Katie McBride isn’t new to the poster game. After she graduated from art school at VCU, she found posters to be a great way to build up a portfolio.
"It’s Richmond, everyone has a band, so I’d ask if their band wanted a poster!” Katie remembers. "And it would be real work in my portfolio that I could show a client."
More than 40 artists representing traditions from all over the globe will perform at the 12th annual Richmond Folk Festival this year. The free three-day event along Richmond’s historic downtown riverfront is the most popular of its kind in the country, drawing approximately 200,000 music fans every year, rain or shine.
To say Homayoun Sakhi is committed to his craft is an understatement. The classical Afghan musician continues his family’s legacy of mastering the rubâb—the short-necked lute that’s Afghanistan’s most beloved national instrument. His life is dedicated to improving his own musicianship while at the same time helping Afghan folk music not only stay alive but find new life in modern interpretation.
June 23 was a difficult day for the bluegrass community. Ralph Stanley, the Virginia native and bluegrass pioneer, died at 89 years old.
Stanley and his long-time band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, made a memorable appearance in 2012 at the Richmond Folk Festival. Fans also were able to experience the legend alongside Joe Wilson and Frank Newsome on the Virginia Folklife Stage.
