Acoustic Harmony: News

I'm very excited to be filling in as host for Todd Tyson on Crossroads, the long running Sunday morning folk show on The Point out of Montpelier, VT....   My first show on Crossroads will be on August 21, 2016...  hopefully the first of many to come!  Tune in to Crossroads on Sunday mornings between 6 - 10 AM for great folk music....  listen locally at: 104.7, 93.7, 103.1 or 95.7 FM or stream online at:  http://pointfm.com/

Great news to share!  A selection of archived Acoustic Harmony Radio shows can now be found on the WGDR page on the Soundcloud site.  Here's a link:

 

https://soundcloud.com/wgdr/sets/acoustic-harmony-1 

 

We'll be getting about a show a month archived, so check in often to catch up on shows you might have missed, or just really liked and want to hear again! 

Very excited to announce that Sharon Goldman will be coming by for a live on air interview and performance on April 12th!  Sharon is a great singer songwriter based in New Jersey and has been compared to Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann and Brandi Carlisle - pretty heady company!  Her idol is Paul Simon and that certainly comes through in her music.  Tune in to check out Sharon around 5 PM on Acoustic Harmony!

This afternoon (Saturday 12/7) the fabulous Brendan Taaffe and The New Line (Colin McCaffrey, Stefan Amidon and Adam Hurt) will be my special guests, live in the air studio.  Their new release, “Can’t Hold The Wheel”, is a wonderful fusion of African rhythms (anchored by Brendan’s masterful mbira playing) combined with fabulous old timey music featuring clawhammer banjo and fabulous harmonies.  It may be hard to imagine that combination but I can tell you it’s an infectious blend that will have you both humming and swaying along to the music!

 

The guys will be joining me around 5:30pm eastern time, so tune in and check out this group of stellar musicians.  You can listen live in the central Vermont area at: 91.1 or 91.7FM or stream it online at: www.wgdr.org

I'm very excited to have the fabulous duo, Neptune's Car coming on Acoustic Harmony live on January 5th.  Fresh off the release of their wonderful new release, "Letters From The Road" Holly and Steve will be joining me early on the show prior to their gig at Bagitos in Montpelier later that evening.  Tune in around 4pm to catch them live!

I'm very excited that I will be joined by Michael Johnathon live on Acoustic Harmony on November 24th!  Michael is a renowned singer songwriter and also the host of the wonderful "Woodsong's Old-Time Radio Hour" so this should be a really fun visit!

 

We'll be starting off around 5pm, so be sure to tune in locally at 91.1 or 91.7 FM or stream online at: www.wgdr.org  and don't forget you can record it digitally at DAR.FM

I'm very excited to announce that The Honey Dew Drops will be appearing live on Acoustic Harmony for our fall pledge drive special show!  Laura and Kagey will be stopping by WGDR right around 4:30 PM on Saturday, October 13 for an intimate live performance and interview.  It's sure to be a very special afternoon, don't miss it!  And remember to support your local community radio station, WGDR during our fall pledge drive, it's critical for keeping truly independent radio on the air!

Thanks so much!

Listen live to The Honey Dew Drops on Saturday, October 13th at 91.1 or 91.7 FM or stream it at: www.wgdr.org   and remember, you can always record the show at DAR.FM....  just click the "record it" button on the Acoustic Harmony home page.

Very excited to welcome Annalise Emerick to WGDR/WGDH listeners this afternoon (7/28/12) on Acoustic Harmony. Fresh off her Solarfest appearance, Annalise will join me live on air this afternoon, shortly after 4:30pm. Listen live at 91.1 or 91.7 FM or online at: www.wgdr.org or for you time shifters, check out the digital recording online site at: http://dar.fm/ Hopefully the interview will be archived at the Acoustic Harmony site soon!

I'm very excited that Karyn Oliver will be dropping by WGDR for a live guest interview and intimate performance on Saturday April 28th, before her Plainfield house concert later that night. It's doubly exciting because this visit happens during WGDR's annual spring pledge drive, so tune in around 4:30 pm on April 28th to catch Karyn live and support free format community radio!

Very excited that Amy Speace will be joining me live on air on Saturday, Nov 26th for an interview and intimate acoustic performance! Amy's in the area at this time kicking off her big fall/winter tour and will be opening up for Judy Collins later that evening. Listen live at: www.wgdr.org or remember, you can always record it at: www.DAR.FM and listen at your leisure!

You can now record Acoustic Harmony and listen at your own convenience! The new web service DAR.FM allows users to record their favorite radio programs for listening at another time, working just like DVR or TiVo for radio. Just click this button...

Never miss another Acoustic Harmony program! But do be aware that the site is not currently set for recording bi-weekly shows, so scheduling this recording will also pick up the alternating show on WGDR's Saturday afternoon schedule, I'm working with DAR.FM and hopefully this will be addressed soon. Feel free to contact the folks at DAR.FM and let them know you'd like to see an option added for recording bi-weekly shows like Acoustic Harmony! There's a direct link to DAR.FM on the links page where you can open an account (it's free!) and find contact information.

Season’s Greetings Everybody!

It’s been a while but I wanted to let you know that Acoustic Harmony is still going strong and we have a very special show coming up tomorrow afternoon on Christmas day! The opportunity for a longer show has presented itself, a nice Christmas present indeed, and joining me will be some very special guests live in the studio.

Starting around 3:30pm I’ll be joined by Diana Winn, the president and founder of Re-Bop Records.
Re-Bop records is our local independent children’s music label and they have a 4 hour block of unique “Re-Bop” related performances on Dec, 31st as part of Montpelier’s First Night celebration. We’ll be chatting about that special event and possibly be joined by a few Re-Bop folks for some live music. Re-Bop Records has been bringing together outstanding Vermont musicians with musically motivated kids, both on stage and in the studio since 1989.

Then, coming in around 5pm I’ll be joined by singer songwriter, Jessica Smucker. Jessica is a fabulous artist based in Lancaster, PA and the winner of many songwriting awards, including 1st place in the 2010 SolarFest Singer Songwriter Showcase Competition. We’ll have a nice long chat with Jessica, talking about her career and songwriting, and of course, be treated to some wonderful live music. I saw Jessica perform at SolarFest and her live performances are not to be missed!

In between all the live music, we’ll delve into the usual fare of great acoustic artists, featuring the seasonal music of some of the great independent singer songwriters.

I hope that you’ll join me for this very special edition of Acoustic Harmony and share in a lovely Christmas afternoon of acoustic music! Central Vermont area residents can tune in at 91.1 FM and the rest of you can listen live on the web at: http:www.wgdr.org
Happy Holidays everyone, all the best for the upcoming New Year!

Mark

Hey all,

Every year I like to look back on some of my favorite releases from the last year.... so, here's the note I just posted to the folkdj list regarding that. These are all great artists that are well worth checking out if you're not familiar with them.

"Hey Everybody,

I couldn't let 2009 slip away completely without mentioning a few of my favorite (mostly independent) new
releases that made frequent appearances on Acoustic Harmony last year. This is in no way meant to be
a "Best Of" list, but rather a list of some releases that for whatever reason really made an impression on
me. These are records and artists that might have been overlooked and ones I would highly recommend
to anyone who appreciates great songwriting and the artistry of musical creation.

Here they are in no particular order:

Robyn Landis - Many Moons
Sue Pyper - Tail Lights In The Rain
Jory Nash - New Blue Day
Lynn Miles - Black Flowers/Vol 1 & 2
Drew Nelson - Dusty Road To Beulah Land
Joe Jencks - Links In A Chain
Cheryl Wheeler - Pointing At The Sun
Vicky Emerson - Long Ride
Johnsmith - Gravity Of Grace
David Mallett - Alright Now
Alisa Fineman & Kimball Hurd - Faith In Our Love
Bow Thayer - Shooting Arrows At The Moon
Corey Brewster - Buffalo Street
Chuck Suchy - Unraveling Heart
Wyatt Easterling - Where This River Goes
Keith Greeninger & Dayan Kai - Make It Rain
Craig Bickhardt - Brother To The Wind

There were a couple other artists that although they didn't have new releases last year it was then that
I really became aware of their amazing talent. So I wanted to mention them as well:

Tom Pacheco - An incredibly prolific crafter of consistently important political, personal
and fictional songs. Simply an amazing storyteller.

Martyn Joseph - The epitome of a powerful performing singer songwriter. To see him perform live
is everything I love about the singer songwriter folk troubadour tradition who also is an amazing
songwriter.

Monika Nordli - An old songwriter's soul in a young body with an achingly beautiful voice.

There you have it, some of my favorites from incredible artists who helped keep the art of great
folk music alive in 2009. Artists that if I hadn't come across them myself, I would be very appreciative
to discover. The usual disclaimer pertains, I have no financial interests in any of the above mentioned
artists.

All the best on a frosty sub-zero morning from Northern New England!

Mark Michaelis
Host; Acoustic Harmony
WGDR Folk Music Director
www.acoustic-harmony.com
WGDR is community radio for central Vermont broadcasting from Goddard College at: 91.1FM
and online at: www.wgdr.org"

The great duo, Coco & Lafe will be my very special guests on Saturday 1/23, coming on to share some music and stories from the road before their 2 shows at the Black Door in Montpelier later that night. I’ve heard that the first show is already sold out so if you can’t make the late show, this will be a great substitute. Coco & Lafe have been true “road warriors” for the last several years, following the seasons specializing in appearing at Farmer’s Markets all across the country. Their harmonies are wonderful and each is a great singer songwriter in their own right. Both Coco & Lafe have ties to Vermont, but lately they’ve been splitting their time between the west coast and the Boston area, so this is a great chance to catch them for a rare appearance in central Vermont. Find more info about this great duo at: http://www.cocolafe.com

I am very happy to announce that my recent interview with the legendary singer songwriter, Tom Pacheco is now up on this site and available for your streaming pleasure. Tom treated me to some gorgeous solo acoustic new songs of his, truly a wonderful artist. Be sure to check out Tom and his music. You can find more info at his website at: http://www.tompacheco.com

This afternoon a very special pair of guests will be joining me live at the studio for a live appearance. Rik Palieri and Rebecca Padula, aka Rik & Bec have been playing as a duo for about a year now and each has had a long solo career up to this point. Their harmonies are wonderful and the stories should be flowing with these two. Tune in around 5pm to catch them live on Acoustic Harmony.

I am very excited to announce that the legendary singer songwriter, Tom Pacheco will be my very special guest this afternoon on Acoustic Harmony! Tom writes beautifully crafted songs that are guaranteed to speak to you, songs about life, love, loss and the world around us. Tune in around 5 pm to catch this fabulous artist.

Hey everybody,

Thanks to the great folks over at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, I am very happy to announce that we’ll be giving away 2 pairs of tickets for the full four day festival (includes camping!) on the next Acoustic Harmony broadcast. I won’t try to describe this incredible festival, instead see the press release below for festival details.

To enter into this contest, just send an email to Mark@acoustic-harmony.com with the subject Falcon Ridge and you’ll automatically be entered into the drawing! Winners will be drawn on air by my very special guest, the legendary Tom Pacheco, when he visits Acoustic Harmony for a live guest appearance on July 11th.

So, spread the word and don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend this wonderful folk festival for free, courtesy of WGDR and the great folks at Falcon Ridge! Email entries must be received by July 10th for consideration.

_________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE - Falcon Ridge Folk Festival July 23-26
VOTED BEST FOLK FESTIVAL OF 2008, FALCON RIDGE TURNS 21!

Since it's humble beginnings in 1988, Falcon Ridge has grown from a simple gathering of the tribes to a 4-day Mecca for the folk community, accommodating campers and day-trippers alike. Many attend solely for the sumptuous International smorgasbord, others for the eclectic Craft Village, others just to dance on the largest outdoor floor of its kind. Voted Best Folk Fest in 2008 by the International Folk Music & Dance Alliance, Falcon Ridge returns to the Dodds Farm in Hillsdale, NY July 23-26.

The 4-stage event has something for everyone. There is a bustling Activities 4 Kids Area, all-night song circles, a huge dance floor and an array of consumables to satisfy every palate from gourmet sautéed mushrooms on crostini to Caribbean curries, Middle Eastern, Thai & Mexican fare to good ole American burgers, veggie & regular, NY Cheesecake, death by chocolate and more. There's a village market with clothing, fabrics, jewelry, art, literature, toys, pottery, musical instruments, hand blown glass, herbals and other goods lining the midway. The Friday afternoon Emerging Artist Showcase is renowned for its discovery of new talent. Falcon Ridge is handicap accessible and ASL-interpreted.

Musical highlights include country queen Kathy Mattea, Boston's chamber grass ensemble, the Folk Arts Quartet, fest faves Nerissa & Katryna Nields, bluesman Bob Malone and the Afro-Celtic fusion of Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul. Lisa Haley & the Zydekats make their Falcon Ridge debut. Folk icons Susan Werner, Ellis Paul and Cliff Eberhardt join forces with folk legend Janis Ian for the Friday Night Summer's Eve Song Swap.

Performers run the style gamut from Cajun to Celtic to World to Blues to Bluegrass with the fest's trademark singer/songwriters at the epicenter. Artists from Texas, Vermont, Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago, LA and closer to home are featured. Some of the hottest buzz bands on the acoustic circuit, Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Girlyman, the Refugees, Stonehoney and the Ryan Montbleau Band join the festivities.

The Dance Tent fires up Thursday with entry level Contra, Squares and Swing. Dancing continues all weekend. Kids of all ages sing, boogie, drum, play air guitar and share stories at the Family Stage. Workshop stage offerings include Blues is Still the News, It Just Takes Two and Our Roots are Showing.

The fest kicks off Thursday July 23 at 1PM with its Music Biz School where attendees can learn about promotion, booking, hosting house concerts, touring, performing and songcraft.

Hi everyone!

Wanted to let you all know that my recent interview with the wonderful singer songwriter Bernice Lewis is now posted on the website and available for streaming. Bernice was a fabulous guest and it was a thoroughly enjoyable chat with one of my favorites. Check it out over on the "interviews/playlists" page.

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you all know about a few special programs coming up on Acoustic Harmony shortly.

First off, Jess Clemons, winner of the Burlington Songwriter's Contest for 2008 will be my special guest live on air today (Saturday April 18th). Jess is a great singer songwriter whose been out touring the country and now is back home in Vermont. She'll help WGDR kick off our annual spring fundraiser today, coming in to the station at 4:30pm.

Coming up in May, the fabulous Bernice Lewis will be making a guest appearance on Acoustic Harmony on Saturday, May 2. Bernice writes beautiful songs and has been a favorite of mine for many years. She'll be stopping by WGDR around 4:30pm on May 2nd before her house concert later that evening, part of the great Plainfield, VT Ocassional Concert Series produced by Mary, Karl and Lynne. You can get information about the house concert by contacting Mary at: kbmt@ezcloud.com

Finally, the incredible Tom Pacheco will be a guest on Acoustic Harmony on Saturday, July 11th. Tom has been making incredible music for over 40 years and has written some 3000 songs! Tom will be stopping by WGDR around 5pm prior to his appearance at the Langdon Street Cafe later that evening.

Also, as I mentioned, WGDR starts our annual spring fund drive today. I do hope you can help support one of the best, truly independent, free format, locally produced community radio stations around! Call in anytime this week at 802-454-7762 or pledge online at: http://www.wgdr.org
I do hope you get a chance to check out some of the great guests coming up on Acoustic Harmony!

You can stream our live feed at: http://www.wgdr.org or listen locally at 91.1FM.

Thanks and Happy Spring!

Mark

Very excited to have the fabulous Anais Mitchell appearing live on Acoustic Harmony! Anais will be stopping by WGDR before her benefit concert for the Marshfield Jacquith Library.

I wanted to let you all know that my interview with the wonderful Meg Hutchinson is now available for streaming over on the "music" page. Meg had recently signed with Red House Records when she stopped by this past summer to record our interview and we talked extensively about her great new record, "Come Up Full". Don't miss the fabulous solo acoustic songs that Meg treated me to! You'll want to check this one out soon!

Very excited to let you know that Lui Collins will once again be a guest on Acoustic Harmony! Coming up this Saturday, Sept 20, Lui will stop by for a live appearance prior to her benefit for the Aldrich Public Library. Tune in around 6PM to catch one of the most beautiful voices in the folk world today! And if you can't listen in to this one, you can always stream the interview that I recorded with Lui last year over on the "music" page..... an in depth conversation about her great record, "Closer".

Hi Everybody,

Once again some exciting news for this week’s Acoustic Harmony!

The great folks at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival have been very kind and given WGDR full festival passes to giveaway again this year. We’ve got two pairs of passes for the full four-day festival, which runs from July 24 – July 27th, and these passes include camping! It’s the 20th anniversary for Falcon Ridge and the lineup is stellar as usual, including such amazing artists like Dar Williams, Eliza Gilkyson, Chris Smither, John Gorka, Lori McKenna, Eddie From Ohio, Patty Larkin, Janis Ian… I could go on and on! As usual, the festival will be held at the Dodds Farm in Hillsdale, NY, about an hour south of Albany.

I’ll be giving away one pair of these tickets tomorrow, Saturday July 12th at around 5 pm on Acoustic Harmony to one lucky caller. Don’t despair if you don’t win tomorrow’s passes, there’ll be another chance to win on Wednesday, July 16th with Cam on the next New Folk Revival on WGDR.

And if that isn’t enough, we’ve also got a pair of tickets to the Sunday event at this year’s Champlain Valley Folk Festival. This fabulous festival on the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain in Ferrisburgh, VT has to be the most beautiful setting for folk music anywhere. This year’s festival runs from August 1st to August 3rd and features performers that include Brooks Williams, The Kossoy Sisters, Hungrytown (Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson), Si Kahn, Hanneke Cassel and many other fabulous artists. For a chance to win tickets for this festival for Sunday Aug 3rd, send your name, phone number and mailing address in an email to: Mark@Acoustic-Harmony.com with the subject line being “Champlain Valley Folk Festival”. The deadline for entering is Thursday July 24th, so get those emails in! The winner’s name will be drawn live on the air, on July 26th by my next very special guest, Lissa Schneckenburger. Lissa’s an incredible fiddler with a beautiful voice whose new release called “Song” is a wonderful collection of some wonderful but largely forgotten songs and tunes from New England that she uncovered through archival research and contains ten timeless ballads that go back as far as the eighteenth century that she set to carefully crafted modern arrangements.

So, be sure to tune in to WGDR at 91.1 FM in the local area or online at: http://www.wgdr.org on Saturday, July 12th at 5pm for your chance to go the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival for FREE! And get your emails in for the Champlain Valley Folk Festival giveaway!

As always, thanks for tuning in!

Mark