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Grammy Awards Nominees Named

Nominees in 83 categories have been named for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards to be presented by The Recording Academy on Monday, February 15, 2016. Of particular interest to readers of AcousticMusicScene.com are the nominees for awards in the American Roots Music Field that will be presented prior to the live broadcast airing on CBS television stations that evening from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. [To continue reading and see a listing of the nominees in the American Roots Music Field and select others, click on the headline.]

January is Music Festival Time in Florida

Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State have opportunities to escape the winter doldrums and enjoy some fine music in mid-January. Both the South Florida Folk Festival and the 30A Songwriters Festival take place over the same weekend in different parts of the state. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
Top Albums and Songs of November 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Top Albums and Songs of November 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Joy of Living: A Tribute to Ewan MacColl (Compass) was the most-played album on folk radio during November 2015, while “I Am an Immigrant” by Jesse Palidofsky and “Take Me Home” by Free the Honey were reportedly the most—played songs. So say charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. The monthly Top Albums and Songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission. To view them, click on the headline.

2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards Presented

The 11th annual Canadian Folk Music Awards were presented in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday evening, Nov. 8, and streamed live online via Concert Window. Winners for 2015 were named in 19 categories, while an Unsung Hero Award recipient was also honored during a bilingual gala & reception at the Citadel Theatre. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Showcases at 2015 NERFA Conference, Nov. 12-15

Some 800 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents and managers, folk DJs and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music will converge on the Hudson Valley Resort in Kerhonkson, New York, Nov. 12-15, 2015, for the 21st Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference. AcousticMusicScene.com will again have a major presence as it hosts afternoon and late-night song swaps, in addition to its popular Midnight Hoot at the close of the conference’s first day. To continue reading this conference preview, click on the headline.
Top Albums and Songs of October 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Top Albums and Songs of October 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Free The Honey, a young western Colorado-based “honeygrass” folk quartet, had both the most-played album (Fine Bloom) and song (“Take Me Home”) on folk radio during October 2015. So say charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. The October 2015 FOLKDJ-L charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission. To view them, click on the headline.

Bill Keith, Banjo Player and Stylist, 1939-2015

Bill Keith, a noted five-string banjoist who introduced a melodic style of playing the instrument and designed a specialized type of tuning peg that bears his name, died Oct. 23 at age 75. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
The Earls of Leicester Take Home a Bevy of International Bluegrass Music Awards

The Earls of Leicester Take Home a Bevy of International Bluegrass Music Awards

The Earls of Leicester were the big winners during the International Bluegrass Music Awards show, Oct. 1, at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Arts. The group –- which pays homage to the musical legacy of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys -- took home Entertainer, Album (for its Grammy Award-winning self-entitled debut), Instrumental Group and Gospel Recorded Performance (“Who Will Sing For Me”) of the Year awards. [To continue reading this article and see the list of award winners, click on the headline.]
Top Albums and Songs of September 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Top Albums and Songs of September 2015 (FOLKDJ-L)

Joy of Living: A Tribute to Ewan MacColl was the most-played album on folk radio during September 2015, closely followed by Songs of Heart and Home by Greg Blake -- who was also the month’s most-played artist. “House Carpenter” by Low Lily, the string and vocal trio formerly known as Annalivia, was September’s most-played song -- closely followed by “Get Together” by Lowell Levinger, formerly of The Youngbloods. So say charts compiled from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. The monthly Top Albums and Songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission. To view them, click on the headline.
The Young Novelists Win 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition

The Young Novelists Win 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition

The Young Novelists took first place in the 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition. The Toronto, Ontario (Canada)-based husband-and-wife folk-roots duo was selected by a panel of judges following short performances by the five finalists that kicked-off the 10th annual Connecticut Folk Festival and Green Expo at New Haven’s Edgerton Park on September 12. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
Nominees Named for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Nominees Named for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards

With four nominations, rural British Columbia folk duo Pharis and Jason Romero, known for their duets and handmade banjos, is the top contender vying for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards that will be presented during a gala event at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta on November 8. Amelia Curran (St. John’s, NL), Fortune Ones (St. John’s, NL), Jenn Grant (Lake Echo, NS), Catherine MacLellan (Charlottetown, PEI), and Whitehorse (Toronto, ON) were close behind with three nods apiece. To continue reading this article and see the complete list of nominees in 19 categories, click on the headline.

Danny Barnes Earns 2015 Steve Martin Prize

Danny Barnes, a claw hammer and three-finger-style banjo player from Texas, has been named the recipient of the 2015 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. To continue reading this article, click on the headline.