Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, Peter Yarrow, Johnny Gimble at 18th Annual North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance Conference

Memphis (Tennessee), USA – The 18th annual international
convention of the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance (the Folk
Alliance) is about to arrive in Austin, Texas. From keynote speakers Arlo
Guthrie, Kinky Friedman and Peter Yarrow; to special early evening concerts Judy
Collins, Peter Yarrow, Lowen & Navarro, the conference will fill the registered
attendees’ days with working knowledge of the business, a MusiCares sponsored
health room, films and a diverse exhibit hall, and attendees’ nights with music
from around the world. Go to folk.org for
complete schedules. The conference is held entirely in the Austin Hilton.With around 2,000 attendees, over 200 artists will perform for promoters,
booking agents, and record label representatives, mingle with radio and print
media, music publishers and others in this part of the music industry. During
the conference, registrants attend panels that provide useful insight for
achieving success in the field of folk music and dance. A complete “Performance
Alley” showcase schedule is up on the web at:
www.folk.org.

The conference offers a complete view of the business world of traditional and
contemporary folk music and dance through showcases, films and educational
workshops. The Trade Show hall with artists, luthiers, publications, recording
companies and other facets of the industry of over a 115 booths is sold out.

The “Texas Trails“ events will take you through the blues, conjunto,
Texas swing, mariachi and cowboy music and highlight Texas photographers, local
Austin music business people and Texas singer/songwriters groups. With artists
from every genre of the folk music, production in the nightly Performance Alley
showcase rooms will be run by Austin company, Bluefish Entertainment. Strait
Music, Collings Guitars, Cactus Cafe, and the Lucky Tomblin Band are sponsors of
the Texas Trails events.

Monday night, Feb. 13 the first Folk Awards and Folk Alliance Music Business
Awards Banquet will be held with host Ray Wylie Hubbard and featuring Jonathan
Edwards, Marshall Crenshaw, Danny O’Keefe, Willis Alan Ramsey, Susan Gibson, & more. Tom Paxton, Clifton Chenier, and Kenneth Goldstein, will receive Lifetime
Achievement Awards there.

The Folk Alliance is the largest networking organization on the continent
devoted to the folk community. It provides ever-expanding access to the vital
network of those who are active and involved in the broad world of folk music
and dance in North America. In addition to producing the conference event, Folk
Alliance provides year-round services including a music business directory,
newsletters, other classes, workshops, and regional events, and arts advocacy
for the field on a regional and international basis. Register online at
www.Folk.org or call 901/522-1170.

[Photo: Arlo Guthrie].