Exclusive: Holy folk!

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Festival’s lineup features cherished favourites (hello, Emmylou).

When it comes to music festivals, it doesn't get much more eclectic than the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

The annual summer event draws thousands of people to hear the best in folk, roots, world and blues music, and this year will be no different, although there will be more of it as the festival expands to five days.

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Levon Helm

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John Hiatt (ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES)

"It's always about balance and moving us forward with some new names that are helping redefine the genre a little bit each year, and looking backwards to the genres that helped build the reputation of the festival," says artistic director Chris Frayer. "And there's always the sense of discovery."

The 2010 lineup is about 90 per cent finalized, with artists such as Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm, John Hiatt, Greg Brown, Sarah Harmer, Oscar Brand and Arrested Development among the acts already booked to play Birds Hill Park from July 7 to 11.

"Once again we are showcasing artists that currently have a high profile outside of Canada. We have three of the top acts from Europe and the U.S., including the Avett Brothers, the Swell Season and Andrew Bird. These acts are kind of like the Iron & Wine and Okkervil River of last year's festival -- they are bands that are doing well south of the border and they're kind of getting their Canadian breakthrough at our festival," Frayer says.

Fans of blues will enjoy Sonny Landreth, Hot Tuna and Steve Dawson's Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project, featuring The Sojourners, Del Rey, Geoff Muldaur and Alvin Youngblood Hart playing the music of the influential 1930s country-blues group.

World music aficionados will groove to Konono No. 1, Debashish Bhattacharya, Etran Finatawa and Aterciopelados. Folk fans looking for the next big thing should check out Bird, the Swell Season (the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, whose song Falling Slowly from the Irish movie Once won the 2008 Academy Award for best original song), Pieta Brown and the Peatbog Faeries. Indie rock fans will get their fix with the Dodos, Rock Plaza Central and the Rural Alberta Advantage.

The lineup also includes the next generation of some famous musical pioneers: Sarah Lee Guthrie is Arlo's daughter and Woody's granddaughter; Tao Seeger is Pete's grandson; Benson Ramsey of the Pines is songwriter-guitarist Bo's son; Amy Helm is playing with her dad Levon; and Pieta Brown is Greg's daughter.

Local artists will be represented by the likes of Juno nominee Romi Mayes, Weakerthans' frontman John K. Samson, Greg MacPherson, the Wailin' Jennys, the Duhks, Aaron Burnett, Del Barber and children's performers Lulu and the Tomcat.

Last year the festival added an extra night to the usual four-day event to host a special performance by Elvis Costello. Festival organizers decided to keep the extra night in the program this year, but won't announce the mainstage schedule until closer to the festival.

"This is about the lineup as a whole. It's not about attributing any artist to one day yet," Frayer says. "We had an opportunity last year to book an Elvis Costello and we took advantage of the opportunity to create another night because people wanted to have more fest."

Last year the Costello show was announced after four-day passes went on sale, so the extra day was optional. This year only five-day passes are being sold, along with single day tickets. Anyone who wants to camp must purchase a five-day pass. Early bird passes are on sale now for $181.75, including taxes and service fees, and $216.75 with camping at Ticketmaster and the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store. Ticketed attendance will be capped at 14,000 per day.

Information for volunteers who want to camp will be released in May.

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca

Dodos, Duhks and 'doggies 

SOME of the artists scheduled to play the 2010 edition of the Winnipeg Folk Festival

Arrested Development

Aterciopelados

Avett Brothers

Sam Baker

Del Barber

Bette et Wallet

Debashish Bhattacharya

Andrew Bird

Greg Brown

Pieta Brown

Cat Empire

Dodos

Duhks

Etran Finatawa

Good Lovelies

Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion

Sarah Harmer

Emmylou Harris

Alvin Youngblood Hart

Levon Helm Band

John Hiatt & the Combo

Jon & Roy

Hoots and Hellmouth

Hot Tuna

Gregory Alan Isakov

Konono No. 1

Ladies of the Canyon

Sonny Landreth

Greg MacPherson

Mauvais Sort

Romi Mayes

Mishka

Mississippi Sheiks Tribute

Moondoggies

Geoff Muldaur

Peatbog Faeries

Pines

Bo Ramsey

Del Ray

Rock Plaza Central

Rural Alberta Advantage

John K. Samson

Tao Seeger

Sojourners

Swell Season

Leeroy Stagger & the Wildflowers

United Steel Workers of Montreal

Wailin' Jennys

Wilders

William Elliott Whitmore

Works Progress Administration

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 13, 2010 C1