50th Alaska Folk Festival

Schedule of Events

Workshop Schedule

10:30am-11:50am
Hammond
Intermediate    
Learn a Western Swing Tune
With: Burl Sheldon
Participants will learn an easy Willie Nelson tune played with a western swing style. We'll study two-step syncopation. We'll use diminished, 6th, and 7th chords, and closed chord-shapes.

10:30am-11:50am
Main Stage
All Levels    
Stagecraft Workshop for Musicians
With: Lucy Peckham, Rick Miller, Michael Sakarias
Learn how to use the stage equipment, mics, monitors, to your best advantage as a performer.

10:30am-11:50am
Egan
All Levels    
Western Swing & Americana Music History
With: Deke Dickerson
Insights on the origins, development, and legacy of Western swing music.

10:30am-11:50am
Sheffield
Family Concert
With: Geoff Kirsch, Shona Osterhout, Ed Schoenfeld
Bring the kids and the wiggles!

10:30am-11:50am
Hickel
All Levels    
Fiddle Chords and Seconding
With: John Palmes
Teach your muscle memory to play chords and chord patterns same way as you learned to play melodies. Stop thinking! Feel the chord changes and move chord patterns automatically on all four strings. Fiddle Chord fingerboard diagram handout.

10:30am-11:50am
JACC
Songwriting in Tradition
With: Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, Amelia Powell
Rhiannon and Dirk have written countless songs together, including “We Could Fly,” which has become a successful children’s book, and the Grammy-nominated “Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad.” Some of the songs which are most informed by tradition have gone on to become part of tradition themselves over time. This workshop will find them sharing original songs and delving into ways for songwriters to open to that process.

12:00pm-1:20pm
JACC
Intro    
Dance Calling 101
With: Suzanne Girardot
Are you in a community where you wish there was a dance but there is no one to call it? Or have you been at a rocking old-time music house party where a square dance would be great in that living room? We’ll learn the basics of calling some simple but satisfying dances that get people up and dancing fast, including circles, scatter mixers, and squares.

12:00pm-1:20pm
Egan
Intermediate    
Western Swing Fiddle
With: Katie Shore
Guest Dance Band fiddle player Katie Shore teaches Western Swing fiddle.

12:00pm-1:20pm
Hammond
Intermediate-Advanced    
Intermediate/Advanced Harmonica
With: Grant Dermody
We'll be focusing on bigger tone, better intonation on bent notes, and more fluid improvising over a 12 bar blues form. You'll need a key of A diatonic harmonica.

12:00pm-1:20pm
Hickel
All Levels    
More Fun with Crooked Tunes
With: John Hatton, Jack Fontanella, and friends
More crooked tunes to talk about and dazzle your friends. This year we will pick from old time ‘C’ and ‘G’.

12:00pm-1:20pm
Sheffield
Intermediate    
Couple Dance
With: John Laskey
Mostly waltz with some polka and swing. An opportunity to dance with experienced dancers to beautiful music.

1:30pm-2:50pm
Egan
Intermediate-Advanced    
Western Swing Lead & Rhythm Guitar
With: Ian Miller & Deke Dickerson
Guest Dance Band guitarists discuss, demonstrate, and teach the complimentary parts of lead and rhythm guitars.

1:30pm-2:50pm
Hickel
Intermediate    
Western Swing Percussion
With: Lisa Pankratz
Guest Dance Band drummer Lisa Pankratz teaches Western Swing percussion techniques.

1:30pm-2:50pm
Hammond
Intermediate-Advanced    
Western Swing Steel Guitar
With: Russell Blake
Guest Dance Band steel guitarist teaches Western Swing steel guitar techniques.

1:30pm-2:50pm
Sheffield
Intro    
Intro to English Country Dance
With: Odette Edgar
Enjoy some dances and exquisite tunes from this traditional English folk dancing. Geared for all levels, including motivated children ages 8 and up. The workshop features live music.

1:30pm-2:50pm
JACC
The Music of Joe Thompson and Africa
With: Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, Amelia Powell
Rhiannon will share tunes and stories from her mentor and teacher Joe Thompson, who was central to the African American tradition in her home state of North Carolina, and delve into her deep knowledge of the evolution of the music, including thoughts on the history of the banjo. Open to all instruments and singers.

3:00pm-4:20pm
Sheffield
Intro    
Family Dance
With: Caroline Oakley
Bring the whole family aged zero-100 for a called family dance with a live band.

3:00pm-4:20pm
Egan
Instrument Swap
With: Come One, Come All!
Are your instruments making too little noise? Got your eye on something real nice? Meet, greet, and trade instruments with your fellow festivalgoers! 3-6 pm.

3:00pm-4:20pm
Hammond
All Levels    
Songwriting
With: Elise Leavy
Writing songs with a prompt, ways to get started and unstuck, and how to come away from a songwriting session with all or most of a song.

3:00pm-4:20pm
Hickel
All Levels    
Old Time Fiddle - Bowing and more
With: Carter Bancroft
Learn a few old time fiddle trade secrets and a new tune to boot. Focus is on bowing but I'll cover a lot of fiddling ground.

3:00pm-4:20pm
JACC
All Levels    
Zimbabwean Marimbas
With: Betsy Sims/Jesse Larson
Come try your hand at playing these super fun and friendly instruments. No experience necessary. This workshop is always overfilled - so come early. We'll get in as many people as we can!

Dance Band Schedule

7:00pm-7:50pm    
Njuzu Marimbas
Juneau, AK Featuring: Betsy Sims, Jesse Larson, Jeanne Rynne, Ren Scott, Emily Kane, Axel Gillam, Sheli Delaney, Grace Newman, Arne Ellefson-Carnes, Raven Swing
Super Fun Zimbabwean marimba tunes to get your Saturday evening rocking. Just try to stand still while you're listening to this music. We dare you!

8:00pm-8:50pm    
Bad Toe
Chapman, ME Featuring: David Putnam, Aaron Putnam, Ian Putnam, TBD
Formed in the back woods of Maine and named from our late three-legged pet turtle; a symbol of resilience and unapologetic desire to defy expectations.

With caller Dave Stutzer

9:00pm-9:50pm    
Deke Dickerson Western Swing All-Stars
GUEST DANCE BAND

10:00pm-10:50pm    
Elbow Grease
Juneau, AK Featuring: Emily Teachout, Tom Paul, Jamie Hascall, Jack Fontanella, Erik Netherlin
Providing old time sonic lubrication to make it easy to dance your pants off.

With caller Guest Caller Suzanne Girardot

11:00pm-11:50pm    
Nine Miles from Town
Juneau, AK Featuring: Sergei Morosan, Dylan Proudfoot, Amelia Budd, Miguel Rohrbacher, Nicole Lantz, Ned Gaines
String band fiddle music: raw ingredients cooked right.

With caller Jacob Sweeney

Performance Schedule

12:00pm    
Ursa Minor Singers
Juneau, AK Featuring: Callie Conerton, Daryl Lagundino, Charlie Springston, Lilly Ingraham, Kaleena Penn, Petra Hatch, Orvel Skaflestad, Devlin Dalman, Henry Akiyama, Jun Hwang, Johnson Madrid, Jakob Sudduth, Luc Levasseur, Nels Lapenter, Noelle Shanley, Greta Thompson, Abby Auerswald, Addi Johnson, Alan Duvall, Winter Merrell, Benji Sears, Caisa Spickler, Dylan Dubois, Ember Giant, Hazel Wilburn, Maggie Norton
We are first, second, and third graders from Montessori Borealis singing some of our favorite tunes for you! We love singing together with our teacher!

12:15pm    
Ken Burch
Olympia, WA
If you are reading this, it means they let me onstage again. Originals, more or less.

12:30pm    
K1NFOLK
Petersburg, AK Featuring: Robyn Cardenas, Teagen Schwartz
Brother/sister acoustic duo singing folk/country covers and originals inspired by our surroundings/lifestyle/culture in Southeast Alaska.

12:45pm    
Sound Crew
Juneau, AK Featuring: Mark Alton, Derek Lail, Theresa Reynolds
Just a Juneau sound guy and his trusty crew, returning to play some new country tunes.

1:00pm    
Cold Town Hot Club
Fairbanks, AK Featuring: Ned Gaines, George Giankopolis, Scott Walter
Far north gypsy jazz in the spirit of Django and Stephane.

1:15pm    
Fu Bao and Friends
Juneau, AK Featuring: Fu Bao Hartle, Clare Pavia, John Hartle, Joe Emerson, Keith Heller, Joyce Levine
Old-timey, and a little randomness.

1:30pm    
Powell Brothers and Friends
Juneau, AK Featuring: Jim Powell, Doug Powell, Tom Powell
From Woody Guthrie to now, and in between - featuring mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and other strings, the brothers Powell harmonize Americana.

1:45pm    
Music Feeds My Family
Juneau, AK Featuring: Odin Brudie, Frankie Pillifant, Aldyn Brudie, Nina Brudie
Odin Brudie celebrates AFF50 with songs spanning 50 years, joined in singing by family members and AFF vets Frankie Pillifant, Aldyn Brudie, and Nina B.

2:00pm    
The Squash Blossoms
Anchorage, AK Featuring: Peggy Finnegan, Amy Hayes, Jessica Speed
Three gals singing originals and covers with sweet harmonies, guitar, bass, and mandolin

2:15pm    
Pure Brainstorming
Sitka, AK Featuring: Hank Moore, Leslie Wolf, Laura Turcott
We are a trio of like minded Folk souls who can inspire a booty shake a belly laugh and everything in between.

2:30pm    
The Scotty Stoneman Review
Eugene, OR Featuring: Leif Karlstrom , Jesse Appelman, Billy Moore, Zach Sharpe
Scotty Stoneman was a fiddler with an iconic style, known from the Kentucky Colonels and solo work. We aim to recreate his memorable sounds and energy.

2:45pm    
Jacob Sweeney
Juneau, AK
My background in music, acting and comedy make each performance a fun mix of original songs, jokes and ridiculous poetry guaranteed to be the only act like it.

3:00pm    
Wings To Fly
Wasilla, AK Featuring: Shonti Elder, Elsa Aegerter, Karl Wilhelmi
High-flying harmonies of original and thoughtful songs.

3:15pm    
Gunnysack Annie (Hopper) & JD Mason
Fairbanks, AK Featuring: Annie Hopper, Jeff Mason
Rising from the Eastern Alaska Range, Annie & JD play folk rock & homemade songs, in an easy playful style. The Lodge at Black Rapids is their home stage!

6:30pm    
50 BANJOS!
Gustavus, AK Featuring: Goal is 50+ banjoists
ALL banjoists invited, ALL levels, ALL banjo types: OT, bluegrass, tenor, banjolele. ALL tunes Key of G *Buffalo Gals *Cotton-Eyed Joe *NC Breakdown

6:45pm    
Robin Hopper
Chugiak, AK
The Anchorage Daily News calls Robin’s music ''As warm and comforting as a favorite sweater.'' No telling what she’ll have up her sleeve for this year.

7:00pm    
Colin McGovern
Homer, AK
Originally from a small town in Maine, now residing in Homer, Alaska. I first came to the festival in 2006 and it changed the trajectory of my life...

7:15pm    
The Good Friendlys
Juneau, AK Featuring: Hiram Henry, Katie Henry, Martha Defreest, Ariel Svetlik, Mike Janes, Kelly Henrikson
Friends playing songs for friends, 'cause our Country is full of Folk and we all need friends.

7:30pm    
Kennedy Jo
Juneau, AK Featuring: Kennedy Kruchoski
Emerging from a doozy of a southeast winter surrounded by some tangled emotions, the warmth of some lovely folks, and the songs that carry me through.

7:45pm    
Eli West Trio
Seattle, WA Featuring: Eli West, Forrest Marowitz, Patrick McGonigle
Eli West sings originals with Forrest Marowitz on bass and Patrick McGonigle on fiddle.

8:00pm    
Albert McDonnell
Portland, OR
Songs of joy and sorrow. A tribute to Buddy Tabor.

8:15pm    
Elise Leavy
Lafayette, LA
Elise Leavy, raised in California & based in Lafayette, LA, writes classic folk songs with a tinge of humor that will have you crying and laughing at one time.

8:30pm    
The Centuries
Los Angeles, CA Featuring: Roberto Avalos, Dylan Patterson, Alexander Griffith
The Centuries play 1950s style Americana with hints of rock 'n roll and rockabilly.

8:45pm    
R.O. Shapiro
Los Altos, CA
R.O. Shapiro is a troubadour, a traveler peddling original tunes of love, loss, and social justice, carefully crafted and soulfully sung.

9:00pm    
The Ogives
Bishop, CA Featuring: Howie Schwartz, Scott Meyer, Karen Loso, Mike Loso
Ogive (''oh-jive'') -glacial iceform- Mysterious, rhythmic bands of alternating color reveal the past to a modern world with unique, old-time instrumentation.

9:15pm    
The Fresh Boys
Bozeman, MT Featuring: Andrew Schauer, Sean Raming, Nash Reilly, Gordon Sevee, Scott Stebbins
Pretty much just Bluegrass.

9:30pm    
Marie Reid
Mooresville, NC
Sturdy and soulful… Tunes written to paint a journeying woman's experience. Inspired by family and her SW VA roots she invites you to come along!

9:45pm    
Shoreline Band
Juneau, AK Featuring: Joe Emerson, Ben Higdon, John Hartle, Chris Frary, Luke Weld, Stew Rowland, Robert Mountcastle
Boomer classics guaranteed to satisfy!

10:00pm    
Docktones & Friends
Douglas, AK Featuring: Bob Shorey, Chris Frary, Margaret Shorey, John Shedd, Carleton Shorey, Bob Banghart
From their first set in 1980, the Docktones were Folk Fest regulars for over 35 years. Now they're back to celebrate the 50th with their classic sound.

10:15pm    
Women With Hair
Clinton, WA Featuring: Julie Mae Pigott, Katie Henry, Rex Blazer, Will Putman
Women With Hair returns to the stage with curly harmonies & plucky antics! Sing along with musical body hair activists Wilhelmina, Raeon, Poly & Ester!

10:30pm    
Red Cap and the Cyser Boys
Anchorage, AK Featuring: Chris Richardson, Ben Richardson, Mike Richardson Jr.
The Richardson brothers (Mike Jr., Ben, & Chris) have played Irish music since the 1990s. They may be joined onstage by the older or younger generations.