Folk Fest Goodness

Spent a wonderful sunny day at the Canmore Folk Music Festival yesterday.  It always helps when the weather is perfect as it was this year, but it was a great day.  It was inspiring to watch Ken Whitely; a long-time folk musician who has done a bit of everything.  He played the Children's Concert on Saturday.  My kids loved him, and I was reminded of some gems of songs I'll use at preschool this year.

 I also really enjoyed Joel Plaskett on the Main Stage.  I bought a Luke Doucet album that I listened to in the car today - great driving album.  There is a cover version of the Cure's "Lovecats" on it that makes me really really happy - what a fun surprise. 

Folk festivals are great for putting experience (a le Ken Whitely) next to younger musicians (a le Joel Plaskett) and I love watching the range throughout the day.  (that is when I'm not watching the kids on the climbing wall or bouncy castle or with Green Fools).   My greatest surprise of the festival though, was the U22 showing.  It's something that Canmore introduced to its festival last year, and a project that has been around in Alberta for a bit.  (I am going to find out more for sure). 

The acts I caught bits of were all groups of sisters - the Doll Sisters, the Command Sisters, and Samantha and Emily Schultz.  I was blown away.  U22 supports up and coming musicians (presumably up to age 22).  These girls were fantastic, and I was grateful for a chance to hear them.  When I get a chance, in addition to looking up U22 in more detail, I will be checking them out; they all have MySpace pages and are on YouTube (and Facebook and Twitter for those of you who do that sort of thing *grin*) I would definitely encourage you to do the same.

Surreal moment of the day: watching the finale with my children.  My husband and I haven't missed one of these since we've known each other, and this is the first year we let the kids stay up until the end with us.  "The Mary Ellen Carter" and "Four Strong Winds" en masse, with my family under an amazing summer mountain sky.  Talk about blessings.  I've got them in abundance.