Music Notes
by Mark Jordan
Folk Alliance Deadline Looms
Not many people know it yet, but come next February, Memphis will be playing
host to what is probably the greatest exposition of roots music in the world.
The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance was founded in the early
'80s to promote folk music and dance and give support to its practitioners.
And one way it fulfills its mission is through an annual conference, which
is being held next year in Memphis at the Cook Convention Center and Crowne
Plaza Hotel. Part music festival, part schmooze-fest, part trade show, the
Folk Alliance conference is a wonderful mixing bowl of music styles because
the FA employs a very broad interpretation of the word folk. At a FA conference
you can find blues, bluegrass, sacred music, traditional music, singer-songwriter
fare, even a little rock-and-roll as long as it's played on an acoustic
guitar. The FA conference is also a great networking opportunity, especially
for the hometown artists. Besides musicians, attendees at FA conferences
include agents, managers, bookers, distributors, publishers, and record-label
execs. To expose these people to some of the music at the conference (and
to just in general give everyone a good time), FA organizers sponsor artists'
showcases throughout the conference, which brings us to why we're bringing
up a February conference in the middle of June. It seems the deadline for
applications for showcase spots is the end of this month. So, if you want
to get in on this incredible opportunity, you need to get your tape, bio,
and photo together now. To find out more about Folk Alliance and to get
more information about applying for a showcase spot, call 202-835-3655 or
e-mail the alliance at fa@folk.org. You can also download the Folk Alliance showcase application
from their Web site at http://www.hidwater.com/folkalliance/.
Tooting Our Own Horns
The Memphis Flyer and two of our writers, Debbie Gilbert and
Jim Hanas, have just been named as finalists in the national Music Journalism
Awards. Gilbert's "Beatles at Work," about the Fab Four's Anthology
retrospective, was selected as a finalist in the Criticism or Review
category. Hanas' profile of alternative-blues musician Jon Spencer, titled
"Play the Blues, Punk," was selected to compete in the Feature
Story category. And the Flyer's 1996 music issue, which featured
an article on home recording, among other things, was named a finalist in
the Theme Section or Theme Issue category. The winners will be announced
July 24th in a ceremony in San Francisco. So, if you're going to be in the
Bay Area and don't mind lugging a few awards around with you, give us a
call.
Booking Snafus
"Too Tall" Todd Adams at Newby's just called us in a tizzy (well,
maybe not a full-blown tizzy). It seems Todd double-booked his club this
Thursday and had to cancel one of the shows. The show that will be
the at Newby's this Thursday is Red Hook beer's Surfari U.S.A. tour, which
features five up-and-coming surf bands, including Squid Vicious, the Silencers,
the Neptunas, and the Mystery Men. The band that got the short end of the
stick was the Knoxville funk group Gran Torino. Well, to be a nice guy,
Todd called around and got the guys a gig at Barristers for the same night,
but not before they had already sent out flyers and notice cards to all
their local fans. So, consider yourself warned: If you were going to go
see Gran Torino this Thursday, you still can -- you just have to go to a
different place.
I'll Have Another
Shirley Temple, Mr. Kane
B.B. King's will be the site of a silent auction benefiting the Blues Foundation
this Wednesday, June 25th, starting at 6 p.m. The benefit, titled "Don't
Lose the Blues," will feature celebrity waiters manning the bar and
tables for the evening. Local celebrities scheduled to be serving guests
include Kevin Kane, Center City Commission president Ed Armentrout, judge
and budding actor D'Army Bailey, television anchor Joe Birch, and the Flyer's
own Tim Sampson. Items up for auction include a walk-on role on the sitcom
Cybill; a guitar autographed by John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, B.B.
King, Luther Allison, Ry Cooder, Robert Cray, Little Milton, and Charlie
Musselwhite; a Sun Studio recording session; an original painting by George
Hunt; and a Friday-night party for 40 at Green's Lounge. The silent auction
ends at 9:30 p.m. and will be followed by a head-cutting session between
the Memphis' Mac Daddy Blues Band and Clarksdale's Stone Gas Blues Band.
Tickets for the event are $40 for Blues Foundation members, $50 for non-members.
For more information or to place absentee bids, call the Blues Foundation
at 527-2583.
Birthday Blues
Happy birthday to drummer/singer L.T. Lewis, who turns a very youthful 83
years old this Thursday. To celebrate, the Center for Southern Folklore
is giving Lewis the night off and letting him be entertained by Joyce Cobb
and Cool Heat, who will perform from 7 to 11 p.m. Lewis will be back on
the bandstand Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m., however, when he resumes his regular
gig with pianist Mose Vinson and saxophonist Fred Ford.
Someone Who Gives A Folk
Memphis singer-songwriter Todd Snider gets quiet for a cause.
by Elizabeth Lemond
elebrities
frequently cling to charitable causes, like fabric-softener sheets cling
to the inside of drying jeans. They do so in the hope that the exposure
will dress up their own image. But Todd Snider's efforts on behalf of The
Food Bank predate his popular success as a musician.
On June 28th, an all-star roster of musicians from around the country will gather at the New Daisy Theatre on Beale to lend their talents to Snider's What The Folk Fest '97. This is the sixth year that the Memphis singer/songwriter has organized and participated in this fund-raising event for The Food Bank.
"Todd Snider started doing this festival when he didn't have a dime for himself," says The Food Bank's executive director Susan Sanford. "All he had was his talent, and he wanted to help hungry people."
"The unplugged stuff wasn't happening a whole lot then," says Snider, explaining the idea behind festival. "I just thought it would be cool to have everyone play quietly -- more folksy."
Plus, it was at the South End, and so we all had plenty of beer," he adds jokingly. "I think we made like $300 or something."
Last year, the festival entertained just under 500 audience members and raised about $5,000 for The Food Bank. Over 300 tickets at $15 each have already been sold for this year's show, and Snider thinks the show may fill the New Daisy to its 750-person capacity.
"I would really like to see a big crowd this year; there are really good artists that are going to be there. I would think that people would want to get off their asses and out from behind the TV," says Snider.
The festival's success has grown along with Snider's reputation as a musician. Since the first What the Folk Fest, Snider has become a nationally recognized recording artist with two albums out on Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville label, 1995's Songs From the Daily Planet and last year's Step Right Up. But success has not kept him from working with The Food Bank to organize the event. Rather, it has enabled him to motivate other performers to join his crusade against hunger and add their talents (and selling power) to the festival. This year, eight acts will join Snider on the New Daisy stage, including Steve Earle, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Kevn Kinney of Drivin' and Cryin'. And expect Snider's mentor, Keith Sykes, who has participated in each of the previous What the Folks, to keep his track record unblemished. "I like to get together with people I haven't seen in a while," he says. "But the most rewarding part is giving money to a worthy cause. If more people do it, less people will be hungry."
"When Todd started doing [What the Folk], no one had ever heard of him," says Sykes. "He raised $60 for The Food Bank and gave it to them when he didn't have $60 of his own."
Snider modestly downplays his charitable side and asserts that the most rewarding part of the show for him is getting to hear all the other artists perform. "I get a great seat at a great show, and I get to play, too," Snider says joyfully. "It's just always so fun. I just like to be involved in music, and the people at The Food Bank are so appreciative."
"No... actually, it's because I want to be mayor," Snider jokes. "What do you think my chances are?"
Well, just in case Snider's political ambitions don't pan out, he can always fall back on his music career. He recorded his third album in Memphis earlier this year and is currently in New York City mixing it. The record is scheduled for release in January. And following What the Folk, Snider will continue to tour with his band, the Nervous Wrecks, and maybe hit the road alone for a while.