12th Annual Benefit Concert(s)

Each January, for the last 11 years, WFMA has sponsored a exciting evening of folk music at Lisner Auditorium, bringing together a unique mixture of both well-known and lesser known folk performers. It has always been a wonderful opportunity to see and hear your favorite folk performers as well as become aquainted with new ones.

In 1997 the concert was expanded from a single evening in a large concert hall to a full weekend of folk music at one of the best listening rooms in the country: The Birchmere, in Alexandria, VA. All three shows in this intimate setting were smoke free.

This year's festival featured an exciting lineup of folk and acoustic performers from the past, present and future.

Friday Evening, January 31, 1997:


began his set with two of his own songs: "Baby You Look Good Tonight" and "From Boulder to Birmingham" (which he co-wrote with Emmylou Harris).
Bill was then joined on stage by : Doris Justis and Sean McGhee to sing "Afternoon Delight", Bill's big hit with the Starland Vocal Band. Doris and Sean also sang with Bill on his final two numbers: "Comodore 64" and "Tryin' to Live in Time".
opened her set with help from Susan Graham White on Ann Armstrong's "Think About the Rain", and "The Names of the Trees", a song that Susan co-wrote with Tom Paxton.
Accompanied by David Blume, Carolyn finished her set with 3 of her own songs: "Flatlands of Texas", "The Little Girl Who Saved America", and "Ascending Woman".
and Buffy Ford, accompanied by sang a number of John's own compositions: "Ticket to the Stars", "The Cowboy in the Distance", "Children of the New Frontier", "Interview with An Angel" and "Neon Road", but finished up with a traditional tune, "Old Riley".
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with the
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The Finale

Saturday Evening, February 1, 1997:

Sunday Afternoon, February 2, 1997:

A New Folk concert hosted by featured:

As in the past, this year's festival had other special highlights. The festival this year was dedicated to the memory of Lou Gottlieb, who passed away on July 11, 1996, and who passed away on September 27, 1996. presented the 1997 WFMA Lifetime Achievement Award, posthumously, to and the 1997 Kate Wolf Award was presented to