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Golden Link Folk Singing Society

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Golden Link announces line-up for 49th Annual Turtle Hill Folk Festival on September 11, 12, and 13

David Townsend | Published on 3/31/2020

P.O. Box 92398

Rochester, NY 14692

www.goldenlink.org

 

 

March 30, 2020

Media contact: David Townsend (not for publication) 585-467-8690

Interviews with Golden Link members or featured performers can be arranged.

 

Golden Link announces line-up for 49th Annual
Turtle Hill Folk Festival on September 11, 12, and 13, 2020

 

Annual Golden Link event features concerts, workshops, singing,
jamming, dancing, food, children’s activities, and fun.

 

 

Rochester, N.Y.—Enjoy a great weekend of folk music at the 49th Annual Turtle Hill Folk Festival, presented by the Golden Link Folk Singing Society at the Rotary Sunshine Campus, 809 Five Points Rd., in Rush, NY on September 11, 12, and 13, 2020. The Festival will feature evening concerts by Cosy Sheridan, Magpie, Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, Pete’s Posse, Jack Williams, Brendan Taaffe. Festival tickets will be available in the near future at www.goldenlink.org, with discounts for Golden Link members. 

                                                           

At Turtle Hill, the audience not only gets to see these performers on stage, but also interact with them during workshops and small presentations during the day on Saturday and Sunday, with many informal opportunities to sing and play music together. There will also be a Saturday afternoon contra dance with music by Pete’s Posse, and late-night singing and jamming. Rough camping is included with the ticket price; for a small fee, you can reserve a bed in the rustic, heated bunkhouses. 

 

 

Friday, September 11, 7:00–10:00 pmConcert features (in performance order):

           

Jack Williams: The music of Jack Williams, rooted in his native South Carolina, was shaped by a 61-year career of playing folk, rock, jazz, R&B, classical and the popular music of the 30s, 40s and 50s. He is counted among the most dynamic performers on today's "folk" circuit - "...one of the most enlightened and entertaining performers I've ever encountered", said Dave Humphreys of Two-Way Street Coffeehouse in Downer's Grove, IL. Jack is considered a "musician's musician", an uncommonly unique guitarist, a writer of vivid songs with a strong sense of place, and a storyteller in an old Southern tradition who further illustrates each tale with his guitar. Rich Warren of WFMT Chicago's The Midnight Special said, "His artistry is nothing short of amazing". Vic Heyman, in SING OUT!, wrote, “He is one of the strongest guitar players in contemporary folk.”

 

Pete’s Posse: Based in Vermont and composed of Pete Sutherland, Oliver Scanlon and Tristan Henderson, Pete's Posse never fails to surprise and excite. Twin fiddles in tight, wild harmony over high-powered guitar and pounding foot percussion with mandolin, clawhammer banjo, jaw harp, rocking keyboards, and soaring vocal harmonies adding color to the Posse's sonic landscape. With a steady flow of powerful uplifting energy, they tap into many traditions to distill a distinct sound that is completely their own. For over four years they've been bringing their brand of ‘Neo-Traditional Folk’ to festival stages, dance halls and concert series across the US, Canada and Europe.

 

Cosy Sheridan: Cosy Sheridan first appeared on the national folk scene in 1992 when she won the songwriting contests at The Kerrville Folk Festival and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival.  The Boston Globe wrote:” she is now being called one of the best new singer/songwriters”. She has been on the road ever since, playing clubs, concert halls and coffeehouses across the country. She continues to be one of the most prolific songwriters in the folk scene. Backed by the strong rhythms and harmonies of her bass player Charlie Koch, she plays a percussive bluesy guitar style, often in open tunings and occasionally with two capos on the guitar neck. She teaches classes in songwriting, performance and guitar at workshops and adult music camps across the country, and is the director of Moab Folk Camp in Moab, Utah.

 

Saturday, September 12, 7:00–10:00 pmConcert features (in performance order):

                

Brendan Taaffe: Deeply versed in Irish and American traditions, Brendan Taaffe has found a truly distinctive voice, blending old-time ballads with traditional Zimbabwean rhythms. The ripple of the mbira, an instrument over a thousand years old, and Taaffe's lush tenor casts old songs in a new light, creating "the kind of hushed, lonely warmth you experience sitting by a fire in a drafty house."

A multi-instrumentalist on guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mbira, Brendan has toured with many different groups, including nationally acclaimed dance band Magic Foot and the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble Northern Harmony. In addition to performing solo, he currently directs The Bright Wings Chorus, a vocal ensemble, and is the front man of The New Line, a band that blends mbira with banjo, electric guitar, and percussion, creating a bridge between American and African traditions.

Originally from Minnesota, Brendan now lives in Brattleboro, Vermont and tours regularly throughout the U.S. and Europe.

 

Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters: The powerhouse duo of Amy Gallatin and renowned resophonic guitarist Roger Williams—20 and 40-year veterans of the New England music scene--joined forces a few years ago to explore their mutual love of country standards, served up with an acoustic treatment in the bluegrass vein. The result is a toe-tapping blend of heartfelt vocals, soaring harmonies and red-hot picking, traditional yet modern and distinct. The two are enhanced on mandolin and vocals by Roger's son, Berklee College of Music grad JD, who in the time-honored tradition of musical consanguinity complements his father's style perfectly, along with veteran bassist Eric Levenson, formerly with Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys and later with Boston City Limits.

 

Magpie: With a career that has spanned more than forty years, Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner have traveled the globe, bringing its unique sound and breathtaking versatility to audiences everywhere. From traditional songs to vintage blues, swing and country to folk classics to contemporary and stirring original compositions, they cover a lot of musical ground. With their powerful voices and harmonies and their excellent instrumental arrangements on guitars, mandolin, harmonica, dulcimer, and concertina, their sound is much bigger than just two people. Award-winning recording artists, songwriters, musical historians, and social activists, Terry and Greg always promise a presentation that is highly entertaining as well as provocative and deeply moving.

 

Festival Site, Camping, Children’s Activities, and Food: Turtle Hill will be held at the Rotary Sunshine Campus, 809 Five Points Road, Rush, NY, a short drive south of Rochester. Rough camping (tents or RVs; no hook-ups) is included with the ticket price. For a small fee, you can reserve a bunkhouse bed. Showers are available for campers. Vendors will provide food, including vegetarian and gluten free dishes. There will be other vendors as well. Nature trails, two playgrounds, and mini-golf on site. All facilities are wheelchair accessible. The Rotary Sunshine Camp is a pet, smoke, and alcohol free facility. Attendees are welcome to bring their children and grandchildren to the festival. Admission for children 12 and under is free.

 

Tickets: Tickets will be available at www.goldenlink.org, with a discount for Golden Link members.

 

Founded in 1971, the Golden Link Folk Singing Society is dedicated to presenting, promoting, and preserving folk music in the Rochester area. Golden Link is a volunteer-operated and member-supported 501(c)3 not-for-profit arts, cultural, and educational organization.

 

 

Calendar Listing

 

Turtle Hill Folk Festival

Rotary Sunshine Campus, 809 Five Points Rd., Rush, New York

 

Friday, September 11, 2020

Gate opens 5:30 pm

Food and craft vendors on site

Concert, 7:00–10:00 pm:

Jack Williams

Pete’s Posse

Cosy Sheridan

Evening concert followed by an indoor fireplace singaround and informal jamming.

 

Saturday, September 12, 2020 

Gate opens 9:30 am

Daytime workshops, round-robins, and jamming on three stages. 

Saturday afternoon contra dance with Pete’s Posse

Concert, 7:00–10:00 pm:

Brendan Taaffe

Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters

Magpie

Evening concert followed by an indoor fireplace singaround and informal jamming.

 

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Gate opens 9:30 am

Daytime workshops, round-robins, and jamming on three stages: 10:00 am–2:00 pm

Closing Concert featuring all performers 2:00–3:30 pm