Clearwater Honors George Wein with Power of Song Award

Music festival impresario George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival, among others, will receive the first Power of Song Award during an Oct. 21 benefit concert in New York City. Monies raised during the event, which is set for 8 p.m. at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, will support the environmental education programs of Clearwater, a nonprofit organization launched by Pete Seeger and others more than 40 years ago to help spur awareness of and preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

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Board of Advisors Named for Newport Folk Festival

The Newport Folk Festival, which, earlier this year, returned to its original roots as a nonprofit event, has taken another step that organizers say will help ensure that it “remains a significant, viable, and influential institution for years to come.” To further advance the dialogue with both established and emerging artists, the Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. announced the creation of its Newport Folk Festival Board of Advisors. Named to the panel were Gillian Welch, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, and Ben Knox Miller of The Low Anthem. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

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Philadelphia Folk Festival Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary

avid Amram, Roy Book Binder, David Bromberg, Arlo Guthrie, Levon Helm, Jorma Kaukonen, Tom Paxton and Tom Rush are among the music luminaries slated to perform during the 50th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival, August 18-21, 2011. Joining them at the Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford Township, near Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, for the longest continually running festival of its kind will be a number of up-and-coming touring artists like Dan Bern, Justin Townes Earle, David Wax Museum, the Canadian female duos Dala and Madison Violet, and Philly’s own Hoots and Hellmouth, as well as many other locally-based artists. [To read the full article, including comments from veteran folk-DJ, festival co-founder and emee Gene Shay, click on the headline.]

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Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart, 07-22-11

Paul Simon's So Beautiful Or So What returned to the top spot on the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart last week, followed by albums by The Civil Wars, Eliza Gilkyson, An Artists Tribute to Bob Dylan on His 70th Birthday, and The Waifs. [To view the Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.] Editor's Note: Last week's chart was posted late since I was attending the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival last weekend. This week's Folk Top 50 will be posted this weekend.

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Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart, 07-15-11

The Civil Wars' debut album, Barton Hollow, returns to the top of the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart this week. Paul Simon's So Beautiful Or So What is now #3, while A Nod To Bob 2 - An Artists' Tribute To Bob Dylan On His 70th Birthday continues at #2. [To view the current Folk Top 50 Chart, click on the headline.] Editor's Note: Next week's chart will be posted a few days late since I will be attending the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival next weekend. I'll be hosting late-night song swaps under the Tribes Hill-AcousticMusicScene.com tent.

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Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart, 07-08-11

For the second week in a row, Paul Simon's So Beautiful Or So What tops the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart. Following it are A Nod to Bob 2 - An Artists' Tribute to Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday and albums by The Civil Wars, Eliza Gilkyson and The Waifs. [To view the current Folk Top 50 albums chart, click on the headline.]

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Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ray LaMontagne, Pete Seeger, Bela Fleck Are Among the Winners in the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ray LaMontagne, Pete Seeger and Bela Fleck were among the winners in more than 100 categories, most of whom were announced during ceremonies prior to the live broadcast from the Staples Center. [To see a listing of winners in select categories, click on the headline.]

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Newport Folk Festival Returns to Its Nonprofit Roots

The Newport Folk Festival, which has been held in or near the coastal Rhode Island resort city since 1959, is returning to its original roots as a nonprofit event, along with its older sibling, the Newport Jazz Festival. Both will now be produced under the umbrella of he newly formed Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. George Wein, 85, a pioneer among producers of outdoor festivals, will remain at its helm and, with his staff, continue to steer the folk festival that is set for July 29-31 at Fort Adams State Park. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

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