FAR-West Announces 2023 Official Showcase Artists
Twelve Official Artist Showcases Presented Over Two Nights;
Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14 from 7p-10p
18th Annual FAR-West Music Conference Slated For
October 12-15, 2023 at Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills, CA
Artists, Industry Professionals, Presenters, DJs, Educators,
Hobbyists & Fans Welcome
Three Days | 27 Speakers | 34 Sessions | Nightly Music Showcases
Los Angeles, CA – (September 18, 2023) — FAR-West (Folk Alliance Region West), the 20-year-old western regional chapter of Folk Alliance International, today announces the official showcase artists for its 18th annual music conference and its first in-person conference in four years, being held at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, CA, October 12-15.
A platform for luminaries and rising stars in the region, the official showcases will present twelve jury-selected artists over two nights – Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14 – and are open to the public; tickets are open to the public and available here.
Representing a diverse array of artists and folk genres, this year’s two-night official showcase lineup features: Stacy Antonel, Joseph Eid, Reggie Garrett & Christine Gunn, Pi Jacobs, Arend Lee Jessurun, Cindy Kalmenson, Kray Van Kirk, Destinie Lynn, Deidre McCalla, Yosi Mesbah, Cary Morin & Ghost Dog, and Mariah Wynne.
Over 75 artists applied for the opportunity to perform for hundreds of conference attendees, which will include festival and venue bookers, agents, managers, labels, media and music industry representatives. The 12 showcases, selected through an insightful mix of criteria, will feature emerging and established touring artists from around the region.
In addition to the nightly showcases, the FAR-West conference daily programming sessions will feature a variety of tracks that allow conference-goers to connect, learn, discover, and reflect; view the full agenda here.
This year’s conference theme, Spirit of Community, is designed to focus on deepening creative connections and professional development. The conference brings together dedicated professionals and hobbyists across the independent Americana and folk roots ecosystem of presenters, performers, promoters and more. The conference will explore sustainable musicianship practices and career opportunities in the post-pandemic independent music industry. Together, the conference will explore the sustainability of the folk genre, and business and career opportunities in an ever-changing music industry.
On Thursday, October 12, at 7pm the traditional Venue’s Choice kickoff concert will be held in the Grand Ballroom at the Warner Center Marriott. Each year, FAR-West chooses top venues dedicated to presenting quality acoustic music and musical diversity in our region. In turn, each venue host selects artists that epitomize the music that the venues regularly present. This results in a thrilling night of music, making it one of the highlights of the whole weekend.
Venue’s Choice Concert: The lineup includes Hattie Craven & Jessica Malone; Belle Plaine; Joselyn & Don; Alice Howe & Freebo; I See Hawks in L.A (7p-10p); Tickets are open to the public and are available here.
Private Showcases: Hosted in multiple concurrent conference rooms late-night (10:30p-2a) Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the private showcases are always buzzing with music and activity; more information available soon.
Best Of The West Luncheon: Held on Saturday, October 14, (12p-2p) the Best of the West (BOTW) Awards honor individuals who have maintained an enduring presence in the folk and acoustic music scene in the North American West, and who continue to inspire others by embodying folk values and traditions. This year’s honorees include The Folk Music Center, Museum and Store in Claremont, CA and its owner/operator Ellen Harper with the Ambassador Award, and the influential gospel, blues, psych-soul group, The Chambers Brothers, with the Artist Award.
Documentary Screening: On Friday, October 13, (5:15p-6:45p), screen the documentary “The Opening Act – The Extraordinary Journey of James Lee Stanley.” A wonderful, entertaining and uplifting look at a remarkable career and a window into the actual world of showbiz. Includes interviews with John Densmore of The Doors, Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles, famed photographer Henry Diltz, uber agent Mike Kappus, singer/songwriter/actor Stephen Bishop, and comedian Steven Wright, all who attest to James Lee Stanley’s validity as an artist, entertainer, composer, and all-around great guy and cancer survivor. Tickets are open to the public and are available here.
About FAR-West
Folk Alliance Region West (FAR-West), the western regional chapter of Folk Alliance International, fosters and promotes traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk music, dance, storytelling and related performing arts in the western parts of North America. This area includes California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii, and in Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories. Open to artists, presenters, and music supporters, FAR-West welcomes a wide variety of styles, levels, and disciplines, encouraging musical and cultural diversity and excellence.
Our MISSION is to strengthen the ecology for folk music and build stronger artists, presenters and audiences. Our annual conference builds on that mission with a community and program that includes education, showcases, and networking. FAR-West seeks to strengthen and advance organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through: Education — To increase understanding of the rich variety, artistic value, cultural and historical significance, and continuing relevance of folk music and dance among educators, media and the general public. Networking — To provide a bridge to and from folk music and dance organizations and needed resources, and to help those organizations link with their constituencies. Advocacy — To influence decision makers and resource providers on the state and local levels, ensuring the growth of folk music and dance. Field Development — To support and encourage the development of new and existing grassroots folk music and dance organizations. Professional Development — To strengthen the effectiveness of folk music and dance organizations by providing professional development opportunities. FAR-West, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, was incorporated in 2003 in California and is run entirely by volunteers.
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For more information, please contact Lellie Capwell at LPC Media, Lellie@lpc-media.com