National Folk Fesitval Announces Final Musician Line-up

The National Folk Festival announced today the full list of performers for the Folk Festival’s free 3-day event at the river, October 12-14th.

These artists include: Junk Yard Band – Go-go, Big Country Bluegrass – bluegrass, Cindy Cashdollar, Elana James, and the Hot Club of Cowtown – Western Swing, Bryan Bowers – Autoharp player and singer, Karan Casey – Irish Song and Music, Dovie Thomason Sickles – Native American Story Teller, Moges Seyoum & The Yared Choir – Ethiopian Christian Liturgical Music, Manoocheher Sadeghi – Persian Santur, Palabuniyan Kulintang Ensemble – Philipino Gong Orchestra, Wild Style 25th Anniversary – Hip-hop Innovator, Marimba Linda Xelajú – Guatemalan Marimba, The Jerry Grcevich Tamburitza Orchestra – Tamburitza Musician and Composer, Melody of China – Chinese Music, and Ubaldo Sanchez – Guatemalan Alfrombra Maker.

“The festival features the very finest traditional artists from cultural communities all over the nation,” said Lisa Sims, festival director. “This incredible gathering of musicians really offers something for everyone and I’m sure all who attend will be delighted – and those who don’t attend will wish they had.”

These artists join Grupo Fantasma – Latin dance music, Professor John Styles – Punch and Judy puppetry, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – Bluegrass and bluegrass gospel, Vishten – Acadian music and dance, The Holmes Brothers -Blues, gospel and R&B, D.L. Menard and the Louisiana Aces – Honky-tonk Cajun, Jason Samuels Smith and Pandit Chitresh Das – Masters of percussive dance, Maggie Ingram and The Ingramettes – Gospel, Blue Ridge Masters Wayne Henderson and Jeff Little, Blue Ridge guitar and piano, Henry Butler – New Orleans piano professor, Kotchenga Dance Company – Ivorian dance and persussian ensemble, and Rosie Ledet and The Zydeco Playboys – zydeco, completing the performer lineup for the 69th National Folk Festival.

Four additional artists being announced today will perform on the Traditional Craft Area stage. These artists are Mike Seeger – Old-time banjo, Cephas & Wiggins – Piedmont blues, Linda Lay – bluegrass, and The Madison Hummingbirds – gospel shout band.

To find out more about the performing groups scheduled for the 69th National Folk Festival or to volunteer at the festival, please visit www.venturerichmond.com or call (804) 788-6466.