The Back Porch News

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.

Fat Man & Little Boy: The Atomic (Music) Duo

Sharon — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:21:46 +0000

Fat Man & Little Boy's new album The Atomic Duo has been in my CD stack for a while now; I enjoyed listening to it on a Thanksgiving trip, so that tells you. I wanted to share it with you in case you had not already read a review of it elsewhere. Although this is technically their first album together, I hesitate to call it a debut album because these two are not new to the music business....

Musical Life of Bob Dylan on Open Salon

Sharon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:32:28 +0000

In case you haven’t already seen it, there is a series in progress over at the Open Salon site about Bob Dylan and the musicians who influenced him. Three posts so far, all thought-provoking for anyone interested in early folk music and blues. The author plans to take this through ten posts in all over [...]

Haitian Music Recordings by Alan Lomax May Benefit Earthquake Victims

Sharon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:09:01 +0000

Music historian Alan Lomax recorded folk musicians not only throughout the southeastern United States but also in various other countries. During the mid-1930s he made extensive recordings of musical performances in Haiti. The recordings....

Larry Stephenson Band Releases 20th Anniversary Album

Sharon — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:58:24 +0000

The Larry Stephenson Band recently released a 20th Anniversary CD commemorating the band's twenty years in business. Stephenson, a mandolinist and award-winning vocalist, has been a professional musician for over thirty years but his current band was formed in 1989. The numerous guest performers on the album include country artists Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs and bluegrass musicians Del McCoury and Kristin Scott Benson. Listening to sound clips, I immediately begin to imagine an old cabin floor with all the chairs pushed back, dancers twirling each other around and lots of laughter going on....

Peggy Seeger and Cairde To Play New Zealand Benefit

Sharon — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:47:29 +0000

American folk musician Peggy Seeger and New Zealand Celtic group Cairde team up Saturday night in a benefit performance for the Nelson Women's Centre in Nelson, New Zealand. The Centre was partially burned by arsonists a few years ago. Seeger being very active in gender issues, this is a project dear to her heart. Irish singer Irene Pyper-Scott and New Zealand instrumentalist Nathan Torvik will join Seeger on stage....

Smithsonian Folkways Releases Classic Appalachian Blues

Sharon — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:36:05 +0000

Smithsonian Folkways now offers the fourth blues album in their Classic series. The album includes music by Etta Baker, Lesley Riddle, Sticks McGhee, Pink Anderson and numerous other musicians. Check out the link for a free download of one of the songs.

Cohen and Raitt in Hall of Fame Lists

Sharon — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:11:19 +0000

Leonard Cohen is one of several artists scheduled to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June. Cohen, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in January, recently postponed his tour due to health issues. Bonnie Raitt will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in May.

Gordon Lightfoot Surprised by News of His Own Death

Sharon — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:03:54 +0000

It’s not often someone gets to hear their own death announced over the radio. It seems someone started a rumor of the death of Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot and too many people believed the news and passed it on. Lightfoot was quick to inform the world that he was alive and doing just fine, [...]