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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Guy Carawan, Folk Musician and Musicologist, 1927-2015
Guy Carawan, a folksinger, musician, ethnomusicologist and activist perhaps best known for introducing the anthemic protest song “We Shall Overcome” to the American civil rights movement during the 1960s, died in his sleep May 1 following a lengthy illness. He was 87.
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Top Albums, Songs, Artists of 2014 (FOLKDJ-L)
New York-based female Americana roots trio Red Molly had the most-played album (The Red Album) on folk radio during 2014, while Indiana-based singer-songwriter Tim Grimm had the most-played song (“King of the Folksingers”), 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. Pete Seeger, the American folk music icon who died last January at 94, was the most-played artist.
[The 2014 year-end FOLKDJ-L charts, which are based on reported airplay by 184 different radio DJs, are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission. To view them, click on the headline.]
50 Years with Peter, Paul and Mary Airs on PBS
Peter, Paul and Mary’s music and social activism helped to shape a generation. Through the years, the seminal folk trio has touched the hearts and consciences of millions of people worldwide, won five Grammy Awards, received eight gold and five platinum records, had 13 top 40 hits, and been the subject of five PBS documentaries. A new one entitled 50 Years with Peter, Paul and Mary has begun airing on PBS television stations throughout the U.S.
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AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Showcases at SERFA Conference in May
Nearly 200 people are expected to converge on the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Asheville, May 14-18, 2014, for the seventh annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference -- an extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking, and learning opportunities. John McCutcheon is the keynote speaker. AcousticMusicScene.com will host late-night song swaps and a Midnight Hoot on the opening night.
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Top Albums and Songs of February 2014 (FOLKDJ-L)
Bright Side of Down, the new release by singer-songwriter John Gorka, was the most-played album on folk radio during February 2014, closely followed by Where Have All The Flowers Gone? The Songs of Pete Seeger, 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. Gorka's "Holed Up in Mason City" was reportedly the month's most-played song.
The monthly top albums and songs charts are posted with permission on AcousticMusicScene.com. To view them, click on the headline.
Reflecting on Pete Seeger, 1919-2014
Pete Seeger, the inspirational American folk music icon, political activist, environmentalist and humanitarian, whose songs helped provide a musical backdrop for many of the historical movements of the past 50-plus years, died on Jan.. 27. He was 94 and had been preceded in death last year by his wife and soulmate of nearly 70 years, Toshi.
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Nominees Named for 56th Annual Grammy Awards
Nominees in more than 80 categories have been named for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, to be presented at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Of particular interest to readers of AcousticMusicScene.com are the nominees in the American Roots Music Field. Among them, Sarah Jarosz and Steve Martin & Edie Brickell received nods in two categories.
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Remembering Richie Havens, 1941-2013
I wasn’t at Max Yasgur’s Farm in 1969 when Richie Havens impressed throngs of people at the Woodstock festival. I was just a youngster then. But I did get to hear him up close and personal in the late 1970s at my alma mater, Huntington High School, in Huntington, New York. He was performing in the auditorium, along with Harry Chapin, at one of the late singer-songwriter’s many benefit concerts. Richie joined his fellow Brooklyn NY-born folksinger in heaven or wherever kindhearted gentle souls go, on April 22, after suffering a heart attack at home in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was 72.
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Speaking with Scott Alarik, Author of Revival: A Folk Music Novel
Noted folk music writer Scott Alarik may be best known for having covered folk music for The Boston Globe for more than 20 years and as a regular contributor to public radio. However, he also is the author of Revival: A Folk Music Novel that has drawn accolades from a number of luminaries on the contemporary folk scene. Kathy Sands-Boehmer posed some questions to him recently.
[To read Kathy's Q & A interview with Scott Alarik, click on the headline.]
‘Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune’ Set to Air on PBS Stations
PBS Television's acclaimed American Masters' series of documentaries opens its 26th season with Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune this month. The revealing biography of a conflicted, truth-seeking troubadour who, with guitar in hand, stood up for what he believed in and challenged us all to do the same, premieres nationally on Monday, Jan. 23 at 10 p.m. (ET) on PBS stations (Check your local listings).
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Music Festival Impresario George Wein Honored by APAP
Music festival impresario George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival, received the Award of Merit for Achievement in Performing Arts from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) on Jan. 9. The award is bestowed on an individual whose genius, energy and excellence have defined or redefined an art form for today’s audiences.
[To read the article in its entirety, including comments from George Wein, click on the headline.]
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