From Friday, July 25, to Sunday, July 27, I attended the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate Hillsdale, NY, one of the best festivals of any genre, going strong at age 20. Past acts include Eddie From Ohio, Railroad Earth, Nickel Creek, Ani Difranco, Dar Williams.
This year, there was lot’s of rain, amid some great performances, including Janis Ian, and Jon Vezner, both Grammy winners (and it turns out, songwriting collaborators).
Jon Vezner co-wrote “Where’ve You Been”, recorded by Kathy Mattea. The song was honored with a Grammy Award for “Best Country Song” in 1990. Check him out here.
Janis Ian, a child prodigy, has grown into an adult prodigy. At 15, she wrote and won the first of many #1 hits, Societys’ Child, whose description of interacial dating broke a songwriting barrier, and garnered her much hate whenever she performed it, back in the late 60s.
If you’re a songwriter, or just like heroes, then you must read her autobiography, which came out last year. Not only is she one of our best living songwriters, she’s a genuine barrier-breaking, adversity-overcoming hero; and she was very gracious as she posed for this photo & signed her book:
Here’s some of the signs-in-waiting:
