General news from the Montana Folk Festival.
Howard Knight started tooling leather because of 4-H. As a child whose family bred and trained Thoroughbred horses, his upbringing in Sandpoint, Idaho, was steeped in western culture. Although life led him to become an electrician, his 4-H project turned into an ever-present hobby. After an accident forced him off …
Mississippi Delta Blues | McComb, Mississippi Castro Coleman a-k-a Mr. Sipp, was born August 25, 1976 to Johnelle and the late Vera Coleman in the small town of McComb, Mississippi. He began playing the guitar at the tender age of 6. Through hard work and perseverance, Mr. Sipp has become …
Hindustani Violin | Redwood City, California Maestro Kala Ramnath with her ‘Singing Violin’ stands among the world’s finest, most inspirational instrumentalists. Her playing has been featured on the Grammy-nominated Miles from India project, compositions of hers have appeared on the Grammy-winning album In 27 Pieces and the Kronos Quartet’s 50 …
Iranian Kamancheh | Brooklyn, New York Mehrnam Rastegari is a well-established Iranian musician and film score composer, singer, violinist, and master Kamancheh player. She has been featured in concerts and music festivals worldwide, including in The US, Germany, Switzerland, France, Finland, Iran, and Kazakhstan. These performances have occurred at some …
Mardi Gras Indians | New Orleans, Louisiana Behind the splendid theater and music of the Mardi Gras Indian parade lies a turbulent history: both the legacy of American slavery and segregation that birthed the unique New Orleans tradition and the internecine conflicts that marked itsmearly days, after it took shape …
Old-Time | Mouth of Wilson, Virginia Nobody’s Business is an Old-Time Stringband that hails from the Grayson Highlands mountain region of Southwest Virginia, where the state borders North Carolina and Tennessee. The band is steeped in the traditions of rural “Old-time” mountain music that has been passed down through generations in …
Traditional Zuni Dance and Song | Zuni, New Mexico The Zuni Olla Maidens are a venerated dance troupe from Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico, equally well-known for singing, drumming and their trademark dance balancing pottery on their heads, as well as being an all-female troupe. The Zuni Olla Maidens …
Hawaiian Traditional | Las Vegas, Nevada Gary Haleamau and Kāwili, (Kāwili means to mix ingredients, blend, entwined, interwoven, interlaced~ with individual gifts of music and dance in native Hawaiian) is a Hawaiian Music family band that resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. They started singing as a trio in 2008. From performing …
Bluegrass | Nashville, TN Dobro master and 16-time GRAMMY winner Jerry Douglas is to the resonator guitar what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar, elevating, transforming, and reinventing the instrument in countless ways. Additionally, Douglas is a freewheeling, forward-thinking recording and touring artist whose output incorporates elements of country, …
Texas Conjunto | San Antonio, TX Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs are the Past, Present, And Future of Conjunto Music. Conjunto music may be a familiar sound to residents of Texas, but its worldwide appeal can be surprising. Combine a hefty helping of Tex-Mex conjunto, simmer with several parts Texas …
Puerto Rican bomba | Puerto Rico El Laberinto del Coco is a dynamic and vibrant Bomba Fusion band hailing from Puerto Rico. Combining traditional Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms with contemporary musical elements, they have become a prominent force in the global music scene. With their electrifying performances and innovative approach, El …
Cajun | Carencro. LA Accordionist and vocalist, Sheryl Cormier (b. Sheryl Guidreau) is among the first ladies to break with the sexist limitations of Louisiana’s Cajun music. A previous leader of the all-woman Cajun music group, Cormier happens to be the first choice of Cajun Seems, a group that has …
Quebecois | Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada The award-winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord are a leading force in Québec’s exciting and progressive Francophone folk movement. The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions, while their highly rhythmic and soulful music, rooted in the Celtic …
Gospel | Toledo, OH Fran “Lady Strings” Grace is among a small sisterhood of women trailblazers playing sacred steel guitar in African American Holiness-Pentecostal worship services. A masterful lap-steel guitarist, she leads a powerhouse family band specializing in the ecstatic, steel-guitar-driven gospel music she grew up with in church. Sacred …
R&B/Funk | New York, NY Fred Thomas occupies a very special niche in the history R&B. As James Brown’s principal bassist since 1971, he participated in one the most prolific periods in the Godfather of Soul’s incredible career as a member of Brown’s band, the J.B.’s. He can be heard …
By Rayelynn Brandl Montana’s iconic landscapes are shaped by the waterways that course through her mountains, valleys, and plains. Water has determined where the people live, the movement of goods and resources, and has provided for all human needs including food, shelter, clothing, and eventually commerce. Beginning with our Native …
Tom Mocilac is a genuine old fart, retired from state service, and has worked as a National Park Ranger in Yellowstone National Park. He started fly fishing in 1969 and started tying flies in 1973. He is a member of Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International. He ties about 2-3 …
Wetland ecosystems are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They support native plants and animals and provide services such as flood control and water purification. Unfortunately, wetlands are also some of the most threatened ecosystems. Born from a love of Montana’s natural spaces, Montana Wetlands, and Waterfowl …
Our mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and our hunting heritage. We provide funding for Permanent Land Protection and Land Conservation, Habitat Stewardship, and Enhancement, Research for wildlife management, and Hunting Heritage Projects. Our Vision is to be the best membership-based conservation organization and …
The Resilient Butte Project and Families for a Livable Climate bring personal stories about climate change to the forefront. All Montana families need a livable climate and thriving environment to ensure a bright and secure future. We also need good jobs, healthcare, and equitable access to education and other opportunities. …
The mission of the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program is to expand environmental literacy and stewardship through field-based science and research experiences. We exist because the planet needs sustainable communities that value resilient ecosystems. Through our work in the nation’s largest Superfund site, we have served thousands of students, educating …
Pungmul and Samulnori | Chicago, Illinois Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago (KPAC) is a cultural and educational 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. KPAC is the leading Korean cultural arts group in metropolitan Chicago, reaching an ethnically diverse, multi-generational audience of 50,000 annually. KPAC has seven professional musicians from Korea to secure …
Armenian | Boston, Massachusetts Mal Barsamian’s musical career began when he was four years old playing the dumbeg (hand drum) with his father, Leo Barsamian, at an Armenian picnic. Barsamian comes from a family of oud (lute) players across multiple generations. He has gone on to become a sought-after oud player and clarinetist as well as …
Old-Time | Mouth of Wilson, Virginia The Blue Ridge Girls, comprised of Jamie Collins, Martha Spencer, and Brett Morris, is a trio firmly rooted in Appalachian folk music with deep roots in Appalachian music that they are bringing into the 21st century kicking and clogging. Showcasing skillful musicianship and honey-sweet vocal …
Jazz, Blues, and Swing | New York, New York Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist/composer/bandleader, and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, the late Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist/guitarist/bassist who performed with …
