The Sundown Concert (these happen between the weekends) of Monday night featured musician and jewelry designer Rex Foster and bluegrass/country picker Peter Rowan; and was billed as them …”& friends.” One of those friends (a surprise) was Robert Earl Keen, who commented that he used to be glad to come to Kerrville (and that usually means the folk festival — out-of-towners equate the word “Kerrville” with “Kerrville Festival.”) and now he lives here… really, he only lives nearby, not actually on Quiet Valley Ranch…

Also playing along with Rex and Peter, after REK left the stage, was Clyde “Butch” Morgan, Beth Gallagher, and Mike Williams.

If a night of music could be described as completely naturally magical, Monday night was one of those nights. Unaffected by trappings that sometimes accompany a stage show, and yet professional in every sense of the word.

Maybe these photos will tell the story. — click here

Songwriter’s School faculty in concert photos, click here.

Bill Nash, Connor Garvey, Steve Gillette, Steve Seskin, Vance Gilbert, Johnsmith, and Mary Gauthier

These various talented musicians have been teaching songwriting school since Monday, switching students and back and forth in smaller groups and even individual study, until every student had a chance to work with every instructor. All around the backstage area, the greenrooms, the small tables, everywhere one walked, one could hear the sounds of guitar and voice, trying out new ideas. The sounds of successes were everywhere.

Wednesday night, they song-swapped with one another, and it was fun to not only hear the great music, but to watch the mutual respect they had for and fun they had with one another.

Since the 32 New Folk semi-finalists were grouped into one folder for other use, they will also be grouped together here as well. Actually, tho, they played, 16 each day, on both Saturday and Sunday, and then the top six finalists were named late Sunday night from the Kennedy (main) stage.

These people were from all over the U.S.A. including several from Nashville and other Tennessee towns, five from Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Rhode Island, New York, and points elsewhere. One of the top six was Rachel Leven from San Antonio. The others were: Justin Farren from Sacramento, Joe Shields from Alto, Michigan, Emily Scott Robinson from Chattanooga, Addie Brownelee from Brooklyn, and Ben de la Cour from Nashville.

New Folk Finalists

Del Barber photos, click here

Kenny White photos, click here

The rest of the performers got rained out. And a good time was had by all who were backstage waiting out the storm.

David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach

It was exciting to hear the six University Scholars who had won their separate contests, and then to perform at the Threadgill Theater.

Afterwards, tho I was able to photograph a couple of the Kennedy Theater concerts that evening, I also worked diligently on the contest musicians to get them ready for this. Thusly, not getting photos of each of this night’s performances.

University Scholars competition winners, click here

David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach, click here

Johnsmith, click here

Randall Bramblett, (no pix)

Carrie Rodriguez (no pix)

Billy Jonas, click here (no pix)

Thursday, May 25, the gates opened at 6 p.m., music started at 7 p.m. There had been a ballad tree

Moors & McCumber

(songwriting circle) hosted by Butch Morgan earlier in the day. It was a casual day, with volunteer staff members coming in throughout the day — several/many had been here for days ahead, getting the grounds ready.

This disclaimer — of the 70 main stage/night-time performers, I have again done the math and this time I’ve heard 34% of them before… Last year, 94% of all the performers were new to me. And that’s exciting. Some this year are familiar because I heard them for the first time last year — Del Barber, Dana Louise & The Glorious Birds, Chubby Knuckle Choir and the ilk.

Elizabeth Wills photos, click here

Matt The Electrician

Moors & McCumber photos, click here — My favorite new-to-me performers of this night!

The Deer photos, click here

Matt The Electrician photos, click here

Jimmy LaFave (not many) photos, click here