Weekend Performances
A Weekend of Entertainment, Participation and Exhibits
Along the banks of the historic Suwannee River in White Springs, Florida, folk artists have gathered to celebrate Florida’s land, people, and diverse cultural heritage. Since its humble beginning in 1953, the Florida Folk Festival has not only grown to become Florida’s most prestigious cultural event, but also named “Florida’s Best Cultural Event.” In 2011, the festival was recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society with the honor of being a “Top 20 Event” in the southeastern United States.
On May 25th, 26th and 27th, the 60th Annual Florida Folk Festival proudly presents these featured performers for 2012.
Arlo Guthrie - Saturday evening
Legendary musician, performer, and folk historian Arlo Guthrie, presented by ICM artists, will headline the 60th Annual Florida Folk Festival. Arlo Guthrie was born with a guitar in one hand and a harmonica in the other, in Coney Island, New York in 1947. He is the eldest son of America’s beloved singer/writer/philosopher Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company and founder of The Committee to Combat Huntington’s Disease. Arlo’s father, Woody, composed and performed hundreds of songs, including the still-celebrated “This Land Is Your Land.”
With songs like "Alice's Restaurant", too long for radio airplay; "Coming into Los Angeles", banned from many radio stations (but a favorite at the 1969 Woodstock Festival); and the definitive rendition of Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans", Guthrie was no One-Hit-Wonder. An artist of international stature, he has never had a 'hit' in the usual sense. He has usually preferred to walk to his own beat rather than march in step to the drum of popular culture.
Over the last four decades Guthrie has toured throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia winning a wide, popular following. In addition to his accomplishments as a musician, playing the piano, six and twelve-string guitar, harmonica, and a dozen other instruments, Arlo is a natural-born storyteller, whose tales and anecdotes figure prominently in his performances.
John Anderson - Sunday evening
The story of John Anderson and his platinum-plus album, Seminole Wind, is the story of the country music of the decade. It’s the true-to-life, yet larger-than-life, saga of one of the most dramatic career turn-around of the 1990’s. It’s the story of just reward for a singer who originally took country music by storm and helped keep it true to its roots back in the early 80’s. His memorable hits from that musical era included Wild and Blue, I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal, 1959, I Just Came Home to Count the Memories, Black Sheep and Swingin’. Swingin’ was not only the Country Music Association’s 1983 Song of the year; more recently it was cited by the A.M.O.A. as one of its all-time top-forty jukebox hits--right up there with Hey Jude and other perennial favorites by The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, George Jones, and The Rolling Stones.
John Anderson is a seasoned and improved model of the same tried-and-true; dyed-in-the-wool country vocalist who critics lauded more than a decade ago for having brought, “renewed beauty and elegance to the twin-fiddle, steel guitar tradition of the old-time honky-tonk balladeer.”
John Anderson…an influence to many of today’s country artists, a colorful character, and truly a country music treasure!
Billy Dean - Friday evening
A native of Quincy, Florida, Billy Dean, was raised appreciating the value of music and has a diverse array of musical influences. After attending college on a basketball scholarship, Billy moved to Nashville in 1983 and by 1990 had recorded his first Top 5 Hit “Only Here for A Little While” Since then, Billy has transcended genres with his unique repertoire earning numerous awards, including: The Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year “Somewhere In My Broken Heart”. ACM New Male Vocalist of The Year, BMI Pop Awards, BMI Song Awards, BMI Million Air Plays Award, Country Music Television Rising Star Award, NSAI Song of The Year, and a Grammy for a Country Tribute “Amazing Grace”.
Dean's true gift comes through during his signature solo acoustic performances. An accomplished musician, Dean has a rare, unique ability, to take you on an emotional journey with just him and a guitar. The raw energy of his personality, sense of humor, and powerful vocals, leaves a lasting impression on audiences once they experience the quality of his music up close and personal, personality, sense of humor, and power.
Hannah Dean - Saturday evening
Billy Dean has plenty to be proud of with his hit songs but he couldn’t have been any prouder than when his 16-year-old daughter, Hannah Dean, gave her first performance on the Grand Ole Opry. With her dad singing harmonies, Hannah Dean sang a beautiful rendition of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. Hannah Dean will be joining her father this year at the Florida Folk Festival as a feature performer! She will be taking the stage on Saturday May 26th.
Ben Prestage - Saturday evening
Festival audiences better hold onto their seats and prepare to enjoy a mesmerizing and stunning performance when the multi-talented one-man-band maestro, Ben Prestage, takes the stage.
Born the grandson of a Mississippi sharecropper, Ben Prestage has been soaked in Blues tradition and Mississippi culture since birth. Growing up in the swamps of south central Florida, Prestage began to mix Mississippi Country Blues with his own brand of Florida Swamp Blues. This muddy- water- meets- black- water stew has led him to perform from California to the Carolinas to the Florida Keys, in large festivals, every kind of bar, and sometimes on downtown sidewalks.
To his show, he added a cigar box guitar (made by Memphian and one-man-band John Lowe) that has stereo guitar and bass strings that can be played independently, at the same time. Then Ben added a series of four-foot pedals that can be manipulated by the heels and toes of both feet to play a drum kit. The final result is Ben playing guitar, bass, and drums while singing his own brand of Blues that leaves bottles empty and dance floors full wherever his music takes him.
Frank Thomas - Sunday evening
Born and raised in rural Clay County, Florida songwriter Frank Thomas has native ancestry dating back to the late 18th century. Few other songwriters can claim such a strong Florida heritage and sharing his love of Florida is the inspirational thread woven throughout his music and storytelling. The musical Thomas family (everyone played an instrument) served as musical role models, inspiring young Frank to develop his deep, rough–hewn voice before the age of 10 by singing at home and in church with his family’s gospel group. Later he began to attend square dances, where he learned the fiddle from old-time fiddler Allie Murray. He also received inspiration from his mother who wrote songs about Florida.
Amy Carol Webb - Saturday evening
Award-winning performing songwriter Amy Carol Webb is a favorite among Florida Folk Festival audiences for her compelling songs about herself, and the world she interacts with. Using her own special combination of “voice, vision, grace, and grit,” she both entertains and empowers her audiences.
The definition of Amy Carol Webb is "beloved songweaver." She is passionate, powerful, and poignant. She's the girl next door and no ordinary woman. Born in Oklahoma, Amy traces her heritage back to Native Americans through her Great-Grandmothers who settled Oklahoma when it was still a Territory. Amy's music reflects the same pioneering spirit, tenacity, integrity, and never-quit grit.
Amy invites listeners to feel the passion for life and history she expresses through her songs. As a “beloved songweaver,” she relays powerful messages while celebrating the preservation of Florida’s natural environment and cultural heritages.
Bob Patterson - Friday evening
Bob Patterson is a professional singer, songwriter, and storyteller with over 40 years of experience performing at clubs and festivals all over the United States, and on nationally syndicated radio and television programs. His career began in the late 1960’s when he signed a recording contract with the prestigious folk music label, Vanguard Records.
With a distinctive voice and 12-string guitar technique, Bob will take you on a trip through the real Florida that is filled with humor and folklore of the people. Even his traditional tales are woven in such a way that they appear to be part of the Sunshine State’s landscape. His stories will tie you back to the land, to the plants and animals, to Florida’s precious water, and to Florida’s real people. His poignant music and stories will evoke nostalgia for a way of life that is quickly fading. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the spoken art of storytelling with music and song from one of Florida’s premier performers.
Doug Gauss - Sunday evening
Doug Gauss has performed at the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs for nearly 30 years. His first performance was at the age of nine in 1959 when he played cornet accompanying Greek ethnic dancers from his native Tarpon Springs.
Florida Artists Hall Of Fame member Will McLean, with whom Doug had a close personal relationship from 1967 until his death in 1990, gave his written permission to use any of his works "...as you see fit." Doug also enjoyed close relationships with Florida folk legends Gamble Rogers, Don Grooms, Paul Champion, and Jim Ballew, among others, and his repertoire includes the works of the best of contemporary Florida songwriters with their expressed blessings, as well as vintage songs of Florida from his vast collection of sheet music songs ranging as earl as 1840 thru the 1920’s. Gauss is a five-time State Champion of fingerpick guitar.
Doug plays several folk instruments, banjo, mandolin, and hammered dulcimer but is most widely known for his unique style of fingerpicked guitar, which Gamble Rogers likened to "an enchanted music box."
Clyde Walker - Friday evening
Clyde Walker and his wife Lorelei have lived in Augustine, FL for the past 12 years and have been Florida residents for 30 years. Clyde’s greatest musical influences have always been Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Clyde remembers one of the first songs he learned to play was “Freight Train”. Clyde combines folk, country, blues and ragtime into one great sound. His most recent work has evolved into original songs focusing on the beauty of the tones and harmonies that come from the acoustic guitar.
Rachel Carrick - Sunday evening
Rachel Carrick is a 15-year-old singer songwriter from St. Augustine, Florida. Her father, Jim Carrick, a talented singer songwriter in his own right, began teaching her at the age of 7.
Three-year-old Rachel Carrick of St. Augustine yearned to sing so much that she'd run into her front yard, stand on a coquina rock, open her arms wide and belt out a song from "The Sound of Music" for the neighborhood's entertainment.
Any success Rachel may find in the music business certainly comes from hard work, guitar practice and natural talent. Another of Rachel's genetic connections, other than her father Jim, comes from Rachel's grandmother, Marianne Horner of East Palatka, a singer who performed on the radio in Finland.
Jim Carrick said his daughter never has to be prodded to sing or play. "She opened up about a year ago," he said. "Now you can't stop her. The more I leave her alone, the more productive she is."
"It isn't folk, rock, traditional or country. It's all over the place," she said about her music. "Some people consider it country. I'll figure it out. Music is in my brain."
•
Home • Highlights • History • Lodging
Tickets • Directions • Gift
Shop
Press Kit • Contact
Us