Storyhill Fest 2021

On the Monday of Labor Day Weekend of 2014, I drove away from Storyhill Fest at Clearwater Forest Camp, as I had the previous four years, but this time not knowing when I would return. What used to be an annual festival was no longer going to be a regular event. It took seven years (including one pandemic postponement), but this year we finally returned to the idyllic folk music festival in the Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota. And in the weird way that time and memory work, it felt like I had never left. Settling into my dorm-like room in the lodge, walking the beautiful hiking trails on the grounds, going for a swim, sitting around the campfire (faux this year, because drought), and most of all sitting in a camp chair on a warm (or cool, because Minnesota) late summer day listening to an array of incredibly talented singer/songwriter/storytellers, it all felt so familiar, so real, so right. It felt like coming home, like coming out of a long drought, not of rain but of performing arts. As one of the performers said, we're not out of the woods of this pandemic yet, but for a few days, in this one place, we all came together (with appropriate safety protocols) to share and celebrate music and humanity.

Storyhill Fest 2014

"Your fans are like a cult." So said Grace Pettis, one of the artists at this year's Storyhill Fest in Deerwood, MN. It's not entirely untrue; fans of the folk duo Storyhill are crazy loyal and supportive. Many of their fans have been following Chris and Johnny for over 20 years since their days at St. Olaf College. Even though I'm a relatively new fan, only jumping on the bandwagon upon hearing their eponymous Red House record seven years ago on the dear departed MPR Morning Show* (specifically, it was the song "Give Up the Ghost" that turned me into an instant fan), I completely get it. There's something about the songs that they write and the harmonies that they create together that's positively addicting. If there is a Storyhill cult, it's the only one I ever want to belong to. We can all live together in a beautiful location in the wooded lakes area of Minnesota, communing with nature and each other, eating good food and drinking good beer, making and listening to music. We'll worship the lake, the stars, and the music. But until the cult is officially formed, there is Storyhill Fest, where you can experience all of the above and so much more. Now in the sixth year of its Minnesota incarnation, five of which I've attended,** Storyhill Fest is two full days of music from over a dozen incredible artists from the local and national folk music scene. My iTunes library is filled with music I first encountered at Storyhill Fest, and my life is richer for it.

Held at Clearwater Forest Camp just outside of Brainerd on one of the hundreds of beautiful lakes in the area, there is more to do than just the music, including camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, and yoga. Accommodations range from campsites to cabins to rooms at nearby Ruttger's Lodge. Interactive songwriting and guitar playing workshops allow budding musicians to learn from the artists. The festival attracts families who come year after year, and the kids all seem to find each other, forming roving gangs of teenage boys and little girls. It's the perfect late summer Minnesota backdrop against which the music plays out. My favorite activity is the nightly campfire. Artists and fans gather around a roaring fire to share stories and music, just like people have been doing for thousands of years. Sitting next to the lake under a starry sky, listening to all this incredible music by these talented artists, interspersed with the call of the loons and the pop of the fire, is truly one of the most magical things I've ever experienced.

Read about this year's artists below, and click on their names to be taken to their websites where you can find more info about how to purchase their music and see them perform live.

The May North's George and Stephanie

The May North
Storyhill Fest began with a short evening of music on Friday (which I did not attend for various lame reasons). Past Fest faves, the utterly joyful ellis (who sadly I did not see at all) and Connor Garvey (who happily stuck around for the entire festival and sang at the campfires) gave a concert, followed by a dance with music provided by the country-style band The May North. Lucky for me, a last-minute scheduling change put them up on the festival stage as the first artists of the first full day of music. Husband and wife duo George and Stephanie (on guitar and fiddle) performed without the rest of the band, and it was quite enjoyable and a great beginning to the fest. George sang lead on most of the songs in his deep, gritty voice, with shades of Eddie Vedder (how does a folky like me know about Eddie Vedder, you ask? his heartbreakingly beautiful soundtrack to one of my favorite movies, Into the Wild, of course, but I guess he was in some band too). Stephanie occasionally added some lovely harmonies to their originals like "Whiskey in the Rain" and traditional songs like "Sitting on Top of the World."

Sarah Sample and Edie Carey lull the crowd

Edie Carey & Sarah Sample
These two songstresses got together to make a lullaby album, but as they say, it's not just for kids, it's for "anyone who needs to be lulled." And in this crazy, busy, over-stimulated world, who doesn't? Performing songs from this album, they were like folk sirens in pretty black dresses. Each one of them possesses a gorgeous voice - Sarah (who performed at Storyhill Fest 2012) with a breathy voice reminiscent of Jewel, Edie with a warm luscious tone - and together they create harmonies that are just enchanting.

Moors and McCumber with just
a few of the instruments they play

Moors and McCumber
These guys are super cool and one of my favorites of the festival. Playing no less than seven instruments between them (guitar, fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, harmonica, ukulele, and Irish bouzouki, a mere subset of all that they have in their repertoire), their music is an intriguing mix of styles, "a little blues, some bluegrass, a little smokey hills, and a skosh of Celtic." Which just happens to be a few of my favorite things. With their friendly and comfortable banter, beautiful harmonies, and incredible musicianship, James and Kort provided one of the highlights of the fest. After the fest they left immediately for Ireland to lead one of Johnsmith's Inishfree Music Tours - nine days hiking the Irish countryside and listening to music. I would love to join them some day; it's been ten years since my own musical tour of Ireland and I've been itching to go back.

The Barn Birds, aka
Chris Kokesh and Jonathan Byrd

The Barn Birds
It's an all-duo day at Storyhill Fest, and here's another one with two individually fantastic artists who come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Comprised of Jonathan Byrd and Chris Kokesh, The Barn Birds play guitar and fiddle, respectively, and sing in old-timey harmony. Chris is a lovely singer and fiddler, and there's no one like J Byrd. He's a true modern day cowboy poet, with lyrics that are profound in their simplicity, wearing his signature orange pants, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat, that only he can pull off. His campfire song/speech/science lesson about how the world is made up of molecules vibrating at different frequencies, a subset of which create music, and that when you sing you harness the greatest power in the universe, was truly profound and the most meaningful sermon I've heard in quite some time. Follow him on Facebook for more of his entertaining and well-written stories.

John and Molly of Communist Daughter

Communist Daughter
Day two of Storyhill Fest began with another duo. John and Molly left "the four hairy sweaty guys" that make up the rest of this Minneapolis band at home. These two are yin and yang, tall and short, he loves to talk while she refuses to talk on mic, he has a gritty grounded sound and she's more ethereal. Somehow it works and they create something beautiful together. John studied songwriting with Storyhill's John Hermanson, and has a few TV credits to show for it.

Aaron Howard

Aaron Howard
These next two solo artists are new young singer/songwriters produced by Storyhill's Chris Cunningham, and seem to have a sweet bromance between them. They're very different in personality, style, and sound, but both have something to say that's worth listening to. Aaron's songs are raw, honest, real, delivered with passion and charm. He sang several songs from his forthcoming coming of age album as well as previous albums, and closed his set with "Hallelujah." It's a song that everybody sings, but somehow Aaron managed to make it his own, and brought the house down as they clamored for more.

Wes Kirkpatrick

Wes Kirkpatrick
I first heard both Aaron and Wes at the campfire the night before, which is a fun way to experience a new artist. When asked to play a song at the campfire, Wes joked that he could do "sad or sadder." His songs are personal, heartfelt, and earnest, with a tinge of melancholy and wistfulness. But I love a sad song, and his are beautifully sad, sung in a smooth and soulful voice. And his self-described "rambling and awkward" stage banter is actually quite charming. Wes' buddy Aaron backed him up for a song or two, so they weren't completely left out of the duo theme of the fest.

Grace and Pierce Pettis
keeping it in the family

Pierce & Grace Pettis
Like the final season of Mad Men, the Pettis family hour was split into two, perhaps not intentionally to spread out the goodness, but that was the effect. Not only has Pierce had a long career as a folk singer/songwriter, but he's also raised a passel of folky children, including daughter Grace (who also appeared at Storyhill Fest 2011). Their father/daughter harmonies, cultivated over a lifetime, are perfection, and they have a fun and easy chemistry. They traded off singing their own songs, each other's, or covers. After a sudden rainstorm moved the show indoors (kudos to the sound crew and volunteers for making the transition as smooth as possible), they continued the set, culminating in an absolutely fantastic rockin' rendition of Bob Dylan's "Crash on the Levee."

Lucy Kaplanski entertains the crowd
that is "soggy and packed in like sardines"

Lucy Kaplanski
Even though the sun broke through the clouds to set spectacularly across the lake, we stayed indoors as the weather watchers kept their eyes on another possible storm cell. One of Storyhill's labelmates, Lucy released her first album with local label Redhouse Records 20 years ago. She writes personal, touching, relatable songs, informed by her hometown (New York City, aka the greatest city in the world), her family, and a doctorate in Psychology. She has a natural and comfortable onstage presence, and sings with a rich, warm, earthy voice. Several of her songs brought a lump to my throat, including the title song of her most recent album Reunion, about the importance of families and generations past.

Storyhill
The name of this festival is Storyhill Fest, so obviously we all came to hear the one-of-a-kind music created by Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson, which we did at the end of each night. They each do great things independently - Chris produces many great artists, including some of the above, at his recording studio in Montana, Johnny is a member of I don't know how many other bands - but when they come together, they create magic. It's really difficult to describe just how much their music means to me; perhaps only my fellow cult members*** can truly comprehend it. Their lyrics are laden with nature images so clear that listening to their songs, I can close my eyes and see the mountains and smell the clean fresh air. And the harmonies they create are out of this world. But don't take my word for it, take Garrison Keillor's, who referred to them as "setting a new high standard for male duet harmony." Watching them perform together is such a joy. They have the kind of camaraderie and comfortable rapport that only comes with knowing each other and making music together for almost thirty years. It sometimes feels like witnessing a therapy session as they reminisce (and disagree) about memories long past. It's truly remarkable that they are still performing songs they wrote when they were teenagers or college students, alongside new songs written for their upcoming album, and they're all still such great songs, no matter how many times you've heard them.

one of the benefits of staying in the VIP lodge is a private intimate
informal concert with Chris and Johnny, in which they sing pretty
much any song they're asked to, if they can remember it

The second night's concert began outdoors but was moved back indoors when the rain came back (after Chris and Johnny took the opportunity to sing "Good Rain" unplugged). The set-up from the previous concert was already taken down, so volunteers and fans quickly set up rows of chairs, and Chris and Johnny sang with no sound system. I always say that my favorite musical sound is the unamplified human voice, whether at concerts or in musical theater, so the sudden rain turned into a blessing, as we got to hear about a dozen songs with nothing between the music and our ears but vibrations. The night turned into a singalong; turns out the camp cafeteria is a great space in which to sing "Love Will Find You" with a few hundred of your closest friends.

All of the artists that perform at Storyhill Fest are so talented, and follow the example set by Storyhill - hardworking, dedicated, friendly, approachable, and willing to share themselves through their music. They really seem to love being there and playing music together. Even if I can't quite put it into words, Storyhill's music touches me and gives me comfort or inspiration or whatever I need. And that's my ultimate judge of any art, whether music or theater.

With rising costs and a desire to keep the festival affordable and intimate for fans, while still compensating the artists for their time and talents, the future of Storyhill Fest is uncertain this year, as it often is. Everyone involved wants to continue the tradition, and I trust that they will find a way to do so, even if that tradition morphs and changes over time. I don't know if I'll ever again experience an informal concert in the light and airy lounge of the Leaning Tree Lodge, or sit by that lake under the stars with my favorite musicians singing into the crisp fall air just a few feet away from me. But here's what I do know (which I learned from my favorite Fringe Festival show this year, Failure: A Love Story): "just because something ends doesn't mean it wasn't successful." And I can say without a doubt that whatever happens in the future, Storyhill Fest is successful, in every way that counts.

Steady on.


*The spirit of the MPR Morning Show still lives on in Radio Heartland, available for 24-hour online or HD2 radio listening. They play many of the above artists.
**You can read about my experiences at past Storyhill Fests by clicking on the following dates: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
***If any of you other Storyhill cult members would like to see their set list for both evening concerts and the private VIP concert, click here. Since I've only been a cult member for seven years, there were a few songs I wasn't sure about or couldn't identify, so please feel free to correct me.


A few more photos from the festival:

a welcome sight after a two-hour drive

sirens Sarah and Edie against the backdrop of Eagle Lodge

evening descends upon The Barn Birds

Communist Daughter under the blue sky

the sun breaks through and shines on Aaron

buddies Aaron and Wes

don't you wish your family was as talented as the Pettis family?

the Storyhill Band is back together

what we've been waiting all day for - Storyhill's evening show

the rain created a wonderful opportunity for a
singalong with Chris and Johnny

oh the magic that can be created with guitars and campfires

Storyhill Fest 2013

Every year on Labor Day weekend, at a beautiful site in the wooded lakes area of central Minnesota, magic happens. It's been happening for five years now, and I've been lucky enough to be a part of it for four. This magic goes by the name of Storyhill Fest, and it's the best music festival in Minnesota (granted I've only been to a few music festivals, but I just can't imagine anything better). Local folk duo Storyhill (about whom Garrison Keillor recently said "setting a new high standard for male duet harmony") invite a dozen or so of their closest friends, who also happen to be incredible musicians, to hang out and play music for a few days. And lucky for us, we are invited to come and watch. Not just watch, but take part in, by participating in songwriting, guitar playing, or poetry workshops, joining in the nightly group campfire sing, or mingling with the artists between shows or in the food line. In short, it's my favorite weekend of the year. Connor Garvey (the fest's first act) summed it up best when he said, "we have made it through the year, all the meaningless days, and we're back at Storyhill Fest." That's exactly how I feel about it. Of course not literally (just scroll down this page to see the many meaningful ways in which I've spent the last year), but the sentiment is true. So without further ado, I present Storyhill Fest 2013.

The music started at 3 pm each day and the concerts continued hourly (or so) until Storyhill's show at 8 (or so), after which the music continued until the wee hours of the morning at the campfire. A dozen or so musicians performed at this year's festival, hailing from Maine, Texas, Nashville, L.A., Portland, Colorado, New Jersey, and right here in Minnesota. One of the cool things about this festival is that the artists all seem to be friends, and frequently join each other on stage to sing or play together. If you'd like to know more about a particular artist, please click their name to be taken to their website, where you'll find information about how to purchase music, see them perform live, or otherwise support them.

Connor Garvey

As previously mentioned, Connor Garvey opened the festival with some wise words and his wonderful music. I've been listening to Connor's music since I first heard him at my first Storyhill Fest three years ago. His songs are hopeful, thoughtful, clever, silly, or some combination thereof, and listening to his music just makes me happy. He's working on a new album (with the help of Kickstarter), so it was fun to hear some new stuff in addition to some old favorites. He brought his new toy, a looper, and sang a multi-part a cappella version of "Stand By Me" that was very cool. I also enjoyed his first "Irish Song," an amusing little ditty about embracing (or not) his heritage.

Cary Cooper and Tom Prasada-Rao

Next up was Cary Cooper, accompanied by her husband Tom on various instruments and Justin Roth playing percussion (more on him a bit later). She has a quirky sound, sometimes plays the ukulele, and sings funny or moving story-songs. Each song is preceded by an introduction telling the audience about how and why she wrote the song, which I always appreciate. My favorite was a song about a yellow VW bug. Cary recently participated in the TV docudrama Troubadour, TX, which I'm now going to have to check out.

Robby Hecht with The Sea, The Sea

One of the two emcees, the gorgeous-voiced Carrie Elkin (who, along with her poet singer fiance Danny Schmidt, performed on the newly added Friday night, which I sadly missed), introduced Robby Hecht as one of her favorite singers, with "a voice like butter." Coming from Carrie, that's high praise, and I have to agree. He has a beautiful, smooth voice, and his songs are sort of sad and wistful (a sound that I love). He was backed for a few songs by the duo The Sea, The Sea (more on them later too), creating some gorgeous three-part harmonies. Another highlight was a duet with Amy Speace that they co-wrote, a love song between the sea and the shore, which we fortunately got to hear again the next day during Amy's set. In the video below, Robby is joined by a bunch of other singers for "A Reckoning of Us."



At this point the outdoor segment of the day concluded as the rain came in (it might have been a "Good Rain," but we were not waiting for it). After about an hour's delay, the music continued in a covered pavilion, at which point the rain naturally stopped. But it turned out that the pavilion was a cozy and cool place to listen to music.

Tim and Kate (aka Sweet Talk Radio)

The first of several male/female duos that we would hear during the festival was Sweet Talk Radio. Tim and Kate have very different voices that blend together beautifully, and both play the guitar (Tim also backed up several other artists on the electric guitar). Kate has a very unique sound that I don't have words to describe, but my friend (who is more musically knowledgeable than I) said that she has a rich alto tone with some similarities to Billie Holiday. In fact, they sang a song called "Dance With Me" that they had been tasked with writing to sound like a well-known song, perhaps this one. Their newest album State of the Union is not about politics, but rather about relationships. They also sang a completely charming version of "If I Only Had a Brain."

Raina Rose lights up the pavilion

The last time I saw Raina Rose, at Storyhill Fest 2011, she was pregnant, and now she has the most adorable curly-haired little boy. But other than that, it was the same old Raina, which is to say a lovely, warm, lilting voice and beautifully written songs. Entertaining, personable, and a great storyteller, it's such a treat to listen to her, whether on her own or joined by Storyhill's Johnny or her good friend Carrie (on clarinet!). Her beautiful new album Caldera came out a few months ago.

ellis joined by Chris and Johnny

Past Storyhill Fest participant ellis was not officially on the schedule, but that didn't stop her from showing up when the guys called, sharing just a "sprinkle" of songs between sets. And I'm so glad she did. She has the most joyful spirit and conveys that joy through her music. Even my friend who had never seen or heard her before agreed that she's a unique spirit. She's completely disarming with her adorably awkward laugh, and sings songs that are both simple and profound. ellis radiates pure joy in a way I've never seen.

At this point we were about two hours behind schedule, but the evening concluded as planned with a nice long set by the stars of the weekend, Storyhill, and a shortened (at least for me) campfire session. The second day of Storyhill Fest 2013 was a welcome 20 degrees cooler than the first day, with no rain to speak of, so all concerts could be held outside under the partly cloudy sky, trees, birds, and later, stars.

Kim and Quillan Roe

The last time I saw day two's first artists, the Minnesota-based Roe Family Singers, they were performing with Dan Chouinard in his Trail of Two Cities concert last year. Husband and wife Quillan (banjo and guitar) and Kim (auto harp and Appalachian clog dancing) were accompanied by a couple of musicians on bass and fiddle. The band has a wonderful "old-time" sound, unique at the fest which mostly consisted of modern and traditional folk. And when they say "old time," they mean it; they sang a traditional song that was over 600 years old! With a mix of genre standards (like Bill Monroe and Johnny and June) and original tunes, delivered in a playful and engaging way, I found them to be quite enjoyable. See for yourself in this video of "Jackson."

Justin Roth

Justin Roth is another frequent Storyhill Fest participant, having known Chris and Johnny for 20 years, although he's missed the past few years. He's an incredibly talented guitar player, and the only artist to perform not one but two solo instrumental songs. Justin is also a great singer/songwriter, so much so that two of his songs have been featured on the number one soap opera (and my personal favorite) The Young and The Restless - "Surrender" and "Now You Know." (The intersection between folk music fans and soap opera fans may not be very big, but it includes at least one person.) He was joined on stage by several of his friends, creating gorgeous harmonies on the song "Shine."

Mira Stanley and Chuck E. Costa,
aka The Sea, The Sea

I first heard the duo The Sea, The Sea, consisting of Mira Stanley and Chuck E. Costa, on the radio show Mountain Stage a few months ago, and was instantly captivated by their sound. Knowing that they were on the Storyhill Fest line-up, I bought their one and only album and have been listening to it ever since. Unlike some of the other duos, Chuck and Mira have a very similar tone to their voices, so much so that in "Boat Song," when they sing alternate words, it almost sounds like one person singing. Maybe that's why when they sing harmony, it sounds so right. They're also multi-instrumentalists (electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, percussion). I look forward to hearing more from these young artists, who have written a palindrome song:

Amy Speace

And now - a theater connection! I loved listening to Amy Speace sing and tell stories, because she spent many years as an actor and playwright in NYC (-ish, aka New Jersey) before deciding to go the folk singer route. Her background in theater is obvious in the songs that she writes, which are like little plays in themselves, and she often talked about the play (mostly Shakespeare) that inspired the song. She also told us the beautiful and heart-breaking love story of her grandparents, that also inspired a song. And besides her songwriting skill and her great stage presence, she has a beautiful voice that's somewhat reminiscent of Judy Collins. No surprise that Ms. Collins chose her for her record label and covered one of her songs.

John Gorka sings as the sun sets

I feel like I must have seen Minnesota-based John Gorka before (possibly opening for Mary Chapin Carpenter or at a MPR Morning Show concert). I've certainly heard his music on Radio Heartland (the only radio station I listen to), and I love his cover of "Just Like a Woman" on Redhouse Record's Bob Dylan tribute. So I was looking forward to seeing him as the penultimate show of Storyhill Fest 2013, and I was not disappointed. With 11 albums (some of them recorded in the late 1900s), he was the most experienced musician to take the stage, and it was great to hear a selection of his many songs. In addition to these songs and his soothing mellow voice, he's incredibly entertaining and very funny; he had me cracking up for the whole show. He's quite the storyteller, and his light-hearted banter is a bit of a contrast to his admittedly more sober songs. John dedicated one of his songs to the other artists, and it perfectly describes Storyhill Fest: "when you sing, you make the world a better place."

Storyhill and friends

And now we come to the musicians for whom the festival is named - Storyhill. I've run out of words to describe how much I love their music, so I'll just say that they're my favorite local artists and I never tire of listening to their music. Whether I'm happy or sad or anything in between, listening to Storyhill always makes it better. Chris and Johnny have a decades-long camaraderie that is evident on stage, as if singing together has become second nature for them. As Garrison Keillor said, their harmonies are incomparable, and their songs are often nature-based and invoke feelings of wide open spaces (they grew up in Montana), wistful nostalgia, love, regret, simple joy, and even sometimes a spiritual connection to the universe. On the final night of the fest, the concert continued at the campfire, where they sang another half dozen or so songs, before other artists arrived and started trading songs across the campfire. The magic of Storyhill Fest is most evident at these campfires, with the unamplified music from voices and guitars ringing out into the clear Minnesota night air. There's nothing else like it.

Storyhill Fest has ruined me for all other concerts; any other venue pales in comparison to this festival. As usual, I left Deerwood with a handful of CDs to make the two-hour drive home a little more interesting, including some "new" Storyhill music - their 2005 cover album of 1970s duos, which I did not previously know existed (how I've lived this long without hearing Storyhill sing the Carpenters, I'll never know). I'll be downloading a few more albums this week I'm sure, as I try to make the magic last a little longer.

So there you have it. Storyhill Fest is over for another year, but it sounds like it's going to happen again next year. Until then, I'll have to find something else to do to fill the 360 or so meaningless days in between. Maybe some of these artists will be passing through Minnesota again in that time, and although they didn't mention it this weekend, Storyhill took the year off of touring to focus on writing for a new record that's supposed to come out next year, so hopefully I'll be seeing them before next fall. And besides that, I'm sure there will be some brilliant, innovative, moving, hilarious, entertaining, heart-breaking, fascinating, thought-provoking, unsettling, comforting, creative, heartfelt, amazing local theater to help me fill the time.

one of the benefits of staying in the VIP lodge
is a private Storyhill concert

View these and other concert videos on the Cherry and Spoon youtube channel. I also found some great Storyhill Fest videos here.

Storyhill Fest 2011

I'm going to diverge from the theater world for a bit to tell you all about my favorite music event of the year: Storyhill Fest.  This was my second year attending this lovely little gem of a folk music festival in the beautiful wooded lake country of Minnesota.  I enjoyed the fest so much last year that there was no question I'd be back.  It's a wonderful respite from the world and a nice transition from summer to fall.  To borrow the tagline from Woodstock, it's two days of peace and music. Top musicians from the folk community in Minnesota, Austin, and around the country gathered to share their music with each other and the audience, both from the stage and around the campfire.  Nine singer/songwriters joined the main event, local duo Storyhill.  The fest is small and intimate with a community feel, and the musicians seem to be having just as much fun as the attendees.  All of these artists write their own songs, and each has a unique sound and style.  Some of them are old friends, some just met, but they play and sing together beautifully.  It's really a wonderful variety of music that I will be having fun listening to in the coming weeks and months.

Click on each artist's name to be taken to their website, where you will find information about how to buy their music, when and where to see them perform live, and more fun stuff.

John Elliot

Most of the artists in this year's line-up were new to me.  That's true of the first artist to perform on day one - John Elliot.  John grew up in Minnesota and now lives in L.A.  Several of his songs are about that idea - going home, missing home, remembering where you came from.  Some of his songs are funny and crazy, with lyrics like "my mom is a dog" and "I left my grandpa for dead," and some are poignant and will make your heart ache a little.  Some are both.  In one song he named several members of the '87 and '91 World Champion Twins, a surefire way to win my heart (Frankie V!).  He's very charming and entertaining, and sometimes his songs turn a little angry too.  I walked away with a $5 download card for his new CD plus lots of extras - a great deal!

Andrew Pressman and Raina Rose

The next artist to perform was Raina Rose, accompanied by her fiance Andrew Pressman on upright bass (he also accompanied many of the other artists for all or part of their sets).  Raina has a sweet voice reminiscent of folk singers from the 60s.  I particularly like her Jewish/Unitarian/gospel song "Let Me Down Easy."  Raina and Drew's next production is the baby they're having soon.  :)



Anthony da Costa

John and Raina regularly perform together along with Anthony da Costa.  They did a set together on day two under the name "Elliot Rose da Costa" (aka "Beggars and Mules"), in which they took turns singing one of their songs while the other two backed them up.  But back to Anthony.  He's surprisingly young for someone so talented and so comfortable on stage, and who's already released five solo albums.  He's a college kid (he's currently attending Columbia University in NYC), but his sound is much more mature than his age.  He writes great songs and has more of a country or country-rock sound.  He also played the electric guitar behind many of the other artists, which I didn't think was allowed at a folk music festival, ;) but somehow it worked!  I just downloaded one of his CDs and I'm listening to it thinking, this guy is 20 years old?  Unbelievable.  I'll be keeping my eye on this one.



Ellis

I first heard Ellis on the dear departed MPR Morning Show a few years ago (which, incidentally, is where I first heard Storyhill, so thanks Dale and Jim Ed!).  I was captivated by her sound so I bought a few of her CDs, but I'd never seen her perform live.  It's a whole different experience.  She performs with such joy, it's infectious.  She talked about making an effort to cultivate wonder and possibility in her life, and that's evident in her music.  She sings a lot about being present and slowing down and enjoying your life as it is right now.  And she has a laugh that can't help but make you smile, which is the effect that her music has on me too.

Peter Mayer

The penultimate performance of day one was Peter Mayer.  I've been a fan of his for many years and seen him in concert several times, and even talked about him here.  So I was excited when I found out that he'd be joining the fest this year.  He was his usual storytelling, obsessively tuning self.  Which is to say, wonderful.  There's no pretense with Peter; he's real and present.  He sang my favorite song, "Holy Now," along with several other selections both silly and profound.  I was disappointed that he didn't make it out to the campfire; his songs are so perfect for a campfire.  I was hoping to hear one of his classics like "Yukon Sally" or "Camping Round the Sun" in the campfire setting, or maybe "Bountiful" with everyone joining in for the hu-nana chorus.  Maybe next year.

Day one ended with a nice long set by Storyhill, followed by an even longer time of sitting by the campfire listening to the day's artists trade songs and stories.  But more on that later.  On to day two.  (By the way, there's lots to do at the camp when the music stops - hiking, swimming, kayaking, all the usual Minnesota fun.)


Carrie Elkin

Carrie Elkin is the one (scheduled) repeat performer from last year's fest, and I couldn't have been happier about that.  She is perhaps my favorite find from last year.  She has a powerful, clear, gorgeous voice.  She's this tiny little thing, and she opens her mouth and just blows me away.  She had Andrew, Anthony, and Raina on stage with her for most of the set, but ended it with a solo, a cappella, unplugged performance of "Amazing Grace" that was just stunning.  In addition to her considerable musical talent, she also was an entertaining emcee on day one.  And she wears super cute dresses.  She'll be performing at the Landmark Center in St. Paul on Sept. 16 with her lover (as she likes to say) Danny Schmidt.  Danny's an amazing songwriter, a poet really, and Carrie has a voice like no other.  If you're free that night and in the area, you really should check them out.


Andrew Pressman, Anthony da Costa, A.J. Roach, Raina Rose

I first heard A.J. Roach sing at the campfire at the end of day one, but didn't get the full experience until day two.  He has this crazy weird brilliant voice that I can't even begin to describe.  Our day two emcee, J Matt, said it best - mesmerizing.  Something about it just draws me in.  His songs are kind of dark and twisty; at one point he asked the audience, "is this too weird for you?"  It's just the right amount of weird for me.  I listened to his most recent release, Pleistocene, on the drive home, which features a haunting song I first heard at the campfire, "The Poet."


Tom Murphy and Connor Garvey

Next we had a "surprise treat."  Connor Garvey, who was at last year's fest, wasn't on the line-up for this year but just couldn't stay away.  He stopped by after a gig in Duluth the night before and sang a few songs from his just released album Where Ocean Meets Land.  He's another one whose music just makes me happy when I listen to it.  Anthony demanded that Connor sing "Soul on the Line" at the campfire, which turned into a sing-along.  He almost lost control of the song when everyone wanted to keep singing the chorus even when it was time for the bridge!  He's coming back to Minnesota this fall and will be performing on October 22 at the Ginkgo Coffeehouse in St. Paul.


Anthony da Costa and Grace Pettis

Grace Pettis has a lovely voice, and writes really thoughtful, beautiful songs.  She's another young one, and she sounds youthful and hopeful, but also plaintive at times, as in the song "Haley's Comet," which she wrote about her parents' divorce.  She's from Alabama, but like a lot of people in this group, has spent some time in Texas.  She wrote a beautiful song called Abilene inspired by the name of the town.  Grace has won a few up-and-comer songwriting awards, so she's one to watch as well.

Ray Bonneville shares a label with Carrie Elkin and Storyhill - Red House Records, based in St. Paul.  They recently released their second tribute album to another Minnesota folk singer, Bob Dylan.  Ray and Storyhill are both featured on A Nod to Bob 2, and it's fabulous.  I think it's safe to say that Ray is the veteran of this group, and it shows.  He has a rootsy, bluesy sound and was switching back and forth between multiple different guitars and harmonicas.  He sings his story-songs as if he's lived them.



Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson, aka Storyhill

I could listen to Storyhill all day every day and never tire of it.  I don't know why that is.  Maybe it's their gorgeous harmonies (as Garrison Keillor said, they're "setting a new high standard for male duet harmony").  Maybe it's the songs they write that capture a specific place or feeling.  Maybe it's the camaraderie that Chris and Johnny share from singing together since they were kids.  But whatever it is, they have won over a legion of loyal fans, of which I am only one.  They played for about 90 minutes or so at the end of each day, singing old favorites (even a few I'd never heard, being a relatively recent convert) as well as selections from their newest CD Shade of Trees.  On the second night Johnny gave the audience permission to sing along, which was all I needed to join in (especially after a few beers from an excellent local brewery).  Too many favorite songs to mention, but "Steady On," their anthem (as Chris put it), is always thrilling to hear.  And a little bit sad, because it always signals the end of the concert.  But in this case, the end wasn't the end.  The music continued at the campfire.

There's something about campfires.  You can just stare at the fire and get lost in it.  I find that there's also something wonderful about the unamplified human voice.  It's always my favorite moment of any concert if the artist puts the mic down to sing a song.  So when you combine a campfire and the human voice, magic happens.  The musicians gather around the large campfire, with festival attendees behind them (although the divide is blurred at this festival in general and at the campfire in particular).  They take turns singing, usually something they've written but occasionally covers.  Passing guitars and capos (a word I learned last year) around the circle, backing each other up on guitar, mandolin (Tom Murphy was another unscheduled attendee and can play along with anything), harmonica, or vocals.  The night sky overhead was littered with stars that you never see in the city, and the call of the loons on the nearby lake mingled with the music.  Magical.  There's no better word to describe it.

I'll leave you with "The Storyhill Band" singing a Storyhill song, "Sacramento."  Chris and Johnny are joined by Andrew on bass, Anthony on electric guitar, and the sirens Raina and Carrie on vocals.  To see even more videos from Storyhill Fest, including a clip from the campfire, visit the Cherry and Spoon youtube channel.  And if you don't have any plans for next Labor Day, consider attending Storyhill Fest 2012.  It's not 100% for certain yet, but my fingers are crossed that they'll be back.  And so will I.  Steady on.

Storyhill Fest 2010

While this blog will mostly focus on theater in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, I did warn you in my Origins post that I might occasionally write about music. This is one of those times. I spent labor day weekend at StoryhillFest - a folk music festival in the Brainerd lakes area of Minnesota (one of my favorite spots on the planet, by the way). The festival is named after one of my favorite groups, Storyhill - two guys, their guitars, great songs, and beautiful harmonies. They gathered around them some of the most talented singer/songwriters/musicians I've ever seen in one place. This is only the second year of the festival in Minnesota (they've been doing it longer in their native Montana), and as the very capable and witty emcee said, it has to be one of the best kept secrets in Minnesota. If people knew what great music was being made here, they'd be turning people away. I hope it's successful enough to continue for many years, but I also hope it never gets so big that it loses it's intimate community feel. In addition to Storyhill's performance each evening, nine other artists performed at the festival, only one of whom I had heard before, and all of whom I enjoyed. I managed to limit my initial CD buying to four, although I think there will be a few more to come in the next few days. Here's a short summary of each artist, click on their name to be directed to their website. Connor Garvey was the brave first artist to take the stage on the first day, when the camp chairs were only half full. He had two musicians with him - Tom Murphy on mandolin and Jeff Mitchell (who also sang lots of great songs at the campfire) on electric guitar. Connor's website says his "songs are like placing folk-funk guitar and ukulele, soulful vocals, and paradoxical metaphors in a juicer - you've never tasted it before, but it's intriguing and delectable so you have to keep drinking." What more can I say? Except that his songs are hopeful, funny, and thoughtful, and I found him completely adorable. I didn't buy his CD the first day, trying to pace myself, but in the end I couldn't resist his youthful charm and red hair. By the way, Tom is an amazing mandolin player and at the campfire he could play along with anyone on any song, even if he'd never heard it before!

Next up was Carrie Elkin. I knew before her first song was over that I would need to buy her CD. She has a voice so clear and pure that, combined with her insightful songs, it cuts right to your soul. I love that her voice is so powerful she actually had to back away from the mic at times, otherwise the sound system might have combusted with the sheer power and passion of her voice. Following her was her partner in life and, sometimes, music, Danny Schmidt. They both sang back-up for each other in addition to several solo songs. Danny is an amazing songwriter; my favorite was about a broken stained glass window, which he called "a humanist story in a church song." It's an amazing piece of songwriting; I want to study it like a poem. The last act before Storyhill was Anais Mitchell, accompanied on some songs by Rachel Ries on percussion and keyboard and Jefferson Hamer on electric guitar. Anais has an amazingly indescribable voice, so I won't even try. See (hear) for yourself: I just downloaded her newest CD Hadestown, "a folk opera based on the Orpheus myth and set in a post-apocalyptic American depression era," which I find very intriguing. Rachel is also a talented singer/songwriter; she and Anais recorded a lovely little EP called Country. Storyhill concluded the concert part of the day, and after that everyone moved over to the campfire. I'll talk about both later, but the interesting thing to note is that my first impressions of the next day's artists were singing around the campfire, which is kind of a nice way to first hear someone. Day 2 was the day of Johns. The first one to take the stage was John Mieras. The interesting thing about John is that he doesn't really look the part of a folk singer, he just looks like an average guy. Which he is; he recently quit his 9-to5 job to do what he really loves - music. So when he took up the guitar at the campfire I thought, who's this guy? And then he started to sing, and he just blew me away. He has a really pretty voice, especially in the upper range. I bought his 7-song CD partly because I like his voice and songs, and partly because I want to support him in continuing to pursue music. Justin Roth was the only other artist besides Storyhill that I knew before the festival. He performed during a service at my church a few years ago, and I so loved his song "Shine" that I bought the CD. Turns out I like his new stuff even better, so I pre-ordered his upcoming CD (my four CD total is growing daily). He's an amazing guitar player and had led a guitar workshop earlier in the day. As you can see in the below picture, he played an entire song on the neck of the guitar. I didn't know you could do that! He's also a very talented and clever songwriter and a great singer.

The next artist was another John - Johnsmith. Again, I'm not sure I can say it better than his website: "Johnsmith is a Bard. The role of the Bard in every society is to hold up a mirror to that society, to convey and reveal - through the mysterious alchemy of music and words and performance - the secret inner language of the heart." I think that applies to all the artists at the festival, but especially to John. He sang a really lovely song at the campfire called "Safe Home," which he wrote while in Ireland and very much reminded me of my trip there.

Taking a break from the Johns, the next artist was Meg Hutchinson. Another lovely voice and beautiful, thoughtful songs. One I especially liked is called "The Gatekeeper" and is about someone who works at the Golden Gate Bridge and has the task of stopping suicide attempts, which he does by asking two questions: "How are you feeling?" and "What are your plans for tomorrow?" She joked that her job is to write cheerful songs about depressing topics. I'm not sure I'd say cheerful, but uplifting and inspiring, yes. Hers is one of the four CDs I bought at the festival. How can I describe Johnathan Byrd? He's a character, just look at his photo below! Not everyone can pull off orange pants, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, but he can. His music veers a little bit more towards country, and his songs can either be funny or heart-breaking, or anywhere in between. The last song I heard from him was as he was leaving the campfire on the final night to drive to Chicago. I don't remember exactly what it was (I was up way past my bedtime so it's all a little foggy), something about a pony I think, but I do remember it was achingly lovely. And now we get to the main attraction and reason for the festival - Storyhill, aka Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson. They met as kids in Montana and have been making music together ever since (with a few interruptions). They went to college at St. Olaf and Johnny still lives here in Minnesota, so I think it's fair that we claim them as our own, or at least share ownership with Montana. ;) I first heard of Storyhill when their self-titled CD was released on Red House Records a few years ago. They played it frequently on the dear departed MPR Morning Show with Dale Connelly and Jim Ed Poole (aka A Prairie Home Companion sound man Tom Keith). It was the gorgeous harmonies on the song "Give Up the Ghost" that convinced me to buy their CD, and once I listened to that I was hooked. I've seen them a few times in concert since, and I knew if they were organizing this festival it was going to be great. I was not wrong! I don't know what else to say about these guys, very talented individually and together. And obviously with a great ear for talent, judging by the people they invited to their festival. Here's a video I recorded of one of my favorite songs, especially when performed live, "Steady On." I think they're contractually obligated to end every concert with this song. ;) Chris and Johnny on stage:

After the day's concerts were over, all of the musicians headed over to the campfire (which was conveniently located next to the lodge where I was staying). This was definitely the highlight of the weekend. It's one thing to listen to a CD, with everything cleaned up and auto-tuned (although there's less of that with folk music), another thing thing to hear someone sing live, but to hear the unamplified human voice is something really special. Whatever concert I go to, if the artist puts down their mic, it's always my favorite moment of the show. There's just something so raw and beautiful and primal about it, especially in the light of the campfire. I can imagine that hundreds of years ago, on that very spot, Native Americans were sharing songs and stories with each other in that same way. Maybe I'm still sleep deprived from two nights in a row of staying up past 1 am, but it was a truly magical experience. I think the artists did it as much for themselves as the attendees, and I felt like I was pressing my nose to the glass and watching these musicians in their element. The only thing close to it that I've experienced was when I was in Ireland, and you go to a pub in a small town and the entire town shows up, all taking turns sharing their music and a little part of their soul. That's what this was like.

I think what I love most about StoryhillFest is that it gave me a new source to find great new musicians that I love, something I've been missing since the Morning Show was cancelled. I have a great deal of admiration for and more than a little envy of people who make a living doing what they love, whose work is their life's passion. These people are modern-day troubadours, traveling the country and sharing songs and stories. I can't wait until next year to discover more new favorites!

A few more videos of Storyhill:

"Better Angels"

"If I Could"