The annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) is one of the regional arms of Folk Alliance International. Their annual conferences are held in the spring, this year in Chattanooga, Tennessee, bringing together artists, songwriters, presenters, DJs, and other music industry professionals. This year, the conference will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the Chattanoogan Hotel.
Now in it’s 47th year, the Kerrville Folk Music Festival is an 18-day and night event held just south of Kerrville, Texas, in what is known as “Texas Hill Country.” It has been instrumental in launching the careers of the likes of Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keen, and Lucinda Williams. Over 1500 musicians have appeared on its main stages over the years.
Tune in as David talks with both familiar and upcoming music talent appearing at these events, and we will get song or two along the way. Listen for these conversations and performances throughout our regular programming on KC Cafe Radio Thursdays through Sundays between May 16 and June 9. Archived recordings of the conversations and performances from that weekend’s broadcast will be archived to our website during the week following broadcast.
KC Cafe Radio’s live coverage from the 2016 Folk Alliance Region West music conference continued on Saturday, October 15, with an event that celebrated folk music’s finest in the great West. This year’s Best of the West (BOTW) honorees were legendary songwriter/performer Danny O’Keefe music educator Peter McCracken with the Centrum Foundation, and the Seattle Folklore Society.
Danny O’Keefe (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Danny O’Keefe, the FAR-West BOTW Performer Honoree, has released a string of albums since the early 70s that have cemented his reputation as one of the best songwriters of his generation. Although casual fans remember him best for his Top Ten hit, “Goodtime Charlie’s Got the Blues,” or Jackson Browne’s version of “The Road” on his classic Running on Empty album, his story didn’t end in the 70s. He has continued to record the occasional brilliant album and recently returned with “Light Leaves the West,” released in September 2015. Danny’s songs have been recorded by a veritable Who’s Who of legendary artists over the past thirty-plus years including Elvis Presley, Cab Calloway, Charlie Rich, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Earl Klugh, Chris Hillman, Conway Twitty, Leon Russell, Dwight Yoakum and Jerry Lee Lewis among many others. He has also shared his knowledge and experience with students and other musicians through classes and workshops that he has presented throughout the West for more than thirty years. As a prime mover in the Songbird Foundation, Danny has taken an active role in successfully preserving habitats for Western Songbirds and has selflessly held numerous benefit concerts in support of the environment, Native American rights, and other key social issues. For over four decades, Danny O’Keefe and his music have been a source of inspiration and delight for colleagues and fans throughout the world.
Danny O’Keefe joins previous Best of the West Performer Honorees Cris Williamson, Barbara Dane, Chris Hillman, Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro, Utah Phillips, Rosalie Sorrels, The Kingston Trio, Joe Craven, John McEuen, Laurie Lewis, and Barry McGuire.
Peter McCracken (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Peter McCracken and the Centrum Foundation were the BOTW Ambassador Honorees. The Centrum Foundation of Port Townsend, WA, is a unique arts education and advocacy program that promotes creative experiences that change lives through intergenerational workshops, bringing together aspiring and master artists to foster creativity, provide mentorship, and build community. Peter McCracken has long been an integral part of this inspiring organization, serving in many capacities over the years including Arts Program Manager and Traditional Arts Program Manager. Peter has established and led the Foundation’s Country Blues, Voice Works, and Ukulele programs and has organized many other short, themed, focused workshops. In 1992 he started the Blues Workshop and Festival and in 2000 he led the initial curatorial project for Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Preservation and Stabilization. As a visionary and administrator, Peter McCracken has influenced and inspired thousands of musicians from the western states and around the world through his brilliant leadership.
Peter McCracken and the Centrum Foundation join previous Best of the West Ambassador Honorees Russ & Julie Paris, Cassandra Flipper and Bread and Roses, Ed Pearl and the Ash Grove Foundation, Roz & Howard Larman, Steve Baker, Clark & Elaine Weissman, Mike McCormick, Bob Stane, Cloud Moss, Phil & Vivian Williams and Chris Strachwitz.
Seattle Folklore Society (Photo: Jeanette Lundgren)
Seattle Folklore Society received an Organizational Achievement Award in recognition of 50 years of service to preserve and foster awareness and appreciation of folk and traditional arts in the Seattle area. A non-profit folk organization, founded in 1966, SFS has one of the largest and most stable memberships in the country. They produce folk music concerts, dances, song circles, camps and a newsletter. Many members are active concertgoers, dancers and players of the acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele and other folk instruments. The award was presented by Victory Music founder and Ancient Victorys president, Chris Lunn.
KC Cafe Radio is pleased to announce our first-ever broadcast coverage from two outstanding music events this spring! Thanks to the efforts of our own David Hakan and his Gypsy Wagon Mobile Recording Studio, we will provide coverage from the 2019 Southeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference, May 15-19 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as well as the Kerrville Folk Music Festival from Kerrville, Texas May 23-June 9.
The annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) is one of the regional arms of Folk Alliance International. Their annual conferences are held in the spring, this year in Chattanooga, Tennessee, bringing together artists, songwriters, presenters, DJs, and other music industry professionals. This year, the conference will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the Chattanoogan Hotel.
Now in it’s 47th year, the Kerrville Folk Music Festival is an 18-day and night event held just south of Kerrville, Texas, in what is known as “Texas Hill Country.” It has been instrumental in launching the careers of the likes of Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keen, and Lucinda Williams. Over 1500 musicians have appeared on its main stages over the years.
Tune in as David talks with both familiar and upcoming music talent appearing at these events, and we will get song or two along the way. Listen for these conversations and performances throughout our regular programming on KC Cafe Radio Thursdays through Sundays between May 16 and June 9. Archived recordings of the conversations and performances from that weekend’s broadcast will be archived to our website during the week following broadcast.
KC Cafe Radio’s live coverage from the 2016 
