Flagstaff Folk Festival Schedule - Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music

Flagstaff Folk Festival
By Jesse Anderson
It's time again for one of the most exciting and
popular events on the FFOTM calendar, the
Flagstaff Folk Festival. We've worked extra-hours
on this year's event to ensure that it will be a fun
and memorable time for all involved. In its 7th year,
this year's festival features some exciting new
elements which you won't want to miss.
For starters, we have been graciously offered the
use of the Pioneer Museum's grounds and will have
a great new outdoor stage between the Pioneer
Museum and the Coconino Center for the Arts. This
area will have a tent housing a staging area for
bands and duos plus ample seating. The porch in
front of the Art Barn will be set up as an inviting
solo stage, which will help feature many of the great
acts you have come to expect at the Festival. Of
course we will also have the great stage in the
Coconino Center for the Arts' auditorium, and the
warm and intimate Gallery Stage above. We are
adding additional food and music vendors this year,
as well as the one-of-a-kind T-shirts you can only
get at the festival. And don't forget the workshops
on a variety of great topics. Add all the jamming,
meeting with old and new friends under the pines,
and enjoying the Flagstaff summer, you'll wish the
festival lasted two weeks instead of two days.
Check out the schedule for the weekend, included in
this newsletter on pages 5 and 6. It's always subject
July 2008
In this Issue
Flagstaff Folk Fest
Utah Phillips
Pickin’ in the Pines
Job Announcement
to change as acts may have to cancel and new acts
added, so keep an eye on
http://www.ffotm.org/folkfest/ for the latest
updates.
Some things to look forward to:
The Marimba Workshop. Bart Brush of Humboldt
has graciously offered to bring in seven Marimbas
and host a workshop, scheduled for 1 - 2:15 PM on
Sunday. Come on by and learn how to play this
wonderful instrument.
The Scottsdale Strummers. 3:25 - 4:10 on Sunday.
Yes, the Ukulele has been declared the Arizona
State Instrument and "Ukulele Orchestra" is not an
oxymoron. Seven strummers, all at once: Pat
McInnis, Duane Foster, Myrna Foster, Lois Collins,
Bob Lynn, Andy Hurlbut, David Wayne. Why do I
feel that putting "Scottsdale" in their name is at
least slightly tongue-in-cheek? Not enough Uke for
you? Check out the Ukulele Jam, Saturday from
3:00 - 4:00 PM.
Howlin' at the Moon. 12:25 - 1:10 Saturday.
Featuring Jim Cook, The Arizona State Liar. What
else can I say?
Continued on Page 7
FFOTM 1 JULY 2008

Utah Phillips, 1935-2008
By Tony Norris
You may not have known Utah Phillips, but I
counted him as one my dearest friends. He passed
away on May 23rd of congestive heart failure in his
home in Nevada City, California. He penned
timeless songs like ‘The Goodnight Loving Trail’
and ‘The Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia.’ He
was a tireless champion of the working man and
gave voice to the concerns of the downtrodden--he
was a proud member of the Wobblies. His
experiences in Korea made him a confirmed
pacifist.
Years ago I met him when he played for a tiny
audience at Charly’s Pub. I told him if he came to
Flagstaff again to call me and I would see to it that
he got a larger audience. He did, and I did, and a
great friendship was born. He always stayed in my
home when he played in Flagstaff. He was a mentor
to me in both music and storytelling and he became
a hero to me in the truest sense. I remember
booking him into Flagstaff High School years ago
and hearing him address the kids thusly: "When
they tell you you are our greatest natural resource
just look at what they've done to our other natural
resources.....and flee to the hills!"
He was playing here about five years ago when he
became sweaty and his heart began acting up. I took
him to my internist for an EKG. The writing was on
the wall. His life changed rapidly. His touring was
greatly reduced. He remained active producing a
radio show –Loafers Glory, collaborating with Ani
DiFranco on a Grammy nominated album, getting
arrested for protesting the war and starting a
homeless shelter [www.hospitalityhouseshelter.org]
in Grass Valley.
Just about a week ago he wrote a letter to family
and friends about this journey. Let me share just an
excerpt here: "I spent a long time finding my way-couches,
floors, big towns, small towns, marginal
pay (folk wages). But I found that people seemed to
like what I was doing. The folk music family took
me in, carried me along, and taught me the value of
song far beyond making a living. It taught me that I
don't need wealth, I don't need power, and I don't
need fame. What I need is friends, and that's what I
found--everywhere--and not just among those on
the stage, but among those in front of the stage as
well. Now I can no longer travel and perform;
overnight our income vanished. But all of those I
had sung for, sung with, or boarded with, hearing
about my condition, stepped in and rescued us. I
can't tell you how grateful I am to be part of this
great caring community that, for the most part,
functions close to the ground at a sub-media level, a
community that has always cared for its own. We
will be forever grateful for your help during this
hard time. The future? I don't know. But I have
songs in a folder I've never paid attention to, and
songs inside me waiting for me to bring them out.
Through all of it, up and down, it's the song. It's
always been the song." Join me in celebrating the
life of this wonderful, witty, irreverent man. I'll
miss him like Hell.
To see Tony play and talk about Utah Phillips’
“Rock Salt, and Nails” see:
flgnews.com/dates/060608/tony.htm
The family requests memorial donations to
Hospitality House, P.O. Box 3223, Grass Valley,
California 95945. (530) 271-7144
www.hospitalityhouseshelter.org
FFOTM 2 JULY 2008

Final Days for Early Bird Tickets for
Pickin’ in the Pines
By Darcy Falk
The last day to purchase $50 early bird weekend
passes for Pickin’ in the Pines is June 30. Buy your
tickets now! On July 1, weekend passes go up to
$60. This is a Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music
production that includes performances, contra
dancing, a band contest, jamming, workshops, and
children’s activities. Children 16 and under are free
with accompanying adult ticketholder.
In case you haven’t heard, the Del McCoury Band
will headline Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass &
Acoustic Music Festival this year, along with
Nashville Bluegrass Band. We’re well into planning
our third annual festival, which will take place
September 12-14, 2008. Last year’s festival drew a
crowd of about 1700 people from all over the
southwest and beyond to hear great traditional
music in the open-air setting of Pine Mountain
Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill County Park. Visit
Pickininthepines.org for the complete lineup and
other information about the festival.
We’re also looking for volunteers to help with the
festival, so if you’re interested in being part of the
festival as a volunteer, contact Fred
(fred@pickininthepines.org), a volunteer form to
download and return will soon be available at
www.pickininthepines.org, or stop by the Wine Loft
(see address below) and ask for Fred.
Pickin' in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music
Festival is sponsored by Coconino County Board of
Supervisors, Flagstaff Cultural Partners and the City
of Flagstaff, Arizona Music Pro, Blue Moon
Brewing Company and Northland Beverages,
Simply Delicious, Aspen Printing, KNAU, Julie
Sullivan Design, Radisson Woodlands Hotel,
Babbitt's Backcountry Outfitters, Flagstaff Native
Plant & Seed, Custom Sound Instruments, and Bert
Gershater Productions.
Early bird weekend tickets are on sale through June
30 for $50, a savings of $20 over the gate price of
$70. From July 1 through August 31 weekend
passes are $60. Buy tickets from
Pickininthepines.org, or locally in Flagstaff at the
Wine Loft, 17 N. San Francisco St., 928-779-9463
and at Arizona Music Pro, 122 E. Route 66, 928-
556-9054. Tickets are also available from
Rainbow’s End Imports, 12 E. Route 66, 928-774-
5535 and pinemountainamphitheater.com for a
small service charge.
FFOTM Seeks Administrative Assistant
FFOTM is planning to hire a part-time
administrative assistant in the near future. Exact
details of the position are being worked out, but
would involve an average of 5-10 hours per week of
administrative work. The Board would like to bring
someone on board who shares our dedication to the
mission of the organization, so we are soliciting
applications from among our membership. If you
might be interested, contact Jesse Anderson, Board
President, at: FFOTM, attn: Jesse Anderson, P.O.
Box 23366, Flagstaff, AZ 86002, or email:
jesse.anderson@gmail.com.
FFOTM 3 JULY 2008

Living Traditions Presentations
By Kari Barton
Hello to all FFOTM members from Living
Traditions Presentations! I hope everyone is
enjoying the summer! I'm inviting you to come see
my booth at the Northern Arizona Highland Celtic
Festival July 19 and 20 at Foxglenn Park. The
festival is a great place so see various Celtic bands,
artwork, and learn about Celtic culture. My booth
will feature the concerts I am presenting in the fall
and early spring, let you know about my plans for
Did You Know...
the future of Living Traditions Presentations, and
you can purchase concert tickets or enter to win
them in a raffle. Bands that will be presented this
fall are Old Blind Dogs, Martin Hayes & Dennis
Cahill, Paddy Keenan, Jim Malcolm, and Beoga. If
you want some information about the shows and
can't make it to the festival, or just can't wait that
long, feel free to email me at
Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com.
…that there is a local folk show that features Arizona artists? If you have a CD and would like to get it on the
air, send it to: Barry Harrison
Saturday Folk Radio KVNA
1800 S. Milton Rd, Suite 105
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
First Saturday Contra News
By Kari Usher
The first Saturday contra dances are going strong.
Mark your calendars for the following dances.
July 5 th Kari Usher will call to The Privy Tippers
from Tucson
Aug 2 nd Cindy Conn will call to the Just Desserts
Sept 6 th Peg Hesley will call to ClusterFolk (all
from Phoenix)
*Oct 11 th (the 2 nd Saturday) Just Desserts will be
the band, caller TBA
*The October dance gets moved to the second
Saturday because of the Prescott Folk Festival that
weekend and dance.
The Cottonwood dances are going on, Prescott
dances are going on and the Phoenix Contra will
have no dances in July and will get back going in
August. Folks are carpooling to get some extra
dancing in their schedules. If you are interested in
being a dance gypsy contact Judy at 214-7017.
Dances are taught and called thru the evening, so
you don’t have to have experience. You do need to
wear comfortable clothes as this is a very active
style of dancing. Besides once you really start
having fun, it is hard not to dance with more
enthusiasm. We start at 7:30 pm and go until 11
pm. Ashurst Hall is in old Main on the NAU
campus on the second floor. Bring a friend and a
smile and meet the friends you haven’t met yet. See
you on the dance floor.
FFOTM 4 JULY 2008

Flagstaff Folk Festival Schedule
FFOTM 5 JULY 2008

Flagstaff Folk Festival Schedule
FFOTM 6 JULY 2008

Membership Update
By Judy Henzler
Hope everyone is enjoying the out of doors! We had 16
renewing memberships and one new last month,
bringing our total membership to 260. Please take the
time to check your mailing label to see if you need to
renew your membership; you can use the form below or
look for the letter inside. Thanks to those supporting
Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music by keeping their
membership up to date. If you want more information
about Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music, you can
always contact me at 928-607-6067 or e-mail to
jhenzler08@gmail.com
New and Renewing Members
Susan Bischoff
Bill Burke/Pat Stein
Flagstaff Folk Festival (continued from page 1)
The Hotwires. 3:00-3:45 Saturday on the Main
Stage. These kids will do more than impress you
with their talents playing Folk and Bluegrass: they'll
blow you away. Stalwarts of the Young Jammers
program, Tasha Hess-Neustadt, Daniel Stigmon,
Ryan Stigmon, and Benjamin Van Gorp will show
you just what's in store for the next generation of
music fans. I think we've got nothing to worry about
– the music we love is in good hands.
Muskellunge Bluegrass. 12:25-1:10 Sunday on the
Main Stage. We're proud to have Nolan McKelvey
playing once again at the Festival. This time he's
bringing his band of hotshot bluegrass players to
burn through some great original and traditional
tunes. That is Aaron Tyler on Mandolin, Frank
Dedera on Banjo, and Tim Hogan on Bass.
Songwriter's Circle. 1:00 - 2:00 Saturday and
Sunday. Did you ever see the scene in DA
Pennebaker's "Don't Look Back" where Donovan
Ken Collier
Alcyone Coon
Earl Cunningham
Stu Deering
Janice/Chris Dunn
Michael/Darcy Falk
Heather Green/Rodger Zanotto
Dick Holthausen
Patsy Cline
Charlie Mikulewicz/Peggy Marlatt
Bob Miner
Ron/Linda Nieman
Paul Silvagni/Linda Rae Westbrook
Bill Vernieu
William Wade
plays "To Sing For You" and Bob Dylan counters
with "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"? Well, if not,
you at least could imagine how such a scene would
have gone (and there's always Youtube). We don't
have Dylan (although you never know who could
show up), but we've got some of the state's best
songwriters sitting around and letting them fly for a
solid hour of mind-bogglingly good songs each day.
And the best part, as always: the cost -- only
$3/person and $9/family. The Flagstaff Folk
Festival will be June 28th and 29th from 10 AM - 6
PM at the Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 N
Fort Valley Road. It is produced by FFOTM in
partnership with Flagstaff Cultural Partners, The
Arizona State Historical Society Pioneer Museum,
Coconino County, and The City of Flagstaff and is
staffed by an army of volunteers. For more
information visit http://www.ffotm.org/folkfest/ or
contact Christina Boyd at 928-522-9269.
FFOTM 7 JULY 2008

FFOTM 8 JULY 2008