Emporia’s 10 West Grill and Dive Bar was full of folk and cheer Sunday as it hosted the very first Farmette conference.
FARM (The Folk Alliance Region Midwest) is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International, a global nonprofit founded in 1989 and based in Kansas City, Missouri. The mission of the non-profit is to further the purpose of the folk music genre by strengthening communities and supporting the international folk music community through various programs and resources.
The organization holds an international conference each year, typically in the Kansas City area, with smaller regional conferences also held throughout the year. During a recent interview with KVOE News, FARM President and Good Way Gardens Director Elexa Dawson noted the amount of networking and useful information that is provided at these conferences to folk musicians around the country; unfortunately, not everyone has the means to attend them.
With that in mind, she organized FARMette in an effort to bring those resources and opportunities to a more local audience. The daylong event included several late morning and afternoon sessions, such as Q&As with established individuals within the folk community and those who support it.
Among those individuals were radio hosts Diana Linn of KKFI in Kansas City and Nick Carswell of Kansas Public Radio, who were featured on a panel titled “Are You Radio Ready.” KVOE News sat down with Carswell and Linn to get some insight as to what they believe makes a musician truly “radio ready,” with both saying there are two important facets you have to sort out to answer that question: the what and the why.
For Linn, what pertains to the performer and their performance.
Linn adds there is also a personal component to the what, noting that artists have to be prepared to discuss or not discuss certain topics.
As for the why, Carswell explains that it has to do with what the performer is working towards, saying they have to be able to see the “big picture.”
Sunday’s keynote address was delivered by former Emporia resident and noted singer/songwriter Kelly Hunt. Following the workshops and Q&A sessions, 10 West opened to the public for a series of 20-minute musical showcases featuring some of the best up-and-coming musicians from the local area and beyond.
