Okee dokee folks… I want to thank everyone who attended, performed, volunteered and donated to this year’s Rhode Island Folk Festival; it was an amazing day! If you missed it then mark your calendars for next year’s festival that will happen on Sunday, August 30, at Crescent Park in East Providence; you will want to be there!
Get the folk over to RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com for more.
I was very fortunate to get to the Bank NH Pavilion for the only New England date that Neil Young played on his Love Earth 2025 tour. You can check out my photos and review at motifri.com. Unfortunately Young debuted his newest song, “Big Crime” a couple of nights later. I have seen videos and am thrilled that Neil is using the stage to speak out. He sings, “Don’t need no fascist rules! Don’t want no fascist schools! Don’t want soldiers walking on our streets! There’s big crime in DC at the White House!” We need MORE of these kinds of songs! At this year’s RI Folk Festival there was a protest Song Circle hosted by Pete Vendettuoli, where at least 30 performers sang their original or cover protest songs! I am hoping that this planted more seeds for this kind of music. I am STILL accepting your original protest songs to feature here. Please send the lyrics and a link to an online recording-audio or video of the song and I will include it here. Stand and deliver to: RISongwriters@yahoo.com
Bluesman Ryan Lee Crosby will be bringing a “juke joint” feel event to Myrtle in East Providence on September 13. The 2pm show will feature Bentonia Blues legend, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes in his first trip to New England and only date in the region. Ryan Lee Crosby and Grant Smith will open the show and provide backing during Jimmy’s set. Crosby’s latest album, At the Blue Front, features Jimmy Holmes and was recorded over two days at Holmes’ Mississippi Juke Joint. Ryan wrote an article for Premier Guitar Magazine on his experiences recording the songs on a vintage reel-to-reel player at the iconic venue: premierguitar.com/recording-old-school-music-the-old-school-way. The album has earned early raves from roots and indie outlets alike. Blues fans won’t want to miss this! For more, Yazoo over to: ryanleecrosby.com
Folk legend Eric Andersen is headed to the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, MA on Saturday, September 20. Andersen is one of the original singer-songwriters from the 1960s Greenwich Village scene and was a central figure among other folk performers, including Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs and Richard Fariña — songwriters who collectively changed the role of popular music in society and ushered in the folk music era. His songs have been covered by artists including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Peter Paul and Mary, and The Grateful Dead. He was the subject of a PBS documentary titled The Songpoet, which chronicled his 60+ year songwriting career. Andersen released his first new full-length record in 20 years this past April. For more, cultivate to: rosegardenfolk.com
Another music legend, Peter Asher, English guitarist and singer in the British Invasion duo, Peter and Gordon, as well as a prominent manager and record producer, will be in the area on September 23. Peter and Gordon were the British duo of Peter Asher and Gordon Waller. Their first single was the million-selling “A World Without Love,” a Lennon & McCartney song. They had other hits such as: “I Go to Pieces,” “Lady Godiva,” “Woman,” “True Love Ways,” and “Nobody I Know.” As a manager and record producer, Asher worked with James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Cher, Barbara Streisand, and countless others. Peter Asher will be bringing his intimate Songs and Stories show to The Unlikely Story Bookstore in Plainville, MA. I recorded a podcast with Asher, please give it a listen (see below). “If I Were You” I would go to: eventbrite.com/e/peter-asher-songs-and-stories-tickets-1558077705359 for more!
Comedian, actor and writer, Fortune Feimster always has something going on. Whether she is on stage performing her laugh out loud comedy or acting alongside notable stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger in Netflix’s FUBAR, Fortune just keeps on going. I had the chance to talk with Feimster about her comedy, acting and her upcoming Taking Care of Biscuits show at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston on October 11 for my Roots Report Podcast. Check out her streaming specials: Crushing It, Good Fortune, Sweet & Salty, and I’m a Tuesday Night Stripper. Listen, watch and become a Fortune fan (it’s free)! For more, Roo over to: bochcenter.org
On Saturday, September 27, Blackstone River Theatre brings back roots-blues-Americana singer and guitarist Kerri Powers, accompanied by percussionist Marco Giovino. On Kerri’s first, original, full-length album since 2018, she explores love and its huge influence on our decisions. The album’s songs were written during the pandemic and after Powers lost her father. “I wrote the songs from a place of loss and grieving and went from there,” she says. “Writing the songs was hard but a necessary part of healing. At the end of the day, all the songs were written from a place of love for humanity and the need to spread the message that love is essential.” To catch her “Words On The Wind” get to: BRTri.org
Veterans Memorial Auditorium has three great shows coming up in September! The female energy will be strong on Monday Sep 15 when Indigo Girls & Melissa Etheridge bring their Yes We Are tour into town! The next night, September 16, the queen of Bluegrass, Alison Krauss and her band Union Station roll in for a stop on their Arcadia Tour. Finally, the bearded boys from Texas, ZZ Top, boogie into Vets on September 26. For more, “La Grange” over to: thevetsri.com
Just wanted to put another plug in for this year’s Intention Fest that will happen On Sunday, September 28 from noon – 5pm at its new location, Charlestown’s Ninigret Park. This festival strives to inform and inspire people to live a life of wellness and peace! We all need this, now more than ever! For more, head harmoniously over to: intentionfest.info
That’s it for now. You can listen to my podcasts at motifri.com/rootsreportpodcast and find my concert photographs at motifri.com/fuzeksfotos. Thanks for reading and listening. johnfuzek.com