Old Time Fiddle | Wilmette, IL Charlie Walden began playing fiddle at age 14 when inspired by players in a fiddler’s contest at the Boone County Fair in his native Missouri. With the generous help and encouragement of older master fiddlers he went on to be recognized as one the …
Native American Hoop Dancing and Drumming | Riverton, WY Jasmine Bell travels the world performing and teaching the sacred hoop dance. Two-time world champion hoop dancer Jasmine Bell, her native name — Good Road Woman of the Crow Creek Sioux – tells of pictographs of hoop dancers on the walls …
Traditional Yakut Khomus | Yakutsk, Sahka Republic, Russia Yuliyana Krovoshapkina is a virtuoso in the art of the khomus, the national instrument of the Sakha Republic in Russia. It functions much like a mouth harp, but differs in several respects. A conventional mouth harp is limited in range, volume, and …
Hip Hop Beatbox | New York, NY One of the biggest names in beatboxing today, preeminent master Rahzel is redefining the limits of the human voice. Known as “the Godfather of Noyze,” Rahzel was a youngster growing up in Queens when hip hop hit big. Beatboxing is a form of …
South Asian | Kathmandu, Nepal The Boston area is home to a large and growing Nepalese community and the Himalayan Heritage Cultural Academy is at its heart. Founded by master musicians to give Nepali traditional arts and music a formal presence in the community, the Academy is also home to …
Garifuna Traditional | Belize and Guatemala The Garinagu people, whose language and culture is called Garifuna, descend from shipwrecked Africans whose ancestry can be traced back to the Yoruba, Ibo, and Ashanti tribes of Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. After making their way to Central America, they intermarried with Carib and Arawak native peoples, and …
Jazz Tap | New York, NY Jason Samuels Smith is one of the most dynamic tap dancers of his time. He is best known for his choreographic flair and keen sense of musicianship including impeccable phrasing and diverse time signatures. He has received accolades as a choreographer, performer and humanitarian. …
Western Swing | Fort Worth, IN From honky tonks in Texas and Tennessee to European concert halls, fans have come to know Carolyn Martin as a vocalist with a unique sense of musical style, a charismatic stage presence and a voice that exudes passion and experience and an elegance that …
Italian Traditional | New York, NY Michela Musolino grew up in a household where Sicilian dialect was spoken so the children wouldn’t be able to understand the adults’ conversations. The sounds of that language were like music to Michela and she fell in love with them. Listening to those sounds …
Reggae | Castries, Saint Lucia Taj Weekes is a dreadlocked Rastafarian musician, bred in the Caribbean but shaped by intercontinental life experience. He is also a creative, poetic singer-songwriter who fronts a dynamic reggae band named Adowa. Yet another facet of Taj is that he is an unwavering, energetic humanitarian …
Crimean Traditional | New York, NY Crimean Tatars are an Islamic, ethnically Turkic people who trace their history in Crimea back to the 12th century, when they came west under the leadership of Batu Khan (Ghengis’ grandson) and intermarried with people already living on the Peninsula. Their vibrant music and …
In 2008 the National Folk Festival descended on Butte, Montana, and left a legacy of music, dance, history, and art. In 2011 the cultural experience continued under a new name, The Montana Folk Festival, and is still strong today. To celebrate this fantastic event and its longevity we’ve unarchived this …
Blues | Clinton, Mississippi Eddie Cotton was born the son of a preacher in Jackson, Mississippi. He began playing guitar at the age of four. He attended Jackson State University, where he majored in music before he began playing professionally at local clubs. In 1995, he pursued his musical ambitions, …
Bluegrass | Cullman, Alabama David Davis and the Warrior River Boys have long been recognized as modern leaders in traditional bluegrass. Their musical playbook reflects their energy, commitment and pure Bluegrass spirit. Davis has deep musical roots, with his uncle Cleo having been an original Blue Grass Boy with Bill …
Cuban Salsa | New York, NY The explosive Los Habaneros are a force to behold on stage. Mixing musical styles from their home in Cuba with the diversity of sounds they encountered when they made New York City their home, Los Habaneros transcend traditional musical genres to create a real …
Cajun | Eunice, LA Already a veteran of the Cajun music scene, Kyle Huval describes his band the Dixie Club Ramblers as playing heavy-hitting dancehall music in the spontaneous style of the 1960s and 70s. Huval strives to deliver a sound that’s a few generations removed and many elements of …
Brazilian Forro | Blumenau, SC, Brasil Despite his young age of 25, accordionist Felipe Hostins has been thrilling audiences for over a decade. He began music studies at the age of three with his paternal grandfather, Valmor Hostins. He later joined the School of Music Amormega (Middle Garcia Neighborhood Association), …
Waila | O’odham Nation Carl & Buddies will bring Waila music to Montana this summer for the enjoyment and dancing pleasure of audiences at the Montana Folk Festival. Waila (derived from the Spanish Bailar — to Dance) is the energetic social dance music of the Native American peoples of the …
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation doubles down their support for the Montana Folk Festival. The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation in conjunction with Montana Resources has awarded a total of $200,000 to support the Montana Folk Festival in 2019 and again in 2020. Each year, $100,000 will be awarded …
The Montana Traditions Arts Market offers festival-goers the opportunity to purchase works by some of the region’s best traditional artists and craftspeople. The market features the work of the region’s finest artisans creating handmade objects in both traditional and contemporary styles. These artists have come from parts of Montana close …
The First Peoples’ Market offers the work of fine Native American artists and craftspeople including both deeply traditional crafts and more contemporary artistic expressions rooted in Native American experience. Artists in this market represent some of the finest working today. Some have been recognized nationally for their skill and talent …
The Montana Folk Festival strives to feature as much culinary variety and diversity on our food courts as we do on our stages with tasty regional, ethnic and festival food that takes diners on a culinary journey around Montana, America and the world. Selections include unique regional dishes from the …
