The 46th annual Folk Festival Returns Sept. 20-22


The 46th Kent State Folk Festival returns to September with headline concerts, Folk Alley 'Round Town, free workshops, an on-campus free concert and more! There will be folk-centered events for fans and musicians of all skill levels. Mark your calendar for this annual celebration of folk music on Sept. 20-22!

All tickets are now on sale through the Kent Stage. Call (888)718-4253 or go online to theKentStage.com.

Artists currently scheduled to perform

AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY'S MANCHESTER FIELD

Delhi 2 Dublin
Thursday, September 20, 8 p.m.
FREE

AT THE KENT STAGE

Tracy Grammer and John Gorka
Thursday, September 20, 8 p.m. - $21

Over the Rhine with openers Girlyman
Friday, September 21, 8 p.m. - $26

Legends of Folk, featuring Tom Paxton, Red Clay Ramblers and John McCutcheon
Saturday, September 22, 7:30 p.m. - $30/$43


AT 3 DOZEN VENUES IN DOWNTOWN KENT

Folk Alley 'Round Town
Friday, September 21
FREE

DOWNTOWN KENT

Folk Workshops
Saturday, September 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
FREE

Biographies of the Artists

Tracy Grammer
Tracy Grammer is an American folk singer known for the duo she performed in, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, from 1998 to 2001, until Carter's death. The duo began when Grammer first saw Carter performing at a songwriter’s showcase shortly after moving to Portland, Oregon. She states of her experience seeing him in concert for the first time: "As far as I was concerned, the rest of the room disappeared at that point. I knew instantly that I was in the presence of greatness." Grammer’s CD, Flower of Avalon, is critically acclaimed. She performs her own and the duo’s songs at folk festivals from the Philadelphia Folk Festival to the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and now the Kent State Folk Festival.
Source: Tracy Grammer's website

John Gorka
This Jersey native is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his start at a neighborhood coffeehouse, Godfrey Daniels, in Pennsylvania while studying philosophy and history at Moravian College in the 1970s. Since his opening acts at the coffeehouse, the contemporary folk artist gained leeway, winning the New Folk Award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, releasing more than 10 albums, a collector's edition DVD, a greatest hits CD, landing on the Billboard Folk Charts, appearing on CNN and more. He and other artists continue to perform his songs in the United States and Europe.
Source: John Gorka’s website

Delhi2Dublin
This Canadian world music group, consisting of Tarun (table, electronics), Jaron (fiddle), Sara (fiddle), Sanjay (vox), Andrew (electric sitar, guitar) and Ravi (dhol), formed in 2006 for a performance at the Vancouver Celtic Festival. Delhi2Dublin plays an energetic lineup of Bhangra, Celtic, dub, reggae and electronica genres with international tempos and club beats intermixed.
Hour magazine claimed "Delhi 2 Dublin is the United Nations of rock 'n' roll." It has performed at venues such as the Keelung City Ghost Festival in Taiwan to the BaliSpirit Festival in Indonesia to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Source: Delhi2Dublin's website

Over the Rhine
This Ohio-based band formed in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati by its two founders and main musicians, Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist, who met while studying at Malone College in Canton. Detweiler plays the piano, guitar and bass while Berquist sings and plays guitar. Paste Magazine granted one of its first five-star reviews to Over the Rhine's 2003 double album, Ohio. Their most recent album is The Long Surrender, which was released in 2011.
Source: Over the Rhine's website

Girlyman
Originally based in Brooklyn and now Atlanta, Girlyman is comprised of Tylan “Ty” Greestein (vocals, guitar, mandolin and percussion), Doris Muramatsu (vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo), Nathan D. “Nate” Borofsky (vocals, baritone guitar, bass guitar) and JJ Jones (drums).
Before its creation, Nate was an award-winning singer-songwriter, and Doris and Ty, who have been best friends since the second grade, were the award-winning duo, The Garden Verge.
This folk-rock group describes their music as “harmony-driven gender pop” and has a robust following among the LGBTQ community.
Source: Girlyman's website

Tom Paxton
Tom Paxton has become a voice of his generation, addressing issues of injustice and inhumanity, laying bare the absurdities of modern culture and celebrating the tenderest bonds of family, friends, and community. Paxton started his career in a Greenwich Village coffeehouse after remaining in the NY area after his discharge from the US Army. His earliest successes, such as The Gaslight and The Bitter, led to an increasing circle of work. His songbooks, music, and endless stride to better the world through music won him a number of awards, including the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
Source: Tom Paxton's website

Red Clay Ramblers
This Tony Award-winning group is a North Carolina string band whose repertoire reflects their roots in old-time mountain music, blue grass, county, rock, New Orleans jazz, gospel, and the American Music. In 1993, the hit Fool Moon on Broadway won them their second Drama Desk nomination for outstanding music in a play. The hit also set box-office records in Los Angeles. They have appeared on nationally televised shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and This Morning with Harry Smith. Recognition continues for the group as they create more music. The Daily Advance calls the Ramblers' last CD, Old North State, released Oct. 2009, "North Carolina at its best."
Source: Red Clay Rambler's website

John McCutcheon
This Wisconsin native made his debut after teaching himself how to play a mail-ordered guitar. He started out and is still know for his origins as an instrumental artist. In his 20s, McCutcheon traveled to Appalachia and learned from legendary folk musicians such as Roscoe Holcomb, I.D. Stamper and Tommy Hunter. He became proficient at a multitude of instruments including, the fiddle, banjo, guitar, autoharp, jaw harp, and especially the hammered dulcimer, in which he has constructed much of his music around. He has released more than 30 albums and remains a legend among the children’s, folk and instrumental genres.
Source: All Music's website