[FM] Mr. Sunshine (Pelletier)/When the Music Stops (Briody)/Headin' Down South (So)

[OzWoman321@aol.com]

Hello, All - 

Some of you know this already...  :-), but I'm pleased to "officially" 
announce the winners of the 10th Annual South Florida Folk Festival 
Songwriter Competition!

Best Overall - Dan Pelletier, Lake Peekskill, NY, "You and Me Cat" and 
"Credit Report"

The world strikes Dan funny, but doesn't always make him laugh.  This fiery 
piano-playing songwriter will make you chuckle, break your heart, and take 
you through unpredictable twists and turns to the always satisfying 
conclusion.  Dan's debut CD, Mr. Sunshine, was released in 1999.  His second 
CD is currently in production.  (www.hudsonvalleyrecords.com/dp)

Best Mellow - Kevin Briody, Ridgefield, CT, "Walnuts and Rice"

Briody is a two-time finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Contest.  
He showcased at the 1999 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.  Robert K. Oermann of 
Music Row Magazine selected his debut CD, When No One's Watching, as his 
DISCovery Award Winner.  He was recently appointed as Connecticut's State 
Troubadour.  (www.kevinbriody.com)

Best Upbeat - Kevin So, Chicago, IL, "Five Days in Memphis"

A self-proclaimed "product of urban pop culture," Kevin was born and raised 
in Boston.  Hailed as the "Amy Tan of the singer/songwriter world", So's 
original blend of pop, blues, and folk has garnered praise from Richie 
Havens, Billy Bragg, Martin Sexton, and David Wilcox.  (www.kevinso.com)

Over 240 entries were narrowed down to a Top Twenty, and those were
invited to perform Saturday morning, January 13, before a panel of final
judges, including Anne Saunders, co-producer of the Falcon Ridge Folk 
Festival;
Paul Gerardi, music director on WPRK-FM in Orlando; Gloria Holloway, music 
promoter in the Tampa area: and Michael Stock, folk deejay on WLRN-FM in 
Miami.

The winners received a monetary award and a Sabine tuner, and were invited 
back to The South Florida Folk Festival the following year to perform a full 
set on the main stage. The Best Overall winner also received a certificate 
from Discmakers toward producing his next album. 

Hope to see some new faces down here next year - ours is a sweet little 
festival, and a lovely Falcon Ridge warm-up (and I mean that both literally 
and metaphorically...  :-)

Susan Moss
SFFF Artist Liaison 


"it's those magic little moments
that you never have to understand
wondering if it's luck or loving hands" - Christine Kane 

[Alan sez: I was able to attend the SFFF for the first time this year and I had a fabulous time. The weather was perfect and the site was great. The staff was very cool. The lineup was wonderful. I thought that all of the folks in the artist showcase were excellent. Overall, I give it a 8.7 on the 10 scale. (Just so they don't rest on their laurels...) 

The best thing about it may be that it is held at a time when there are no other festivals to compete with. I'm going to try to make it a regular stop on my list. If any of you like to get away from the wintry weather, make a note that this is a great time to be in Florida next year.]