Since 1994, hundreds of folk musicians, promoters, media and fans have gathered together one weekend in November for what amounts to a trade show for folk music – and so much more.

When I started hosting my radio show back in 1980, my folk music community was local artists and whatever LP’s that artists would send to us. Quite frankly, my folk music world existed in the NY/NJ metro area.

In 1989 a group of people from various parts of the country gathered together in Malibu, California to form the Folk Alliance. These individuals represented promoters, musicians and presenters – large and small. Many had done business via phone or mail (the internet was not yet a major tool) and decided to form an organization that would help promote acoustic music and also serve to share ideas, educate, and advocate. The Folk Alliance became a North American organization that put together an annual gathering to meet the needs of U.S. and Canadian folk interests.

It became apparent that regional conferences would further the good work being done, and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance was formed and held their first conference in 1994. A separate offshoot of the Folk Alliance, NERFA soon became an important event that worked primarily for those of us in the northeast, but performers and organizations from other parts of the country and Canada attend as well. Approximately 600 people get together for this event.

I have to admit, I was stubborn and did not attend my first NERFA until 1999. I have been kicking myself for missing the previous five years. NERFA has opened up several doors for me, and I consider the annual gathering my “booster shot” for folk music. It is an opportunity to meet with my peers in radio and share tips and ideas. It is a GREAT opportunity to discover new talent.

For the last few years, I have served on the Formal Showcase committee – serving as coordinator for the last two years. Each year, 14 artist are chosen to perform in a 15 minute slot on the Friday and Saturday evening. There were a number of outstanding performances this year.

Led by a trio of siblings (Solon McDade, Jeremiah McDade and their sister Shannon Johnson) the group plays a wicked blend of French Canadian, Irish and jazz – with occasional touches of bluegrass thrown in for good measure.

I first saw the McDades at the International Folk Alliance Conference in Nashville in 2003, and while they were amazing then – I am in awe of how the group continues to grow and expand. Check out their latest CD “Bloom“!

Jonathan Edwards was chosen for the formal showcase as well. Jonathan shot to national prominence in 1971 with his catchy song “Sunshine” – a tune that will always take me back to those carefree days of my youth! A second single with a cross-over folk feel was also a hit “Shanty”.

He dove into the country music scene before taking a brief sabbatical from the music industry. He returned and devloped a cult following for his shows, spreading his “feel good” songs across Europe as well.

Over the past years, Jonathan has toured sporadically, but earlier this year he moved to Austin Texas and appears ready to ramp up his performance and recording schedule. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him!

I love going to NERFA and the International Folk Alliance for opportunities to hear and meet “new” artists. The acoustic/folk scene is a very difficult business. Because the mainstream media rarely takes the time to notice what is going on, musicians and venues struggle for publicity and opportunities to share a stage for new artists. A lot of muscians may develop local followings, but getting an opportunity to take their music to the next level is a difficult, and often costly task.

One artist that I guarantee you will be hearing more from is Danny Schmidt . Danny grew up in Austin, Texas and has led what some would consider a nomadic life. After a few years of college, he dropped out to join a commune in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and eventually another one in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. During those years, Danny’s passion for music grew and he began writing songs – powerful songs.

In 2003 he moved back to Austin, but a health crisis forced him off the path for a year. He returned in 2005 with a new CD “Parables and Primes” that showed a incredible sense of imagery and mysticism. Rich Warren, the producer/host of “The Midnight Special” on WFMT in Chicago has called Danny “perhaps the best new songwriter I’ve heard in the last 15 years”. His music is inspiring – blending styles with tones of gospel, country blues, and protest songs. His music is complex but yet approachable. He is not to be missed!!! In fact, Danny will be appearing this Saturday November 18th at the Hillside Cafe in Nutley with another wonderful singer-songwriter – Jonathan Byrd.

When I first became aware of folk music in my youth, I was attraced to the ability of the music to tell stories and share traditions of other cultures. Textbooks could not convey the same information that I would learn from a folk song, or hearing a unique instrument express the emotions of another land.
Guy Mendilow has learned the music through first hand experience. The son of a musician turned professor who accepted a number of teaching positions around the globe, Guy was exposed to music of other cultures at an early age. He has lived in Israel, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and currently resides in the exotic locale of Boston.

With a talented ensemble of musicians playing more instruments then you would find in an average music store, Guy Mendilow and his band play music that share styles from a variety of cultures – and through their music show a common bond and a greater understanding and respect for the diverse cultures. Their latest CD “Guy Mendilow – Live” captures the group in performance and is a thrilling example of their masterful style.

Bill Hahn and I hosted our own “private” showcase at NERFA. We will be broadasting this showcase sometime in January to give our listeners a taste of the talent that is making our current folk scene so exiting.
When trying to decide on who to invite, one of the names that quickly rose to the top on both of our lists was John Flynn.

We first met John at NERFA several years ago. Ramblin Jack Elliot said “John Flynn is the John Lennon of the plasma generation!” John had intended on a career in law after graduating from Temple University, but he started writing songs and was offered a publishing contract in Nashville. Billy Swann had a top 40 country hit with John’s song “Rainbows and Butterflies “. However, John realized that the music he wanted to create would be too personal and poetic for country music, so he ventured off on his own. He returned to his native Philadelphia and in 1995 received a standing ovation after his first performance at the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

John’s music tackles a variety of subjects. In addition to writing introspective and personal songs, John has tackled numerous social and political topics in his music – and he has recorded highly acclaimed childrens albums as well. John Flynn has earned a reputation for his dynamic performances and songwriting skills, and I urge everyone to drop everything and go see him when plays a venue new you!

It is always a joy to see David Massengill. David gave a wonderful (as always!) performance at our WFDU showcase.
David is the consumate artist. His warm voice and ability to tell enchanting stories has endeared him to audiences since he came on the scene in the early 1990’s.

In his understated manner, David has become a national treasure. He is working on several projects, including some wonderful work with children. He showed me a small pocket size picture book that he is teaching educators and children how to make. His creativty knows no boundries. His music has become part of the fabric of the “folk” scene, and I look forward to many more great songs and art to come from this man. I am also hoping that David will appear at the Hurdy Gurdy in the near future.

One of the “perks” of hosting a showcase that is being recorded for broadcast at an event like NERFA is that Bill and I get to pick and choose from a list of very talented attendees. We are like two kids in a candy shop AND we are allowed to satisfy our sweet tooth!

As soon as we saw that Greg Greenway would be spending the weekend at NERFA, we knew he had to appear in our showcase. Graciously, he accepted.

Greg burst onto the folk circuit out of the always vibrant Boston folk music scene. His music has been shared on CNN, NPR, and hundreds of radio stations across the United States and Canada. His CD’s have received great critical acclaim and his most recent “Weightless” is another stunning collection of socially concious and personal songs. He includes a version of Phil Och’s “No More Songs” that will give you goosebumps.

I am sure my co-host Bill Hahn will agree with me when I say that one of the absolute highlights of the weekend was to see Rick Nestler on stage.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Rick for over 25 years. He has been a guest on the show many times through the years. It was great to see him at NERFA and have a chance to hear some authentic “traditional” folk music!

Rick has a songbag that would have made Alan Lomax green with envy! Some of you may know Rick from his years spent on the Clearwater and Woody Guthrie where he served in many roles including onboard educator, or from his stay at Mystic Seaport. Rick is the composer of “The River that Flows Both Ways”, a song that Pete Seeger recorded and performed for many years and became one of the anthems of the Clearwater.

Rick walks the walk. He is a bona fide captain with a 100 ton Masters License from the Coast Guard and served as a captain on several vessels. In addition to his music and nautical duties, he is also an actor and on occasion you might see him at a Renaissance Fair in the guise of Philip Hole the Singing Grave Digger. He has also recorded a terrific CD of morbid tunes under that name.

Pete Seeger calls Rick a “whiskey tenor”, but whatever you wish to call it you will discover a warm and endearing voice, a wry sense of humor, a great collection of songs, and a style that is sorely needed on the folk scene. It was great to hear Rick singing at NERFA and I hope his voice will soon be heard on stages and folk radio across the continent.

There are dozens of showcases that take place during the weekend at NERFA. In addition to the formal showcase and the private showcases, there are numerous other “guerrilla” showcases that take place in various rooms of the hotel. Some of these are sponsored by the artists themselves, and others are sponsored by organizations and venues that support this style of music.

One of the more memorable showcases I attended was in a room sponsored by Music at The Mission, a venue from West Milford, NJ . The room was decked out in it’s Mardi-Gra finest with lights and their banner giving it a really cozy feeling. I sat in on a round robin showcase that featured the McDades, Terence Martin and Amy Speace. Each artist would take turns doing a song, but it was the made up on the spot accompaniment and harmonizing that really made for a memorable session. There is a really close knit community feeling to events like these, and even though most of the artist had met only moments before, they played like they knew each other for years. Hats off to Sara Gallman and her husband for a well thought out and well run showcase. We are lucky to have such creative people supporting folk music here in NJ!