Hi Willie-O. I am very familiar with Kerrville. Not my cuppa, really, and it is pretty much understood by everybody that Kerrville is TOTALLY singer/songwriter oriented. I remember some deranged person telling me that they tried to get a Scared Harp session going at Kerrville and could not understand why people didn't show up. A case of not doing one's research I suppose.

I have been involved in some of the more singer/songwriter things that have surprised me. In 2001, I was selected as one of 24 "new artists" in the Friday afternoon showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Out of the 24 there were only two of us who performed any traditional material at all.

As for songwriting competitions, they are what they are, and that is fine for me. It is a competition in writing. I have no problem with that kind of thing as it is not making that assumption that Anahata referred to above that "if you didn't write it ain't folk".

But there is one festival that Ron O mentioned above and that is the New Bedford Summerfest. I would encourage folks to check this one out as there is something for everybody at this event. Disclaimer: I have performed at this festival in the past and know the programmers, but I support it because their mission is to present music THEY enjoy and not follow a "trend". There is enough trad, contemporary, Celtic, World..in other words FOLK to go around to make the whole weekend an enjoyable one.

Deb