by Jonathan Farmer | Aug 8, 2016 | Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
By David Newland Ask what “folk” means as a musical genre, and the conversation could go on for weeks. One thing we can all agree on is that the “folk” in “folk festival” means people. At Summerfolk, that includes little people — in a big way. Kids, in fact, are...
by Jonathan Farmer | Aug 8, 2016 | Performers 2016, Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
By James Keelaghan You have to understand that there was a full-tilt party going on. The performers’ bar was like a who’s who of Folk Music — Paul Brady, Mary Black, Maura O’Connell, Aly Bain and Garrison Keillor. The volume was indescribable. People were packed in...
by Jonathan Farmer | Jul 25, 2016 | Performers 2016, Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
By James Keelaghan Sometimes an artist owns a song. Chances are they didn’t write it, but it’s their voice that you hear when you imagine the song being sung. Judy Garland—no one since has owned Over the Rainbow. Arlo Guthrie still has the definitive version of City...
by Jonathan Farmer | Jul 11, 2016 | Performers 2016, Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
By James Keelaghan When you talk about folk festivals, music is essential, but really it’s all about the space. In 1992, I played the Tønder Festival in Denmark for the first time. That festival was a week after the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival in Nova Scotia, so...
by Jonathan Farmer | Jun 27, 2016 | Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
By Jon Farmer Lately, I’ve been asking people to describe Summerfolk in one word. The most common response has been ‘magic’. It’s an accurate description but it makes it hard to write about. Magic has to be seen to be believed, so how do you describe it to someone who...
by James Keelaghan | Jun 7, 2016 | Performers 2016, Summerfolk41, Sun Times articles
Every year our artistic director writes a series of 12 articles for the Owen Sound Sun Times in the 12 weeks leading up to the festival. This is the first one for this year. Brothers and Sisters I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It...