Return to KRAB Audio Archives main menu

The KRAB Audio Archive
Northwest Regional Folklife and Other Festivals

KRAB's first Folklife Festival broadcast was in 1974, two years after the first festival. I suspect it was Phil Williams' idea to broadcast the festival. He was on the KRAB board then as well, of course, of the Seattle Folklore Society. The Jun 1974 program guide contains this note:

As of this writing, half way through Memorial Day weekend, KRAB's live coverage of the 3rd Annual Northwest Regional Folklife Festival appears to be a complete success. In the 12 years of its existence, KRAB has never before engaged in a production of this dimension: technically as elaborate and sophisticated, and programmatically with such spontaneity and, such high a quality. By the time Monday night rolls around we should have brought to you at least 30 hours of live music from at least 50 different performers. This has been an intensive training program and learning experience for us here at the station; I hope you've enjoyed it as much as we. In the coming months you will hear many more live programs like this last one. I would like to thank all those (at least 25 different people participated throughout the weekend) who have donated time and energy to make the Folklife Festival broadcasts possible.

In 1977 Phil and Vivian Williams' record company Voyager, released an album sampling the music from that year's festival. In the liner notes Allan Swensson, festival Coordinator, wrote "Sponsors of Northwest Regional Folklife Festival include the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Department; the Pacific NW Region, National Park Service; and the Seattle Folklore Society. KRAB Radio, a noncommercial listener-supported station, has been a major contributor since 1975*. This first Folklife Festival Record, made from recordings of the 1977 KRAB Radio broadcasts, is a sample of the diversity and exuberance of traditional music in the Pacific Northwest. Even if you miss your favorite kind of music on this album, you'll find it at the festival."

*Allan seemed to have forgotten KRAB was also there in 1974.

If you should have photographs of KRAB at any of the Folklife Festivals, of memories your are willing to share, please send us an email.

You may also find these other pages of interest:
Bluegrass Jamborees with the Tall Timber Boys	KRABgrass with Dennis Flannigan
Bluegrass with Tiny Freeman	Northwest Regional Folklife and other Festivals
Concerts Sponsored by the Seattle Folklore Society	The Folk Show with Phil Andrus
From Bluegrass to KRABgrass - American traditional

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1974 - KRAB May 30, 1974

Playing original material, Robert Rohde on guitar and Steve Kinzie on guitar and banjo.

Part 1 in the Playhouse (41:16)

Part 2 on the KRAB stage (19:45)

Steve Kinzie can be found in Discogs and bandcamp

1974 was KRAB's first broadcast of the Folklife Festival. So far this is the only recording we have found from that year. No one has yet come forward with photographs.

In addition to the KRAB stage, the mixer for switching from stage to stage, and the announce microphone were also in Alki Room, all set up on folding tables, with the wiring within easy reach of the dozens of Folklife participant children. I put up a warning sign: "Danger Red Ants" which started an endless debate of "I don't see any", "How big are they?", "Its a joke", "Why?".

Listen now - Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1974 - KRAB - May 30, 1974 (61:01)

Recording courtesy Jack Straw Foundation, M0515

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1975 - KRAB May 26, 1975

In 1975, for three days and more than 30 hours, for the second time, KRAB broadcast live from the Northwest Regional Folklife Festival on the Seattle Center grounds. Phil Andrus served as artistic director, selecting and coordinating artists, as we switched between six (?) stages, including KRAB's own stage in the "Alki Room". This was a very big deal for KRAB. Hard to believe we have no photographs.

This short recording (05/26/1975) is of John Hendricks, a Portland guitarist who, according to the tape label (right), played with the "Fly-By-Night Jass Band". He also performed with the "PH Phactor Jug Band", playing Mandolin, Mandola, Banjo, Guitar, Kazoo, Jug, and Vocals. The announcer introducing Hendricks is Phil Bannon, a long-time KRAB volunteer engineer, announcer, and professional tower climber.

Listen now - John Hendricks at Folklife Festival 1975 (12:37)

Recording courtesy Robert Weppner

10th San Diego Folk Festival, broadcast live on Public Radio West and KRAB - Apr 24, 1976

".....and the women will continue." "I don't know if there are any available seats here in Montezuma Hall."

1975, 1976 and 1977 were big years for folk festivals, and radio joined up with Folk Festival USA - live broadcasts from festivals all over the country. This one is the Saturday night concert from San Diego. Dennis's notes insist that it was broadcast live on KRAB Apr 24, 1976, but it is not listed in the program guide. Perhaps the evening's programming was pre-empted. (In the Seattle Times "Tempo" published Friday Apr 23rd it says the concert would be "broadcast live tonight", which would have been a pretty good trick, since it didn't happen until Saturday.)

The performers include members of Mike Seeger's traveling "1976 American Old Time Music Festival (AOTMF)": Lily May Ledford, The Balfa Brothers with Marc Savoy, and John Jackson. On Apr 3rd AOTMF did a benefit for the Seattle Folklore Society and KRAB at the Masonic Temple. In July KPFK broadcast a series of programs they produced from this festival, and featured photographs by Richard Hammond. Here he captured this portrait of Napoleon Strickland (fife) and Othar Turner's daughter, Bernice (drum):

Here's a list of what we've got:

George Winston

Othar Turner with the Rising Sun Fife and Drum Band

John Jackson

Lily May Ledford, sometimes joined by Mike Seeger.

The Balfa Brothers with Marc Savoy

More from Othar Turner with the Rising Sun Fife and Drum Band

Mike Seeger and "the Group"

Hoosier Hot Shots

Ed Lowe and Tom Sauber

The Gypsy Gyppo String Band

The Mostly Sisters

Wilbur Ball and Cliff Carlyle, an interview

Hoosier Hot Shots, an interview

Listen now - The 10th San Diego Folk Festival, broadcast live on Public Radio West and KRAB - Apr 24, 1976 (150:41)

Recording Courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF0225, DF0226, DF0227

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival - KRAB May 24-26, 1975 or May 29-31, 1976

Was this from 1975 or 1976? We don't know. Do you? Have you got a schedule or something that might tell us?

Here's what we've got, with Leila Gorbman and Phil Bannon making occasional announcing appearances.

Mark and Michelle O'Connor and The Tennesseans (Hank English, guitar) (24:24)

Curly Creek String Band with Mark O'Connor (Janice Maddy, guitar; Roger Maddy, mandolin; Larry Edwards, bass) (41:54)

Frank Ferrel introduces and plays a recording of an Old Time Fiddle Contest originally made by Benny Thomasson in Gilmore, Texas, circa 1955-58. Frank might have broadcast this on his KRAB program, at that time called "Country Fiddling" (33:31)

A brief interlude with dulcimer players Robert Force and Albert D'Ossche (5:42)

Some Scandinavian fiddling (Barbara Lamb?) (13:14)

The Tall Timber String Band (Vivian Williams, Phil Williams, Dick Marvin, and Darrell McMichaels) joined by Joe Pancerezwski (52:48)

The Trio (Stan Guernsy, Thelma McKibbon, Mac McKibbon) (31:22)

The Balalaika Trio (5:58)

Listen now - Northwest Regional Folklife Festival - KRAB 1975 or 1976 (208:43)

Recording courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF0246

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1976 - KRAB May 29 and 31, 1976

Most of these two tapes seem to have originated at KRAB's stage in the Alki Room. (Until 2017, the Alki Room was one of the San Juan Rooms at the NW corner of the Seattle Center, directly North of the arena.)

Recording from the collection of Dennis Flannigan, DF0255, DF1263; Festival button courtesy Ben Dawson

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1977 - KRAB May 30, 1977

Krab will broadcast from its own stage, outside the Alki Room (or inside the Alki Room, if the sky drizzles). The afternoons will be assortments of the variety of musics which make up the Folklife Festival. [KRAB Program Guide May 1977]

We have added about 3.3 hours from performances on the KRAB stage on the afternoon of May 30.

Here is a selection of performances from the last day of the 1977 Festival, Monday May 30.

KRAB Stage - outside the Alki Room

Peggy DeLeers and Chris (Minerd?) announcing

Rainy Bay Band (5:54)
Jay Carpenter, Julie Sakahara, and Dave Anner, all from Bellingham

Wild Women Don't Worry (38:01)
Liza Dietrichson, guitar and vocals; Bob West, trombone; Brian Butler, guitar and vocals

Twin Sisters, Fiddling Women (31:57)
Barbara Lamb and Vivian Williams; with Joe Pancerzewski, two members of the Muddy Bottom Boys from Portland, and somebody from Willow Creek. Phil Willilams is in there too.

The Hokum Blues Band (40:36)
Doug Royce, Mike Dumovich, and Jack Cook

Celia James announcing

Timberbound (47:58)
Kim Cunnick, Dave Berge, and Hobe Kytr, all from Vernonia, Oregon, performing songs by John Cunnick. For more about Timberbound and the concert they did at the Seattle Folklore Society in 1976, go here.

No Comhaile (25:24)
Dale Russ, fiddle (Olympia); Mike Saunders, guitar; Mark Graham, concertina; Colin Manahan, fiddle (Vashon Isle); Nick Voreas, flute and whistle (Portland); Sarah Jones, mandolin and vocals (Iowa)

From the Playhouse

Robert Rohde announcing

Baby Gramps, joined by Larry "Mr Jug" Vanover (19:23)
"Diddy Wah Diddy", "Rag Time Millionaire", "Yas Yas Yas", and "Teddy Bear's Picnic"

Robert Rohde (18:55)
"I don't pay those low down blues no dues today", "Down by the banks of the Ohio", "Stay home in bed and sleep all day", and "Going down to Washington (state)"

Listen now - Northwest Regional Folklife Festival - KRAB May 30, 1977 (228:08)

Recording courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF1015, DF1032

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1979 - KRAB May 28, 1979

This was the 6th year that KRAB broadcast from the Folklife Festival live, starting with a 3 hour concert on Friday, followed by 3 days of 10 hours each. This tape is from the last day, Monday the 28th.

The KRAB hosts were Molly Mettler, a Charles or Charlie ?, and Matt Holmes at the Flag Plaza Pavilion; Gouda Cremora at the Liars Contest; and Leila Gorbman wrapping it up back at the Flag Plaza.

From the Flag Plaza Pavilion previously occupied by the relics of King Tut

Buckdancers' Choice (11:37)
Joanna Cazden (31:14)
Hurricane Ridge Runners (28:17)
Curly Creek String Band with Steve and Maureen from Oregon (26:23)
Mike Lewis (28:34)
Round Town Girls (30:42)

From the Playhouse

Mike and Molly fill some time (19:41)
The Liars Contest - Judging the contest are Jef Jaisun, Michael J Shadow, and Claudine La France (72:10)

Back to the Flag Plaza Pavilion

May Thompson Bell (13:52)
The Tennessans (28:02)
Tom Lindsay (16:53)
Apple Blossom Ramblers (31:49)

Listen now - Northwest Regional Folklife Festival - KRAB May 28, 1979 (5hr, 37min)

Recording courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF0287

American Fiddle Tunes Festival in Port Townsend - Jul 2 to 4, 1981

This appears to be the last of the American Fiddle Tunes Festivals to be broadcast on KRAB, though exactly when is uncertain - During Dennis Flannigan's KRABgrass show perhaps? The host announcer sounds an awful lot like Frank Ferrel. Is that you, Frank?

Heard here are:

Joe Pancerzweski with Sandy Bradley (33:19)

The Harmony Sisters: Alice Gerrard, Jeannie McCleary, Irene Herman (38:12)

Alan Block with Nancy McDowell (41:10)

The Hurricane Ridge Runners: Jerry Galleher, Mark Graham, Paul Kotapsh, and Armand Barnett (45:39)

Listen now - American Fiddle Tunes Festival in Port Townsend - Jul 2 to 4, 1981 (158:20)

Recording courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF1011

Northwest Regional Folklife Festival 1982 - May 28 to 31, 1982

By Memorial Day weekend, the Northwest Regional Folklife Festival will bring to the Seattle Center dancers, craftspeople, singers and musicians by the hundreds, and one solitary radio station -- KRAB. For the seventh or eighth or sixth or ninth time (we all remember differently, but "for sure"), KRAB will be spreading the festivity of Folklife weekend to the edges and corners of the Pacific Northwest, through some thirty-six hours of live broadcasting. Expect to hear bluegrass banjos and old-time fiddles, roughedged blues arid graceful caeli tunes, songs old and new, sounds from next door and from the world round. Should you come to the Folklife Festival in, person, we hope you will visit the KRAB stage in the Flag Plaza Pavilion. And when you are loafing at home, cruising in your car, weeding your petunia bed or swatting flies in your kitchen, you can be at the Folklife Festival then, too, front row center. Tune in 8:00 p.m. till 11:00 pm on May 22nd and throughout the long weekend: 12:00 noon to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

So far we've found audio from the Sunday and Monday broadcasts. There's a little distortion here and there, particularly in one of Baby Gramps' numbers, but for the most part listenable. Performing are the following

Recordings courtesy Dennis Flannigan, DF1272 and DF1012

If you possess any souvenirs (program guides, tapes, or photos) or have a story about your experience with KRAB you are willing to share, please email archive@krabarchive.com

Go to top of page