Long an ardent supporter of sustainable agriculture Nashville-based singer-songwriter Adrienne Young has integrated a national responsible-farming awareness campaign and fund-raising effort into the release of Room to Grow. Due May 22, 2007 on her own AddieBelle Records.

Covering all music genres under five major headings for roots, rock, R&B, jazz and classical, Festival Preview aims to be the one-stop source of daily updated news, opinion and community involvement for North American music festivals of all genres.

This weeks show from Down Home Radio a folk music podcast by Eli Smith and Henrietta Yurchenco features a sixty seven year old program hosted by Leadbelly with Woody Guthrie as a guest.

Singer Ani DiFranco gave birth to a daughter, Petah Lucia at her Buffalo home January 20th. Mother and baby are both healthy and happy, according to her web site.

People Magazine: Singer Ani DiFranco Welcomes a Daughter

via About Folk Music

OK – I can’t quite believe I just linked out to People Magazine.

Format changes at two public radio stations mean the end for two long running east coast folk radio shows. Earlier this month WFCR-FM in Amherst Massachusetts ended ‘Valley Folk’ which has been part of the folk music community in Western Mass for more than 22 years. This week WETA FM in Washington D.C. canceled ‘Traditions’, the D.C. area’s longest running folk music program.

It’s sad and shocking to see two important shows gone in such a short time.

Sometimes audience response can turn these things around so if you live in the broadcast areas of either of these stations, please take a few minutes to let station management know what you think.

At WFCR contact Helen Barrington, Program Director: 413-577-0541 hbarrington@wfcr.org or Martin Miller, General Manager: 413-545-1990 miller@wfcr.org

At WETA contact Sheryl Lahti Director of Audience Services (703) 998-2724. slahti@weta.com

Update Ron Olesko has a very thoughtful post on the situation and the future of folk music radio. He also points us to articles in the Washington Post and the Washington City Paper.

Update January 29 WAMU has picked up Mary Cliff’s ‘Traditions’ program which will now air Saturday nights, 11 pm to 1 am.

Winnipeg’s The Wyrd Sisters have released a new full length CD “Wholly”.

As with their last Juno-nominated release “Sin & Other Salvations,” the new CD “Wholly” was produced by Murray Pulver – two-time Prairie Music Awards Producer of the Year nominee and winner of the Canadian Music Alliance Musician of the Year award in 2003.

www.wyrdsisters.com

Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacob’s book “The Deaf Musicians” has been awarded the Schneider Family Book Award for “books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

“The Deaf Musicians” tells the story of a young boy who forms a jazz group with other deaf performers. who communicate through sign language, becoming a sensation for their nightly subway concerts.

MSN News: Pete Seeger Among Winners for Children’s Book Prizes

Shout Factory has released a three DVD boxed set of performances from ABC-TV’s 1963-64 Hootenanny TV series.

Denny Doherty one of the members of the pop/folk group ‘The Mamas & The Papas’ has died at 66.

“Aiding harmonicly challanged musicians to play the right chord at the right time.” Just too funny…..

The Kerrville Folk Festival, in Kerrville Texas, is now accepting entries for the 2007 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk contest for emerging songwriters.

Some quick notes on recent news…

From the Folk Alliance press release…..

The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance (Folk Alliance) announces banjo legend Earl Scruggs, blues revivalist the late Dave Van Ronk and manager/producer the late Manny Greenhill as recipients of the 2007 Elaine Weissman Lifetime Achievement Awards (LAAwards). Earl Scruggs, Andrea Van Ronk (Dave’s widow) and Mitch and Matt Greenhill (Manny’s son and grandson) will be accepting the awards at the conference.

The presentation will be made during the Folk Awards Show on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at the Cook Convention Center. For information call 901/522-1170 or go to http://www.folk.org/.

(more…)

According to an article in the online Bluegrass publication Cybergrass. Ralph Stanley has been in the Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, VA with pneumonia. An update at the bottom of the article says he is doing better and was expected to return home today (Sunday Jan 7th).

A second update on the Cybergrass article says “Ralph Stanley was released from the hospital Saturday night and says that he is “feeling pretty good…”.

Ralph Stanley Hospitalized with Pneumonia

The New York Times has a profile of musician and [newly elected New York congressman][1] ‘John Hall’.