For the third time this season, Folk Alley is teaming up with with other broadcasting partners (WPLN, Nashville Public Radio this time) to broadcast a full schedule of festival performances … this time from the 73rd National Folk Festival in Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 2, 3 and 4. Beginning on Friday, Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m., listeners can go to FolkAlley.com and stream live concerts from the Capitol Hill Stage. (WPLN will be capturing audio and providing recording and production assistance.)

The National Folk Festival (NFF) is the oldest and longest-running celebration of traditional arts in the nation. Created by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) in 1934, the traveling event keeps the roots of American culture alive with vibrant traditional music, dance, craft, storytelling and food. Every three years, the NFF pulls up stakes and takes the party to a new city in a different region of the country. It will call Nashville home through 2013.

Unlike many folk festivals, the NFF focuses on the heritage of American music and includes performers who represent the immigrant cultures that contributed to the U.S.’s musical landscape. Cajun specialists and Grammy Award winners BeauSoleil with Michael Doucet, three-time IBMA bluegrass female vocalist of the year Dale Ann Bradley, gospel legends the Holmes Brothers, Québécois ensemble Genticorum and many others will entertain crowds in Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

Folk Alley Senior Director of Content Linda Fahey says, “Folk Alley is honored to be able to bring the National Folk Festival to a wider national – and international – audience. Along with being a lot of fun, this event is educational and enlightening.”

Since its 2003 launch, Folk Alley has become the hub for folk music online. With a 24-hour hosted music stream, exclusive interviews, live concert recordings and more, FolkAlley.com immediately attracted fans with a mix of traditional folk, contemporary singer/songwriter, Americana, Celtic, bluegrass, world and acoustic instrumentals. Folk Alley is also heard on select radio stations across the country as the weekly two-hour Folk Alley Radio Show and on SIRIUS XM as a weekly segment on The Village.

FolkAlley.com is a non-profit, listener-supported venture produced by WKSU (a service of Kent State University), an award-winning public radio station with 60 years of broadcasting history. An NPR Music partner, Folk Alley has broadcast the Americana Music Awards and been part of the team live streaming from the Newport Folk Festival since 2009.

Capitol Hill Stage Schedule:
Friday, September 2
6:40 – 7:00 p.m. Festival Kickoff
7:00 – 7:45 p.m. The Green Fields of America (Irish)
8:00 – 8:45 p.m. Dale Ann Bradley (bluegrass)
9:00 – 10:00 p.m. La Excelencia (salsa dura)

Saturday, September 3
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Oyama & Nitta (Tsugaru shamisen)
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Cajun)
2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Genticorum (Québécois)
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Aubrey Ghent (sacred steel)
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. The Green Fields of America (Irish)
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga (East African)
7:45 – 8:30 p.m. The Holmes Brothers (blues, gospel, R&B)
8:45 – 9:30 p.m. Don Vappie & The Creole Serenaders (New Orleans jazz)
9:45 – 10:30 p.m. Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (mariachi)

Sunday, September 4th
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Eddie Pennington & Ben Hall (“Travis-style” guitar)
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. Paul Dahlin & Äkta Spelmän (Swedish)
2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Aubrey Ghent (sacred steel)
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Dale Ann Bradley (bluegrass)
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Marshall Ford Swing Band (western swing)
5:00 – 5:45 p.m. Genticorum (Québécois)
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Don Vappie & The Creole Jazz Serenaders (New Orleans jazz)

For more info, or to listen to the streams labor day weekend, go to FolkAlley.com.