The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #39520   Message #564661
Posted By: Paul G.
03-Oct-01 - 10:40 PM
Thread Name: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
Subject: RE: Florida Catters: What's the folk scene?
As the current President of Friends of Florida Folk and a performer and a (now)occasional poster here I will chime in. The FoFF site depends upon artists and venues to notify us of their event, so it is always incomplete. The Orlando Folk Club has a web site in addition to their newsletter -- perhaps someone who knows it will post their URL here. The Orlando area has MUCH music of interest that doesn't involve "the Rat" or similar nearby plastic distractions. Same with the Sarasota club. Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale) has a huge and very active folk club and presents the annual South Florida Folk Festival. For more on south Florida try www.singerfolkmusic.com Bob and Saralyn Singer host many house concerts and keep track of what's going on in their region. There are frequent festivals at the Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, FL (north FL). The week of the 19th is Magnolia Fest. I believe they have a web site as well. magmusic.com or magnoliamusic.com. St. Augustine, up here in my neck of the woods is alive with folk and acoustic music on a regular basis. It's the home of Gamble Rogers and a host of his still picking proteges(sp?). Here in Jacksonville we're getting ready to host the 14th annual Folk Alliance conference in February. I'm chair of the local conference committee. Cheryl Wheeler is here tomorrow night. Allison Krause was here last weekend. My little redneck city is coming along...Our state is rich ith folk music and other forms of folk art. It's not all that hard to find that our heritage goes light years beyond Disney, MGM, and condos on the beaches. And how could I forget the nations longest running state folk festival, the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial Day weekend in White Springs. Did I mention one of my songs is being released on a compliation disk of Florida Environmental music? Yeah, that too...

Paul