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08/09/2024

2024 Sisters Folk Festival Presents: A Celebration of the Genre

Bob Howard // The magic of Sisters, Oregon comes alive with a festival of music the last weekend of September.

From Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29, “the whole town is a stage.” Brad Tisdel, the artistic director of SFF Presents says, "We curate a diverse, multi-genre festival with seven stages throughout downtown Sisters.”

The 2024 Sisters Folk Festival Line-Up in photos.

Headliners Aoife O'Donovan, Hawktail, Chris Smither, and The Mammals present genres of singer-songwriter, orchestral string band, rootsy folk blues, and "subversive acoustic traditionalists." They are at the top of a line-up of 34 artists that includes Balla Kouyaté from Mali who plays the balafon, the West African antecedent of the xylophone. His knowledge of his traditional repertoire is unparalleled. The original musical instrument, known as the “Sosso-Bala,” is under the care of his father in Kouyaté’s father’s home village of Niagassola, on the Mali-Guinea border. In 2001, the “Sosso-Bala” was declared an item of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO and is brought out once a year for ceremonial playing.

Balla Kouyaté & Mike Block Band

Portland phenom Glitterfox, will make their first appearance at the festival after touring all summer which included an appearance at the iconic Newport Folk Festival. Cajun sensation Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs bring ancient traditions with incomparable energy straight from the blackjack boggy woods of Cypress Island, Louisiana.

Grammy awards winners and nominees bring it all to the Sisters Folk Festival in 2024. Brad Tisdel adds, “our venues allow us to present extraordinarily talented artists to large and small audiences who will fill their sets with the right vibe, energy and thrilling performances on each stage and venue setting." "The diversity of music comes from trying to bring new artists, artists we’ve wanted to work for years, the occasional returning artist, and those who are up and coming and who are most likely going to be much bigger in years to come.”

The folk festival line-up is unique among festivals. Most artists play 3 sets. Meaning you won’t miss one act to see another. On each day of a three-day festival, says Brad, you can see all your favorites and see the up and comers. “It’s my job to find the right balance of acts and make a schedule that works for folks to see who they want, and to be surprised by artists new to our audience.”

HEADLINER Highlights:

Aoife O'Donovan (/ˈiːfə/ EE-fə, Irish: [ˈiːfʲə]; is an American singer and Grammy award-winning songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer for the string band Crooked Still[2] and she also co-founded the Grammy Award-winning female folk trio I'm with Her.

Hawktail is the instrumental acoustic quartet of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolinist Dominick Leslie. Their all-original music is cohesive and unique. Haas also has been featured in David Rawlings's band, where she played alongside Kowert—best known as the virtuosic bass player from the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers.

Chris Smither has inspired songwriters and musicians for over 60 years and along the way, Smither’s songs been covered by the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Diana Krall, Loudon Wainwright III, Emmylou Harris, Dave Alvin, Josh Ritter and more. In early 1997 Smither released Small Revelations. It climbed the Americana and Triple A radio charts and led to concert dates with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, and the hugely successful, original Monsters of Folk’ tour with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Alvin and Tom Russell.

The Mammals are inspiration of folksingers Ruth Ungar, Mike Merenda, and a cohort of compelling collaborators who form a touring quintet on the fiddle, banjo, guitar, organ, bass, and drums…. The Mammals identity as "subversive acoustic traditionalists" (Boston Globe) or a "party band with a conscience." Re-emerging in 2017 from a hibernation period during-which the band's founders explored new songwriting terrain (releasing five albums under the moniker Mike + Ruthy), Ruth is the daughter of legendary fiddler, Jay Ungar, composer of the storied “Ashokan Farewell.”

But don't just consider the headliners. Gary Furlow, Production Director at Artichoke Music says, "the line-up is full of headliners! It's always hard to pick who to see with the time you have!"

The Weekend schedule is set! Weekend passes and single day tickets are on-sale! Plan to be there! Oregon Music News will be there with photographer Deb Penk.