New Orleans will host the Folk Alliance International’s 32nd conference this January 22 – 26, 2020. The Folk Alliance International conference is a global gathering of folk musicians that spotlights artists from all over the world. The conference’s 2020 theme is “The Story of People and Place,” which seeks to “celebrate places of collaboration and the shaping of new shared identities, art, and forms of expression,” according to FAI. New Orleans serves as a shining example of a place based around music that rises above the boundaries of language and culture. The conference takes place at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel on Canal Street. More information can be found on Folk Alliance International’s website.
Over 180 showcases will take place during the conference, many of which feature Louisiana musicians. Below is a list of the whos, wheres and whens of local acts’ appearances.
Benny Amón’s New Orleans Pearls: New Orleans, Louisiana
Jazz
Wednesday, January 22
8:10 pm-8:45 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Cha Wa: New Orleans, Louisiana
Funk
Saturday, January 25
8:00 pm-8:35 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Click here to read more about Cha Wa.
Dirk Powell: Louisiana
Country
Wednesday, January 22
10:00 pm-10:35 pm
Waterbury Ballroom (2nd Floor)
Thursday, January 23
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
The Cuba – Ireland Island Connection (1000)
Friday, January 24
11:30-11:55 pm
The Cuba – Ireland Island Connection (1000)
Saturday, January 25
12:00 am-12:25 am (Night of Sat. to Sunday)
The Cuba – Ireland Island Connection (1000)
Click here to read more about Dirk Powell.
Drew Young: New Orleans, Louisiana
Americana
Wednesday, January 22
11:30 pm-11:55 pm
Nordic Folk Alliance (909)
Saturday, January 25
12:30 am-12:55 am
Nordic Folk Alliance (909)
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers: Lafayette, Louisiana
Zydeco
Wednesday, January 22
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Thursday, January 23
12:00 am-12:25 am (Night of Thu. to Fri.)
LilFest (1230)
Saturday, January 25
6:20 pm-6:55 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Click here to read more about Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers.
Ever More Nest: New Orleans, Louisiana
Alt-Country / Americana
Thursday, January 23
2:30 am-2:25 am
LilFest (1230)
Thursday, January 23
10:30 pm-10:55 pm
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Thursday, January 23
11:15 pm-11:30 pm
FAI Traditional Music Room (1231)
Friday, January 24
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Friday, January 24
2:00 am-2:25 am
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Saturday, January 25
10:30 pm-10:55 pm
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Saturday, January 25
12:00 am-12:25 am
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Click here to learn more about Ever More Nest.
Gina Forsyth: Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Singer-Songwriter
Wednesday, January 22
8:00 pm-8:35 pm
Grand Couteau (5th Floor)
Wednesday, January 22
11:30 pm-11:55 pm
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Wednesday, January 22
1:30 am-2:00 am (Night of Wed. to Thu.)
LilFest (1230)
Thursday, January 23
10:30-10:55 pm
The Blackpot & Lafayette, Louisiana Experience (800)
Thursday, January 23
12:30-12:55 am (Night of Thu. to Fri.)
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Friday, January 24
12:30 am-1:00 am (Night of Fri. to Sat.)
LilFest (1230)
Friday, January 24
2:30 am-2:50 am (Night of Fri. to Sat.)
Folquébec Spotlight (1030)
Click here to learn more about Gina Forsyth.
Helen Rose: New Orleans, Louisiana
Blues
Wednesday, January 22
8:20 pm-8:55 pm
Waterbury Ballroom (2nd Floor)
Friday, January 24
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
Lost Cowgirl Records (929)
Friday, January 24
12:00 am-12:25 am (Night of Fri. to Sat.)
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Jamie Lynn Vessels: New Orleans, Louisiana
Singer-Songwriter
Wednesday, January 22
8:10 pm-8:45 pm
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Click here to learn more about Jamie Lynn Vessels.
Jasper Brothers: New Orleans, Louisiana
Americana
Saturday, January 25
10:30 pm-10:50 pm
Lonestar Music Live (1223)
Jeff Krause: New Orleans, Louisiana
Blues-Americana
Wednesday, January 22
12:45 am-1:30 am
ALL MUSIC STARTS LOCAL (1200)
Thursday, January 23
1:30 am-2:00 am
Access Film Music BLUE (1212)
Saturday, January 25
2:15 am-3:00 am
ALL MUSIC STARTS LOCAL (1200)
Jeremy Joyce: New Orleans, Louisiana
Songwriter
Wednesday, January 22
12:00 am-12:25 am
SHUBB CAPOCABANA (821)
Thursday, January 23
11:30 pm-12:00 pm
FAI Traditional Music Room (1231)
Thursday, January 23
10:30 pm-10:50 pm
Face the Music – Songs for Social Justice (1203)
Friday, January 24
12:30 am-12:55 am
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Friday, January 24
1:30 am-2:00 am
Access Film Music ORANGE (925)
Friday, January 24
2:00 am-2:30 am
LilFest (1230)
Saturday, January 25
12:30am-1:00 am
Access Film Music Orange (925)
Saturday, January 25
1:55 am-2:10 am
The Gin Joint (1129)
Jew of Oklahoma: New Orleans, Louisiana
Americana
Thursday, January 23
1:30 am-1:55 am
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Thursday, January 23
12:15 am-12:30 am
FAI Traditional Music Room (1231)
Friday, January 24
12:30 am-12:50 am
Lonestar Music Live (1223)
Saturday, January 25
11:10 pm-11:30 pm
Lonestar Music Live (1223)
Click here to learn more about Jew of Oklahoma.
Joy Clark: New Orleans, Louisiana
Wednesday, January 22
12:00 am-12:25 am
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Saturday, January 25
1:00 am-1:25 am
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Kerry Grombacher: New Orleans, Louisiana
Contemporary Folk and Western
Wednesday, January 22
11:30 pm-12:00 pm
Alan Rowoth/Big Orange Tarp (1227)
Friday, January 24
10:30 pm-11:15 pm
TEXAS SUGARBABY ROOM (1027)
Click here to learn more about Kerry Grombacher.
Leslie Stevens: Louisiana
Country
Wednesday, January 22
10:30 pm-10:55 pm
Nordic Folk Alliance (909)
Wednesday, January 22
12:00 am-12:25 am
The House of Songs (1012)
Thursday, January 23
10:30 pm-10:55 pm
BGS x IVPR x BSR (1020)
Thursday, January 23
12:30 am-12:55 am
The House of Songs (1012)
Friday, January 24
2:00 am-2:25 am
The House of Songs (1012)
Leyla McCalla: New Orleans, Louisiana
Americana
Thursday, January 23
11:00 pm-11:30 pm
Sweet Beaver (1130)
Thursday, January 23
12:15 am-12:55 am (Night of Thu. to Fri.)
The Blackpot & Lafayette, Louisiana Experience (800)
Friday, January 24
6:20 pm-6:55 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Friday, January 24
11:30 pm-11:55 pm
BGS x IVPR x BSR (1020)
Click here to learn more about Leyla McCalla.
Lilli Lewis: New Orleans, Louisiana
Soul/Folk/Blues
Wednesday, January 22
2:00 am-2:55 am
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Thursday, January 23
11:30 pm-11:55 pm
Stewart Logan Productions (917)
Thursday, January 23
2:30 am-2:55 am
Louisiana Roots and Rhythm (1009)
Saturday, January 25
12:00 am-12:25 am
LilFest (1230)
Click here to learn more about Lilli Lewis.
Luke Winslow-King: New Orleans, Louisiana
Blues
Wednesday, January 22
9:50 pm-10:25 pm
Borgne (3rd Floor)
Wednesday, January 22
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
Michigan Room: Blissfest Woods (1102)
Thursday, January 23
11:25 pm-11:50 pm
BGS x IVPR x BSR (1020)
Friday, January 24
1:30 am-2:30 am (Night of Fri. to Sat.)
BGS x IVPR x BSR (1020)
Saturday, January 25
11:00 pm-11:25 pm
Michigan Room: Bear Den (1101)
Click here to learn more about Luke Winslow-King.
Michael Doucet avec Lâcher Prise: Lafayette, Louisiana
Cajun
Thursday, January 23
8:10 pm-8:45 pm
Rodrigue Gallery (1st Floor)
Thursday, January 23
1:30 am-1:50 am (Night of Thu. to Fri.)
SERFA (1125)
Click here to learn more about Michael Doucet avec Lâcher Prise.
PINE LEAF BOYS: Lafayette, Louisiana
Cajun
Saturday, January 25
4:40 pm-4:15 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Saturday, January 25
12:00 am-12:40 am (Night of Sat. to Sun.)
The Blackpot & Lafayette, Louisiana Experience (800)
Click here to learn more about PINE LEAF BOYS.
Sabine McCalla: New Orleans, Louisiana
Americana
Wednesday, January 22
10:30 pm-10:50pm
JWP Promotions (1108)
Click here to learn more about Sabine McCalla.
Sean Ardoin: Lake Charles, Louisiana
Zydeco
Wednesday, January 22
9:00pm-9:35 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Click here to learn more about Sean Ardoin.
The Revelers: Lafayette, Louisiana
Cajun
Wednesday, January 22
9:50 pm-10:25 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Wednesday, January 22
11:00 pm-11:40 pm
The Blackpot & Lafayette, Louisiana Experience (800)
Click here to learn more about The Revelers.
Zachary Richard: Lafayette, Louisiana
Singer-Songwriter
Saturday, January 25
5:30 pm-6:05 pm
Grand Ballroom A/B/C (5th Floor)
Click here to learn more about Zachary Richard.
For more information on Folk Alliance International, click here to read OffBeat’s coverage of the event.
