The Chattahoochee Folk Hour

Asheville residents Melissa Hyman and Ryan Furstenberg combine cello, guitar and beautiful harmonies as 'The Moon And You', and present their melodic tunes on the Folk Hour.  I had the good pleasure of meeting Melissa and Ryan at the Southeastern Regional Folk Alliance in Montreat, and they appeared on the Folk Hour during one of their trips to Atlanta.  Find out more about Melissa and Ryan at their website, www.themoonandyou.com.

Jefferson Ross left his Georgia home at the ripe old age of 18 with guitar in hand, headed to Nashville, where he spent 27 years as a songwriter on Music Row.  Along the way, he was a road musician and background singer for CCMA Entertainer Of Year, Terri Clark.  Now, he has returned to Georgia, and brought his brand of 'Grooves, Grits and Great Stories' to The Chattahoochee Folk Hour.  On this edition, Jeff sings several of his tunes on the Folk Hour, and brings stories of American life to song.  Great having you back in the 'promised land' Jeff!  For more information, check out Jeff's website at www.jeffersonross.com.

I was truly honored and thrilled to host the 'Reverend' Jeff Mosier, a master banjo player and wonderful singer/songwriter, on the Folk Hour. Jeff's life has been dedicated to music, from hosting his own radio show in Atlanta called 'Born In A Barn', to playing banjo in a number of bands including The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Blueground Undergrass and The Mosier Brothers Band. He has been a major part of the Atlanta music scene, and has performed with some legends of bluegrass such as Peter Rowan. In this show, Jeff plays several of his original songs which will touch your heart and soul (I refer to them as 'harmonies of the heart'), featuring his master technique of gentle, melodic banjo. In the Trail Folks segment, adventure runner Mike Taylor stopped by the studio to share with us tales from his second attempt to run the entire Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail. and his pursuit of the legendary 'Sasquatch'. It was a memorable show that is a 'must hear', and we even had a studio audience consisting of Pat Burke, Ben Parker and Sam Taylor. Many thanks to Jeff Mosier. For more information about Jeff, check out www.themosierbrothers.com.

In this final edition of the two part series on Ralph's visit to The Southeastern Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) conference in Montreat, this show features interviews with veteran songwriter Buddy Mondlock from Nashville, and a 'second career' songwriter, R.J. Cowdery from Columbus Ohio. Buddy and RJ share their perspectives on their respective careers in folk music and the significance of folk music in today's 'American Idol' culture. In this edition, you will also meet Hiroya Tsukamoto, a graduate of the Berkely College of Music who first learned to play bluegrass on five string banjo as a young boy in his native Japan. And, meet the Hollands, a modern day 'Von Trapp' family, touring the country in their RV, and sharing their music with communities all across America. For more information on these great artists, visit their websites at www.buddymondlock.com; www.rjcowdery.com; www.hiroyatsukamoto.com; and www.thehollands.org.

On this edition of The Chattahoochee Folk Hour, host Ralph Taylor visits the Southeastern Regional Folk Alliance meeting at Montreat, North Carolina. Over 200 musicians, singers, songwriters, promoters and venue hosts gathered for a celebration of music at Montreat, and in this first of a two part series, Ralph interviews and shares the music of three featured performers: SERFA President Kim Richardson from Arkansas; Dennis Cash from North Carolina, and Lara Herscovitch from Connecticut. The Folk Alliance is a vibrant community of artists who share a passion for their music, and Kim, Dennis and Lara discuss their musical journeys and emphasize the importance of the support and encouragement from their fellow musicians involved in the Folk Alliance. For more information on these wonderful artists, visit www.kimrichardsonmusic.com; www.denniscashmusic.com/# and www.laraherscovitch.com.

Tonight's show features the soulful songs of Beth Wood, recorded live at our house concert series, 'The Hoedown on the Trace'. Beth is a wonderfully talented singer songwriter and her songs are rich with heartfelt lyrics, highlighted by her powerful voice. Originally from Lubbock Texas, Beth has been recognized at folk festivals across the nation. I had the privilege of interviewing Beth in our sunroom the morning after her show. In this second anniversary show for the Folk Hour, I am pleased to share excerpts of her interview along with songs from her live performance. Enjoy one of folk music's shining stars, Beth Wood. For more information about Beth Wood, visit her website at www.bethwoodmusic.com.

This special edition of The Chattahoochee Folk Hour was taped live at the Hoedown On The Trace, a house concert with Wil Maring and Robert Bowlin. From Cobden Illinois, Wil Maring and Robert Bowlin are phenomenal singers, songwriters and musicians, whose songs range from Americana, to blues, to bluegrass and beyond! This show features their wonderful music, captured live in concert. My favorite part of the show is the 'Crazy World' segment, where Ralph reads a story about the adventures of folks singers Wil and Robert, and Robert had to spontaneously illustrate the emotions of the story with his fiddle. It totally spontaneous...and magical! For more information about Wil and Robert, check out Wil Maring's music facebook page and her website at www.wilmaring.com. Many thanks to the studio audience for their participation, and to Rich Roszel, the sound engineer, and Debbie Roszel, who wrote the Crazy World segment. Enjoy!!

'Sandyman' Flynn and 'Capt.' George Hergen, together the 'Irish Brothers' appear on the Folk Hour to share their toe tapping Irish tunes. Sandy and George became friends over 25 years ago, when they both had corporate jobs with IBM. They discovered their mutual love of music, and they have been paying tunes together ever since. Sandy and George have had success pursuing their passion for music. Sandy was formerly with the popular band 'Cullowhee' and spent several years as a songwriter in Nashville. George was part of the folk scene in Greenwich Village and was influenced in his love of Irish music by the noteworthy Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. In addition to their Irish tunes, Sandy shared a couple of his original tunes, including the bluesy 'Mississippi Moon', featuring Sandy's deep and resonating voice. It was a real pleasure for me to be in the presence of two wonderful musicians and lifelong friends. For more information about the Irish Brothers, visit www.sandymanflynn.com and http://gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm.

Nashville singer songwriter Erin Thomas appears on the Folk Hour via telephone interview, sharing songs from her CD, 'You Don't Know Me'. Erin has an amazing lifestory, having been an orchestral french horn player in Nashville with the renowned Nashville String Machine. She developed a physical condition which left her unable to play at the professional level she had obtained. Thankfully, instead of leaving music, she learned to play guitar, and began singing and writing songs. As a result, she has taken country music by a storm. Learn more about Erin Thomas on this edition of the Folk Hour, and enjoy a selection of her songs from her CD, including 'That Kind of Love', a duet with the infamous Vince Gill. For more information about Erin and her music, visit www.sweeterin.com.

Emily Jackson makes her second appearance on the Folk Hour, performing her songs live in the studio. Emily has been performing in the Athens area regularly since her last appearance on the show. Her driving rhythms and bluesy vocals make her a popular choice! Enjoy!