The Back Porch News

Secret Sisters Among Americana Music Award Nominees

Sharon — Tue, 24 May 2011 05:36:00 +0000

Lydia and Laura Rogers, aka the Secret Sisters, are among the nominees announced on Monday for the annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards to be given in October. The sisters, along with Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Civil Wars, and the British group Mumford and Sons, have been nominated for the New/Emerging Artist of the [...]

Newport Folk Festival Tickets On Sale March 31

Sharon — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:57:52 +0000

Tickets for the Newport Folk Festival will be available on the festival website starting Thursday, March 31 at 10:00 a.m. The festival will be held July 30-31 in Fort Adams State Park, Newport, Rhode Island. Musicians scheduled to perform span a variety of folk music, from traditional to pop-folk to folk rock to blues and even [...]

Cecil Sharp Appalachian Diaries to Inspire New Music

Sharon — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:30:27 +0000

English folk musicologist Cecil Sharp and his secretary Maud Karpeles spent several months of 1916-1918 on multiple trips through the Appalachian Mountains collecting folk songs, largely those Sharp believed to be of British origin. Sharp’s Appalachian diaries are the focus of an upcoming residential project sponsored by the English Folk Dance and Song Society and [...]

I’m Dreaming of a Folk Christmas

Sharon — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 06:22:31 +0000

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, does folk music play a part in your Christmas celebration? What’s on your folk Christmas wish list? I’ve been looking around for Christmas music in various folk styles. If you’re doing the same, About.com has a Christmas folk music series that might give you some ideas. Richard Gillmann’s [...]

Warren Fahey Wins Australia Council Music Award

Sharon — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 04:25:59 +0000

At the recent National Folk Festival in Canberra, the Australia Council for the Arts presented the Don Banks Music Award to folk artist and publisher Warren Fahey. The award is given only once to a particular artist. Among Fahey's many accomplishments are the founding of the Larrikin folk music label and the Folkways music retail business, the writing of numerous books and the collection and recording of bush folk songs and folk stories....

Rounder Records Acquired by Concord Music Group

Sharon — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:56:11 +0000

Concord Music Group, home of an already-wide variety of jazz, rock, pop, R&B, world and classical music, recently announced its acquisition of Rounder Records, the roots label whose better-known artists include Alison Krauss, Willie Nelson and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Rounder was celebrating its 40th year in business this year.

MIAL Award Given to Caroline Herring

Sharon — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:41:58 +0000

Southern folk singer Caroline Herring was recently given a 2010 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters award in the Popular Music Composition category for her album Golden Apples of the Sun. Herring will be performing at the All Good Cafe in Dallas on Friday evening.

Old Settler’s Music Festival April 15-18

Sharon — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 04:53:25 +0000

The Old Settler’s Music Festival will be held Thursday, April 15 through Sunday, April 18 near Austin, Texas. Among the scheduled artists are Green Mountain Grass, The Joe Ely Band, Jimmy LaFave, The Wronglers, Ruthie Foster, The Special Consensus, Mindy Smith, Elizabeth Cook and many others including Patty Griffin with Buddy Miller.