March 1, 2016 - 5:12pm UTC
MORE THAN 1,000 MUSICIANS FROM 20 COUNTIRES PERFORMED DURING CONFERENCE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
“…the annual conference ultimately relies on the oldest transmission form there is: the wandering troubadour.” –American Songwriter
“Voices came from all over the world -- some sweet and pure, others gruff and gravelly, but the voices were all coming from one spot: their hearts.” – o Depression
“[The Awards Gala] was a celebration of wisdom well earned – it was, you could say, the anti-Grammys.” – Acoustic Guitar
“Folk Alliance is a little like a big family Thanksgiving, except most everyone is talented, and they all really, really like one another.”—Elmore
“Attendees can become easily satiated on the rich fare offered in this musical cornucopia.” – Country Standard Time
“…the wildest weekend of music in the year.” – Cleveland Plain Dealer
Kansas City, MO (March 1, 2016) – From a sold-out awards gala to daily educational panels and workshops to official and private nightly showcases, the 28th annual Folk Alliance International conference drew thousands of artists, industry leaders and media from over 20 countries to Kansas City, MO, February 17-21, to nurture, engage and empower the global folk music community.
Boasting 2500 registrants, 1000 musicians, and 200 official showcases, the conference highlights included the annual awards show which featured performances by Spirit of Folk Award recipient 99-year-old Arkansas fiddler Violet Hensley, keynote address by folk luminary Judy Collins, an Artist in Residency project in partnership with the National WWI Museum and Memorial, community outreach in French, English, and Spanish, free on-site medical services for musicians, and timely discussion of issues related to federal music policy, industry best practices, non-profit trends, and global viewpoints.
“By all accounts it was the most ambitious undertaking by the organization to date, the best attended, and the most well received,” said Aengus Finnan, Executive Director of Folk Alliance International, “truly placing the event on the global calendar on par with APAP, SXSW, MIDEM, and WOMEX, as it relates to the folk music community.”
The week’s events launched with a revamped Awards Gala hosted by Steve Poltz. The ceremony included the presentation of six Spirit of Folk Awards, three Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the introduction of three International Folk Music Awards categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year going to Rhiannon Giddens, The Stray Birds, and Darlingside, respectively.
Bringing together global music leaders, musicians, educators and industry professionals to share ideas, network, and promote folk music; Folk Alliance International is the world’s largest gathering of the folk community. It is a unique and one-of-a-kind annual conference known for its community atmosphere, nurturing ethos, and as an industry hotspot for new talent discovery. Past “late night bedroom showcase discoveries” include John Fulbright, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Milk Carton Kids, The Stray Birds, Darlingside, Slaid Cleaves, David Fancey, the Good Lovelies, and Serena Ryder, among many others.
The five-day event closed with the launch of a new public facing event, The Kansas City Folk Festival, with featured performances by Peter Case, Alison Brown, Eric Andersen, and Los Texmaniacs, alongside the introduction of an artisan market and a square dance.
About Folk Alliance International
Folk Alliance International (FAI) is a registered 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. With five regional affiliates throughout the United States that provide conferences and services in their respective markets, the mission of FAI is to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community—traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance.
Since 1989, and with over 3,000 members worldwide, Folk Alliance International has served as an organization promoting, advocating and supporting folk music with an annual conference that is one of the five largest music conferences in North America. Folk Alliance continues to grow while providing an unique range of member services to the community, which includes artists, record companies, publishers, presenters, agents, managers, music support services, manufacturers and anyone that works in the folk world.