FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2010
WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2010 LINE-UP
Legends and Locals set to Perform at Scenic Birds Hill Provincial Park
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada – Birds Hill Provincial Park will come alive July 7-11, 2010 when one of Canada’s finest summer music festivals celebrates its 37th year with a stellar line-up that features legends, locals, and some of the best new Canadian folk voices and emerging artists from around the world.
The Winnipeg Folk Festival continues its tradition of showcasing an impressive selection of accomplished artists with the likes of eleven time Grammy nominee John Hiatt and The Combo, Juno nominated Sarah Harmer, and the Academy award winning duo of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, better known as The Swell Season.
Other highlights include The Levon Helm Band fronted by The Band’s former drummer and singer Levon Helm, The Avett Brothers, hot off the heels of their career-defining album I and Love and You, indie-folk darling Andrew Bird, and legendary Country Music Hall of Famer Emmylou Harris who will grace the main stage once again. Australia’s The Cat Empire are back this year, and two-time Grammy award winning, hip-hop pioneers Arrested Development will make their first ever Winnipeg Folk Festival appearance.
This year’s crop of home grown Manitoba talent includes recent Juno nominee Romi Mayes, singer/songwriter Greg Macpherson, The Wailin Jenny’s, Grammy and Juno nominee The Duhks, Del Barber, and Weakerthans frontman John K. Samson. The festival is especially thrilled to welcome back folk legend Oscar Brand, one of the festival’s original performers from the 1974 festival who continues to captivate audiences in his 90th year. Other distinctive Canadian female acts include Montreal’s Ladies of the Canyon, and 2010 Juno nominee The Good Lovelies, known for their clever songs and humorous onstage banter.
“I think we’ve put together a line-up that strikes a great balance between both high profile and up-and-coming artists. We have some incredible music legends this year, but we are equally excited about supporting emerging artists and giving them opportunity to launch and develop their careers” says Artistic Director, Chris Frayer, “our adventurous audience enjoys the sense of discovery these artists bring to the festival.”
Traditional and contemporary blues are well represented with Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Featuring The Sojourners, Geoff Muldaur, Del Rey and Alvin Youngblood Hart who pay tribute to the work of this historic group with heartfelt blues and country picking from the 1930s. The festival also welcomes American blues great Sonny Landreth, known for his amazing slide guitar technique, and Hot Tuna, an offshoot of psych-rock band Jefferson Airplane with guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady.
A different kind of blue brings out the night owls – Big Blue at Night, the stage known for introducing new sounds on the fringe of folk will see performances from the likes of DJ Dolores, The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Dodos, and the return of last year’s sleeper hit Oka from Australia.
Festival-goers will also have the chance to discover eclectic musicians from across the pond and beyond. Scotland’s The Peatbog Faeries combine pipes and fiddle with a world-class rhythm section to deliver exciting Celtic fusion, and junkyard instrumentalists Konono N° 1 from the Democratic Republic of Congo mix tradition and technology to create an absolutely hypnotic sound. Additional international artists include 2009 Grammy nominee for Best Traditional World Music Album, India’s lap slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya whose originality has earned him admiration worldwide.
Bringing fun and excitement to the highly interactive family area will be local French chanteurs, Lulu and the TomCat, bluegrass family favourite Aaron Burnett, and the all-star indie folk-for-kids group Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players.
“In our 37th edition, The Winnipeg Folk Festival will once again engage audiences in musical discovery and a celebration of community” says Executive Director, Tamara Kater “the festival’s top-notch programming, unique performance collaborations, and warm atmosphere have established its reputation as a premier cultural destination in Canada and a world class event.”
The 2010 Winnipeg Folk Festival takes place at Birds Provincial Park, Manitoba, Canada, from Wednesday July 7 through Sunday July 11, 2010. Early-bird tickets are on sale now at the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store, 211 Bannatyne Avenue (at Albert) or through Ticketmaster: (204) 780-3333 or 1-888-655-5354, or www.ticketmaster.ca.
A performer line-up follows with additional artists to be announced in the coming weeks. The line-up is subject to change without notice. Please visit www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca for up-to-date performer information.
About the Winnipeg Folk Festival
The Winnipeg Folk Festival, celebrating 37 years in 2010, is one of North America’s premier outdoor music festivals. It takes place each summer over the second weekend in July in Birds Hill Provincial Park, Manitoba, Canada, with the 2010 festival running from July 7 to 11.
The Winnipeg Folk Festival is also a year-round arts organization in Winnipeg with education and outreach programs designed to benefit the community through presenting live music, music training, arts events, and operating a folk music store and performance space in Winnipeg’s Old Market Square. The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a not-for-profit charitable organization.
For more information, or to arrange interviews please contact:
Margaret Koshinsky
Manager, Marketing & Communications
204-231-0096 ex. 227 cell 204-509-7007
margaret@winnipegfolkfestival.ca
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