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 a period of several months. If you start with the introductory post it contains links to the others.

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, thank you very much. We’re glad to hear it.

Journalist and photographer Stephanie Ledgin has released her latest book, Discovering Folk Music. Ledgin is a former board member of the International Bluegrass Music Association. In addition to directing folk festivals, running radio shows and writing extensively about bluegrass and other forms of roots music….

I’m always looking for new music and for time to write about it, and sometimes I have to be reminded to look in my own backyard. I became aware of a recent performance by a fairly new local group called Seryn, and once I listened to some of the concert online I wanted to share it with you.

In recent days we have seen the loss of several folk music personages, each known for a different type of role. Bess Lomax Hawes, folklorist and musician, passed away on November 27th. Following in the footsteps of her father John Lomax and making giant footsteps of her own, she spent her life working to preserve folk music in different forms. Jack Cooke, of the Clinch Mountain Boys, died December 1st. In Ireland, the last of the Clancy Brothers, Liam Clancy, died December 4th.

Valerie Crockett, of the duo Valerie & Walter Crockett, lost her battle with cancer Sunday. Valerie and her husband Walter, of Worcester, Massachusetts, played with several bands in Boston and surrounding areas over the years. The Boston Globe has more on Valerie’s life.

We wrote last week that Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa had been taken into intensive care. She passed away today, leaving a legacy of Latin American music including more than 70 albums and of a life devoted to using her music to bring attention to everyday social issues. She had been nominated for multiple Latin Grammy awards (ceremony to take place next month). Vicente Panetta of the Associated Press has her story in USA Today.

Last night’s Native American Music Awards included the Best Folk Recording award, won by Atsiaktonkie for Four Wolves Prophecy, and the Best Blues Recording award, won by Graywolf Blues Band for Dancing in the Rain. The Best Compilation Recording award was presented to Joanne Shenandoah and Michael Bucher for Bitter Tears Sacred Ground, a Native history album that honors the music of Johnny Cash, Peter La Farge and Floyd Red Crow Westerman while recreating several cuts from Cash’s Bitter Tears album.

Blue Highway co-founder Rob Ickes was named Dobro Player of the Year at Thursday’s International Bluegrass Music Awards. Michael Cleveland took the Fiddle Player of the Year award for the seventh year out of nine, and Kristin Scott Benson was named Banjo Player of the Year for the second time.

Somewhere in my house is an LP released by Joan Baez in the 70s. I believe I must have acquired it as a promo from one of my friends in college radio. Its attraction for me was that it was recorded in Spanish. Not only that, it was a collection of Latin American folk songs. Having been born and raised in a Latin American country because my parents were living and working there at the time, I welcomed the album as a connection to my past. My favorite song from it was “Gracias a la Vida,” or “Thanks Be to Life.” After years of having no way to play vinyl records, I purchased the only CD set with that album’s music so I could hear that song again. Now it’s time for me to go a step further and listen to it as sung by Latin American musicians.

“Gracias a la Vida” was written by Violeta Parra, who, ironically, later committed suicide. It has frequently been sung by Argentine folk musician Mercedes Sosa, whose musical career has spanned more than four decades. She is a prolific artist and has come to represent the voice of the people in more ways than one.

Sosa was admitted to the hospital nearly two weeks ago. According to this morning’s Associated Press story, she was placed on a respirator Thursday. Family and friends are understandably concerned.

Several years ago I happened on a stage performance by Arvel Bird at the Texas Indian Market. Since then I have driven many commuter miles to the sound of his Animal Totems album, a mixture of New Age and Celtic styles. Bird plays every kind of music from bluegrass to jazz and plays the Native American flute as well as the fiddle. The classically trained violinist’s latest CD, Tribal Music Suite, Journey of a Paiute, a reflection of his Scottish and Paiute heritage, tells a story of cultural conflict and of a life journey. Bird is one of the nominees for Artist of the Year in the 11th Annual Native American Music Awards, to be held Saturday, October 3 in Niagara Falls. The awards will be webcast live at 8:00 pm EST.

Folk-pop singer Bethany Yarrow and cellist Rufus Cappadocia, aka Bethany & Rufus, will join Peter Yarrow in concert October 17 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Performances include an evening show and an afternoon children’s concert. New Bethany & Rufus group members Yacouba Moumouni and Bonga Jean-Baptiste bring a world-music influence.