Sunday, July 17, 2016 Noon

Sunday, July 17, 2016 Noon - 6:00 pm
on the Historic Woodstock Square
COME FOR THE WEEKEND!
SEE LISTING OF WEEKEND EVENTS,
INCLUDING WOODSTOCK’S
“SUMMER IN THE PARK”
COMMUNITY FESTIVAL AND
MEGON MCDONOUGH’S CONCERT
AT THE WOODSTOCK OPERA
HOUSE, AND LODGING
INFORMATION ON PAGE 11
31ST ANNUAL WOODSTOCK
FOLK FESTIVAL
WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS
SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2016
FEATURING MAIN STAGE, OPEN MIC
STAGE, CHILDREN’S AREA, AND
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This year the 31st Annual Woodstock Folk
Festival takes place on Sunday, July 17,
2016 from Noon-6 p.m. on the historic
Woodstock Square in Woodstock, Illinois
and features a Main Stage, Open Mic
Stage, Children’s Area, and Lifetime
Achievement Award. See details in this
program. Woodstock is one of the
National Trust for Historic Preservation’s
Dozen Distinctive Destinations; it was the
film location for the movie Groundhog
Day.
With a diverse musical line-up and an array
of activities for people of all ages, the
Festival will offer something for everyone.
The Festival will present its Fifteenth
Annual Lifetime Achievement Award to
Bill Staines. Other Main Stage performers
will include Tret Fure, Hounds of Finn,
Reverend Robert B. Jones, Heather Pierson
Acoustic Trio, Woody Pines, and Villa
Palagonia. Small Potatoes will open the
Festival, accompany Bill Staines, and lead
the All-Sing Finale, a hallmark of the
Festival since its founding in 1986. While
most of the Festival takes place outdoors on
Woodstock Square, the Open Mic Stage
will be at the air-conditioned Stage Left Cafe,
adjacent to the Woodstock Opera House on
the Square. The Featured Performer at the
Open Mic Stage will be Big Fish (Marty
Brunkalla, Deb Firak, Kent Fishburn, and
Al Fyfe). The suggested donation for the
all-day Sunday Festival is $15 for adults,
$25 for families, and $10 for students and
seniors. Performers are listed in this
program.
CO-HOSTS
This year the festival is very pleased to
welcome back Chuck VanderVennet and
Rich Warren as co-hosts of the Main Stage.
Rich will feature Festival performer
Woody Pines on “Folkstage” the night
before the Festival (8 p.m./CDT,
WFMT/98.7FM).
Tret Fure
Rev. Robert B. Jones
Bill Staines
recipient of the 2016 Woodstock
Folk Festival Lifetime
Achievement Award
Hounds of Finn
Woody Pines
Radio Partners
Villa Palagonia
FESTIVAL PREVIEWS
WFF Main Stage Co-Host Chuck
VanderVennet and Festival President
Carol Obertubbesing will offer a preview
of the Festival on “Sweet Folk Chicago”
with Rich Warren on Radio Sponsor
WFMT/98.7FM or www.wfmt.com; check
the Festival web site for date and time.
Radio Sponsors WDCB/90.9FM and
WNUR/89.3FM will also feature music by
Festival performers on their shows.
Suggested Donation
The Heather Pierson Trio
Note: All Times Are Central Time.
$15 individuals
$25 family
$10 seniors / students
The rain location for the Festival is the
Unity Spiritual Center. It is located
one block South and one block West of
the Square at the corner of Calhoun
and Tryon.
For information call 815-338-2080 or visit www.woodstockfolkfestival.org
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
WOODSTOCK FOLK FESTIVAL LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - BILL STAINES
For more than 40 years, Bill Staines has traveled across
North America, singing his songs and delighting
audiences at festivals, folksong societies, colleges,
concerts, clubs, and coffeehouses. A New England
native, Bill became involved with the BostonCambridge folk scene in the early 1960s and, for a time,
emceed the Sunday Hootenanny at the legendary Club
47 in Cambridge. Bill quickly became a popular
performer in the Boston area. He has continually
appeared on folk music radio listener polls as one of the
top all- time favorite folk artists. Now, well into his
fifth decade as a folk performer, he has gained an
international reputation as a gifted songwriter and
performer.
Performing nearly 200 concerts a year and driving over
65,000 miles annually, Bill weaves gentle humor and
storytelling into his performances. His music is a slice
of Americana, reflecting with the same ease his feelings
about the prairie people of the Midwest or the
adventurers of the Yukon, the on-the-road truckers, or
the everyday workers that make up this land.
He has recorded 26 albums and over 100 of his songs
have been published in three songbooks. His song “All
God’s Critters” has been released as a children’s book
with illustrations by Caldecott honor-winning artist,
Kadir Nelson. He has appeared on A Prairie Home
Companion and Mountain Stage and his music has been
used in a number of films including John Sayles’ The
Return of the Secaucus Seven. Many of his songs have
appeared in grade school music books, church hymnals,
and scouting campfire songbooks; he is one of only a
few songwriters to have 8 songs published in the classic
song collection, Rise up Singing. Composer David
Amram described Bill as “a modern day Stephen Foster.
. . his songs will be around 100 years from now.” The
Boston Globe said, “There is no better writer of instantly
memorable singalong choruses in this genre of music!”
The Washington Post called him “A craftsman who has
cobbled together evocative details, pithy aphorisms and
singalong melodies into a trunkful of unassuming,
marvelous songs.”
Bill has played at Woodstock Folk Festival concerts, but
this is the first time he is appearing at the summer
Festival.
Visit Bill Staines at www.acousticmusic.com/staines
TRET FURE
Award-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist Tret Fure
has combined rock, pop, folk, and country over the
course of her 46-year career to create songs which
convey feelings and thoughts that are at once personal
and universal. Performing for many years with Cris
Williamson and now a solo performer, she is also a
teacher, pet portrait artist, cookbook author, clothing
designer, sound engineer, record producer, and
President of Local 1000, The Traveling Musicians
Association. Originally from the Midwest, she now
lives in Virginia.
Tret began her career at the age of 16, singing in
coffeehouses and campuses in the Midwest. At 19, she
moved to L.A. in hopes of obtaining a record deal.
Within a year she was performing as guitarist and
vocalist for Spencer Davis, touring with him and
penning the single for his album “Mousetrap.” She
went on to record her own album in 1973, with the late
Lowell George of Little Feat as her producer. With the
success of that release, she opened for such bands as
Yes, Poco, and the J. Geils Band. One of the most
prolific artists in the contemporary singer-songwriter
arena, Tret has released 15 albums and CDs over the
course of her 46-year career.
In the early 80s, she began exploring Women’s Music.
In 2004 she received the prestigious Jane Schliessman
Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women’s
Music and, in 2009, she was voted “Pride in the Arts
Favorite Female/Lesbian Musician.”
Sing Out! said about her Anytime Anywhere album,
“The variety of topics, the depth of feeling, the clarity of
her voice and the good humor that shines through so
many of her songs make this album a joy.” Dirty Linen
said of that album, “. . . her wonderful sense of melody
prevails and her emotions are out there on her sleeve.
Oh, that more artists could be this dependable and this
versatile.”
Tret played at the Festival’s International Women’s Day
Concert in 2015.
Visit Tret at www.tretfure.com
HOUNDS OF FINN
The high energy trio Hounds of Finn offers folk-pop
with hints of Celtic, Americana, bluegrass, and classic
rock from around the world. The group consists of
three primary members Pete McCauley on vocals,
mandolin, and guitar; Michelle MacGregor on fiddle
and bodhran; and Lojo Russo on vocals, guitar,
mandolin, bodhran, and bass. Occasionally guest artists
join them.
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Hounds perform both
original and standard material inspired by music from
around the world, topped off with a sprinkling of
traditional Irish and Scottish tunes.
Performing together since 2007, they have played many
festivals, including the Indianapolis Irish Festival and
the Rhythm of the River Festival.
Music producer David Kellogg of Droptone Studios
said their album Gravity Pulls “exemplifies their
unprecedented ability to combine technical finesse with
raw drive over hook-laden heartfelt songs.” Vic Calore
of the historic Ironwood Theatre said, Gravity Pulls is
high energy, hand clapping, foot stomping music to be
enjoyed by anyone who loves great music. Seeing and
hearing the Hounds of Finn is an event not to be
missed.”
Visit Hounds of Finn at www.houndsoffinn.com
REVEREND ROBERT B. JONES
Reverend Robert B. Jones has more than 20 years of
experience as a performer, musician, storyteller, radio
producer/host, and music educator.
Rev. Jones was born in Detroit and grew up listening to
and loving a wide variety of music, especially the blues.
By the age of 17, Robert had already amassed a record
collection of early blues and begun to teach himself
guitar and harmonica. By his mid-20s, Robert was
hosting an award-winning radio show on WDET/FM in
Detroit called “Blues From The Lowlands.”
Concentrating primarily on traditional acoustic blues,
Robert started performing at some of the Detroit area’s
best music venues including the Soup Kitchen Saloon,
The Ark, and Sully’s. Those early venues led to a
touring career that included the Chicago Blues Festival,
King Biscuit Blues Festival in Arkansas, Duluth Blues
Festival, and tours throughout Germany, Poland, and
the Czech Republic.
Influenced by legendary bluesman Willie Dixon, Robert
developed an educational program called, “Blues for
Schools.” This program has literally taken him into
classrooms all over the country, and while traveling,
Robert polished his craft as both a performer and a
music educator. Answering a call to the ministry,
Robert began to study under Rev. James Robinson, Sr.,
at the Sweet Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church in
Detroit. Emphasizing the cultural, historical, and
educational aspects of blues, Robert began to think of
his music as an outreach of his ministry. In 2002 he
became his church’s pastor.
Among his new pursuits is a program that will combine
storytelling, vocals, instrumental music, and artwork to
explore and showcase the earliest known aspects of
African American music and culture; in other words, he
wants to explore and share the music and stories that
came before the blues.
Award-winning blues photographer James Fraher said,
“Perhaps the world’s most highly educated blues
musician, an ordained minister, a longtime DJ, and a
living encyclopedia of blues history, the Reverend
Robert Jones is comfortable among juke joint loud
talkers, fancy-hatted church ladies, and PhDs alike.”
Visit Reverend Robert B. Jones at
www.revrobertjones.com
HEATHER PIERSON ACOUSTIC TRIO
Award-winning pianist, singer-songwriter, arranger,
bandleader, and performer Heather Pierson presents
New Orleans-style jazz, blues, rousing Americana, and
poignant folk narratives. In addition to piano, Heather
also plays guitar, banjo, and melodica. Born in Joplin,
Missouri, Heather also lived in Kansas and Maine
before moving to New Hampshire. The two other
members of the trio are Shawn Nadeau on strings
(guitar, mandolin, dobro, fiddle) and cornet and Davy
Sturtevant on bass.
Heather’s virtuosity on piano, her bell-tone vocals, and
her commanding yet playful stage presence help her
move seamlessly and effortlessly from one style to the
next, and a growing catalog of wildly divergent CD
releases reflects her boundless creativity.
Throughout her colorful career, Heather’s eclectic skill
set continues to propel her onto concert hall stages and
into barrooms, coffeehouses, resort hotels, living rooms,
and churches. Her non-stop performance schedule
(over 200 shows a year) speaks of her tireless work ethic
and endless devotion to her crafts.
Originally hailing from Erie, PA, Davy Sturtevant is a
veteran touring artist, producer, engineer, songwriter,
and performer who now makes his home in Lovell, ME.
New Hampshire native Shawn Nadeau brings a rock
solid thump and nearly two decades of performing
experience to the trio, informed by a wide spectrum of
unique rhythmic and melodic sensibilities ranging from
rockabilly to reggae to jazz.
In their able hands, these musicians have catapulted
Heather’s live performances of her deep well of
Americana originals - folk, jazz, blues - with intricate
instrumental arrangements and stirring three-part vocal
harmonies.
Al Kniola of WVPE Public Radio said, “Heather Pierson
is an amazing talent. Her gorgeous, rich vocals are
filled with soul. She can mesmerize you on the piano,
the guitar -- even the melodica. She’s as comfortable
and adept with bluegrass as she is with jazz. With
Heather, there is absolutely nothing not to like. Don’t
you dare miss an opportunity to hear her live or to
purchase her recordings.” Don Baker of Mountain
Spirit Coffeehouse in Asheville, NC said, “Heather is a
real triple threat, with great vocals, outstanding
instrumental prowess, and stellar songwriting.”
Visit Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio at
www.heatherpierson.com
WOODY PINES
Woody Pines presents Down Home Swing with catchy
rhythms, jumpy lyrics, and a wildly delirious sense of
fun. His unique style has been called “hillbilly boogie”
and draws from American roots music, including
country blues, jug band, hokum, and hillbilly music.
This Nashville troubadour began as a busker and is
now touring the U.S., Wales, England, and the
Netherlands.
Alongside artists like Old Crow Medicine Show and
Pokey LaFarge, Woody continues to forage through the
secret world of old 78s and to write new chapters in the
anthology of American music. Integrating sounds from
Leadbelly to Bob Dylan, from Woody Guthrie to
Preservation Hall, Woody Pines belts out songs of fast
cars, pretty women, and hard luck with a distinctive
vintage twang. Recently signing with Nashville’s
Muddy Roots Music for the release of the much
anticipated new record and the subsequent release of
Woody’s four independent releases has this band
working hard in the studio, on the road, and on the
songwriting frontline.
Woody was a founding member of the Kitchen
Syncopators, a legendary busking street jug band from
Eugene, OR, that was one of the most exciting acts to
emerge from the West Coast folk scene in recent history.
The distinctive viper sound is brought together with
Skip Frontz, Jr. on the upright bass, adding both the
booty shakin’, low-end and rapid fire percussion with
his sought after slap technique. Brad Tucker on the
vintage electric guitar and vocal harmonies fills out the
trio, working his magic to make the band sound bigger
than they are. Woody plays the National guitar,
harmonica, and floor tom, singing in a voice sounding
uncannily like a young Willie Nelson.
Continued on page 7
page 7
Continued from page 6
Honky tonk hero Billy Joe Shaver said, “Woody Pines
is the best band I ever hear in my life I swear . . . I’m
their biggest fan now!” Alli Marshall of Mountain
Xpress in Asheville, NC said, “Woody Pines brings that
low-key street corner style of performance to his stage
show, but with all the polish and seasoned
professionalism of a tour-bus-and-green-room rock
stardom. Crackerjack musicianship goes a long way
toward a band’s greatness, but showmanship seals the
deal. Pines, on stage, is an old soul and natural
performer, storied and steeped in the best of American
music.”
Woody Pines will be featured on “Folkstage” on
WFMT/98.7FM from 8-9 p.m./CDT on Saturday night,
July 16, the eve of the Festival.
Visit Woody Pines at www.woodypines.com
VILLA PALAGONIA
Eclectic acoustic music brushed with hues from
Mediterranean folk is the avenue on which the
ensemble Villa Palagonia perches -- yet the side streets
and dusty alleyways that these musicians travel offer
engaging timbres that are woven together by songs
imparting tales of the old world and the new. Their
album Rhythms & Roots is a mix of original music
performed in English and Italian alongside time-tested
Sicilian folk songs.
Founded in 2013 by multifaceted guitarist Joe Ravo
and multi-instrumentalist and singer Allison Scola,
Villa Palagonia calls upon its core members’ southern
Italian roots and American know-how to create original
music peppered with elements from traditional Sicilian
and Italian folk songs. Joe Ravo is a versatile guitarist
who has performed alongside performers such as Dave
Brubeck and Stanley Turrentine and traveled around
the world as a cultural ambassador for the the U.S.
Department of State. Allison Scola is most familiar to
folk audiences because of her performance as part of
Joni Mitchell’s Blue Celebration. As a solo artist, she
has released a number of recordings and performed at
venues as grand as Shea Stadium, as kitschy as CBS’
Morning News‘ Living Room Live, and as intimate as
her cousin’s patio in Bagheria, Sicily where the worldrenowned estate Villa Palagonia exists.
Allison’s paternal grandmother, who immigrated to
New York in the 1920s, grew up in Bagheria in the
shadow of Villa Palagonia. It is a place Allison and Joe
have visited many times -- and the villa itself is a site
that they find intriguing and inspirational because of
the remaining 72 odd and fantastic monster-statues that
line the estate’s grounds. Bagheria is at the crossroads
-- between barons and peasants, between lemon
orchards and jasmine vines, between mountains and
sea, between Europe and Africa, and between ancient
mysteries and modern realities. Both the historic site
and the ensemble called Villa Palagonia capture a
unique essence -- capture a place: where north, south,
east, west, and humanity collide.
Visit Villa Palagonia at www.villa-palagonia.com
SMALL POTATOES
Small Potatoes brings superb musicianship, awardwinning songwriting, a strong sense of tradition, and a
sense of humor to all of their performances.
Twenty-two years ago, Jacquie Manning and Rich
Prezioso, the Chicago-area duo known as Small
Potatoes, quit their jobs and hit the road as full-time
musicians. Twenty-two years, more than a million and
a half miles, 3000 shows, and five Dodge Caravans
later, they are listed as a “favorite act” by many
coffeehouses, clubs, and house concerts across the U.S.
They have made repeat appearances at major folk
festivals, including the Kerrville Folk Festival, the
Walnut Valley Folk Festival, and the Philadelphia Folk
Festival.
From the start, they’ve called themselves eclectomaniacs and described their music as “Celtic to
Cowboy.” Their mix of music ranges from country,
blues, and swing to Irish, with songwriting that
touches on all of those styles and more. Their four
records illustrate this diversity. They both sing, they
both play guitars and an array of other instruments,
and they even yodel.
This year’s WFF Award Recipient, Bill Staines, said of
them, “These folks are wonderful; fun, energetic, and
great musicians. They’re two of my favorite
performers.” WFMT Radio DJ and Festival Co-Host
Rich Warren said, “Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso
combine cleverly witty with powerfully poignant
songs, along with well chosen covers to present an
unusually entertaining and involving repertoire
engagingly delivered. Prezioso’s song “1000 Candles,
1000 Cranes” is one of the most outstanding songs of
the past 50 years.”
Small Potatoes has played at the Festival several times
and also did a songwriting workshop. This year they
will open the Festival, accompany Bill Staines on some
songs, and lead the All-Sing Finale.
Visit Small Potatoes at
www.smallpotatoesmusic.com
CO-HOST CHUCK VANDERVENNET
Chuck VanderVennet of Mundelein, IL, will once
again co-host the Festival with Rich Warren. In
addition to serving as MC at various folk music events,
Chuck is also a veteran performer. He presents a wide
variety of music both in solo performances and as a
member of Compass. Chuck is a Past President of The
Lake County Folk Club.
Chuck VanderVennet will be featured along with
Festival President Carol Obertubbesing on “Sweet
Folk Chicago” on WFMT/98.7FM Check the Festival
web site for date and time.
Visit Chuck VanderVennet on the Compass page at
Facebook.com
CO-HOST RICH WARREN
Rich Warren hosts “The Midnight Special” and
“Folkstage” on Saturday nights on WFMT/98.7FM.
Rich grew up in Evanston, Illinois, fascinated by radio.
While at the University of Illinois, where he majored in
history, Rich hosted a folk music program, “Changes,”
on WPGU, the commercial student radio station. When
he left Champaign-Urbana in 1974, he joined the staff
of WFMT. Since then he has recorded a few hundred
folk music concerts and produced and co-hosted the
City of Chicago/WFMT Folk Music Festival from 198589, and the WFMT Folk Festival 2005-2009, in addition
to his weekly radio hosting duties. He was also a
freelance contributor to newspapers and magazines
and reviewed folk music recordings for Sing Out! the
national folk song magazine. He is an active member
of the Folk Alliance International and has served on its
board. In 2008 he was named Broadcaster of the Year
by the Folk Alliance. Since 2010 Rich Warren has also
hosted “Sweet Folk Chicago,” which features local
artists and local performances, including national
artists at local venues “The Midnight Special” has
aired on WFMT for 61 years. Rich Warren recorded the
early performances of people who defined the Chicago
folk renaissance in the 1970s including Steve Goodman
and Bonnie Koloc. Congratulations to Rich Warren as
he celebrates 42 years with WFMT!
FEATURED PERFORMER AT OPEN MIC STAGE BIG FISH
With Al Fyfe on double bass, Martin Brunkalla on
mandolin and/or fiddle and Kent Fishburn & Deb
Firak on guitars and vocals, Big Fish serves up a fine
variety of tunes, ranging from vintage swing and the
old standards to folk, bluegrass and acoustic blues.
GLORIA BURCHFIELD
Gloria Burchfield started playing her first guitar, a
Silvertone, acquired by selling Christmas cards in the
early 60s, bought a Mel Bay book, and in 1963, her
parents bought her a Gibson B25, the one which she
still plays today. Brother Len also took up playing and
together they would entertain at local coffee houses
and various fundraisers and parties. Solo
performances would include hospitals, nursing homes,
open mics, farmers markets, and festivals.
Gloria is a member of two music groups, The
Beaumonts, together since 2008, and Northwest
Highway. She’s also been a volunteer at the Festival
for several years and played at the Festival’s
“Journeys” Concert this year.
MARK LYONS
Mark Lyons was born in Chicago and grew up in
Arlington Heights, Illinois. He learned to play the
guitar when he was a student at Cooper Junior High
School and received his first guitar at age sixteen. In
the 1980s, as a student at the University of Illinois, he
began entertaining crowds at coffeehouses and parties,
and occasionally performed on radio station WEFT in
Champaign. In 1994, he began appearing at the
monthly singalongs hosted at the Masthouse in
Woodstock. Here he found an appreciative audience
for his mix of old-time country and novelty tunes,
engaging personality, and a slightly offbeat sense of
humor, and soon he began performing at coffeehouses,
open stages, and folk festivals throughout Northern
Illinois.
MAIN STAGE SOUND BY MAURICE SMEETS
Maurice Smeets will provide sound for the Festival.
Maurice has provided sound for this Festival and many
other organizations for many years. He operates a
recording studio in Batavia with a focus on folk and
acoustic music.
OPEN MIC STAGE SOUND BY ANDY ANDRICK
Andy Andrick is a singer-songwriter who has been a
mainstay of the local music scene for the past 10 years.
He is on the Board of Off Square Music and First
Saturday Music and helps run three open mics every
month in Woodstock. In May 2012 he released his first
CD, Hard Times.
Look for Andy Andrick at www. Reverbnation.com
Visit Rich Warren at www.midnightspecial.org
CHILDREN’S AREA
The Children’s Area will feature hands-on activities.
Amanda Aleman will coordinate the Children’s Area.
Parents: This is not a drop-off area; please stay with
your children and join in the activities we’ve
planned. You will be able to hear the Main Stage
music from this area.
OPEN MIC STAGE AT STAGE LEFT CAFE
The Open Mic Stage will be held at the air-conditioned
Stage Left Cafe, next to the Woodstock Opera House on
the Square. This part of the Festival gives singers and
musicians an opportunity to perform in a more
intimate area. Performers wanting to try their hand at
the Open Mic should bring their instruments and
singing voices. Sign-up will be held the day of the
Festival beginning promptly at 12:05 p.m. at Stage
Left Cafe. Mark Lyons and Gloria Burchfield are
coordinating the stage which gives established
performers another place to perform and aspiring
performers an opportunity to build audiences.
WOODSTOCK FOLK FESTIVAL BOARD AND
VOLUNTEERS
Board members include:
Ray Beth - Treasurer
Suzanne Campbell - Vice President
Carol Obertubbesing - President and Secretary
Kathy Wentz
Jim Young - Assistant Treasurer
All helped plan and organize this Festival. Come to the
Festival Central table to meet them. The Board is
grateful to former Board members Andy Andrick for
his assistance with sound at concerts and the Festival;
Neal Brown for his assistance with the layout and
graphics for this program as well as the website and
other projects; Martha Hoar for her assistance with the
“I donated” tags; and Annemarie Serra for her
assistance with publicity and other projects. Thanks
also to Rodney Paglialong for serving as liaison with
Real Woodstock and to Patrick Casey and John Harris
for the support they have given through Real
Woodstock. Neal Brown did graphics and layout for
this program; Carol Obertubbesing wrote the text; and
Ray Beth coordinated advertising, printing, and
distribution of this program. Thanks to volunteers
Amanda Aleman, Pat Morton, Patrick Wentz, and Po
Wood.
page 8
RADIO PARTNERS
WDCB
“Folk Festival” on WDCB Public Radio is an eclectic
folk-based music show presented on Tuesdays from 811 p.m./CT and hosted by Lilli Kuzma. It is broadcast
live from Glen Ellyn, IL, reaching listeners in Chicago
and greater Chicagoland at 90.9 FM, and the whole
world via a free live online stream at www.WDCB.org.
“Folk Festival” features fun-themed shows,
outstanding studio guests, its “Chicagoland Folk
Calendar” (since 2007), giveaways, special station
events, and more. Studio guests have included Chad
& Jeremy, Peter Yarrow, Muriel Anderson, Jim Post,
Anne Hills, Michael Smith, Claudia Schmidt, Lee
Murdock, Small Potatotes, Tim Grimm, Megon
McDonough, and Mark Dvorak, among many other
superb artists.
WDCB Public Radio offers extensive folk and roots
programming, especially on weeknights from 8-11
p.m./CT, covering folk, Celtic, bluegrass, country, rock,
blues, and Americana. More information is available
at www.WDCB.org.
WFMT
WFMT/98.7FM, now the oldest FM station
broadcasting the same format, classical with folk
music, on the same frequency in the U.S., celebrates its
65th anniversary this year. WFMT devotes Saturday
nights to folk music. From 7-8 p.m. the station airs
“Sweet Folk Chicago,” a program centered on local
performers, venues, and events, often hosted by local
artists and presenters. From 8-9 p.m. “Folkstage,”
usually a live concert from the Levin studio, features
national touring artists along with concerts from its 60
years of archives. From 9 p.m. to midnight “The
Midnight Special” is now in its 63rd year of “folk
music & farce, show tunes & satire, madness &
escape,” or “folk music with a sense of humor.” Rich
Warren produces and hosts all three programs.
Although on a commercial frequency, WFMT is nonprofit. More information is available at
www.wfmt.com and www.midnightspecial.org.
WNUR
“The WNUR Folk Show” 89.3 at Northwestern
University, Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon, has been on
the air for over 50 years. It is part of the Sunday
American Roots block of programming starting at 8
a.m. with “The Gospel Show,” followed by “The Folk
Show,” “Both Kinds” (Country), and “The Blues
Show,” ending at 3 p.m. “The Folk Show” is a
“generalist” show, representing “Folk” as broadly as
possible with four rotating hosts, including a
Northwestern undergrad. On any Sunday you may
hear contemporary singer-songwriters, bluegrass,
country and swing, acoustic or “country” blues,
traditional, ethnic and old-timey folk, topical singers
and acoustic instrumental music. The show features
and supports Chicago area singer-songwriters and
musicians. “The WNUR Folk Show” has a national
reputation as a great place to be interviewed and
regularly does in-studio interviews with both local and
nationally known artists. The show is supported by
Northwestern University and its loyal listeners. The
show is web streamed at www.wnur.org and many
shows and interviews are archived at
www.wnur.org/folk.
FOOD
Tasty Dawgs will be selling Vienna hot dogs, chips,
tamales, soda, and water near the south entrance to the
Square (across the street from the Woodstock Opera
House).
If you would like vegetarian food, please patronize
Expressly Leslie Cafe, which supports not only our
Festival but also live music all year long; the cafe is on
the southwest corner of the Square. See their ad in this
program.
The Festival will be selling bottled water.
ADDITIONAL SPONSORS/SUPPORTERS
The Festival wants to extend a very special thank you
to John Scharres, the Woodstock Opera House, Stage
Left Cafe, and the rest of the Opera House staff for
their support of the Festival. We especially appreciate
their bringing Megon McDonough back to Woodstock
for a Festival Eve concert. Thanks to Jim, Lizz, and
Dave for providing Tasty Dawgs at the Festival.
Thanks to everyone at Expressly Leslie, which offers
live music in the Woodstock Mall on most Friday
evenings from 6:00-7:30, for opening the cafe for the
Festival. Thanks to Sponsors of the Woodstock Folk
Festival Kim Brix, Annemarie Serra, and Carol
Obertubbesing. We also thank The Backdrop, a friend
of the Woodstock Folk Festival, and Friends Robert
and Laura Boyd, David Child and Carol Ganzer, Bill
and Vel Dysart, Judith Freeman, Jeff Justman, Judith
Perlman, Barbara Russell, and Rick and Nancy
Sinnott for their support of the Festival; the Unity
Spiritual Center for providing a venue for our concerts
as well as the rain location for the Festival; the
Woodstock Public Library (see display there in July);
Real Woodstock for assistance with promotion and
marketing; and the City of Woodstock for in-kind
support; and all of our advertisers, supporters, and
partners.
Thanks also to performers’ agents, publicists,
families, and all others who help in any way.
WOODSTOCK FOLK FESTIVAL
The Woodstock Folk Festival began as a one-time
event in 1986. It quickly became an annual event that
featured folk artists – musicians, storytellers, and folk
dancers – held on the third Sunday in July on the
historic square in Woodstock, Illinois. In 1991 the
Festival was incorporated as an Illinois not-for-profit
corporation, with a board of directors of local residents.
Its purpose is to bring quality folk music – local,
national, and international -- to the Northern Illinois
area. Previous Lifetime Achievement Award
recipients include Art Thieme, Ella Jenkins, Larry
Penn, Amy Beth, Holly Near, Jim Post, Mark Dvorak,
Michael Smith, Bonnie Koloc, Joann and Lee
Murdock, Tom Paxton, Tricia Alexander, Andrew
Calhoun, and Kim and Reggie Harris, all of whom
performed at the Festival. A complete list of past
performers is on the Festival web site.
In addition to the Festival, the group sponsors concerts
featuring artists such as Tricia Alexander, Antje
Duvekot, Congress of Starlings, David Hawkins, Tom
& Chris Kastle, Erika Luckett, David Massengill, Sarah
McQuaid, Dean Milano, Buddy Mondlock, Lee
Murdock, Claudia Nygaard, Patricia Pettinga, Rick
Pickren, Justin Roberts, Lil’ Rev, The Santa Cruz River
Band, Danny Santos, Michael Smith, Bill Staines, Russ
& Diane Ward, Weavermania!, and Dan Zahn & Kate
Moretti. The group also sponsors themed concerts
such as “The Woody Guthrie Invitational,” “Hopes &
Dreams,” “The British Invasion,” and “International
Women’s Day,”which feature multiple artists. Special
thanks to the performers at this year’s themed
concert, “Journeys,” on April 10, which included
Tricia Alexander, Mark Dvorak, Robinlee Garber,
David Hawkins, Jeff Justman, Lia Nicine McCoo,
Chris McIntosh & Alvin McGovern, Northwest
Highway (Andy Andrick, Gloria Burchfield, and Les
Urban), Annemarie Serra, and Small Potatoes (Jacquie
Manning and Rich Prezioso); to Andy Andrick, John
Hoyt, and Keith Johnson of Off Square Music who
handled sound; to Annemarie Serra for her assistance
with publicity; to all Board members; and to all of the
attendees; proceeds from that concert supported this
year’s Festival. The Festival Board supports the annual
Harvest Fest, sponsored by Off Square Music.
MERCHANDISE
Bring your check books!* This year the Festival will
be selling caps, t-shirts, and tote bags; all proceeds
from these items will be used to help fund next year’s
Woodstock Folk Festival. Performer CDs and books
will also be on sale, all proceeds from these go to the
performers, not the Festival. *Please note the Festival
can now accept VISA or MasterCard but cash and
checks are still preferred.
page 9
page 10
page 11
FESTIVAL SUPPORT
Donations are always welcome! Friends of the Festival
(donations of $100-499) will receive mention in the
Festival program. Sponsors (individuals, companies,
or organizations) who donate $500 or more will be
listed in the Festival program and press releases as
well as on the Festival web site; they will also receive
two tickets to the post-Festival dinner. If you would
like to make a donation, become a sponsor, or advertise
in our Festival program, please contact us. Donations
of any amount are welcome at the Festival and anytime
during the year. If you donate today, you will receive
our “I Donated” bookmark AND a Woodstock Folk
Festival magnet as a thank you.
OTHER ONGOING EVENTS
Amy & Friends – Occurs the 3rd Friday of every month
except December from 7:30-11 p.m.; generally at the
Corner Room, 303 Hoy Avenue, Woodstock, IL, unless
otherwise noted; guests are encouraged to bring snacks
to share; a $5 donation per person is requested; The
Kishwaukee Ramblers (Amy Beth, Neal Brown, and
Gary Plazyk) provide “House Band” music and a
rhythm band, “The Question,” open mic, and more are
also part of each evening; on July 15, Amy Beth will
feature Peter Lee; for more information call 815-338-4245
or visit the website,
http://www.woodstockfolkmusic.com/amybeth/
First Saturday Music - First Saturday Music carries on
the 30-year strong Masthouse tradition, on the first
Saturday of each month at the Unity Spiritual Center,
225 W. Calhoun Street (corner of Tryon), in Woodstock;
for more information go to
www.woodstockfolkmusic.com or e-mail Annemarie
Serra at [email protected] or
[email protected]
Lake County Folk Club - See ad in this program
Off Square Music – Sponsors open mics and a concert
series; on Friday evening, July 15, from 6:00-7:30 p.m.,
Off Square Music will present Northwest Highway
(Andy Andrick, Marty Brunkalla, and Gloria
Burchfield) at Expressly Leslie, a vegetarian cafe on
Woodstock Square. On Saturday morning, July 16,
OSM will present Guyz with Bad Eyez and Cheryl
Niemo and the Down Home Boys (Marty Brunkalla
and Pete Jonssen) from 9 a.m. to Noon at the Woodstock
Farmers Market in Woodstock Square. On Saturday,
October 8, they will present Mike Dowling at Unity
Spiritual Center of Woodstock. See the Off Square ad for
more info or e-mail [email protected].
Harvest Fest 2016 with Bluegrass in the Square - a daylong event including a fiddle contest, bluegrass bands,
and the Fair on the Square Craft Show Sunday, September 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Woodstock
Square
Woodstock Folk Festival Benefit Concerts - check the
Festival web site (www.woodstockfolkfestival.org) for
announcements (Call 815-338-2080 or e-mail
[email protected] for info and
reservations)
LOCATION
Woodstock Square is conveniently located a few blocks
west of Illinois Route 47 and is easily accessible from
Routes I-90, 14, and 120. Woodstock is 47 miles northwest of Chicago. From Chicago take I-90 west to Route
47 North (NOTE: there is construction most of the way
on I-90 between O’Hare Airport and the Elgin toll booth,
so you should allow additional time; also, the exit from
I-90 onto Route 47 is now I-PASS only; no cash is accepted; however, you may still exit there if you pay the toll
online or by mail within 7 days. To pay by mail send a
cashier’s check, money order, or certified check - NOT
cash or a personal check - to Illinois Tollway, 2700 Ogden
Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515, Attn: Cash Handling
Division; Route 47 is Tollway Plaza 6; for more detailed
information go to http://www.illinoistollway.com/tollsand-i-pass/unpaid-tolls; for anyone coming from the East
Coast, E-ZPass is accepted on Illinois tollways); once on
Route 47 go north for about 10 miles; go left/west at
Route 14 and at the first light turn right onto Dean Street;
follow Dean Street into Woodstock Square. There is
parking around the perimeter of the Square. Traffic is
one way counter-clockwise around the Square. Note:
This year’s rain location is at the Unity Spiritual Center,
225 West Calhoun Street, one block south and one block
west of Woodstock Square, at the corner of Calhoun and
Tryon Streets.
Woodstock is also accessible via the Union Pacific/Northwest Metra line which runs from Chicago to Harvard.
On Sundays a train leaves the Ogilvie Transportation
Center in downtown Chicago at 10:30 a.m. and arrives in
Woodstock at 12:01 p.m. Return trains leave Woodstock
4:48 p.m., 6:48 p.m., and 8:48 p.m., with arrival into
Chicago at 6:23 p.m., 8:23 p.m., and 10:23 p.m., respectively. For more information, including schedules from
other towns along the line or qualifications for discounted fares, call Metra Passenger Services, weekdays 8 a.m.5 p.m., at 312-322-6777 or check the Metra web site at
www.metrarail.com. The Woodstock train station is located only l block from Woodstock Square.
DON’T FORGET TO BRING CHAIRS, BLANKETS,
PICNIC BASKETS, ETC.; ALSO, PLEASE NOTE
THAT THE CITY DOES NOT ALLOW PETS IN THE
PARK, ONLY IN THE STREETS ON THE
PERIPHERY. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE PETS IN HOT
CARS.
**HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES
AVAILABLE**
COME TO WOODSTOCK FOR THE WEEKEND
Stay at one of the local B&Bs or motels and visit the
historic sights, shops, restaurants, and locations used in
the movie Groundhog Day -- OR -- take in one of the
events in Woodstock that weekend:
Wednesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 17 - The City
of Woodstock Hosts Summer in the Park - Inaugurated
in 2014, this community summertime festival will feature
music, entertainment, games, food court and beer
garden, bouncies and other children’s activities, pool
party, bags tournament, a Movie in the Park, and fun for
all ages. Most events take place at Emricson Park, about
10 blocks west of the Square, but this year also includes a
Summer in the Park Band Concert on the Square on
Wednesday night, July 13. Most activities are free. For
more information go to
www.woodstockfestivals.org or call 815-338-4301.
Friday, July 15 - Expressly Leslie and Off Square Music
present Northwest Highway in the Woodstock Mall
from 6: 00-7:30 p.m. (see details above)
Friday, July 15 - Amy & Friends presents an evening of
music featuring Peter Lee; for more info, see description
above or go to www.woodstockfolkmusic.com/amybeth
or contact Amy Beth at [email protected] or
815-338-4245 or 815-701-4958
Woodstock lodging includes the Bundling Board Inn
Bed & Breakfast, the Royal Victorian Manor, the Best
Western, the Quality Inn, the Days Inn, and the Super 8
Motel; additional lodging available in adjacent towns.
Saturday, July 16 - Off Square Music presents Guyz
with Bad Eyez and Cheryl Niemo and the Down Home
Boys at the Woodstock Farmers Market on Woodstock
Square from 9 a.m. to Noon (see details above)
All Woodstock restaurants and shops open Saturday;
some open Sunday; a map/listing of restaurants open on
Sunday will be available at the Festival. We encourage
you to support the businesses listed in this program.
Saturday, July 16 - Barndance; go to
www.gavers.org/pages/barndance.html
REAL WOODSTOCK
We are proud to call Woodstock, Illinois home. Just 47
miles from Chicago, Woodstock is close to the City with
a charming small town personality all our own. Rich
with Victorian architecture, a historic town square that
seems frozen in time, and a world-renowned Opera
House, Woodstock also has an independent streak brimming with creativity and entrepreneurship. Here, you’ll
find real people, real music, real festivals and real opportunity. To learn more, visit www.realwoodstock.com.
Mark your calendars and be sure to join us for next
year’s 32nd Annual Woodstock Folk Festival on
Sunday, July 16, 2017.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit our website at www.woodstockfolkfestival.org or
contact us at Woodstock Folk Festival, P.O. Box 1628,
Woodstock, IL 60098, phone # 815-338-2080 or e-mail
[email protected]. Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available!
THANKS AND RECOGNITION
Thanks to all who help support the Woodstock Folk
Festival through donations of time, talent, and treasure.
Be sure to pick up your “I donated to the Woodstock
Folk Festival” tag and a magnet at the Festival table.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PATRONIZE OUR
ADVERTISERS/SPONSORS AND TO LET THEM
KNOW THAT YOU SAW THEM LISTED IN THIS
PROGRAM. THIS WILL HELP TO ENSURE THEIR
SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE. ALSO, CHECK FOR
Small Potatoes will open the festival
and lead the All-Sing Finale
ADS THAT MAY OFFER SPECIAL
COUPONS/DISCOUNTS ON FESTIVAL DAY.
Saturday, July 16 - the Woodstock Opera House
presents Megon McDonough in “A Girl and Her
Guitar” at 8 p.m.; in this intimate evening, Megon takes
you on a musical journey of her career with her early
influences -- the Beatles, Carole King, Joni Mitchell -followed by some of Megon’s own folk songs, ranging
from the hilarious (such as the ones she recorded with
the group The Four Bitchin’ Babes) to heartfelt hits like
“Amazing Things”; go to
www.woodstockoperahouse.com for details
Sunday, July 17 - Everyone is invited to attend a special
Contemporary Music Service from 10-11 a.m. at Unity
Spiritual Center of Woodstock, 225 W. Calhoun St., in
Woodstock. Performing and Healing Artist, Tricia
Alexander, who has also received the Woodstock Folk
Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, creates this
annual event which will focus on the topic “All You
Need Is Love” this year. Musicians Rich Prezioso,
Diana Laffey, Doug Lofstrom, and Alpha Stewart, Jr.
will join Music Ministry Creative Manager and
Administrator of Unity Spiritual Center Tricia
Alexander for this service. For more information
contact Tricia at 815-337-3534.
Big Fish are the featured performers at the Stage Left open stage
page 12
For GPS users, we recommend using the address for Stage Left Cafe, 125 E. Van Buren St., Woodstock, IL 60098, which is on
Woodstock Square and directly across the street from the Main Stage and Children’s Area.
SCHEDULE:
Main Stage
12:00
12:30
1:15
2:00
2:45
3:30
4:15
5:00
5:40
Small Potatoes
Tret Fure
Reverend Robert B. Jones
Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
Woody Pines
Villa Palagonia
Presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill Staines
Hounds of Finn
All-Sing Finale led by Small Potatoes
Stage Left Café
12:05 - Open Mic Stage sign-up begins
12:15 - 1:30 - Open Mic Stage
1:30 - 2:00 - Big Fish
2:00 - 5:30 - Open Mic Stage
Children’s Area - Hands-on activities throughout the day