This Sunday, June 18, I will be presenting highlights from the 1963 Arkansas Folk Festival on WFDU-FM's TRADITIONS.

In April of 1963 a two-day folk festival was held at a high school in Mountain View, Arkansas. One of the festival organizers, and emcee for the event, was Jimmy Driftwood. The festival celebrated music and heritage by presenting local musicians and members of a folk music club. A few names, such as Alameda Riddle, would gain national recognition but overall the festival was a well-attended celebration of local folk music, held in what was then one of the poorest counties in Arkansas and the country.

Another guiding light behind the organization of the festival, was folklorist John Quincy Wolf, Jr. Wolf documented much of the music of his native Arkansas, and he played a role in exposing Jimmy Driftwood, Alameda Riddle and others to folk circles beyond their region.    Wolf also brought a reel-to-reel recorder to the festival, set it up on a chair on stage, and recorded 4 hours of music from both nights of that first festival.

Upon his death, the tapes were given to Lyon College (then Arkansas College).   Last year, Lyon College released a two-CD set that allows the listener to re-experience that first festival. (The annual Arkansas Folk Festival continues to this day!)

I came across a copy a few months ago and was astounded by not only the superb quality of the recordings, but the magical spirit that was captured in the performances.   It is a look back at a time when folk music was more than something we listened to. It was a time when the music was part of the fabric of daily life in an area that was still maintaining rural traditions. It is a wonderful reminder of the importance and pure joy that music can bring.   I would also hope that it might remind some of us how a festival should be organized!!

For this weeks show, we will step back in time with our "tour guide", Dr. Brooks Blevins of Lyon College, who produced this magnificent CD set.   Brooks will give us insight into the lives of the performers and share some of the most captivating music I've heard in years.

Please join us. If you are in the NYC area you can listen in at 89.1FM, or you can tune in via the internet at www.wfdu.fm