Good Folks in Memphis

BMI at 2008’s Folk Alliance Conference

The 2008 edition of the Folk Alliance Conference took up residency at the Marriott hotel in downtown Memphis February 20 through 25. BMI’s showcase, held Thursday, February 21, featured a slew of clever troubadours, including Los Angeles’ Bill Reveles, New York City’s Natalia Zukerman, Brooklyn’s Nels Andrews, Memphis’s Giant Bear, Nashville’s Garrison Starr and Ford Turrell, along with Madisonville, Kentucky’s Tommy Womack.

Giant Bear attracted a giant crowd to the BMI showcase.

Pictured are (l to r): NSAI’s Erika Wollam Nichols, BMI’s Bradley Collins and singer/songwriter Garrison Starr.

Contemporary folkie Ford Turrell delivered a stirring set. Pictured before the show are (l to r): BMI’s Thomas Cain, Ford Turrell and BMI’s Bradley Collins.

Cool kid Tommy Womack provided a crowd-shushing performance of his wryly deft compositions.

Pictured are (l to r): singer/songwriters Ford Turrell and Tommy Womack, manager Mary Sack and BMI’s Bradley Collins.

BMI’s Thomas Cain (front) and Bradley Collins (back) participated in educational panels.

Rainbow layers of posters and flyers bejeweled the Marriott’s lobbies and hallways.

Pictured are (l to r): BMI’s Jody Williams, with Blue Rock Artist Ranch Billy and Dodee Crockett. 

NSAI’s Susan Myers (NSAI), Bluebird Cafe founder Amy Kurland, Saviano Media’s Tamara Saviano, BMI’s Kay Clary and NSAI’s Erika Wollam Nichols. Photo by J.G. Zumwalt

All other photos by Kay Clary