Talent agencies for folk musicians?

Subject: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: BlueSage
Date: 07 May 02 - 12:58 AM

Who do you think are the most effective talent agents/agencies (national) for artists performing folk music.

Any opinions?

Mike

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Jim Krause
Date: 07 May 02 - 01:21 AM

I dunno, but if you find one, let us all in on it.
Jim

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 May 02 - 01:39 AM

PM Seamus Kennedy-- I dunno if he would call his arrangement a "talent agency" and I don't want to speak for him, but I do know that he is well represented for bookings, etc. and is very happy with his arrangement, and working constantly.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 07 May 02 - 07:20 PM

Isn't that an oxymoron? :)

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 07 May 02 - 07:22 PM

There is Real People's Music, the agency directed by Josh Dunson. They have been around since 1975, and they currently represent Si Kahn, Tom Dahill, Peggy Seeger, Mike Seeger, Alfreda Barringer, Laura Fuentes y Calicanto, and Rebel Voices. I do not knwo if they are taking on other clients, but it is worth contacting the. Their postal address is 520 South Clinton Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60304 (USA). Their phone number is [phone].

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: BlueSage
Date: 08 May 02 - 12:55 AM

Thank you Suzan and Janice for the suggestions. I'll contact both and see where they might lead.

I've been backing up a great song writer named Brenn Hill. We've been performing concerts, cowboy poetry gatherings and various music festivals all over the west. I've been encouraging Brenn to market his music to the folk crowd but didn't know where to start. We played the Silverton folk festival and the Birch Creek Bluegrass festival and were very well received.

The western music market is very small and we need to target other genres. I think Brenn's songs would do well amongst folkies.

Thanks again for the tips and hopefully we'll receive a few more if this thread continues.

Mike

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: BlueSage
Date: 12 May 02 - 04:15 AM

Refresh: Does anyone know of any other agents/agencies that specialize in folk festivals or folk acts?

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 12 May 02 - 10:31 AM

Dear Mike,

While there are bookings agents who handle folk performers (Fleming/Tamulevich in Michigan, Nancy Carlin, Folklore Productions) they are looking for artists with an established track record, for the most part. While they do take on new, undiscovered people (Ani DiFranco, case in point with Fleming) they have to perceive that performer as being brilliantly talented.

It's discouraging to realize that. I would encourage you to send some materials to some booking agents (you and your songwriter could be among those they consider brilliant). Just don't be surprised if they don't look very closely at first. The North American Folk Alliance has some contact information for some of the above listed agencies.

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 12 May 02 - 10:52 AM

I would imagine whether you are willing to travel or not might also play a factor.

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Midchuck
Date: 12 May 02 - 10:57 AM

I thought you meant agencies that would provide talent to folk musicians.

Oh, well, I'll keep looking.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Mary Katherine
Date: 12 May 02 - 11:03 AM

All the suggested agencies: Nancy Carlin, Folklore (with which I am associated), and the two new agencies Fleming & Associates and Tamulevich & Associates (the old agency Fleming-Tamulevich has been dissolved) are excellent. But I strongly suggest you take a moment to examine their rosters on the net (all have web sites) to make sure that your artist is on the same career level as the artists they represent. Since I know Folklore best, I'll say that we represent, to take just a few of our 30+ artists, Doc Watson, Martin Carthy, John Renbourn, and until his passing a few months ago, Dave Van Ronk. These musicians are (or were, in Dave's case) full time touring music professionals, each with 20-30 LPs and CDs on major and major independent labels to their credit, each a performer for many decades, each a highly rated, multiple-award-winning, internationally known figure in the folk music world. Is your artist at that level? Then it might be a good match. If, on the other hand, your artist's performing experience is primarily at the local level, and he/she has one or two self-produced CDs under his/her belt, it's likely not a good fit. Look for an agency that can further your career, that represents artists with whom you feel you're a good fit, and most importantly one where you won't get lost in the backwash of "bigger" artists. I know that there are too few agencies for the number of artists who need them. Folklore gets 3-5 phone calls a day asking for representation. Unfortunately we are full to capacity right now, and in recent months have had to turn down some incredibly gifted and extremely well-known performing and recording folk artists who we'd give our eye-teeth to work with.

Mary Katherine

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 12 May 02 - 11:20 AM

It weems that in folk biz, you can only get an agent when you can prove that you have absolutely no use for one!

MAark Ross

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: BlueSage
Date: 12 May 02 - 01:16 PM

Thanks again for the excellent insights on agencies. Brenn Hill ( my "singer songwriter") is willing to travel, has a record contract (Paras label out of LA), and has received a notable amount of national attention this last year.

He was awarded 'Album Of The Year' by the Academy of Western Artists, the 'Crescendo Award' by the Western Music Association, and has had two positive reviews in Bill Board magazine. Brenn is also the only "young" cowboy artist playing for the national western festivals and poetry gatherings.

Our problem is reaching different markets. The western genre (not country) is very small. I know from experience that we could work the folk/bluegrass markets but are having trouble finding an agent in those genres willing to take on a "cowboy" singer.

Thanks again for all the suggestions... Mike

Subject: RE: Talent agencies for folk musicians?
From: BlueSage
Date: 15 May 02 - 07:47 PM

In case some mudcatters with agency experience might have missed it before, I am refreshing this thread one last time. Any other leads for talent agencies who work regularly with folk musicians?

Thanks.... Mike