26th Annual Folk Alliance International Conference
All photographs copyright by Kim Reed and Prairie moon media 2014
Keynote speaker Graham Nash and Joel Rafael
Kansas City was host to the Folk Alliance Conference February 19th through the 23rd at the Westin Crown Center. Attended by thousands of singers, songwriters, musicians, managers, publishers, record companies, talent booking agents, media, and avid fans of folk music, FAI 2014 was a whirlwind of music.
Not only were performers from all corners of the United States, but countries such as Australia, Canada, Wales, England, and Ireland were well represented throughout the hundreds of showcases.
The ballrooms were filled with such notables as keynote speaker Graham Nash, Jim Kweskin, Carolyn Hester, John Gorka, Carrie Elkin, and Brewer & Shipley, while other rooms (including three floors of hotel rooms and suites, were filled with a wide range of performers from early morning until the wee hours of the next days. Foyers, alcoves, rocks by the center waterfall, and stairwells were also impromptu meeting places for musicians looking for a jam.
Not only were performers from all corners of the United States, but countries such as Australia, Canada, Wales, England, and Ireland were well represented throughout the hundreds of showcases.
The ballrooms were filled with such notables as keynote speaker Graham Nash, Jim Kweskin, Carolyn Hester, John Gorka, Carrie Elkin, and Brewer & Shipley, while other rooms (including three floors of hotel rooms and suites, were filled with a wide range of performers from early morning until the wee hours of the next days. Foyers, alcoves, rocks by the center waterfall, and stairwells were also impromptu meeting places for musicians looking for a jam.
There were some spine tingling moments when such we "discovered" such talents as Oklahoma native Parker Milsap, Heather Maloney, Darlingside, The Shook Twins, BettySoo, Birds of Chicago, and Anne Janelle, while gaining even more appreciation for those more familiar like Ruth Moody of the Wailin' Jennys, Ray Bonneville, Rachael Sage, and Josh White Jr. Keep an eye out for so many talented up n' comers like Darlingside, The Grahams, Laith Al-Saadi, Alyse Black, and The Sea The Sea. Too much to see, too much too hear, and too little time, but there's always next year!
