Kerrville Folk Festival
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The Kerrville Folk Festival is a music festival held for 18 consecutive days in the late spring/early summer at Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville, Texas. The event has run on a yearly basis since 1972.
Each May and June, the ranch welcomes tens of thousands of people, many of whom camp on the grounds of the ranch in a veritable tent community. The festival places a strong emphasis on songwriting, though the performances encompass a variety of styles. The idea behind the festivals is to "promote emerging artists while giving our audience exposure to both new and recognized, seasoned talent", according to the festival's official website.
Almost all the staff are volunteers. They are the heart of the festival. After the main stage closes for the night all the volunteers and performers play music by the campfires, sometimes till dawn.
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[edit] The Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition
One of the high points of the festival since 1972 has been the annual New Folk Competition. Thirty-two finalists are selected from a field of 800 entries to share two of their original songs in an afternoon appearance on the stage of the Threadgill Theater. From these 32 finalists, six winners are selected by a small group of well-established performing songwriters. In addition to cash and other tangible prizes, the six winners are invited to the main stage to perform a 20-minute set.
A win at Kerrville carries considerable prestige in the singer-songwriter community. This is in part due to the peer-professional judging and the festival’s long history of recognizing emerging artists who have later gone on to wider success. There have also been examples of notable performers who have appeared as finalists in the competition without ever earning a win. Examples of artists who have performed in the competition include:
- Steve Earle (1978)
- John Gorka (1984)
- Lindsey Lee (vampire)
- Nanci Griffith (1978)
- Tish Hinojosa (1979)
- Robert Earl Keen (1983)
- Lyle Lovett (1980, 1982)
- Ellis Paul (1994)
- Slaid Cleaves (1992)
- Cosy Sheridan (1992)
- Johnsmith (1990)
- Anne Feeney (1989)
- James McMurtry (1987)
- Pierce Pettis (1987)
- Buddy Mondlock (1987)
- David Wilcox(1988).
[edit] The 2007 New Folk Competition
The 2007 New Folk Competition was held May 26 & 27.
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[edit] The 2006 New Folk Competition
The 2006 New Folk Competition was held on May 27 and May 28.
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[edit] The 2005 New Folk Competition
The 2005 New Folk Competition was held on May 28th and 29th.
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[edit] Kerrville Wine & Music Festival
The Kerrville Wine & Music Festival, called "Little Folk" is also hosted by the ranch over Labor Day Weekend, and the two share a website.
[edit] List of Past Performers
- David M. Bailey
- Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Judy Collins
- Ronny Cox
- Nancy Griffith
- Janis Ian
- Robert Earl Keen
- Lyle Lovett
- Willie Nelson
- Tom Paxton
- Peter Paul & Mary
- Michelle Shocked
- Michael Peter Smith
- Lucinda Williams
