pleasant, refined and enjoyable music festivals. Slated for Saturday-Sunday, July 6-7, 2019 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the family-oriented festival, now in its 24th year, takes over the cobblestoned streets of this historic New England port city –- which is part of the Whaling National Historic Park. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
Emerging Artist Showcase Performers Chosen for 2019 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival

Emerging Artist Showcase Performers Chosen for 2019 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival

Twenty-four artists/acts have been selected to perform in The Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase during the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival on Friday afternoon, August 2, 2019, from noon to 4:30 p.m. [To continue reading this article -- including information about the showcase and the festival itself -- click on the headline.]

Top Albums, Songs & Artists – May 2019 (FOLKDJ-L)

Ordinary Elephant, the husband-and-wife duo of Crystal and Pete Damore, had the top album (Honest) and the two most-played songs (“The War” and “Scars We Keep”) on folk radio during May 2019. The duo was also #2 on the monthly top artists chart, following the late folk icon Pete Seeger, while Joel Rafael’s Rose Avenue was the month’s #2 album and featured its third most-played song (“Abraham, Martin and John"). So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. [The monthly top albums, songs and artists charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission. To view them, click on the headline.]...

Winners Named in Kerrville New Folk and Songwriter Serenade Competitions

Six singer-songwriters have been named as winners in the 2019 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. They were chosen by a panel of judges from among 32 finalists who performed two songs each during the New Folk Concerts on May 25 and 26 as part of the Kerrville Folk Festival, an 18-day event at the Quiet Valley Ranch in the Texas Hill Country. Winners were also named in the Songwriter Serenade that took place elsewhere in Texas earlier this month. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Showcases at SERFA Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Nearly 300 people will converge on Chattanooga, Tennessee, May 15-19, 2019 for the 12th annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference. An extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking and learning opportunities, the conference will be keynoted by singer-songwriter Ellis Paul and features 27 juried official showcases. [To continue reading this illustrated article and to see a listing of official showcase artists and the AcusticMusicScene.com showcase lineup, click on the headline.]
Top Albums, Songs and Artists - April 2019 (FOLKDJ-L)

Top Albums, Songs and Artists – April 2019 (FOLKDJ-L)

For a second consecutive month, Songs of Our Native Daughters (featuring modern roots artists Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell and Amythyst Kiah) was the top album on folk radio during April 2019. "There’s a Bright Side Somewhere” by Molsky’s Mountain Drifters was the month’s most-played song, edging out Danny Schmidt’s “Just Wait Til They See You,” March’s #1 song. John McCutcheon was the most-played artist of the month. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. The monthly Folk DJ charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission. To view them, click on the headline.

Folk Music Notebook, a 24/7 Music Channel, Launches Online and is Available via Free Apps

Veteran broadcaster Ron Olesko, who has been hosting a folk show (Traditions) on WFDU-FM in Teaneck, New Jersey since 1980, launches Folk Music Notebook, an online radio station showcasing folk music 24/7, on May 3, 2019 – the 100th anniversary of the birth of late folk music icon Pete Seeger. “Folk Music Notebook plans to be a gathering spot for the folk community and all the fans of this music,” said Olesko. “The channel will be a place to ‘discover’ new artists and songs as well as honor the established names who created this living tradition.” [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

Registration Opens for 25th NERFA Conference

Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) has launched a new website (www.nerfa.org) and opened registration for its 25th annual conference to be held in Stamford, Connecticut, November 7-10, 2019. Artists may also now apply online for juried official showcases. [To continue reading this short article, click on the headline.]

Finalists Named in 2019 Telluride Troubadour Competition

Ten singer-songwriters have been selected as finalists in the 2019 Telluride Troubadour Competition, held in conjunction with the 46th Telluride Bluegrass Festival, a roots-oriented music festival set amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains, June 20-23. They will now vie for cash and other prizes, as well as the honor of being named this year’s Telluride Troubadour. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]