Spokane Fall Folk Festival
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    • Alma Brasileira
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New Performers for 2022

Donate to Support the Festival
Welcome to our New Performers
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Chris Baron
Chris Baron makes music, solo or with a band. He travels with a kick drum, guitar, and some pedals. His songs have rock and roll roots, with folky senses and alternative methods.

Songwriter Dan Weber wrote, "Chris' live show exudes the wonderment and enthusiasm of an artist drawing an authentic connection with his audience. Feeding off that raw live energy, he rocks out and story tells the way Wilco and The Avett Brothers have so successfully done."

Chris’ favorite bands to listen in 2022 are: Punch Brothers, Shane Brown, Tk & the Holy Know-Nothings, Avett Brothers, and John Craigie.
In addition to past collaborations with Pacific Northwest bands, he has five solo albums to date: Searchlights In Mexico (2008), Light Up the Sky (2014), Relics ’16-17 (2018), Habits (2019), and The Glyndon Sessions (2021)
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Contact: www.chrisbaronmusic.com/home
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrisbaronmusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/chrisbaronmusic/?hl=en​

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Cigar Box Guitar Slingers
The Cigar Box Guitar Slingers, or "Slingers" as they are often known, meet regularly in person and via Zoom. They have been playing together since 2019. The band performs some of their favorite songs on homemade cigar box and license plate guitars, and have a repertoire of over 400 songs.
 
They are swift to point out that you can quickly count the different finger-busting chord shapes they use – it is only one. They are one-finger guitar-slingers. You can become one too!

Contact: doug@thorsvik.org
Website: www.cbgslinger.com/
Website: sites.google.com/site/cigarboxguitarslingersspokane
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCB8Co1ISCQmRthVXRCeCTCg

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Due North Band - Barry and Ben Ehlert
The Due North Band is a family band from Spokane. Its members include dad Barry on guitar, fiddle and singing vocals and son Ben on guitar and mandolin. They play Bluegrass vocals and guitar flatpicking to classic fiddle instrumentals and pleasant story telling folk songs.

In past years, the Ehlert family could be found sawing away at local fiddle contests and Bluegrass jams. More recently, the focus for this duo has been on putting together sets ranging from Rock covers to Bluegrass tunes.
 
You can check them out on YouTube and be sure to say howdy if you catch them pickin’ a tune around town.

​Contact: barrypickin@aol.com

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Filipino-American Northwest Assoc.
The Filipino-American Northwest Association dance group is comprised of twelve dancers. They present a variety of dances representing the Philippine culture. Some dances depict the lifestyle and daily work of the people living in various topographic areas in the agricultural country that is the Philippines. Other dances showcase their Spanish influenced folk dances.
 
The Filipino-American Northwest Association’s mission is to promote the arts, our Filipino culture, our rich history and build a community supporting each other.
​
Website: filamnw.com​

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Dennis Glidden
Dennis Glidden performs Irish and other folk songs with his guitar.

Contact: theglid@earthlink.net

Harp, Flute and Whistle is comprised of Paula Clark on harp, and Emily Johnson on flute and whistle. Paula is a retired music teach. For more than six years, they have played classical, folk, meditative, and holiday music together. They frequently perform a selection of Irish and Scottish folk music including jigs, reels, and romantic pieces at churches, parties, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers.

Contact: ejohn7100@gmail.com

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High Valley Mountain Boys
The High Valley Mountain Boys are a bluegrass quintet that plays typical and not-so-typical bluegrass and banjo songs. The group is comprised of Sam Saxton on guitar and dobro, Daniel Burdette on banjo, Phil Kleinman on guitar and dobro, Dave Lorang on bass, and Sam Lyman on mandolin.

Contact: kleinmanphil@gmail.com

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Indian Youth Club of Spokane
The Indian Youth Club of Spokane is a group founded by Sowmya Surapaneni in 2019 to celebrate and share the culture of India.

The Indian Youth Club of Spokane hosts cultural programs during the cultural festivals so the next generation youth can understand their culture and connect to their roots through storytelling, dance, music and drama.

The Indian Youth club of Spokane provides opportunities for the youth of Spokane to improve their communication, leadership and organizational skills.

The group also provides an opportunity to learn Bollywood dances. Free Bollywood dances are choreographed and offered to anyone at no charge by Sindhu Surapaneni, a 13 year old artist and cultural enthusiast. These performances offer a chance to learn more about the rich Indian cultural heritage by experiencing some of the traditional dances and cuisines.


Contact: Indianyouthclubofspokane@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/indianyouthclubofspokane

PictureVictoria Hawkins of Lake City Highland Dance
The Lake City Highland Dancers perform traditional Scottish Highland dances. Perhaps nothing captures the spirit of Scottish culture better than the sight of Highland dancing performed at a Scottish gathering accompanied by a bagpiper. These sophisticated dances are performed across the world and competitions are regularly organized in Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States.
 
While most dancers now entered in these competitions are female, the roots of these energetic dances lay with warriors imitating epic deeds from Scottish folklore. Traditionally, the Scottish kings and clan chiefs used the Highland Games to select their best men at arms, and the discipline required to perform the Highland dances allowed men to demonstrate their strength, stamina and agility.
 
Over the years, Highland dancing was passed down to preserve the rich heritage of the Scottish people. Over time Highland dancing progressed from being an exclusively male pursuit, to one that today is dominated by female dancers. Dancers today typically dance to traditional Scottish music such as strathspeys, reels, hornpipes and jigs played on a bagpipe.

Contact: victoria.lchd@gmail.com
Website: www.lakecityhighlanddance.com


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James "Joe" McCarry
Joe McCarry folk singer folk specializing in songs of the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: ​
surrealnumber1@gmail.com​

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Monroe Bridge
Monroe Bridge is a group of bluegrass veterans who have been playing music together at shows, festivals and fairs throughout the Pacific Northwest. They share a deep love of the traditional bluegrass music of Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers and, of course, Bill Monroe. Individually, the members are experienced musicians and have played bluegrass and country music in other bands before coming together in the Inland Northwest in 2018. Today they perform a finely honed blend of traditional, contemporary and original bluegrass, country, and gospel music. With tight vocal harmony and dynamic instrumentals, we’re sure you'll love this band. Whether you're young or old, you’ll have a great time listening to Monroe Bridge.
Noel Taggart on mandolin has gained a reputation as one of the finest lead vocalists around. Kent and Karen Riggs are on guitar, singing lead and harmony vocals. Jean Ballhorn on fiddle is a veteran of the Colorado bluegrass scene and has performed and recorded with Charles Sawtelle, Open Road, Camptown and many others. Dan Gore is a versatile multi-instrumentalist. He has played mandolin and guitar in several bluegrass bands in the region and has produced the annual Spokane Mandolin Congress. Dan is playing bass fiddle for Monroe Bridge.

Facebook: m.facebook.com/monroebridge

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The Mighty PJAMRS, (Peace and Justice Activist Musical Rascals of Spokane), is a community marching band that is a part of the international HONK! movement. (See honkfest.org and honkfestwest.com for more information.)

As such, membership is open to musicians of all levels and people who want to find a positive way to plug in with an emphasis on fun and doing the right thing. We play at public celebrations, marches and rallies, or just for the heck of it. To join, just introduce yourself and we'll be in touch.

Facebook: ​www.facebook.com/groups/PJAMRS/

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Northwest Belly Dance Academy
​The Northwest Belly Dance Academy brings the art of belly dance to the public through art, education and entertainment. They have developed new standards of achievement for the art form and redefined the spectrum in which belly dance is perceived.
 
Their performances strive to moving their audience on an artistic level. They use belly dance as a medium of expression on the same level as a ballet company, an orchestra or an art gallery. By bringing belly dance to the Fall Folk Festival, using strong production elements such as choreography, set design, storytelling and more, they hope to inspire their audience.

Website: ​northwestbellydance.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/northwestbellydance/
Instagram: ​www.instagram.com/northwestbellydance/​

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O'Doherty's Irish Session
O'Doherty's Irish Session performs traditional Irish dance music and tunes on a variety of instruments.

O’Doherty’s in downtown Spokane, by the carousel, has hosted traditional Irish folk music sessions for over two decades. The session on Sunday nights at six o’clock is free and open to everyone of all ages and backgrounds. The musicians here are regular attendees and play a variety of instruments, including fiddle, flute, penny whistle, hammered dulcimer, concertina, uilleann pipes, mandolin and guitar.

​The session players will play a selection of dance music and tunes including reels, Jigs, hornpipes and polkas to get your toes tapping and raise your spirits.

Contact: brycemorrisonspokane@gmail.com
Website: spokanesessions.com

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Two Grey Cats - Don Brumfield and Doug Roberts
Two Grey Cats is a music duo featuring Don Brumfield on acoustic guitar and ukulele, and Doug Roberts on acoustic bass guitar. They perform fun acoustic versions of classic rock, pop, country, and traditional music. Don and Doug are both long-time professional musicians, now retired, who still enjoy playing many of the great songs they love in a more relaxed acoustic duo setting.
 
Don and his wife retired to Spokane after living and working in California. He played more than 50 years as lead guitar in popular Bay Area bands. He began volunteering as a solo performer in Spokane in 2015 and teamed-up with Doug as a duo in 2018. Don is a fine acoustic guitarist, singer, and enjoys playing ukulele versions of songs not originally for the uke. Don and his wife have a home in Spokane Valley.
 
Doug is a Spokane native, musician and long-time area bass player. He worked at the local library and performed in popular local dance bands for over 50 years. He plays acoustic bass guitar in the duo, and plays guitar, piano and other instruments. Doug is retired and lives with his wife in the South Perry neighborhood in Spokane where Doug also produces music recordings in his home studio.

Contact: HogDad@hotmail.com
​Website: ​www.twogreycats.com/index.htm
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Spokane Folklore Society is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to fostering international cultures in Spokane.
Spokane Folklore Society, PO Box 9768, Spokane, WA 99209-9768 | (509) 828-3683 | Director@spokanefolkfestival.org
© COPYRIGHT 2016 - 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.