Kent State Folk Festival starts today
For those of you in Ohio or anywhere within driving distance of it the great news is that the 37th Annual Kent State Folk Festival starts tonight November 12 and also runs on November 14th and 15 th.

Tonight's show features the wonderful Nickel Creek who have taken the music world by storm over the last few years both here in the US and now in Ireland and the UK as well. It's a well deserved success for this young band who are three of the nicest and most talented people on any stage today. Even at thier young ages they have many years behind them and I know they have many more to go. If you haven't seen them live yet... where have you been?

Nickel Creek appear on the Kent Stage, 175 Main Street in Kent at 8pm

In contrast to the young Nickel Creek on Friday 14th the legendary Dr Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys will show us how its done the old fashioned way. Dr Ralph is a Grammy winning performer and is the definitive voice of bluegrass for me and many others. Younger audiences will know him from his appearance on the O' Brother where art thou soundtrack.

Dr Ralph and the boys also appear on the Kent stage on Friday 14th

To conclude the concert series for the festival is a double header that I would love to attend. For me a show with Maura O'Connell and Robinella and The CC String Band is going from an old friend to new favorites.

I have known Maura for many years. I first saw her in Tumbleweed at a festival is a crazy little place called Barna outside Galway . Tumbleweed were a duo who showed off Maura's amazing voice. She was spotted by DeDannan and after helping give them one of their greatest hits in My Irish Molly she went on to a solo career that has taken her from Clare to Nashville and a Grammy nomination along the way.

I used to book Maura in my old days in Donegal bringing bands to various venues in the area and of all the people I booked I looked forward to her coming more than the rest. She was a joy to work with personally and as a bonus always had sold out shows.

Robinella and the CC String Band are a young talented group from Knoxville Tennessee which seems to be a great breeding ground for music. The band play a mix of jazz, country bluegrass and then toss in a few more styles just to keep their hordes of new fans on their toes. I am one of this young band's new fans and with a new album out on Sony set to make them a high profile act get out there and hear some cool music now before their shows sell out.

In addition to the mainstage concerts, the festival will include folk music workshops and the traditional 'Round Town series featuring regional folk performers in Kent clubs and coffeehouses.

You can get more info on the workshops at

http://www.kentstatefolkfestival.com