Listen Up: Welcome to the New Folk Revival
Alela Diane Menig, the Portland-by-way-of-California singer-songwriter who released one my favorite albums of this year, To Be Still recently got a haircut... read more
Found in: Music, Features, Listen UpGeorge Wein's Folk Festival 50 Photos: Pete Seeger, Avett Brothers, Gillian Welch, Josh Ritter, Mavis Staples and More
[Above: The Avett Brothers]Photos taken by Stephanie F. Black (unless otherwise noted) at George Wein's Folk Festival 50... read more
Found in: Blogs, 1000 WordsFolk You: 50 Years of the Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk is the granddaddy of American folk festivals and—were it not for the existence of the Newport Jazz Festival, founded five years earlier by the same man... read more
Found in: Music, FeaturesTen Songs About Print Journalism
Once upon a time, being a newspaperman (or woman) was something to stand up and shout about. Journalism was a noble occupation. Reporters and critics worked for peanuts but fought the good fight. The public loved us, believed us, hung on to every word of our investigative stories and critical analyses. We were in the trenches, dodging threats and insults from criminals, corrupt politicians (and cranky rock stars), ferreting out Truth for the sake of Justice and the American Way. That was a long time ago.... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DaySmithsonian's Pete Seeger Box Set Out Today
It's been 73 years since Pete Seeger first picked up a five-string banjo, but that doesn't mean the soon-to-be-nonagenarian is out of the picture. Today, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released a box set chock-full of the folk legend's best work. Five volumes of it, to be exact. Maybe the folk legend's been kickin' it with Pixies?... read more
Found in: Music, NewsNew, old artists harmonize at Newport's Folk Festival 50
In the 50 years since the founding of the Newport Folk Festival, it's remarkable to realize just how much the term "folk" has expanded. Back in the old days, so much as plugging in a guitar was enough to brand a folk artist as a traitor of biblical proportions.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsPete Seeger B-Day Party at Madison Square Garden to Feature Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder and More
Folk legend Pete Seeger is having a birthday party at Madison Square Garden. The fact that the environmentalist crusader and pioneer of protest music is turning a spry 90 is a big reason to celebrate on its own, but when the guest list includes Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, John Mellencamp, Ben Harper, Billy Bragg and Emmylou Harris, to name just a few of the 50+ artists scheduled to pay their respects on stage, it's time to kick up your heels and grab a ticket. ... read more
Found in: Blogs, Sweet TalkSeven reasons to make Jazz Fest travel plans
The 40th annual Jazz Fest announced its lineup yesterday. It's not bad. In fact, it's so not bad that I find myself almost physically pained to not be in New Orleans right this very minute. Here are seven reasons to book your plane ticket—and, more importantly, your hotel room—as soon as humanly possible.... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the DayAretha, Wilco and one billion others headline Jazz Fest 2009
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, arguably the grandest of all American music fests, has just announced its staggering 2009 lineup. Let's get right to it, shall we?... read more
Found in: Music, NewsWXPN to debut new "Power of Song" series for September
WXPN, everyone's favorite non-commercial radio station out of the University of Pennsylvania, has announced plans to start a new radio and web-based series called "Power of Song." Launching exclusively for September, the series hopes to bring attention to the importance of music in culture by exploring "the intersection between music and politics, tracing the history of music rich in social commentary."... read more
Found in: Culture, News
Where Have All The Weird Girls Gone?…
