Remembering Jean Ritchie, 1922-2015
Jean Ritchie, the Kentucky-born folksinger, songwriter and song collector who helped to popularize hundreds of traditional Appalachian ballads and spur the so-called folk revival of the mid-20th century in the U.S., died June 1, 2015 at her home in Berea, KY. Ritchie, 92, was surrounded by members of her family, who sang at her bedside during her last hours.
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Top Albums & Songs of September 2014 (FOLKDJ-L)
Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie was the most-played album on folk radio during September 2014 according to 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 37-track, two-CD set released by Compass Records features various artists paying homage to the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter who influenced and inspired them and who many regard as “the mother of folk.” It also was the top album in August.
[Click on the headline to view the top albums and songs charts that are posted with permission on AcousticMusicScene.com.]
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.
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Upcoming Americana Music Festival and Conference in Nashville Features Keynote Interview with Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash will be the 2009 keynote interview subject during the Americana Music Association’s Festival and Conference on Thursday morning, September 17, at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Author and journalist Michael Streissguth, whose latest book, Always Been There: Rosanne Cash, The List and the Spirit of Southern Music, chronicles the making of her forthcoming album, will pose questions to the Grammy Award-winning artist, who has had more than 20 top 40 country singles over the course of her 30-year career to date.
Photo by Deborah Feingold.
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