We celebrate the first inaugural Arcadia Folk Festival with mighty tunes from Laura Berman, Faint Peter, Divining Rod, Birds of Chicago, Darlingside, Heather Maloney, The Nields, and Celine Schmink.

Dawn at Arcadia Wildlife Preserve; photo by Phil Doyle.

host, the mongrel
music editor, Serafina

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #12—of the Cornbread Cafe, a fine place to get your fill of some of very best in American Roots music. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And sometimes you can catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. *

I am the mongrel, and it does my heart good to see you back again so soon. And it looks like you brought some friends with you. Thanks for dropping in. Always room in the Cafe for folks with great taste in music.We’re sliding back into our long format this episode to celebrate the inauguration of America’s newest American Roots fest, the Arcadia Folk Festival, taking place in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley September 30.

Not only do we have a block of great tunes from some of artists who’ll be performing there, but we speak both with Signature Sound’s Jim Olson, organizer of the event AND Jonah Keane, Sanctuary Director for Mass Audubon at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. Both Jim and Jonah explain why this enchanting, verdant refuge makes for a setting that’s more than just a gorgeous backdrop.

Featured in this EpisodeLaura Berman • “Come As You Are” • HomeFaint Peter • “Waiting” • RedoubtDivining Rod • “Darling Down The Row” • singleBirds of Chicago • “Farewell Tenderhearts” • American FlowersDarlingside • “Singularity” • ExtralifeHeather Maloney • “A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall” • Just Enough SunThe Nields • “Love Love Love” • XVIICeline Schmink • “Solo Rider” • Faded Wanderings

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At the tail end of this episode, we’ll introduce a new, occasional feature of the show we’re calling “American-a Expat.”

Right now, though, let’s tuck in to this musical spread by spinning a tune that landed in my inbox just this week. You know I love sharing an early taste of albums before anyone else has heard them. This track will appear on Laura Berman’s January 2019 release, Home, and I think it’s a good indication you’re going to love the whole album when it drops. Here’s “Come as You Are,” on the Cornbread Cafe.

Laura Berman

Laura Berman; photo courtesy laurabermanmusic.com/.

"Singer and songwriter Laura Berman has reached acclaim for her soul-touching vocal and honest, lyrical poetry. She has performed alongside Rev. Michael Beckwith at the Agape International Spiritual Center, Authors Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson, and sang backup for Grammy Award Winner Enya on the David Letterman Show. Laura also is a session singer and has a featured song in the children's film and accompanying soundtrack of "Clifford's Really Big Movie." She is currently recording her fifth studio album with producer and multi-instrumentalist Roman Morykit, one half of the musical duo, Gypsy Soul, with the album release set for January 2019."

Divining Rod

That was “Darling Down the Row,” a new single from Divining Rod, the new project of former Rogers Sisters member, Miyuki Furtado. It’s a hypnotic song in its own right, but there’s a story attached, and I encourage you to follow the link in the show notes to Diving Rod’s website for an explanation in his own wo...