The Kerrville Folk Festival, the long-running internationally-recognized event, is set to begin its 51st gathering on May 25, with 18 days of “concerts and camping in the beautiful Texas Hill Country,” at Quiet Valley Ranch, 3876 Medina Highway, 9 miles south of Kerrville.
Over the subsequent course of 18 days and evenings, music fans will have the opportunity to hear more than 70 artists and acts on several stages in an informal outdoor setting.
The event draws music fans from around the world, many who line up for “land rush,” starting the Saturday before, where they stake claim to their campground. The Festival also welcomes day visitors who want to attend a specific performance.
This year, organizers are making an effort to invite local and area residents to visit the venue located in their backyard, according to Mary Muse, a long-time participant who has served as Executive Director for the past eight years.
“We especially would like to welcome area residents to come out to the festival so they and see why Kerrville has become a pilgrimage for so many performing songwriters,” said Muse, noting that the Foundation provides local events including Music at the Mansion and Music Camp for Teens. “Once again we are focused on nurturing and developing artistic expression, especially the art of songwriting.”
To that end, the Festival is providing complimentary tickets for opening night, Thursday, May 25. Tickets are available at several Kerr-area businesses. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. with a line-up that includes Bill Muse, Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines, John Fullbright, Pat Byrne, and Gina Chavez.
Throughout the event, 24 finalists of the Grassy Hill New Folk Songwriting Competition, selected from over 900 entries, will join the ranks of finalists from the past 50 years. Some of those past winners, many who got their first notable exposure at the Festival, include Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Nanci Griffith, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Adrianne Lenker, and Anais Mitchell, composer of Broadway’s Tony and Grammy-winning Best Musical “Hadestown,” who is returning to Kerrville to perform the evening of May 27.
Nightly musical highlights include:
5/26 Kelly Willis, Melissa Carper, & Brennan Leigh
Powerful individual performers, in a rare group appearance
5/27 Anais Mitchell
5/28 Mary Gauthier
Grammy-nominated artist, with songs covered by Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Kathy Mattea, Boy George, and Jimmy Buffet
5/29 In Memoriam
A special evening where performers honor songwriters who have passed
5/30 Guy Forsyth and the Relevators
New creations and interpretations for the 1920s
5/31 Scott Cook
From Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
6/1 Michael Pendergast
From Prince Edward Island
6/2 The Milk Carton Kids
Grammy Award-winning duo from CA
6/3 Pixie and the Partygrass Boys
A fun original band out of Utah
6/4 Verlon Thompson & Shawn Camp
Nashville songwriters and musicians who have co-written with Guy Clark
6/5 Women's Voices in the Garden
Through story, song, and spoken word, three songwriters and a poet share their perspective on being a woman.
6/6 Grant Peeples
Singer-songwriter with a penchant for irreverent, witty observation and humor
6/7 Lomax on Lomax
Third generation folklorian John Lomax III will present a program on his family's place in the the history of folk music
6/8 Bill Ward
Performing songwriter known for hosting the Schreiner University Songkeepers Program
6/9 Kaia Kater
Performs music with roots in Quebec and Appalachian music
6/10 Wheatfield
Return of a group that played one of the first Kerrville Folk Festivals, with two members who now perform as Trout Fishing in America
6/11 Javier Jara
One of the 2022 New Folk Winners
Complete lineups, daily schedules, and performer bios can be found online at kerrvillefolkfestival.org. The web site also contains all information on camping, access, tickets, maps, and FAQs for enjoying the Festival.
Established in 1972, the Kerrville Folk Festival is now produced by the KFF Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote public appreciation and support for songwriters, the songwriting craft, and the gift folk music offers the world.
For more information about the Kerrville Folk Festival, visit kerrvillefolkfestival.org.