For the series finale, we go back to the Fort. Join us as we bring you the sights and sounds we experienced at Fort Adams as Newport Folk returned after a necessary break in 2020, and presented their six-day, half capacity 2021 festival, Folk On. We'll take you from the meaningful first notes sung by the first performers to grace the stage, Resistance Revival Chorus, to one of the last - Lake Street Dive, and their tribute to beloved member of the folk family and former WFUV Program Director, the late Rita Houston. We also hear from Andrew Bird and Hiss Golden Messenger's MC Taylor about their return to performing and paying homage to John Prine, from mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile about the magic of Newport and why it continues to gives him hope, and the kismet journey of Allison Russell organizing and performing during the most talked about set at Folk On, Sunday night's 'Once and Future Sounds', curated by, and featuring women of color, with a very very special guest.
We also check in with Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey, Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), Yola, Newport Executive Director Jay Sweet, and many other artists, fans and members of the Folk family about their experiences at Folk On, their reflections of the past 18 months, and where we are headed. Through it all, the feeling of family and community is ever present, giving us the courage to take tentative steps forward, leaning into the truth and power of music, and the magic that happens when we dream together.
Festival Circuit: Newport Folk is presented by Osiris Media, and hosted by Carmel Holt. It is co-written, co-produced and edited by Carmel and Julian Booker, who is also the series' audio engineer. Production assistance from Zach Brogan. Executive producers are RJ Bee and Christina Collins. Show Logo and art by Mark Dowd.Â
The series theme music is "Ruminations Pt. 3 (Afternoon Haze)" by Steven Warwick. Thanks to Billy Glassner of the Newport Festivals Foundation for providing archival audio. Thanks to our Folk Family guests Abena Koomson-Davis, Nelini Stamp, Andrew Bird, MC Taylor, Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey, Yola, Allison Russell, Dan Knobler, Samantha Betley, Josh Wool, Julien Baker, Holland Saltzman, Nancy Sheed, Natalie Hemby, Katie Crutchfield, Jay Sweet, Chris Thile, Jonathan Russell, Rachael Price and Bridget Kearney.
