I came across this CD while looking for new folk music on Amazon, and I was hitting the “add to cart” button almost before I knew it. Alela has a hauntingly beautiful voice and her own folk style. This is her second label release, the first being The Pirate’s Gospel. Yes, I ordered that one too!

http://www.beggarsgroupusa.com/releases/To-Be-Still/

http://www.aleladiane.com/about.html

http://www.myspace.com/alelamusic

http://www.last.fm/music/Alela+Diane

Tom Rush has released his first album in years. What I Know is a mixture of original music, traditional pieces such as “Casey Jones,” and covers. Guest vocalists include Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Bramlett and Nanci Griffith. Tom may not have recorded in a while, but he certainly hasn’t lost his touch. The album has 15 tracks; I think “River Song” is my favorite so far.

http://www.tomrush.com

Prolific and talented acoustic blues and folk artist Eric Bibb has released a new album, Get Onboard. The CD features Ruthie Foster and Bonnie Raitt as guest artists, and song samples are available on Eric’s web site. If you haven’t listed to him before, you might also want to check out the YouTube video of the song “Connected” (not on this CD) on his MySpace page. In it you can see something of his sense of being rooted in the folk and jazz music communities by means of family and other musical influences.

http://www.news.con.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25114623-5003421,00.html

http://www.ericbibb.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ericbibb

Maya Angelou, Pete Seeger, Steve Earle, Harry Belafonte, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Peter Yarrow and other notables joined this past Tuesday in a celebration of folk music artist Odetta, who passed away last December.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/arts/music/26odetta.html

Steve Martin –  yes, funny guy Steve Martin — released a CD of original banjo music earlier this month. The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo also features vocals by Dolly Parton and Vince Gill. Amazon.com has exclusive distribution of both CD and download until April 26. Steve, who took up the banjo early in his comedy career, plays in clawhammer style.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/arts/music/02banjo.html

Washington Post writer Kay Coyte has an article in yesterday’s Nashua Telegraph about the life of Victor Heyman, known to many for his quiet support of folk musicians. Victor passed away last month at the age of 73. Kay’s story gives insight into some of the lives Victor touched.

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090223/NEWS03/302239938

Festival performer audition spots are still open for Ontario and Quebec residents under 25. Auditions will be held March 21 and the festival is scheduled for August 20-23. Contact information and details are at:

http://www.ottawafolk.org/main/performer.html

If you are a recorded musician interested in performing at the Ottawa Folk Festival August 20-23, you have just a day or two to submit your bio and CD for consideration. The postmark deadline is February 23.  Contact information and details are at:

http://www.ottawafolk.org/main/performer.html

I wouldn’t want to be Gordon Lightfoot’s bus driver right now. The listed tour schedule has Lightfoot performing in Austin March 3rd, Grand Prairie March 4th and San Antonio March 5th. What were they thinking?? Then they have an extra day to get to Tulsa for the March 7th concert.

Not counting the mileage to get down to Austin in the first place, door-to-door mileage is 207 from Bass Hall in Austin north to Fort Worth and east to Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie, 287 back through Fort Worth and south again through Austin to the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, and 569 north again through Austin and Fort Worth to the Mabee Center in Tulsa. Wow!! Map the directions online and you’ll see what I mean. They’re going to spend a lot of time on Interstate 35. But you gotta love someone who goes to that much trouble to sing for you!

http://www.lightfoot.ca/2009.htm

Does a jam session in an out-of-the-way place with a view of the lake sound like your kind of fun? If you sing and/or play a portable instrument in your spare time you might want to sign up for this set of classes and activities in East Troy, Wisconsin. Singalongs and hikes through the marsh round out a calming weekend. At this date you’ll need to call in your registration, so don’t lose any time!

http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Folk/index.html

Cranston, Rhode Island is the location for this annual dance. Mardi Gras costumes are optional. Musicians include the Hot Tamale Brass Band, Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys and C. J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band. Tickets are available at the door.

http://mardigrasri.com/

This is the 25th year for this event, held in Denver, Colorado, featuring over a dozen performers including The Fireweed Bluegrass Band, Sons & Brothers, High Plains Tradition and the Claire Lynch Band. Tickets are available at the gate.

http://www.midwinterbluegrass.com/