Four More Performers Join Lineup for 77th National Folk Festival, Celebrating Its Third Year in North Carolina from September 8 – 10, 2017
Sixteen artists have been announced to date
Alash
Greensboro, N.C., April 11, 2017 — The National Folk Festival announced today four additional artists who will be performing in downtown Greensboro from September 8 – 10, 2017. The 77th National Folk Festival in 2017 marks the event’s third year in Greensboro.
Last fall, the 76th National Folk Festival attracted more than 138,000 attendees to downtown Greensboro for the FREE, three-day weekend. Based on the success of the National Folk Festival, a feasibility study is currently underway toward launching a legacy North Carolina Folk Festival in 2018.
Approximately 300 artists—musicians, dancers, storytellers, and craftspeople—will take part in the National Folk Festival, with more than 30 different musical groups performing on as many as seven outdoor performance venues throughout downtown Greensboro. The four artists announced today include:
· Alash – Tuvan throat singing: Acclaimed practitioners of one of the oldest and most striking vocal traditions of mankind: the ethereal sounds of xöömei from the heart of Central Asia.
Egyptian Celebration
· Egyptian Celebration – Egyptian dance and music: A kaleidoscope of robes unfurl as this master dancer spins in performance of the famous Tanoura, or Whirling Dervish.
· Los Texmaniacs – conjunto tejano: Lively accordion-led dance music of the Texas/Mexico border from one of the most energetic exponents of conjunto tejano.
Lurrie Bell’s Chicago Blues Band
· Lurrie Bell’s Chicago Blues Band – Chicago blues: Blistering guitar work and growling vocals combine to create rough and tumble blues revealing a Windy City master at the height of his powers.
These outstanding artists join the following performers, who have already been announced:
· Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band – Cajun
· Dale Ann Bradley – bluegrass
· Feedel Band – Ethiojazz
· Innov Gnawa – Moroccan Gnawa
· Kelsey Waldon – classic country
· Marshall Ford Swing Band – western swing
· Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac – Cape Breton singing and fiddling
· Orquesta SCC – salsa dura
· Sri Lankan Dance Academy of NY – traditional Sri Lankan dance
· The Beat[box] Goes On – beatboxing
· The Fairfield Four – African American gospel quartet singing
· Tremé Brass Band – New Orleans brass band
To learn more about these artists and their stories, please visit nationalfolkfestival.com/performers. The National Folk Festival will feature individual artists on its Facebook page (facebook.com/NationalFolkFestivalNC), Twitter (twitter.com/NtlFolkFestNC), and Instagram (instagram.com/nationalfolkfestnc) throughout the rest of March.
More performers will be announced as they are confirmed.
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About the 2017 National Folk Festival: Co-produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) and ArtsGreensboro, the National Folk Festival is celebrating the third year of its three-year residency in downtown Greensboro in 2017. The FREE, three-day event is America’s longest-running
festival of traditional arts. nationalfolkfestival.com
About the National Folk Festival: Since it was first presented in St. Louis in 1934, the National Folk Festival has celebrated the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Championed in its early years by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was the first event of national stature to present the arts of many nations, races, and languages on equal footing. An exuberant traveling festival that embraces the diverse cultural expressions of the American people in the 21st century, the National Folk Festival is FREE to the public, and is produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) in partnership with communities around the country.
About the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA): The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is one of the nation’s premier non-profit cultural organizations dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk, tribal, and ethnic arts in the United States. Founded in 1933, it is the nation’s oldest producing and presenting organization with such a focus. Its programs celebrate and honor deeply rooted cultural expressions—music, crafts, stories, and dance passed on through time by families and communities as well as by tribal, ethnic, and occupational groups. The NCTA stresses excellence and authenticity in presenting artists to the public in festivals, tours, concerts, media programs, exhibitions, recordings, and other activities, and works in partnership with communities across American to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that bring lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits. www.ncta-usa.org
About ArtsGreensboro: With an annual budget of approximately $3.5 million, ArtsGreensboro is a catalyst for innovation to build recognition and support for the arts. Through its ArtsFund-supported grant programs, the 17DAYS Arts & Culture Festival, the Levitt AMP Greensboro Music Series, and other opportunities including the National Folk Festival, ArtsGreensboro is driving the health and vitality of our community by supporting arts education, celebrating the diversity of Greensboro, and driving economic impact through excellence in arts programming. artsgreensboro.org
