THROUGH THE LENS: Folk Alliance International & Wintergrass Gatherings Bring Roots Music to the Forefront

This week’s column takes us, in the throes of winter, up north, where two roots music events occurred on the same overlapping weekend: Folk Alliance International in Montreal, Canada (February 19-23, 2025); and Wintergrass in Bellevue, Wash. (20-23, 2025). 

In addition to presenting full schedules of live music, the mission of both of the sponsoring organizations is to keep the traditions alive and expand roots music to a wider audience. What sets them slightly apart is Wintergrass places an emphasis on permitting the audience to become part of that tradition through workshops and educational programs. Whereas, Folk Alliance concentrates on networking and development, providing a space for those within the folk community, new and old, to hone their skills in order to take their messages to a wider audience.

 ND regular Peter Dervin reports from Wintergrass, and first-time ND photographer Dylan Ladds shares his photos from Folk Alliance. As most of the artists featured in the gallery below are new to the column, I urge you take your time when viewing the photos. Perhaps, like me, take some notes to later check those artists out.

Wintergrass 2025, by Peter Dervin 

Held on five different stages on three levels of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bellevue, Washington, this year’s Wintergrass theme was “Passport to Joy.” With over 60 performances from artists, musicians, and bands from around the globe, and workshops it was a perfect way to kick off my 2025 festival season. As advertised, the weekend was a joyous celebration.

The workshops fell into two categories: 1) Adult Intensive Workshops that focused on various instruments; and 2) Youth Education which provided age-specific programs that, with no formal music playing being a perquisite, were “designed for kids to learn to play, sing, dance, perform, compose and jam at age appropriate levels….Friends who play together stay together.”

Wintergrass is a fully integrated event for the attendees with jam sessions breaking out in the lobbies, hallways, nooks, and crannies throughout the hotel. There are vendors exhibiting their instruments and assorted products and services. Of note was the Vintage Guitar Museum which showcased several guitars from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The music at Wintergrass is rooted in bluegrass but many of the bands bring their cultural influences to the stage. I always enjoy finding the one band I’d never heard of that knocked me to the floor, this time it was The Langan Band from Scotland. The band that I was really looking forward to was American Patchwork Quartet whose recent debut album was nominated for a Grammy in the Folk Album category. Two legendary musicians, Darol Anger and Bruce Molsky should also be highlighted. Beginning in the 1970s, from San Francisco and New York respectively, they are the essence of roots music, and demonstrate its universality. 

All in all, the people of Wintergrass, be they the organizers, musicians, or fans, are a devoted tribe that has spawned an atmosphere of happiness and joy. What a way to kick off the year!

Folk Alliance International 2025, by Amos Perrine 

The annual conference of music organization Folk Alliance International (FAI) is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music community. Folk music crosses a diverse array of roots music, including Appalachian, Americana, blues, bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, global roots, old-time, singer-songwriter, spoken word, traditional, and zydeco, with many of them fused together. This year’s conference, its 37th, was held at Fairmont the Sheraton in Montréal, Québec, Canada.

As set forth by FAI, “Folk is more than just a genre of music. We’re committed to the ethos of folk by creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all, no matter what it takes. We understand the value of folk music and where it fits in with the broader arts community and have dedicated our lives and careers to pushing the genre forward and breaking boundaries.” 

As with Wintergrass, the 2025 FAI had a theme — Illuminate: “To truly amplify our impact, we must first replenish our creative wellsprings. This conference will explore the power of awe and wonder, guiding us to rediscover a sense of purpose in our artistic endeavors.”  

The five-day flagship event consisted of a conference, showcases (official and private), panels, workshops, a keynote (Allison Russell), and many impromptu jam sessions throughout the hotel well into the wee hours of the night. It was an opportunity for folkies to network with one another as well as demonstrate their talents to festival and venue bookers, agents, record labels, DJs, media, and the public.

In her February 21, 2025 Bonus Tracks column, Meredith Lawrence highlighted this year’s winners, notably Crys Matthews and Susan Werner — both of whom I have interviewed several times over the years.

On a purely personal note, none of the awards brought me more satisfaction than Matthews. A local roots music organization, FOOTMAD (Friends of Old Time Music and Dance),  that I am involved with brought Matthews to town for a house concert some six or seven years ago when she was barnstorming the country. I saw then that she was a modern embodiment of Woody Guthrie.

While I have followed her ever since, most recently we had a long chat after a recent Mountain Stage appearance. It’s chats like that one that make make folk music even more resonant. So, when I learned that she had received FAI’s Artist of the Year award I felt all those conversations, performances, and hugs, come flooding back, and with them a great sense of humanity. That to me has always been folk music.

Click on any photo to view the gallery as a full-size slideshow