Just last month I had the pleasure of spending the week in Kansas City at the Crown Center with around 2000 Folkies from all over the world. A wonderful blend of folk, country, Americana, and roots music from various winds that blow filled the Crown Center. Mandolins, guitars, doghouse basses, fiddles, enthusiastic singing fought for the ears of all in attendance.
My week was spent as part of a team that recorded many of the stalwart mainstay artists in the roots music movement. Kim Richey, Tim Easton, Jim Lauderdale, John Fullbright, Dan Navarro, Steve Poltz, were among the 33 artists we recorded in a Popup Studio in one of the Crown Center’s conference rooms. It was long days and nights, to which I’m still recovering, but it was also an memorable time making new friends and hearing s0me new and some old music done by some very prolific singer/songwriters.
All in all I’m encouraged to see the many young people embracing the organic, roots style of music that was popular when I was a child. I grew up listening to Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, The Stanley Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, The Everly Brothers, and more. It gives me hope on an otherwise bleak musical landscape, especially that which represents today’s broadcast radio offerings.
So, if you think that the music that you grew up with, or your parents listened to is quickly dying on the vine. Think again. It is alive and thriving. Just because terrestrial broadcast radio spurns it, it lives in small venues, festivals, coffee shops, and clubs all over the USA, and in many places on the world-wide web. Just start looking for it. Google the artists I listed above, or artists like Robert Ellis, Slocan Ramblers, Darlingside, and John Moreland. Most of you who read this may already know of these artists. But some may not. And some who may happen upon this blog by a random Google search may not know this. You do now. Happy listening!
