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2014 FOLK HERO WINNERS

Dan & James (a.k.a. Danny Beck and James Marquardt) were announced as the winners of the 2014 Folk Hero Contest, on Friday Oct 3, at the end of the first evening of this season’s Delmarva Folk Festival.

Danny Beck, who is not known for his outward displays of emotion, said he was “very surprised” by the award. “When I heard the other acts I thought, uh-oh, this is really going to be tough.”

The Folk Hero Contest is a long-standing tradition that show-cases local folk music. All of the finalists competed at one three of three open-mic coffee houses hosted earlier this year by the Delaware Friends of Folk. 

After an evening of incredible performances from an exceptionally talented string of competitors, Dan & James were announced as the winners. The other finalists, who each in turn wowed the audience, were LA Time, Jessica Graae, Shannen Norris, Steffi & Tim, and Chelsea Rae. “We really wish we could have had six winners this year,” one of the festival chairs said. “They were all that good.”

Dan & James have been making music together for over two years. They met while playing in a church choir, hit it off musically, and expanded into other genres.  They classify their music as Americana Folk-Rock. “It’s classic rock unplugged,” Danny said. They cover traditional folk-rock artists, like Bob Dylan and Jim Croce, but also play acoustic adaptations of classic rockers like Bob Seger and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  “These are the songs that everybody loves,” he said. They also include their own original tunes.

James Marquardt competed in the Folk Hero Contest last year, but Danny has been involved with the Delaware Friends of Folk since his adolescence, participating in coffee houses, pick-ins, and as a sometime volunteer.

Dan & James recently changed their stage name to Tarred & Feathered. In addition to their duet, they are part of a classic-rock covers band, called Hooverville, that performs throughout central Delaware. You can follow them at https://www.facebook.com/Hoovervillemusic 

James was unabashedly thrilled to win the Folk Hero Contest. But he was equally delighted to be a part of the festival line-up and share in the overall experience. Sitting by the festival bonfire late Saturday night he said, “This festival is an absolutely incredible experience.  And the Friends of Folk are awesome for promoting local music. That’s what it’s all about.”

Dan & James (Tarred & Feathered) will be performing on the evening of Friday, December 5, at the Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover, as the Friends of Folk launch a winter concert program in partnership with Delaware’s First State Heritage Park. For more information, go to http://www.destateparks.com/park/first-state-heritage/ 

Upcoming Coffee House!

We need more VOLUNTEERS!

Please email deflolk@gmail.com if you'd like to volunteer October 3rd and/or 4th!  We can also use some work on the farm this weekend, too.  We will make it worth your while!

PICK IN is back to the Newsstand!

Since the closing of the Wagon Wheel, we are back at the Dover Newsstand - 25 W. Loockerman Street in Dover!

Noon- 3:00 p.m.

Folk Hero ROUND THREE Results

Winners were Shannen Norris & Chelsea Rae!  

We had 5 other great contestants and it was a very entertaining evening. Gabi Norris, Don Bloom, Mark & Mike, Mike Liddicoat, Janet & Mike Miller all had great programs - it was a full evening of great entertainment!

We had the best turnout of the summer and it was nice to see everyone!

We are really looking forward to the October 3rd Finals of this competition - Delmarva Folk Festival at 7:00 p.m. and we'll stay until the votes are tallied.  Jan has a new laptop this year, so it will not take as long as the past couple of years to tally the ballots!! LOL

Pictures in order of appearance:

Nadia Gabi

Don Bloom

Mark & Mike

Mike Liddicoat

Shannen Norris

Janet & Mike Miller

Chelsea Rae

The Folk Hero Contest Round THREE

The Delmarava Folk Hero Contest begins this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. At the Wesley College Chapel, located on Division & Bradford Streets in Dover, Delaware.  

We have ample parking in the lot behind the Chapel.

This competition is an innovative way to showcase local talent.

Arrive early.  There are only SIX fifteen minute slots for each round.  The audience is balloted to vote for the best act, so, bring your fans, friends & family!

Here’s how it works:

Six finalists are chosen over three rounds. They will compete again October 3, the opening Friday night of our Delmarva Folk Festival. .  Note: The final winner must be available to perform October 4.

Pick-In for August 2014 at Wagon Wheel Smyrna

We are going to try out moving the Pick-In to the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Smyrna just for a change!

Please share this with all your musician friends.

Remember, our pick-in is a jam session open to people of all skills.  We like to pass songs around the circle and learn something new each month!

We've been doing this session the second Saturday of the month for years.  Long ago, we did this in people's homes and then we had a pub for a while but lost out when the new owners decided they like sports on tv better than live music.

This event is usually pretty well attended but we could use more people and maybe the north of Kent County might attract some new players we haven't seen in while!

Share this in your social media or just tell your musical friends wherever you are!

The address is 110 S Dupont Blvd, Smyrna, DE 19977 and call (302) 827-FOLK if you have any questions.

We'll be playing there Saturday, August 9th from 12-3 p.m.

Folk Hero Round 2 winners

Last night, we voted for two more acts that were finalists previously!  I am happy to announce that LA Time and Dan & James were selected to compete on October 3rd with the finalists from the other two rounds.

One round remains, that's on August 16th next month!

Here's a link to my photo of LA Time performing: http://flic.kr/p/oon6rf

Dan & James: http://flic.kr/p/ooxTuA

Reminder: Round II of the Delmarva Folk Hero Contest

TIE A GUITAR STRING AROUND YOUR FINGER

Tie a guitar string around your finger…as a reminder that Round II of the Delmarva Folk Hero Contest happens Saturday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesley College Chapel in Dover Delaware.

The Delmarva Folk Hero Contest is a long-standing tradition that show-cases local folk musicians during three rounds of open-mic coffee houses.

Singer, songwriter Jessica Graae, and the folk/jazz duo Steffi and Tim, were the finalists for Round I in June. That leaves two more opportunities for aspiring musicians to compete—on July 19 and August 16. 

Here’s how the contest works:

• Coffee-Houses are held at the Wesley College Chapel, 3 N. Bradford St, Dover DE, 19904.
• Candidates perform at one of three of the designated Folk Hero Open-Mic nights: June 7, July 19, and August 16.
• Those who aren’t chosen as finalists their first time are free to compete again.
• The music starts at 7:30 p.m., so contestants should arrive and sign up early. The number of slots are limited.
• Candidates should present a folk or folk-related genre; i.e. traditional, Americana, Roots, Bluegrass, Blues, Celtic, Jazz, New Age, World, Old-Time, Roots, or Story-telling. (No drum kits.)
• Finalist compete again in a “play-off,” on Friday night at the Delmarva Folk Festival.
• The final winner opens the Saturday show on the Festival’s main stage
• Finalists and the winner are selected through audience ballots, so candidates should bring their friends, fans, and family.

Along with performing the opening act at the Folk Festival, the final winner receives the following prizes:

•  $100 cash
• Photo shoot with professional photographer Eric Young
• Radio interview with Mark Rogers on WSTW 93,7’s Hometown Heroes show
• Two hours of recording time at Digital Street Studio

So it’s time to tune your instrument and finalize your set list. Come on out and share your music.

July 19 is the date.

Don’t forget!

For more information about the Folk Hero Contest call (302) 827-FOLK or visit http://delfolk.org/index.html .

Results: Folk Hero Contest Round 1

Jessica Graae

Steffi & Tim

The Heroes were basking in well-deserved glory last Saturday evening, June 7, as the first two finalists were selected for the Delmarva Folk Hero contest. This competition is a long-standing tradition that show-cases local folk music. Last Friday’s participants competed at the first of three of three open-mic’s hosted by the Delaware Friends of Folk. 

Singer, songwriter Jessica Graae of Wilmington was one of last Friday’s finalists. Jessica blends a folk-rock style, lush vocals, and classical training in creating soulful music and evocative lyrics. Her music is pure, pristine, and simply beautiful. After performing in the Wesley College Chapel, a relatively new venue for the Friends of Folk, Jessica said, “Playing in the Folk Hero Contest is like being part of a beautiful listening room concert with a supportive audience and great acoustics!” 

Steffi and Tim, a duo whose music combines jazz, pop, and world music, were the evening’s other finalists. They began in 2008 as college students playing cover songs at the University of Delaware. Realizing their potential as a duo, they starting doing paid gigs and performing hits from the “Great American Songbook.” In the past year, Steffi and Tim have added their own songs to their repertoire. After their performance last Saturday, Steffi said, “There is nothing better than sharing our music with an audience that listens sincerely and attentively, which is what we experienced tonight. The Wesley Chapel venue has beautiful acoustics and an intimate atmosphere that is suited perfectly to our arrangements.”

June’s competition was only round one of three of the Delmarva Folk Hero Contest. There are two more opportunities for aspiring musicians to compete—on July and August 16.  

Here’s how the contest works:

Coffee Houses are held at the Wesley College Chapel, 3 N. Bradford St, Dover DE, 19904. Map

Candidates may perform at one of three of the designated Folk Hero Open-Mic nights: June 7, July 19, and August 16.

• Those who aren’t chosen as finalists their first time are free to compete again.

• The music starts at 7:30 p.m., so contestants should arrive and sign up early. The number of slots are limited.

• Candidates should present a folk or folk-related genre; i.e. traditional, Americana, Roots, Bluegrass, Blues, Celtic, Jazz, New Age, World, Old-Time, Roots, or Story-telling. (No drum kits.)

• Finalist compete again in a “play-off,” on Friday night at the Delmarva Folk Festival.

• The final winner opens the Saturday show on the Festival’s main stage

• Finalists and the winner are selected through audience ballots, so candidates should bring their friends, fans, and family. 

Along with performing the opening act at the Folk Festival, the final winner receives the following prizes:

• $100 cash

• Photo shoot with professional photographer Eric Young

• Radio interview with Mark Rogers on WSTW 93,7’s Hometown Heroes show

• Two hours of recording time at Digital Street Studio

Looking forward to competing at the final round at the Festival, Steffi and Tim said, “We are so excited to be returning for the Folk Hero Finals in October and cannot wait to hear the other musicians at the show.” Jessica Graae agreed. “I can't wait to be part of the Delmarva Folk Festival again and hear all of the terrific music.”

For more information about the Folk Hero Contest and the Delmarva Folk Festival, call (302) 827-FOLK or visit http://delfolk.org/ or join our group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/delfolk/ 

For more information about Jessica Graae, go to http://www.reverbnation.com/jessicagraae, or https://www.facebook.com/jessica.w.graae?fref=ts

For more information about Steffi and Tim, go to https://www.facebook.com/SteffiAndTim

Guy Davis Coffee House November 22, 2014

Guy Davis

Mark your calendar for November 22, when the Delaware Friends of Folk Coffee House will host internationally renowned blues artist Guy Davis.

Guy Davis is a musician, composer, actor, director, and writer.  But most importantly, Guy Davis is a bluesman.  Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues through the material of the great blues masters, African American stories, and his own original songs and stories. 

His wide range of influences include Blind Willie McTell, Skip James, Manse Lipscomb, Mississippi John Hurt, Elizabeth Cotton, and Buddy Guy, among others.  It was through Taj Mahal that he found his way to the old time blues.  

Along with recording and performing, Guy has also done residency programs for the Lincoln Center Institute, the Kennedy Center, and the State Theatre in New Jersey. He also works with “Young Audiences of NJ”, doing classroom workshops and assembly programs all across the country and in Canada for Elementary, High School, and College students.

Most recently Guy had the honor of appearing in the PBS special on Jazz and Blues artist, the late Howard Armstrong.  And he was an honored guest at the Kennedy Center Awards, in which his folks received their medals, alongside other recipients like Warren Beatty, Elton John and composer John Williams from the President of the United States.

The Delaware Friends of Folk are extremely proud to host this extraordinary artist. For fans of the blues, roots music, Americana, and for all those who just love good music, don’t miss this great event on the evening of Saturday November 22nd at the Wesley College Chapel, 2 North Bradford St., Dover DE. 

For more information about the Guy Davis concert, call (302) 827-FOLK or visit http://delfolk.org/ (tickets will be available online, seating is limited) or join our group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/delfolk/

You can visit Guy Davis’ website at http://guydavis.com/guydavis/mainfinal.htm

Our Favorite GIF

Testing

This where a 'POST' would be.  It could be a news item, like RIP Pete Seeger.  Or an announcement for the future, like looking for Chairs of certain committees, volunteers, etc. Or Guy Davis is the Coffee House in November.

There will be other pages like the old website to say who is on the board, link to bi-laws, the Festival, past festivals, coffee house archive, etc.