Song of the Soul

A taste of Farm Aid 2019, the work & music, of the event & the organization. We have 2 amazing musicians from the 18 acts from this year's mainstage: Particle Kid (Micah Nelson, Willie's youngest son) and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, (Willie's 2nd youngest son), joined by Jennifer Lahy, Communication Director of Farm Aid's staff. Find how to watch Farm Aid 2019 live. Find more about Micah, including his art, on his personal website, and about his Hawaii-based Farm Aid-ish non-profit, Mahi'ai Music & Food Festival, and the Hawai'i Farmers Union United.

Susan Urban is half of February Sky, along with Phil Cooper, a duo originally from the Chicago area now well-installed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They play a wide range of traditional, modern, and original folk and Celtic tunes, on guitars, banjos, citterns, dulcimers, and other instruments. Susan's songs are full of reality-based fictional story-telling, conveying important meaning and values at the heart of our lives.

Phil Hoose writes songs that we all love and that other performers love to perform. His best-known, Hey, Little Ant, is a song, but also a book that has sold over 1 million copies in 10 languages. With a quirky eye for seeing the world differently, his songs intrigue, amuse, & enchant. An employee of The Nature Conservancy for decades, and the author of more than 10 books, including the inspirational Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, Phil's awards include the John Newbery Medal, Sibert Medal, and the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Steve Suffet has the heart & the pedigree of a 100% authentic old-fashioned folk singer. Growing up near ground zero of the folk music explosion of NYC in the early 1960's, Steve has witnessed & shared the music of many others, and added his share to the conversation. Though he waited a few decades to start recording his music, Steve has 7 CDs on CDBaby.

Though he's of & lives in South Armagh, Ireland, the music of Ben Reel is variously described as Rock/Americana, Roots Rock, Alternative Folk, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock and even Jazz Pop. Thing is, he's great. Though Irish through-and-through, he's influenced by musicians all over, like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Neil Young, Rob Orbison, U2, & many more. Having grown up in the middle of "the troubles" in Ireland, Ben is deeply committed to a better country & a better world.

Ruth Pelham has decades of experience with People's Music Network and in helping found Children's Music Network, and has 4 decades of using music to connect the people of Albany, NY, and the world, with her non-profit, MusicMobile.org.

Joe Iadanza is an exceptional Common Man from Long Island, who, in addition to his music tinged with Harry Chapin and Bruce Springsteen flavors, has a serious spirituality and healing avocation, which you can access through his LivingRoomStudio.org site, for his meditation, yoga, podcast, & spiritual direction gifts. Joe performs solo, as part of Joe Iadanza & His Beautiful Band, and in a duo with Carolann Solebello.

Kori Riesenweber has an angelic voice & a love for harmonies that has been lived out in many ways: in the bluegrass band of her extended families, in the intricate arrangements of her time as part of Beacon James (on Facebook and on Bandcamp), and currently with Girl Band. She also performs solo, and sings constantly with her newborn son.

John McCutcheon is classic & cutting-edge folk music. An amazing singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, he has now produced 40 albums, performed with all kinds of musical greats, like Pete Seeger, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, and Carrie Newcomer. He's witty, deep, creative, prolific, and he's in person for this interview on July 4th, 2019, at Grinnell College as part of the FGC Gathering.

Regla Garcia-Schmidt is half of The Hollywood Rockstarz. Regla's powerful voice & keyboards are born of Cuban immigrants, cultured in Connecticut, expanded in Los Angeles, and have reached full fruit in Ladysmith, WI. She will wow you with the depths of her passion & the extent of her talent.