THROUGH THE LENS: The Philadelphia Folk Festival Brings an Earthy Feel to Roots Music

The venerable Newport Folk Festival, first held in 1959, returned with another triumphant weekend of roots music, tradition and rebellion at Fort Adams Park in Newport, Rhode Island (July 24-26, 2026). Newport Folk was both the result of the folk and blues revival of the 1950s and instrumental in

July was a banner month for blues releases with the release of a massive box set from blues grand dame and legend Ma Rainey, featuring her entire recordings at Paramount Records between 1923-1928. Additionally, Chris O'Leary provides some hard-core roadhouse blues, and Albert Castiglia goes to

In journalism’s heyday, new hires at a newspaper used to have to get their start on the obit beat. Sometimes I can tap into that spirt of detachment and dedication to the craft, especially when the artists have lived long, storied lives, with dozens of albums and historical, cultural