Triple Song Contest winner releases new album.

Three of John Wort Hannam's Ship & Anchor and CFMF Songwriting contest songs are included on his new release. Congratulations John.

Songwriters - the 2010 song contest will be coming soon! We will begin accepting entries on December 15 with new criteria and categories. Stay tuned. (Word is that John will be a judge this year instead of a contestant.)

(PR) Black Hen Music announces a November 17 release date for Queen's Hotel, the latest album of songs from Canadian singer/songwriter John Wort Hannam. The Black Hen Music label is distributed in the U.S. by Burnside Distribution

Queen's Hotel is Wort Hannam's fourth full-length CD and second release for Black Hen Music. His last album, Two-Bit Suit, was released in 2007 and produced by Juno award-winner Steve Dawson, who again takes the helm producing 11 tracks of authentic Canadiana folk/roots music on the new CD. The writing, although true to John's narrative story-telling style, is tighter, smarter, more personal, and with a breadth of subject matter not seen on previous recordings. The upbeat "With the Grain" (a song for which Wort Hannam won Grand Prize at the 2009 Calgary Folk Music Festival Songwriting Competition) recalls the conversation where John tells his father he would quit teaching to attempt a shot at performing music.

"Worth a Damn", a timeless sounding duet performed with multi-Juno award-winner Jenny Whiteley, is reminiscent of a John Prine/Iris Dement collaboration. Despite the title, "Requiem For A Small Town" is a rollicking 3 and ½ minute look at the town that just never quite made it. The poignant but catchy closing song, "Lucky Strikes," was written after a visit to the infamous Queen's Hotel, located near the Canadian Rockies in the Western Canadian province of Alberta. "When I Drink Too Much" (winner, CFMF Song Contest 2007 - ed) is a humorous tune that begs for a sing-a-long in a funky barroom. Wort Hannam also revisits two songs from previous independent releases: "Church of the Long Grass," (winner, CFMF Song Contest 2004 - ed) which has been called by some "the unofficial anthem of southern Alberta," and "Pier 21," which recounts the immigration of Wort Hannam's family from the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, UK, to Canada in the late '70s.

- from antimusic.com

The festival's international reach

We recently received a great email from Brasil regarding a CFMF sighting...

I must tell someone with the Festival Management about an incidence of amazing synergy involving mind boggling logistics and of course if there was such a thing as coincidence we could definitely use that term...

I am a former CFF goer - my absence in recent summers is due to the fact that I have relocated to Sao Paulo Brasil.

Sao Paulo is a monster city and amongst the 20 million or so residents are counted the largest number of Japanese people in a community outside of Japan. Sao Paulo has a "Japan Town" called Liberdade. There are a few Chinese and Korean businesses mixed in but anyway...I'm with a friend recently she was here on vacation- a Calgarian woman of asian origins and we are poking around in Liberdade. I was looking at some of the wares in this hole in the wall shop including beautiful Japanese pottery and mass produced Chinese dishes , I picked up a blue plastic plate with a cow sporting a guitar around her neck and a familiar logo. I bought it and the mate, for 4 Reals which is about $2.50 CDN. I always returned my plate for the twoonie back home. They now have an honored place at my BBQ here in Brasil and I am still trying to figure out what it all means.
I'm guessing global distribution has something to do with it...

Sincerely & with a chuckle from Brasil ,
Tracy Meier-Ragazzi

Thanks Tracy for bringing this to our attention - you got a steal of a deal!

Deep Dark Woods and Little Miss Higgins

We love a party and we love our volunteers. Volunteer parties are a perfect combination of the two, don't ya think? The Deep Dark Woods and Little Miss Higgins show is in honor of that army of 1500 who make the folk fest happen.

Not a volunteer? You are still welcome to come! Buy a ticket from our office or at Megatunes or Heritage Posters and Music. And while you're at the show, take a moment to thank a volunteer.

Deep Dark Woods wowed the crowds this summer...here's a music video of them in their underwear.

Amelia Curran live Sept 26

CFMF is proud to present Amelia Curran this week at Local 522 - listen to our podcast!. Beautiful music in a beautiful atmosphere! Tickets $15 in advance online or at Megatunes or Heritage Posters and Music, or at the door for $18.

CFMF remembers Frank Stanley

It is with the deepest sorrow that I share the sad news of Frank Stanley's passing on Wednesday, September 2.

Frank Stanley was a Calgary folk institution unto himself, donating 30 years of his time not only to the Folk Fest but to the Rocky Mountain Folk Club, the Calgary Folk Club and of course the Nickolodeon Music Club. Many times I have made a connection with someone new just based on the fact we both knew Frank and I rest assured that these connections will continue for years to come, even in passing Frank will continue to be that folk institution.

In 2007 Frank Stanley was the CFMF's volunteer in profile. His long time friend and volunteer Keith Johnson wrote the following words to express why Frank was chosen as the CFMF very first volunteer in profile,

Frank has volunteered for the CFMF for 28 years. Yes, every single festival. He is a valued member of the Stage Security crew. Frank is probably one of the most recognized volunteers during the festival but is often aloof and shy, except for when it comes time for him to go to work. He knows his job and he does it very well. "I don't want to let my boss down,” he says. Frank is a senior now but has absolutely no intention of slowing down or retiring his volunteer position, and that suits his "Boss" just fine. Frank, thank you for so many years of support and dedication to the CFMF.

Frank continued to volunteer in 2008 but was unable to put in his hours in 2009 due to failing health, nonetheless he was still down on the Island making sure we were getting things done right.

If you never met Frank I am sorry you missed the opportunity but I know his dedication, spirit and enthusiasm will live on in the hearts of all true folkies. Whether or not you knew Frank please make the time in the coming days to remember him or someone else you know that has left an indelible mark on a community you belong to.

Talia Potter, Volunteer Manager

CADA makes nice videos.

A great feature on the festival with Kerry Clarke.

Calgary Folk Music Festival from Calgary Arts Development on Vimeo.

Justin Rutledge & the Boot Camp singers!

Here's an mp3 of I Had to Try: the final song from Justin Rutledge and his songwriting workshop students. The song was written as part of the 2009 Folk Boot Camp. Thanks Justin!