Newport Folk Festival Announces 2011 Line-Up
Saturday, April 09, 2011
It's going to be another very cool summer in Newport.
What do you expect when Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, The Decemberists, Gogol Bordello, and Providence's own What Cheer? Brigade will share the stage on one July weekend? You expect the Newport Folk Festival, and organizers have released the line-up for its 52nd year.
Festival performers
The Decemberists, Emmylou Harris (below), Elvis Costello (right), Gillian Welch, Amos Lee, Earl Scruggs, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Gogol Bordello, M. Ward, Wanda Jackson, Mavis Staples, Tegan & Sara, The Felice Brothers, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Justin Townes Earle, Delta Spirit, Middle Brother, The Wailin' Jennys, Freelance Whales, The Secret Sisters, Trampled by Turtles, The Civil Wars, The Head & The Heart, Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three, The Cave Singers, What Cheer? Brigade, Mountain Man, David Wax Museum, Devil Makes Three, Song Circle with Dar Williams Ellis Paul John Gorka & Liz Queler, Typhoon, The Seeger Clogging All-Stars, The Ebony Hillbillies, BrownBird, River City Extension and PS 22.
All these artists will perform on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31, at Fort Adams State Park in Newport.
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As always, the vibe at Newport Folk will be mellow, inclusive, and worth hanging around for. “In an age when it's increasingly common to see tour buses roll on to the next gig as soon as sets end," said Jay Sweet, festival co-producer, "artists linger at this festival, sometimes for the whole weekend, just to hang out or sit in. It creates an annual, defacto Folk summit by the sea.”
The diverse roster represents, Sweet said, the festival's musical heritage: "[It's] paying respect to older groundbreakers while championing young chance takers. This is Newport's blueprint, written by George Wein and Bob Jones, who along with co-founder Pete Seeger, often remind me that folk music is, and will always be, a living tradition, constantly evolving. As long as we stay true to this simple credo, we'll be around another half century and beyond.”
A founder's point of view
George Wein, President of the Newport Festivals Foundation and Producer of the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals, added, "One of the best elements to a festival is the mingling of musicians, sounds and spirits, and this year’s edition of Newport Folk strongly builds upon the tradition that Pete and I first set into motion in 1959. The Festival touches people around the world, but I couldn’t be prouder of our new relationship with Rhode Island’s own Alex and Ani (a new sponsor) as well as the exciting artists who have Rhode Island roots such as What Cheer? Brigade, David Wax Museum and Brownbird.”
Tickets for the Newport Folk Festival are on sale on-line, by phone and by mail. General admission tickets (single-day passes only) also can be purchased in person at the Newport Visitor Information Center, located at 23 America’s Cup Avenue in Newport. For more information go here.
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