Dan Fogelberg, Cast King and Henrietta Yurchenco Pass

December 18, 2007

More recent deaths in the Folk community:

Dan Fogelberg: The singer/songwriter and soft rock mainstay died at 56 of prostate cancer. Known for hits including "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lange Syne," Fogelberg performed a variety of genres, including bluegrass, with his recent work having a strong focus on the environment. He had been battling cancer for three years.

J.D. "Cast" King: Even though country musician King began playing guitar at age 10 and recorded tracks at Sun Records in the '50s, he didn't release his first album, "Saw Mill Man," until he was 79. He was working on his his second collection when it was discovered earlier this month that his back trouble was really cancer throughout his body. He died at 81 in his Alabama home with Helen, his wife of 59 years, by his side.

Henrietta Yurchenco: A respected ethnomusicologist, Yurchenco spent her life trying to capture living music traditions from around the world. She captured ritual songs from native Americans in North, South and Central America and songs from Spain, Mexico, Morocco, Guatemala, the Caribbean and Appalachia - recording the music for the Library of Congress archives. She was 91.

Rosanne Cash Recovers From Brain Surgery

December 13, 2007

Singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash, eldest child of Johnny Cash and his first wife (Vivian), is recovering after brain surgery in late November. Cash was forced to cancel the final four concerts (including a mainstage performance at the 41st Kent State Folk Festival) supporting her CD Black Cadillac. The 52 year-old artist was operated on for a Type 1 Chiari malformation, a rare, but benign, structural defect that affects balance. She is expected to complete a new CD early in 2008, along with a book project.

Singer/Songwriter Christie Hennessy Passes

Kerry-born Christie Hennessy, 62, died in London on Wednesday of Asbestosis, a cancer related to exposure to asbestos. Hennessy, who was one of Ireland's most-successful songwriters, released his first album in 1972 but paid his bills writing for other artists until his 1992 album, The Rehearsal, went triple platinum - outselling U2. Among artists who scored number ones with Hennessy-penned songs are Clannad's Marie Brennan, Frances Black and Christy Moore, whose recording of "Don't Forget Your Shovel" was instrumental in establishing Hennessy's songwriting career. It is believed he came into contact with asbestos while working in London's building trade as a teen.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Ends 2007 Trip

December 12, 2007

Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train ends its annual run with concerts Dec. 17 in Southern Saskatchewan. Performers include Colin Linden, Tracey Brown and the family duo Ennis. Now through Dec. 15, the Holiday Train travels through British Columbia with Wide Mouth Mason and pop star Melanie Doane. The complete schedule is available here. CP's Holiday Train offers concerts in return for donations to local food banks, so bring cans and your wallet. The project also raises awareness of the hungry and the food banks that are charged with providing food and necessities to the needy 12 months a year (not only during the season of giving).

Philadelphia Folksong Society Premieres "New" Woody Guthrie Songs

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Folksong Society, the organization is hosting an event that features new songs written with previously unheard lyrics by Woody Guthrie. "In Woody's Words" offers musical creations by Chris Smither, John Gorka, Jonatha Brooke, Tom Paxton, Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnnie Irion and Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer at Philadelphia's World Cafe Live on Sunday, Dec. 16. These artists join others, such as Billy Bragg, Wilco and the Klezmatics, who have written songs using a depth of unrecorded lyrics found in the Woody Guthrie Archives, maintained by Guthrie's daughter, Nora.

Results from Canadian Folk Music Awards, ARIAs, and Americana Music Awards

Winners of recent music award contests include:

Canadian Folk Music Awards
Best Album-Traditional: La Part du Queteux, "Paye la Traite"
Best Album-Contemporary: The Duhks, "Migrations"
Best Singer-Contemporary: David Francey, "Right of Passage"
Best Instrumentalist: Anne Lindsay, "News From Up the Street"
Best Instrumentalist-Group: Creaking Tree String Quartet, "The Soundtrack"
Best New-Emerging Artist: Brigitte Saint-Aubin, "Etre"

ARIA Awards
Best Blues and Roots Album: The John Butler Trio, "Grand National"
Best Female Artist: Missy Higgins, "On A Clear Night"
Best Adult Contemporary Album: Josh Pyke, "Memories & Dust"

Americana Music Awards
Album of the Year: Patty Griffin, "Children Running Through"
Artist of the Year: Patty Griffin
Duo/Group of the Year: The Avett Brothers
Instrumentalist of the Year: Buddy Miller
New/Emerging Artist of the Year: The Avett Brothers
Song of the Year: Darrell Scott, "Hank Williams' Ghost"

Langerado, Donovan, Phil Keaggy and Porter Wagoner

News briefs from the files:

Langerado Tickets Now On Sale
Tickets for the annual music festival held on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation near Ft. Lauderdale, FL went on sale Nov. 16. The fest will take place March 6-9 and feature performances by Phil Lesh & Friends, Gov't Mule, Ani DiFranco, Ben Folds, Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, Sam Bush, Martin Sexton, The Avett Brothers, Brett Dennen, Josh Ritter, and others. Along with Lesh, the Beastie Boys and R.E.M. also headline.

Donovan Plans to Open TM University
Donovan is joining with director David Lynch to open the Invincible Donovan University in Scotland. Students will learn the principles of transcendental meditation - practices that Donovan learned from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and that Lynch has been active in introducing into U.S. schools. The plan is "to protect Scotland from its enemies and to bring peace, to stop violence and drug abuse" with the help of group meditation.

Phil Keaggy Inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Youngstown Ohio native and guitar wiz Phil Keaggy was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame during a Nashville ceremony. A Christian musician, Keaggy was inducted alongside Larnelle Harris, the Winans and the Statler Brothers.

Porter Wagoner Dies
Country legend Porter Wagoner died at the end of October. Wagoner joined the Grand Ole' Opry in 1957 after releasing his first album on RCA in 1955. His syndicated TV show ran for more than two decades and he was responsible for solidifying Dolly Parton's very early career - promoting her and recording a series of duets. For one of his final appearances, he opened for the White Stripes at Madison Square Garden this summer.

Grammy Nominations Announced

December 7, 2007

It's that time of the year! After digging through the list, here are the Folk category listings and a few more nominees from the Folk Alley playlist:

Best Traditional Folk:
David Bromberg - Try Me One More Time
Peter Case - Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
Cathy Fink - Banjo Talkin'
Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
Charlie Louvin - Charlie Louvin

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana:
Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Calling
Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy
Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
Tom Waits - Orphans

Best Native American Music:
Walter Ahhaitty & Friends - Oklahoma Style
Black Lodge - Watch This Dancer!
Davis Mitchell - The Ballad of Old Times
R. Carlos Nakai, Cliff Sarde, William Eaton & Randy Wood - Reconnections
Johnny Whitehorse - Totemic Flute Chants

Best Hawaiian Music:
Keola Beamer - Ka Hikina O Ka Hau (The Coming of the Snow)
Tia Carrere - Hawaiiana
Cyril Pahinui - He'eia
Raiatea - Hawaiian Blossom
Various Artists - Treasures of the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

Best Zydeco or Cajun Music:
Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie - Le Cowboy Creole
Lisa Haley - King Cake
Lost Bayou Ramblers - Live: A La Blue Moon
Pine Leaf Boys - Blues De Musicien
Racines - Racines
Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars - The La Louisianne Sessions
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience - Live! Worldwide

And some highlights:
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals:
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone

Best Pop Instrumental Performance:
Joni Mitchell - One Week Last Summer

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
James Taylor - James Taylor at Christmas

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:
Lucinda Williams - Come On

Best Rock Song:
Lucinda Williams - Come On

Best Rock Album:
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
Alison Krauss - Simple Love
Miranda Lambert - Famous in a Small Town

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals:
Steve Earle & Allison Moorer - Days Aren't Long Enough
Willie Nelson & Ray Price - Lost Highway

Best Country Instrumental Performance:
Russ Barenberg - Little Monk
The Greencards - Mucky the Duck
Brad Paisley - Throttleneck
Andy Statman - Rawhide!
The Time Jumpers - Fidoodlin'

Best Bluegrass Album:
Cherryholmes - Cherryholmes II: Black & White
J.D. Crowe & The New South - Lefty's Old Guitar
Jim Lauderdale - The Bluegrass Diaries
Seldom Scene - Scenechronized
Tony Trischka - Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Henry James Townsend, Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, Robert Lockwood Jr. & David "Honeyboy" Edwards - Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas

Best Contemporary World Music:
Loreena McKennitt - An Ancient Muse

Best Polka Album:
Brave Combo - Polka's Revenge

Best Musical Album for Children:
Buck Howdy with BB - Chickens
Sweet Honey in the Rock - Experience...101
The Muppets - A Green and Red Christmas
Bill Harley - I Wanna Play
Peter Himmelman - My Green Kite
Various Artists - The Velveteen Rabbit: Love Can Make You Real

Best Comedy Album:
Flight of the Conchords - The Distant Future

Best Musical Show Album:
Duncan Sheik - Spring Awakening

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media:
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Once

Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media:
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly

Best Instrumental Composition:
Bela Fleck - Spectacle

Best Recording Package:
Zack Nipper - Cassadaga (Bright Eyes)

Best Historical Album:
Nora Guthrie & Jorge Arevalo Mateus - The Live Wire: Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949
Christopher King & Henry "Hank" Sapoznik - People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
(Suzanne Vega) - Beauty & Crime
(Viktor Krauss) - II

Best Surround Sound Album:
(Porcupine Tree) - Fear of a Blank Planet

Best Short Form Music Video:
Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down

Dolly Parton Buys Books for Kids in UK

Dolly Parton is expanding her Imagination Library program to the city of Rotherham, which is near Sheffield in Northern England. Parton's project started with her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee and provides a new book for each registered child from birth to age 5. There are currently 15,000 eligible children in Rotherham. Penguin Group UK will provide the books with the first book in the 60-volume collection being Beatrix Potter's Tales of Peter Rabbit. The Imagination Library also works with more than 700 communities in the US and Canada. Parton has been recognized by the Association of American Publishers and the Smithsonian Institution's Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for her work with connecting children with a steady stream of books.