There are numerous festivals to enjoy every summer and opportunities to join loyal nomadic families of folkies who come out to enjoy spectacular performances and good times with good friends. Newport, Philadelphia, Kerrville, Falcon Ridge and so many other festivals large and small have become annual destinations for these pilgrimages. As I thumb through my notebook and browse through the photos I took, one festival stands out for me as an example of how a good festival should be run. While each festival has its own personality, there is something magical about Old Songs that has made it a “must” for my calendar. Let me share with you my impressions as well as some history of Old Songs.

There will be two installments of my “diary” for this special report. I welcome all readers to submit a comment at the end of this entry to share your thoughts and memories about ANY festival that you may have attended. Tell us about a festival you enjoy, and what draws you to the experience.

I hope you will enjoy my reflections and a bit of history of the Old Songs experience, and if you aren’t already doing so, perhaps you will be inspired to make plans for next year to attend one of the many fests that dot the map, and if it happens to be Old Songs… perhaps we can get together to share a song or two…

Old Songs Festival 2016
Altamont, NY

After months of waiting, the 2016 Old Songs Festival has come and gone, and now my head is filled with memories of first-class performances by the likes of Robin and Linda Williams, Anne Hills, Matthew Byrne, Kim and Reggie Harris, Annie & The Hedonists, Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers with Howie Bursen, Low Lily and so many others. I gained new insight by attending informative workshops at the 36th edition of Old Song and discovered a batch of artists and songs that I look forward to sharing on the radio and perhaps at the Hurdy Gurdy Folk Music Club. Every artist brings their “A” game to Old Songs, and this year was no exception. I also enjoyed spending time with a number of old friends that I do not get to see very often, and I made a number of new friends as well.

Before I share my thoughts about this year’s event and the artists who made it so special, let me try to explain a bit more about my fondness for Old Songs. I know this may sound slightly obsessive, but every year, on the day I return home from Old Songs, I set up a widget on my computer that visually counts down the days to following year’s gathering. Those who regularly attend Old Songs will understand. Yes, this festival has become something very special to me.

Old Songs is my annual “folk music booster shot,” a reminder of why I love the diverse musical styles that are considered “folk music” and the comradery that it generates. The committed artists who keep the traditions alive together with the warm and friendly patrons who attend are the soul of the folk music community. As cliché as it may sound, this is a family.

Each year, I marvel at the exemplary lineup that Old Songs puts together, made up of very talented artists, many of whom might not be recognizable to the casual fan. THAT is the beauty of Old Songs. You do not need a lineup filled with “marquee” names in order to have a successful event. What Old Songs does so well is to bring together artists representing a variety of cultures and traditions and revealing a thread that connects us all. They have built a reputation that keep festival goers (generations of families) returning year after year, eager to discover what new treasures are being offered.

Crowds gather at Old Songs

The annual fest is held at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, New York, a suburb of Albany. The historic fairgrounds have hosted county fairs and agricultural events since 1893. The 138 acre site gives off the vibes of a rural 4-H fair with a number of farm museums, barns and buildings on the property – a makeshift “village” that becomes a perfect setting for a folk festival. The portion of the fairgrounds utilized by Old Songs features a main stage that is nestled in the center of a grove of trees, providing a welcoming canopy for the performances. There are a number of other stages (mostly covered) scattered about the fairgrounds, and when inclement weather rolls in (not this year!) the main stage moves indoors to one of the larger buildings. In addition to scheduled performances and workshops, there are numerous jam sessions, song swaps and picking parties going on around the grounds.

The first Old Songs Festival was held in 1981, an event spawned from embers generated by the legendary Fox Hollow Festival, an annual folk fest held from 1966 through 1980 on the 185 acre Petersburgh, New York estate of Bob and Evelyn Beers.

The Beers were leaders of the Beers Family folk group, a popular recording and performing act in the 1960s. One summer, the family was driving back from the Newport Folk Festival when they came across an estate with a “for sale” sign. They fell in love with the property and made the purchase after they realized it would be a perfect location to invite friends to come and vacation and perhaps hold a little festival. Located in the Berkshire Mountains, the estate was once a hideout for legendary gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond but after the Beers started their festival, the grounds became a sanctuary for folkies who enjoyed experiencing the music in a communal atmosphere. Bob Beers built a stage out of logs in a natural amphitheater in the woods on the property on which artists like Theodore Bikel, Jean Ritchie, John Hartford, Utah Phillips and the Seeger’s would be among the dozens of performers who created a special kind of magic. It would be considered a “small” festival, drawing around 3000 people each year, but the memories it created far exceeds that of other festivals. In 1972, Bob Beers died in a tragic automobile accident. His family continued the festival for several more years but the spirit wasn’t quite the same without Bob, and they brought the festival to a close in 1980.

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