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CONTENTS Folk Alliance International is a 501c3 registered US charity with 5 regional affiliate organizations, which includes SWRFA, that also presents conferences and other programming in support of its membership. FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL (FAI) MISSION STATEMENT To nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community - traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional through education, advocacy and performance. GOALS OF THE FOLK ALLIANCE FAI has six areas of concentration to achieve the above mission. It seeks to strengthen and advance organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, professional and field development, and consumer development. 1. Education - To increase understanding of the rich variety, artistic value, cultural and historical significance, and continuing relevance of folk music and dance among educators, media, and the general public. 2. Networking - To provide a bridge to and from folk music and dance organizations and needed resources, and to help those organizations link with their constituencies. 3. Advocacy - To influence decision makers and resource providers on the national, state, provincial, and local levels, insuring the growth of folk music and dance. 4. Field Development - To support and encourage the development of new and existing grassroots folk music and dance organizations. 5. Professional Development - To strengthen the effectiveness of folk music and dance organizations by providing professional development opportunities. 6. Consumer Development - To build a stronger consumer base by identifying and involving current and potential folk music consumers and players through programs, marketing, and outreach.
4 SWRFA Activities 6 Schedule of Events 8 Discussion Panels 14 Conferece Map 15 Conference Menus 17 Alternates Showcases 19 SWRFA Board Members 21 Official Showcase Schedule 22 Official Showcase Artists 27 Conference Registrants 37 In-Room Showcases
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Welcome to SWRFA 2026
We are so glad that you chose to join us this year! This is a brief overview to remind us all of how this works. Very similar to last year’s reminders as the goals remain much the same, just some of the names, faces and topics change each year. Some of us have been to many Folk Alliance International and other Regional Conferences since the organization began and have a pretty good idea of what to expect from this weekend. Other people are here for the first time. EVERYONE can benefit from the 1st Timers Advice panel offered on Friday morning at 9AM. Plus it is just fun with Hilary and Paul! Regional Conferences do differ from the International Conference as they have the ability to offer more personal attention and more focus on regional issues. Also, although we are here to primarily do business, the schedule for the conference is intentionally lighter than the big conferences. And certainly, one of the most important things you bring home from a gathering of this sort are all the contacts and new friends you make; at a scheduled function, a jam session, or sitting by the pool. The person you sit next to at lunch might be the very one you had been hoping to meet. All this takes some of the ‘pitching’ aspect out of the connecting. It is a good idea to get out there and network, but the relationships you build may carry you further than you could ever have planned.
SEMINARS, MENTORING & PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Our programming committee has attempted to formulate a program with something for everyone. Please get to the seminars ON TIME! Our facilitators have very full programs to offer, and they will have no choice but to start and end exactly as scheduled.
OPEN EXHIBIT HALL
Here at SWRFA, we have embraced an open concept for the exhibit space. Everyone can participate by putting your schedules on the tables provided, listing gigs for the foreseeable future or just for the SWRFA Conference; touring schedules for artists or schedules for shows at venues. This area is for artists, venues, CD manufacturers, magazines that feature the music biz, all are welcome that have stepped up to be a part of the conference. Please don’t take a CD unless you are a venue interested in that artist’s music. If you want to trade CD’s with another artist, please ask them directly. The items on the tables are to present and promote each and every one that leaves them there. This area is to provide a space to meet and talk about what you do and who you are, and what you are looking to accomplish at this conference and beyond. And to offer your products to the other attendees. Obviously, the schedules and stickers and smaller promo items are for everyone, and you are encouraged to take them. But please, be very aware of the value of artist CD’s. Absolutely use this area and the time allowed to gather there, to do business. Mostly though, take home a feeling of the greatness in connecting. We share meals for lunches, dinners and Sunday Brunch. This is a great way to meet new folks and care for your health and well-being without missing any of the conference. Thanks for being a part of the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference (SWRFA)! -
Dalis and the SWRFA Team
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 3
SWRFA ACTIVITIES Wednesday Sept. 23 - Kick Off Party & Open Mic Night NeWorlDeli, 6:30pm
Join us for music, food & fun! Each registered artist may put their name in the ‘hat’ to do a song.
Thursday Sept. 24 - Dinner by the Pool Hotel Pool, 5pm
Food - A buffet of great food sponsored by Rockport Songwriters Association. SO eat, drink and be merry!
Thursday Sept. 24 - Open Mic by the Pool Hotel Pool, 6-9pm
Hosted by John Whipple and Parke Hedges. Registered artists can put their name in the jar at the Registration Table.
Friday Sept. 25 - First Timers Advice Elm Room, 9am
A panel for first time attendees with Paul Barker, Hilary Adamson, Sarah Golden, and Roxi Copland. Second and third timers welcome!
Friday Sept. 25 - SWRFA Welcoming Party Elm Room Bar, 5pm
DJ reception for you to meet radio personalities face to face and use the FREE drink ticket that you got at registration!
Saturday Sept. 26 - Open Mic Hotel Pool, 3:30-5:30pm
Sunday Sept. 27 - Brunch & Song Assignment Performances Dining Hall, 11:30am-3pm
4 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
A huge thank you to Mike Beck and Access Film Music for co-sponsoring and producing our first ever SWRFA event in Mexico! Stay tuned for the dates for the 2nd Annual in August 2027.
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 5
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ***Note all events are subject to change***
WEDNESDAY September 23
6:30-10PM: Meet and greet at NeWorlDeli for our conference kickoff meetup and open mic. Registered artists can drop their name in the jar to play, or just listen. NeWorlDeli is located at 4101 Guadalupe St. Austin, TX.
THURSDAY September 24 2-6PM: Registration Open - Lobby
When you check in, be sure to drop your name in the jar to be drawn for a spot at the Open Mic and draw your Song Assignment out for a spot at the Sunday Brunch. Also put your name in the drawings for all of the great RAFFLE ITEMS! Only $1 per ticket for some great opportunities like Folk Alliance conference registrations.
2-10PM: General Exhibit Area open. This is free space for all registrants to display schedules, CD’s, stickers/promo and visit with other attendees.
2:30-4:30PM: Concurrent Afternoon Seminars and Educational Panels 5PM: Dinner by the pool - A buffet of great food sponsored by Rockport Songwriters Association. Eat, drink and be merry!
6-9PM: Open Mic by the Pool - Hosted by John Whipple and Parke Hedges. Be sure to put your name in the jar at the Registration Table to be included in the Open Mic.
9:30-11:30PM Alternate Official Showcase - Elm Room. Sound: John Whipple and Parke Hedges. Emcee: Natalie Price
FRIDAY September 25 9AM-11PM: Registration - Lobby / OPEN EXHIBIT AREA - If you have materials to put out on the information
tables in the registration area now is the time to do it. This is an ‘open exhibit’ area available to all registrants, artists and venues, to display your schedules for the year or just at SWRFA, display your CD’s for venues to take with them and to visit in person with the folks you wanted to meet while you are here. Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to draw your Song Assignment for a spot at the Sunday Brunch.
9AM: First-Timers Orientation - Elm Room. Learn how to get the most out of your Conference experience, not just
for First Timers really...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Presented by Paul Barker of Barker House Concerts and Hilary Adamson from the Flyin’ A’s, Sarah Golden, and Roxi Copland.
10-11:30AM: Concurrent Morning Seminars and Educational Panels 11:45AM-12:45PM: Lunch - Hill Country Ballroom A-B 12:45-1:15 PM: Free Time - Nap, work on your song assignments, visit the information tables by registration or schedule an early One-On-One with industry professionals via the list at the registration table or by apptointment.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 1:30-3PM: Concurrent Afternoon Seminars and Educational Panels 1:30-3PM: First-Timers Showcases - 9th Floor. Here’s your chance to check out all registered artists who are at SWRFA for the 1st time. See the In–Room schedule pages for the lineup.
3:20-5PM: Sponsored Showcases - Hosted by Attendees on Floors 7-8-9 4-6PM: Folk DJ Reception - Elm Room 5-6PM: Welcoming Party - Red Pepper Bar & Elm Room (redeem SWRFA free Drink ticket here) 6-7:15PM: Dinner - Hill Country Ballroom A-B 7:30-10PM: Official Showcase Concert - Hill Country Ballroom C-D 10:30PM: In-Room Showcases - Hosted by Attendees on Floors 7-8-9
SATURDAY September 26 9AM-11PM: Registration Table and Open Exhibit Area. If you have not already put materials out on the information tables in the Registration area, now is the time to do it.
10-11:30AM: Concurrent Morning Seminars 11:45AM-12:45PM: Lunch - Hill Country Ballroom A-B 12:45-1:15PM: Free Time - Nap, work on your song assignments, visit the information tables by registration or schedule an early One-On-One with industry professionals via the list at the Registration Table or by personal appointment.
1:30-3PM: Concurrent Afternoon Seminars 3:30 – 5:30PM: Pool Party & Open Mic - Hosted by John Whipple and Parke Hedges. (Names will be drawn from registered performing artists that signed up at the main registration table.)
6-7:15PM: Dinner - Hill Country Ballroom A-B. The drawings for raffle prizes will happen at this meal. 7:30-10PM: Official Showcase Concert - Hill Country Ballroom C-D 10:30PM: In-Room Showcases - Hosted by Attendees on Floors 7-8-9
SUNDAY September 27 11AM: Brunch - Hill Country Ballroom A-B 11:30AM: Song Assignment Performances. All registered artists will be given a song topic to write during the weekend. Those who have taken part in this assignment may present their songs at Sunday Brunch. A conference highlight!
Song Assignments - Pick a topic when you arrive The jar is at Conference Check-in Write a song while at SWRFA, then share it at the Sunday Brunch! This is a favorite event at SWRFA! Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 7
THURSDAY PANEL DISCUSSIONS Thursday September 24
2:30–4:30PM Voice (Sycamore Room) Panelist: Karyn Oliver
A - Learn whether you take a full breath, and how to do that. Learn how to control the use of that breath. B - Learn where you hold tension that gets in the way of allowing the full expression of your voice C - Are you facing stumbling blocks with your voice? Let’s dive into those as time allows. Karyn Oliver found her voice at a young age, and was lucky enough to meet people early on who taught her how to use it in a sustainable, healthy way. She is a classically trained vocalist who has performed everything from chamber music to rock with some musical theater thrown in for good measure. She later became certified as a Yoga instructor, and has learned to bring these 2 disciplines together to help herself and her students.
2:30 – 4:30PM Beyond the Gig: Finding New Ways to Get Your Music Out There (Oak Room) Panelists: Martin Gilmore & Jana Pochop
There are a lot more ways to build a career in music than playing clubs, festivals, and traditional concert venues. This panel will explore some of the less traditional places musicians can perform and find new audiences, including senior centers, libraries, school assemblies, house concerts, workshops, and other community spaces. We’ll also look beyond live performance at things like podcasts, YouTube, online teaching, subscription platforms, and other ways to earn money, reach new listeners, and promote your music. Panelists will share some of the things that have worked for them and offer ideas for using the skills you already have to create new opportunities for your music and your career. Maybe you have an idea to share too! Jana Pochop is an Albuquerque-based songwriter, producer, and music industry professional whose career has included touring, booking, tour management, merch, social media and artist consulting, in addition to performing and producing her own music. Martin Gilmore is a Colorado-based songwriter, performer, and educator who has built a career through touring, teaching, workshops, school programs, online education, YouTube, podcasting, and other opportunities both on and off the traditional concert stage.
2:30–4:30PM Multiple Capos, Altered Tunings and the Simplified Songs Project (Magnolia Room) Workshop led by: Bill Nash
This workshop is about expanding musical possibilities on the guitar and will introduce you to the magical world of multiple 3 string capos with altered tunings! The focus of the workshop is to begin to open up your musical thought processes to experimentation. There will be a packet of charts available of preferred places to put the 3 string capo in all altered tunings for students who attend. It starts here and continues throughout the weekend. There will be a sign-up sheet at the mentoring table across from Registration.
2:30–4:30PM Local 1000 (Pecan Room) Panelists: Daniel and Faith Senie
Local 1000 is the Traveling Musicians Union - American Federation of Musicians. This will be a gathering sharing information about the organization and what it means to be a member.
THURS/FRIDAY PANEL DISCUSSIONS Thursday September 24
3PM MENTORING/CONVERSATIONS/CONNECTING (Registration Area) This occurs by appointment Thursday through Saturday Hilary Adamson - Grassroots marketing, creating meaningful & authentic connections in the music business, and tips on how to book tours in the US & EU. Eve Smith - from Folk Alliance – Grants and Sponsorships Rita Bliss - banjo player/singer-songwriter, self-booked US touring and international performance experience, recording artist Adam Dawson - Broken Jukebox Media - Publicist and Radio Promotion Andy Gullahorn - full time singer/songwriter for the past 26 years, guitarist and staff songwriter, sideman & more Jenny Reynolds - performing songwriter, can help you write a great bio Rich Warren - Making a career (and living) in folk music (Starting Friday) John Macy - In the Studio (Starting Friday) Martin Gilmore - songwriter, performer, educator, touring, teaching, workshops, school programs, online education, YouTube, podcasting, and other opportunities both on and off the traditional concert stage. (Starting Friday) Bill Nash - Capos continuing in Magnolia Room (Starting Friday) Karyn Oliver - continues Voice (Starting Friday) Vanessa Lively - songwriter, performing/recording/touring artist, graphic designer, workshops, DIY booking & more. Founder of Home Street Music, with a decade of experience in the nonprofit community. (Friday before 2pm only) More to be added. Please check at the table across from Registration.
Friday September 25 9AM FIRST TIMERS PANEL (Elm Room) Panelists: Hilary Adamson, Paul Barker, Sarah Golden, and Roxi Copland Great introduction to How To Get The Most From Attending a Conference like SWRFA. Fun and informative. Not just for First Timers, we can all learn and be reminded of new ways of reaching out to connect.
10AM MENTORING/CONVERSATIONS/CONNECTING (Registration Area) Continued from Thursday 10-11:30AM Focus on Venues (Pecan Room)
Venues/Presenter Peer Session (Open Forum style) A time for Venues including House Concerts, Coffeehouses, Theaters and Festivals to meet one another face to face to visit, discuss, ask questions and share ideas. Please bring yours
10–11:30AM Voice with Katie The Performer’s Self-Massage Workshop (Oak Room) Panelist: Katie Pudhorodsky
Whether you sing, play, or spend hours on the road, your muscles can either support your performance or work against it. In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn safe, simple, hands-on self-massage techniques for the jaw, neck, and tongue to release muscular tension that can affect comfort, movement, vocal freedom, and ease of performance. Gain a basic understanding of why the muscles of the jaw, neck, and tongue become overworked, then learn safe self-massage techniques you can use before, during, and after rehearsals, & performances.. Whether you’re a singer, instrumentalist, or music industry professional, you’ll discover practical ways to care for the muscular side of performance health so you can perform with greater ease and recover more effectively. Leave with techniques you’ll use from rehearsal to encore. Taught by a structural massage therapist specializing in head, neck, and jaw function.
FRIDAY PANEL DISCUSSIONS Friday September 25 (continued) 10-11:30AM The Business Behind the Music (Sycamore Room) Panelists: Alissa McCain, Alyce Zawacki, Marguerite Zamora, Lisa Sretenovic
Presented by Alissa McCain with Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts / Introduction to TALA Alyce Zawacki and Marguerite Zamora - Attorneys for Creatives | Alyce Zawacki Law, PLLC | Austin Entertainment, Intellectual Property and Small Business Law. Copyright basics and the importance of registration. Joint works and collaborative works. Lisa Sretenovic, CPA - LAS Consulting CPA PLLC and TALA Accounting Director, Bookkeeping Tax Accounting Consulting Coaching. Accounting for artists who earn from songwriting, performing, teaching, producing, licensing, merch, grants, speaking, consulting, & workshops. A comparison of a publishing vs an administration agreement, terms, & what to look out for. Building a career in music means navigating the business behind your creative work. This practical program will help musicians and songwriters protect their work, navigate collaborations, and better understand publishing and administration agreements. We’ll also tackle the accounting side of a modern music career, including how to manage multiple income streams.
1:30-3PM Building Your Brand: Marketing for Musicians (Oak Room) Panelists: Lindsay Taylor, Shannon Holt, and Adam Dawson
How do you build a recognizable brand as a musician without making it feel fake or forced? Marketing professionals Lindsay Taylor and Shannon Holt will talk about branding for musicians and how to present yourself and your music in a way that makes sense to the people you’re trying to reach. The conversation will also cover websites, social media, building an audience, and other practical ways musicians can better market themselves and their work. Lindsay Taylor is the Executive Director of Queen Bee Music Association in Santa Fe and a musician and arts administrator with a background in marketing, brand development, audience engagement, and nonprofit leadership. Shannon Holt is the Marketing & Retail Manager for the Kerrville Folk Festival, where she oversees marketing and promotion for one of the country’s longest-running festivals dedicated to songwriters and folk music. Adam Dawson is unapologetically a music nerd who owns and operates Broken Jukebox Media, a full service album PR and radio promotion company that serves Folk/Americana/Roots artists. They simultaneously keep him young and make him old. He also spends far too much time corralling and dressing his small dogs. Every day he wakes up and gets to be a small part of spreading great songs to the world, is the best day of work anyone has ever had.
1:30-3PM Music Publishing, Royalties, Sync Licensing & the Music Business (Sycamore Room) Panelists: Steven McClintock, John Guertin, and Barry Coffing
The music business has changed a lot over the last several decades, but how much has really changed for songwriters? Panelists will talk about years working as songwriters, publishers, and commercial music producers, and what the business looked like when publishing companies, record labels, and commercial studios played a much different role in a songwriter’s career. Together, they’ll talk about what has changed, what hasn’t, and what songwriters should know about navigating the music business now and how a songwriter makes royalties (or money) in today’s music industry. Steven McClintock is a veteran songwriter, publisher, and producer whose 50-plus-year career includes more than 250 songwriting credits, over 200 television and radio commercials, extensive film and television work, and staff-writing positions with publishers including Island Music, the Welk Group, George Tobin Music, and Sony/ATV. (stevenmcclintock.com) John Guertin is the Founder of CleaRights. He has 25+ years of experience in the music, tv, film and entertainment industries with companies such as Turner Broadcasting (Cartoon Network, CNN, TNT/TBS), Universal Music Group, EMI Music Publishing, Carl Fischer Music and the United States Copyright Office handling music clearances, licensing fee negotiation, contract management and publishing catalog administration.” (clearights.net) · Barry Coffing’s music licensing company Music Supervisor Inc. represents over 20,000+ labels, libraries, and music artists for film and TV licensing. Barry has been an artist (WB Records), songwriter, composer, producer, engineer, music supervisor, and label owner (Sony RED distribution), as well as writing and producing music for Films, TV, Jingles, and Ad Agencies. (wegetartists.com)
FRI/SAT PANEL DISCUSSIONS Saturday September 26 10–11:30AM Music Industry Non-Profits that Offer Services and Create Opportunities for Working Musicians (Sycamore Room)
Panelists: Rachel Hanss Blair, Vanessa Lively, Karen McElhatten, Andrea Magee, and Pat Buchta These agencies are active in Austin and Texas and are great models for being inspired to ask questions and find out what organizations like these exist in your city or state and/or how you can be the founder/creator of one. Rachel Hanss Blair LCSW-S Chief Strategy Officer, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) The mission of the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) is to provide Austin-area musicians access to affordable health, wellness, and prevention services to strengthen their quality of life in support of our vibrant music culture. Vanessa Lively, Founder Home Street Music and Executive Director for over 9 years, and touring artist for over 25 years. Home Street Music is a nonprofit that empowers people who have experienced homelessness by hosting music circles that build community, restore confidence, and reclaim dignity through the healing power of song, as well as providing job opportunities to working musicians and previously unhoused artists since 2017. Karen McElhatten Swan Songs Director of Programs - Swan Songs® is an Austin-based nonprofit that fulfills musical last wishes for individuals near the end of life by organizing a private concert featuring their requested style of music. Swan Songs supports live music in a community by compensating artists for the concerts. The first affiliate - Swan Songs Portland OR - was established in 2024. Andrea Magee, Founder of Music Helps and an established, Belfast-born artist who has been living and sharing her gift of music in the Austin community for the past 9 years. “Music Helps EVERYTHING. For me music is love and has been a healer in my life in so many ways. I felt in my heart it was time to give back and I am genuinely so excited to be a facilitator for music to work its magic again but this time through our non-profit.” A non-profit organization offering outreach programs that utilize the healing and enrichment benefits of music Pat Buchta Executive Director, Founding Board Member of Austin Texas Musician. An experienced political advocate, cause marketing professional, and creative leader dedicated to advancing Austin’s music, policy, and nonprofit sectors. Vision: To create a sustainable, inclusive, and empowered local music community where musicians can thrive artistically and economically. Mission: To connect, empower, and amplify Austin’s music community through advocacy, education, and economic opportunity ensuring every musician can show up, speak up, and be heard. Advocacy, Educatioomic Development For Central TX Musicians.
10-11:30AM The Craft of Songwriting (Oak Room)
Panelists: Martin Gilmore, George Ensle, and Sara Beth Go There’s no single way to write a great song. Songwriters Martin Gilmore, George Ensle, and Sara Beth Go bring distinctly different styles, perspectives, and approaches to the craft, and in this panel they’ll explore the many ways a song can come to life. From inspiration and first drafts to lyrics, melody, structure, storytelling, revision, and knowing when a song is finished, the conversation will examine what each writer does differently, and where their approaches overlap. Through examples from their own work and years of experience, Martin, George, and Sara Beth will offer a practical, engaging look at the choices, habits, instincts, and techniques that shape a songwriter’s individual voice. Martin Gilmore is an award-winning Colorado songwriter, guitarist, and educator whose roots-based writing has earned top honors at the Telluride Troubadour Competition, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase, and Kerrville New Folk Competition. George Ensle is a veteran Texas songwriter and master storyteller who emerged from Houston’s legendary 1960s folk scene alongside Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, has released 15 albums, and has earned songwriting honors from Kerrville and numerous other competitions during a career spanning more than five decades. Addressing: The Zone; The three-legged stool; Another good day of writing; The Briarpatch; Serving the Song; Music is Big Medicine Sara Beth Go is a Nashville-based songwriter and mental health therapist whose emotionally incisive folk-pop writing includes “Hurt People,” recorded by Tim McGraw, and who was named a 2025 Kerrville New Folk winner. Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 11
SATURDAY PANEL DISCUSSIONS Saturday September 26 (continued) 1:30-3PM Using Social Media Ads to Sell More Tickets (And Anything) (Oak Room) Panelist: Jesse Gillenwalters
Tired of posting into the algorithm void? In this panel, you’ll learn how to make social media actually work for you by harnessing the power of targeted ads to sell tickets, promote new music, and grow your audience. We’ll break down what an ad really is (hint: it’s not a boosted post), how to get started, and the kind of marketing, content, and copy that actually drives results. Perfect for artists, venues, and anyone ready to get butts in seats, elevate visibility, grow mailing list, and maybe even move some of that CD inventory out of your basement! Panelist – Jesse Gillenwalters is a digital marketer for musicians at Indepreneur.io. He has worked one-on-one with over 150 musicians to help them achieve 6-figure revenues, sold out shows, and Billboard-charting album sales. Utilizing a sales-first marketing approach, Jesse is passionate about liberating artists from gatekeepers by putting the power to monetize and grow their audience into the artists’ hands.”
1:30-3PM Changes in Career Path based loosely on the book ‘The Midnight Library’ OR The What If’s of Life (Sycamore Room) Panelists: Rich Warren, Robin Bienemann, Catherine Miles, Jay Mafale, Brandon DeMaris, Billy Crockett, and Deb Rouse
A recent novel, The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, tells of a woman, who unhappy with her life seeks to end it, only be offered many alternative choices about which she’s dreamed, including become a wildly successful musician. Another what-if, the AppleTV series Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch, relies on quantum mechanics and string theory to reveal the simultaneous alternative lives we may be leading in different “slices” of the universe. While it’s not required to read or watch either of these to participate in this panel, they provide insight into our “other” selves. If there’s any profession that traverses alternate universes, it’s traveling musicians and songwriters who face multitudes of choices in navigating and focusing their careers. The single most important decision concerns choosing to be a professional musician and songwriter. What single event or limited combination of events led you here today as a professional artist? Project where you see yourself in the future. What steps would you take or recommend others to travel from here to that destination. Have you set a goal that if not reached you would leave being a professional musician? At the same time, let’s fantasize of what you would be doing today had you not chosen (or been propelled) into a career in music? Some of you on the panel, and in this room, work “day jobs,” while others are in the music business full-time. In any event, do you work your day job to support your music career. Would you have chosen a much different profession for a career were it not from your passion for music? Be honest, if you were not making music and writing songs, what would you envision yourself doing today? And how does this other portion of your soul affect your music? Rich Warren Moderator - DJ and retired host of WFMT’s “The Midnight Special,” and host/producer of “Folkstage” an instudio concert series. Recipient of Folk Alliance International’s “DJ of the Year” award in 2008. He spent 52 years, as a DJ, festival organizer-producer, (City of Chicago Folk Festival, among others), coffee house manager, concert producer and host and recorded over 1,000 live performances. He also reviewed CDs and wrote for “Sing Out!” magazine and was a nationally syndicated audio/video columnist for major newspapers. AND our very own SWRFA Emcee extraordinaire!!! Panelists – Robin Bienemann singer songwriter known for his brilliant and sometimes funny view of our world, Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale are a musical duo. Catherine is also a vocal coach and Jay is a studio producer and engineer. Brandon DeMaris singer songwriter, Good Wolf ticketing service and Dad, Billy Crockett singer songwriter, producer, and co-owner of Blue Rock Foundation and Studio. Deb Rouse Executive Director of Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation
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CONFERENCE MENUS Meals are in the ballroom on the 1st Floor - buffet style. The line gets long, so come early. Prizes and announcements are given at dinner. FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25 LUNCH
Healthy Buffet Soups: -Roasted Poblano and Corn Chowder -Chicken Tortilla Soup Salads: -Fresh Field Green Salad w/ assorted Salad Bar Toppings, and Dressings -Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad Served with Warm Rolls and Butter Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies All Buffets include Freshly Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee and Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Lemon
DINNER
Little Italy Buffet. Home Baked Meat Lasagna. Vegetarian Lasagna - Lasagna Noodles Stacked with Garden Vegetables, and Topped with a Zesty Tomato Sauce. Served with: Fresh Italian Green Salad w/ 2 dressings Romaine Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Red Bell Peppers, Cucumbers and Carrots. Sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese. Ratatouille, Warm Garlic Bread Sticks. Dessert - Tiramisu. All Buffets include Freshly Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee and Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Lemon Wedges
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26 LUNCH
Build Your Own Sandwich Buffet Selection of Assorted Thin Sliced Deli Meats (Roast Beef, Smoked Turkey Breast, and Sugar Cured Ham) Sliced Deli Cheeses, Tomatoes, Leaf Lettuce, Red Onions, Pickle Spears and Assorted Condiments Served with a Fresh Field Green Salad, Southern Potato and Pasta Salad, and Texas Potato Chips Assorted Bakery Breads and Rolls and Assorted Freshly Baked ‘’Texas Size’’ Cookies All Buffets include Freshly Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee and Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Lemon Wedges Vegetarian Option - Grilled Mixed Vegetable Plate
DINNER
Fresh Field Green Salad, Vegetable Medley, Mashed Potatoes (vegetarian), Meatloaf. Served with: Warm Rolls, Chefs Choice of Dessert. All Buffets include Freshly Brewed Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee and Freshly Brewed Iced Tea with Lemon Wedges. Vegetarian Option - Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry. Set on Separate Buffet tables
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27 BRUNCH
Omelet Station with assorted condiments, Scrambled Eggs also on the line for those not interested in Omelets Fresh Seasonal Sliced Fruit and Berries Biscuits and Gravy Crisp Bacon Cottage Fried Breakfast Potatoes Assorted Rolls, Croissants, Muffins and Danishes Butter and Preserves Freshly Squeezed Orange & Grapefruit Juice Coffee, Decaf and Specialty Teas VEGETARIAN AND GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL MEALS. NOTE: ALL MENUS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
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S O N G T R AV E L E R S S O N GW R IT I N G R E T R E AT
– W H E R E S O N GS A R E C R E AT E D & F R I E N DS H I PS F O R G E D –
O C T 2 9 - N O V 2 | N O R T H E A S T , M A RY L A N D
WYATT EASTERLING
BUDDY MONDLOCK
S O N GT R AV E L E R S . C O M
ALTERNATES SHOWCASES - Thursday September 24 The Alternates Showcase is Thursday night after the Pool Party beginning at 9:30PM in the Elm Room.
Emcee Natalie Price. Sound by John Whipple and Parke Hedges.
Stephanie Sammons
Caitlin Cannon
Jesse Ruben
Natalie Royal
Shanna in A Dress
Cat Terrones
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THANK YOU TO OUR SWRFA SPONSORS!
Kim & Mary McDowell
TOBY ROODMAN Music in the Vineyard Productions
BERKALIN RECORDS Brian and Pam Kalinec Thank You for 15 years sponsorship of our Thursday Dinner!
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) Board Members Andrew Delaney, PRESIDENT Natalie Price, VICE-PRESIDENT Rachel Laven, SECRETARY Jackson Emmer, TREASURER Martin Gilmore John Whipple Stephanie Sammons Dalis Allen, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The newly elected board members for 2027 will be seated during this Conference at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION
DON’T FORGET
SWRFA 2027 ONLY $175*
Stop by the registration table and sign up for 2027. *$175 Early Bird Special! LIMITED TIME OFFER. Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 19
2026 OFFICIAL SHOWCASES
The Official Showcases are in the Ballroom at the Holiday Inn Midtown from 7:30PM – 10PM and are open to the public for a $20 cover each night. Sound by rche, emcee Rich Warren
Friday September 25 Kara McKee Andy Gullahorn Casii Stephan Jackson Emmer Jana Pochop Zach Aaron Michelle Raybourn Tipps & Obermiller
Saturday September 26 Lucy Isabel Matthew Payne Melody Guy Robert Deitch Suzie Brown Evan Boyer Nathan K. The Flyin’ A’s Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 21
2026 OFFICIAL SHOWCASES - FRIDAY
KARA MCKEE Rhode Island-based singer-
ANDY GULLAHORN
CASII STEPHAN Casii Stephan is a genre-
JACKSON EMMER’s songs have been
songwriter Kara McKee is a compelling new voice in contemporary folk/Americana. Her debut album, Love and Guts, blends timeless songwriting with modern indie-folk production, exploring loss, resilience, memory, and the courage to stay open-hearted. Inspired by the passing of her grandmother at 96, the album moves through grief toward a central message: “love and guts is how we keep going when the world breaks our heart.”After leaving a 15-year corporate career to pursue music full time, McKee earned a Club Passim Iguana Music Fund grant and released her debut EP, co-produced by Nathaniel Smith and Thorleifur Davidsson.
fluid songwriter whose music lives somewhere between pop, soul, rock, and folk, driven by sharp hooks, emotionally fearless storytelling, and power vocals. Born in Minnesota and shaped in Tulsa, she writes honest, socially aware songs exploring love and loss, grief and growth, often pushing back against sexism, ageism, and fascism. Casii was named a 2026 New Folk Finalists. She will release her debut album “Let Her Have Her Flowers” in early 2027 with producer, Chad Copelin—an expansive, hook-forward project that showcases her full range as an artist. 22 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
Known as a man of few words - is a singer/songwriter who also writes his own bios.
recorded by Tom Paxton, Tim O’Brien, and Brittany Ann Tranbaugh. His music has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, and the Bluegrass Situation. He has recorded for Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Universal Audio, and Santa Cruz Guitar Co. He is preparing to release his 6th solo album.
J
s M s r t a p S M h m
2026 OFFICIAL SHOWCASES - FRIDAY
JANA POCHOP is a folk-pop singer-
ZACH AARON’s story is as colorful as
MICHELLE RAYBOURN is a
TIPPS & OBERMILLER
songwriter and record producer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She builds place-rooted songs from the landscapes she knows; her 2026 album Powerlines threads impulseresponse captures from Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiú studio through its arrangements, turning a physical space into a sonic signature. A recent Berklee NYC graduate, she produces records for fellow artists through Golden Hour Sounds and co-hosts the music-and-cocktails podcast Mixomusicology. She writes from the high desert she calls home, and that landscape runs through everything she makes.
Nashville-based Americana/Bluegrass singer-songwriter whose music weaves together family, faith, and folk tradition. Originally from Dallas, she honed her craft at Belmont University, performing nationwide with its acclaimed Bluegrass Ensemble. Her latest release, Natural Disaster, features Grammy-winning musicians Byron House, Cody Kilby, and Andy Leftwich, exploring womanhood, inherited wounds, and the search for healing with honesty and grace. A 2026 Kerrville Folk Festival and Telluride Troubadour finalist, Michelle has also earned recognition from the Al Johnson Songwriting Competition and John Cirillo Songwriting Scholarship.
his music. He’s lived, performed, taken on odd jobs, served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter aircraft mechanic, and currently is a horseshoe farrier and rides in the amateur Texas rodeo circuit as a saddle bronc rider. These experiences have shaped not just the man, but the storyteller. Through the years, Zach has channeled his life’s trials, triumphs, and wanderlust into a growing body of work, releasing four studio albums and one live solo album released early this year.
Fort Worth folk duo Tipps & Obermiller captivate audiences with rich harmonies, honest songwriting, and a gift for finding hope in life’s messiest moments. Their latest album, Little-Kid Heart (2026), explores love, loss, resilience, and the courage to keep your heart open.
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 23
2026 OFFICIAL SHOWCASES - SATURDAY
LUCY ISABEL is a folk/Americana singer-
MATTHEW PAYNE
MELODY GUY is a Nashville-based
ROBERT DEITCH served enough time
songwriter, raised in New Jersey and based in Nashville, TN.. She has spent years touring the United States and is known across the country for her soaring melodies, compelling lyrics, and enveloping stage presence. She released her debut LP, Rambling Stranger, in the summer of 2019 to critical acclaim. She then took it out on the road for an ambitious “31 Shows in 31 Days Tour” in October 2019. Isabel followed up with her sophomore album, All The Light, in October 2024. It was widely praised and included on the 2026 GRAMMYS nominating ballot.
Americana singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, & touring artist whose music blends folk, rock, blues, and heartfelt storytelling. A New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Melody is also a 2026 Josie Music Awards nominee for Folk/Americana Album of the Year for her 15-track album, Train to Dreamland. She has toured extensively, logging more than two million miles on the road. Melody also writes songs with veterans and women in recovery through music therapy retreats at Amy Grant’s farm, transforming personal stories into songs of hope, healing, resilience, and empowerment. 24 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
Texas songwriter and Americana artist Matthew Payne grew up in the beautiful hill country surrounding Dripping Springs, and loved every minute of his two decades as an educator of English and Creative Writing in Austin public schools. With music that “moves seamlessly between folk, country, and blues... he truly is Austin timelessness personified,” says Taylor Wallace-Riegel, KUTX. The ten songs that make up his debut LP “Better Times” tell stories of conflicted characters at their brink, looking for a way forward, trying to carve it out, trying to make something better, trying to believe that “better times come from these.”
as a songwriter on Nashville’s Music Row to learn that the best songs are usually lived before they’re written. Now three albums into his own recording career, the 2026 Kerrville New Folk Finalist has built a body of work around an unmistakable baritone, sharp wit, and stories with a few miles on them. His acclaimed album Legacy blends country, Americana, and the songwriter tradition into music for people who have been there, seen some things, and lived to tell about it.
2026 OFFICIAL SHOWCASES - SATURDAY
SUZIE BROWN A 1970s-inspired folk-pop
EVAN BOYER Up-and-coming Americana
NATHAN K. 2026 Telluride Troubadour
THE FLYIN’ A’S have been making waves
songwriter, Suzie Brown has sharpened her own brand of Americana — an unforced sound rooted in the sepia-toned swoon of 70s folk, yet still vital today. She is an awardwinning musician whose songs have earned recognition from the NewSong Music Competition, International Songwriting Competition, Independent Music Awards, People and Forbes Magazine, and the long-running television program CBS This Morning. Finding time between her shifts as an Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant cardiologist at Vanderbilt Hospital and her responsibilities as a mother of two, Brown has spent more than a decade rolling with the punches, adjusting to the changing times, and writing the ever-evolving soundtrack to her journey.
Finalist Nathan K. is a Midwesterner from Michigan living in Nashville TN. His simple acoustic folk songs put life under a microscope to illuminate the overlooked - the funny parts of grief along with the sad parts of the funny moments. As a member of the acclaimed band Stepdad, he has performed on large stages across US and Canada with songs featured in a smattering of placements like FIFA 13, Weeds, Mindy Project, a BMW ad campaign - but lately he has been performing in more intimate venues with his wife (& Kerrville New Folk Winner) Sara Beth Go who adds Omnichord sparkles, harmonies, and nudges him to wrap it up when his hilarious stories start to get too long.
artist Evan Boyer is not a polished, perfect singersongwriter plucked from a glossy magazine page: He’s the genuine article, making relatable music from the raw edges of his own flawed existence. Boyer’s compelling, countryleaning Americana is organic and down-to-earth, laced with laid-back narratives in the vein of folk icons Jason Isbell and Tom Petty. His songs wrestle complex emotions and experiences, including domestic abuse, heartache, escape, and redemption, with vulnerability and grace. Nothing is sleek or over-produced in Boyer’s music. Instead, flaws are forgiven here—and even celebrated.
since 2004 when they combined forces as performing songwriters after meeting at Kerrville Folk Festival. They are known for outstanding musicianship, genuine story telling and a high energy performance. Hilary and Stuart tour the U.S, New Zealand and Europe earning widespread praise, winning the people’s choice award at the Nashville Film Festival. Inspired by Stuart’s West Texas ranching roots and Hilary’s diverse musical influences, The Flyin’ A’s blend Americana, country, blues, jazz, gospel, and Texas songwriting into a sound uniquely their own. Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 25
Wyatt Easterling is a songwriter, performer, producer, and longtime music industry professional. As Chief of A&R for Atlantic Records Nashville, he signed artists including Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy, and John Michael Montgomery and co-produced Montgomery’s multi-platinum debut Life’s A Dance. He later co-founded Bugle Publishing Group Nashville with Miles Copeland, where he worked with Paul Thorn, producing Thorn’s Hammer & Nail album for A&M Records, and landed Keith Urban his first record deal on Warner Bros. Wyatt went on to establish his own publishing company, Terra Nova Music, with songwriting credits including songs recorded by Dierks Bentley, Joe Diffie, and Neal McCoy. Today, Wyatt continues to write, record, perform, and produce, with his newest single out now, “A Love For All Time.”
2026 Sample Songs
N M L S H S A Z J D M H S T J M C A T P J R P B E D M V S S C C C S C R R C D B
2026 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS NAME AFFILIATIONS EMAIL LOCATION Mark Abrahams Performing Artist vieau@live.com Austin, TX Liz Abrahams Music Lover vieau@live.com Austin, TX Stuart Adamson Performing Artist theflyinas@gmail.com Austin, TX Hilary Claire Adamson Performing Artist theflyinas@gmail.com Austin, TX Storm Atherton Performing Artist atherton.austin.s@gmail.com Austin, TX Amy Atchley Performing Artist amyatchley@yahoo.com Austin, TX Zach Aaron Performing Artist zachaaronmusic@gmail.com Canyon Lake, TX Jeffry Abrams Performing Artist mediator7@aol.com Houston, TX Dalis Allen EMPRESS/ SWRFA Exec. Director dalis@swfolkalliance.org Kerrville, TX Marghi Allen Performing Artist marghiallen@yahoo.com Austin, TX Hank Alrich Performing Artist hank@nv.net Austin, TX Shaidri Alrich Performing Artist shaidri@gmail.com Austin, TX Todd Anderson Performing Artist tanderweb@yahoo.com Champaign, IL Joe Angel Radio DJ jangeldj@arhaven.org Del Valle, TX Martin Arhelger Music Lover marhelger3@gmail.com Dripping Springs, TX Cip Archuleta Sound Staff rche@hotmail.com MO Archie Archuleta Sound Engineer rche@hotmail.com MO Tony Asch Performing Artist anthonyasch@gmail.com Houston, TX Paul Barker House Concert pbarker78746@gmail.com West Lake Hills, TX Jeff Black Performing Artist jeff@jeffblack.com Nashville, TN Rita Bliss Performing Artist ritablissbanjo@gmail.com Austin, TX Paul Boedeker Performing Artist pboetex2@gmail.com Houston, TX Betty Bourgeois Music Fan elizabethbourgeois142@gmail.com Dallas, TX Evan Boyer Performing Artist evanmboyer@gmail.com Fort Worth, TX Danny Britt Performing Artist reddawgmusic@gmail.com Austin, TX Melinda Brooks Performing Artist brooks.melinda@gmail.com Austin, TX Vic Brooks Music Lover vicyea54@gmail.com Kerrville, TX Sherry Brokus Performing Artist pattonbrokus@gmail.com Austin, TX Suzie Brown Performing Artist suzie@suziebrownsongs.com Nashville, TN Carol Burrus Performing Artist carol.burrus@gmail.com Houston, TX Charlie Burrus Performing Artist carol.burrus@gmail.com Houston, TX Caitlin Cannon Performing Artist caitlincannon1@gmail.com Nashville, TN Stephen Clair Performing Artist stephenclair@gmail.com Beacon, NY Cynthia (Shakeybean) Cobb SWRFA Staff shakeybean@icloud.com Spicewood, TX Roxi Copland Performing Artist roxicopland@gmail.com Austin, TX Rj Cowdery Performing Artist rj@rjcowdery.com Columbus, OH Christie Cook Performing Artist ccmusic7127@gmail.com Nacogdoches, TX Dodee Crockett Music Business billy@bluerocktexas.com Wimberley, TX Billy Crockett Music Business billy@bluerocktexas.com Wimberley, TX Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 27
Your one-stop shop for folk radio promotion and mailings
“Art did an absolutely wonderful job promoting my album to folk radio for a very reasonable fee, with terrific results. I highly recommend him and his services. Plus he’s a lovely guy to boot.” - Lucy Kaplansky Folk Radio Promotion from a Folk DJ’s Perspective By a roots music professional since 1983 Flexible plans and transparent, all-inclusive pricing Extensive digital reach regularly serviced Radio database maintained since August 1984 Exceptional client and DJ service All aspects negotiated and detailed in a Letter of Agreement • CD mailing without promotion available too
• • • • •
Folk Alliance Int’l Chart 2025 2 #1 albums; 3 Top 5 Songs 31 Top 25 albums; 31 Top 25 songs 40 charted albums; 31 charted songs FAI Song of the Year: “Sleeves Up” by Crys Matthews
NACC Folk Chart 2025 Four Top Six releases NACC Folk Nine Top 30 releases NACC Folk Fourteen #1 Top 5 Folk Adds
art@artmenius.com 443-605-4355 https://artmeniusradio.com
2026 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS NAME AFFILIATIONS EMAIL LOCATION Lynn Crossett Performing Artist lynncrossett@gmail.com San Marcos, TX Catherine Crowley Performing Artist cowboyd33@gmail.com Springtown, TX Lily Dabbs Performing Artist lilymdabbs@gmail.com Austin, TX Bill Diluigi Performing Artist billydiluigi@gmail.com Nashville, TN Robert Deitch Performing Artist info@robertdeitchmusic.com Polk City, IA Brandon DeMaris Music Business brandon@goodwolflive.com Austin, TX Chase Demel Performing Artist chasejd2004@gmail.com Houston, TX Andrew Delaney Performing Artist / SWRFA Prez andrew@andrewdelaneymusic.com Arlington, TX Roger Edmondson Performing Artist reedmondson@gmail.com Sunset Valley, Texas Mark Einspanier Music Lover eins4141@tx.rr.com Rowlett, TX Jackson Emmer Performing Artist jemmer.music@gmail.com Santa Cruz, CA George Ensle Performing Artist george@georgeensle.com San Marcos, TX Rush Evans Radio DJ therushguy@yahoo.com Austin, TX Lisa Fancher Performing Artist lisafancher@gmail.com Austin, TX Danny Fast Fingers Performing Artist dannyfastfingers@dannyfastfingers.com Austin, TX Teel Star Fleming SWRFA Staff / KFF Board teelstarr@yahoo.com Bastrop, TX Jennie Freeman House Concert jcfreeman@mac.com Galveston, TX Marie Giorda Performing Artist mariegiorda@gmail.com Austin, TX Martin Gilmore Performing Artist martin@martingilmore.com Englewood, CO Michael Golas Music Lover fastjet@att.net Fort Worth, TX Sara Beth Go Performing Artist gosarabeth@gmail.com Nashville, TN Angie Goeke Performing Artist angie@angiegoeke.com Billings, MT Sarah Golden Performing Artist sarahgoldenofficial@gmail.com Houston, TX Elizabeth Grace Performing Artist ben@newdayrecoveryservices.com San Antonio, Tx Craig Griffin Festival craig@innatfultonharbor.com Rockport, Tx Andy Gullahorn Performing Artist andy@andygullahorn.com Nashville, TN David Hakan Performing Artist DavidHakan@gmail.com Kansas City, MO David Hamburger Performing Artist hamburski@gmail.com Austin, TX Josh Hankins Performing Artist thehankinsband@yahoo.com Arlington, TX Heather Hankins Performing Artist thehankinsband@yahoo.com Arlington, TX Dillon Hasten Performing Artist dillonhasten@gmail.com Springfield, MO Holly Hayes Performing Artist holly@hollyhayes.org Pflugerville TX Parke Hedges Music Lover phedges@satx.rr.com San Antonio, TX Stan Heerboth Music Lover sheerbot@gmail.com League City, TX Paul Heller House Concert psheller@gmail.com Farmers Branch, TX Mike Hellman Performing Artist mikehellmanmusic@gmail.com Houston/Santa Cruz Pam Herndon Music Lover jazz@gmail.com Houston, TX
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 29
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2026 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS NAME AFFILIATIONS EMAIL LOCATION Jeannine Higgins Performing Artist jeanninehigginsmusic@gmail.com Austin, TX Brandon Hudgeons Performing Artist brandon@brandonhudgeons.com Austin, TX Eric Hunker Performing Artist erichunkermusic@gmail.com Tulsa, OK Lucy Isabel Performing Artist lucy@lucyisabelmusic.com Nashville, TN Barbara Jarrell Performing Artist revbjarrell@gmail.com Shreveport, LA Jim Jones Performing Artist ajamojo@gmail.com Rio Rancho, NM James Johnson House Concert pjgalveston@gmail.com Galveston, TX Pam Johnson House Concert pjgalveston@gmail.com Galveston TX Kari Justice Festival operations@kerrvillefolkfestival.org Kerrville, TX Brian Kalinec Performing Artist briankalinecmusic@sbcglobal.net Houston, TX Pam Kalinec Music Business pamkalinec@sbcglobal.net Houston, TX Aaron LaCombe Performing Artist Aaron@aaronlacombe.com Kerrville, TX Anna La Mare Performing Artist bigeatermusicpub@gmail.com Austin, TX Randy Langford Performing Artist randylangfordmusic@gmail.com Austin, Texas Baylis Laramore Performing Artist baylislaramore@hotmail.com Murphy, Texas Jana Laven SWRFA Staff janalaven@gmail.com San Antonio, TX Niko Laven Performing Artist janalaven@gmail.com San Antonio, TX Rachel Laven Performing Artist rachel@rachellavenmusic.com Nashville, TN Lindsey Lee Festival DebRouse@yahoo.com Kerrville, TX Rhett Lee SWRFA Staff rhettlee@gmail.com La Grange, TX Lorena Leigh Performing Artist lorenaleighmusic@gmail.com Fort Worth, TX Jenny Lehman Music Lover jennylehman96@gmail.com Grand Junction, CO John Lowrance Performing Artist new-london@sbcglobal.net San Antonio, TX Rob Lytle Music Business lytrob@aol.com Austn, TX Tobias Lund Music Business tobias@goodwolflive.com Austin, TX John Macy Festival john@coastalbendmusic.com Rockport TX Jay Mafale Performing Artist jaymafale@gmail.com Centerport, NY Benjie Messer Performing Artist benjiemesser@gmail.com Phoenix, AZ Art Menius PR/Publicist art@artmenius.com Rougemont, NC Catherine Miles Performing Artist milescatherine@gmail.com Centerport, NY Heather Miller Performing Artist heathermillermusic@gmail.com Austin, TX Ted Miller Performing Artist tedbmiller@yahoo.com Pasadena, TX Grace Morrison Performing Artist gracemorrisonmusic@gmail.com Wareham, MA Kelli Moynihan House Concert krainbowdove@aol.com Austin, TX Hudson Mueller Performing Artist themightyhud@gmail.com Houston, TX Bill Nash Performing Artist billnash@putsiecat.com Rockwall, TX Brian Nelson Performing Artist lataylor13@gmail.com Glorieta, NM Rusty Nelson Performing Artist rustycnelson@gmail.com Austin, TX Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 31
2026 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS NAME Claudia Nygaard Steve Obermiller Karyn Oliver Jim Patton Matthew Payne Jenni Mansfield Peal John Pereza Kathy Pereza Jana Pochop Joseph Piacenti Drew Preston Natalie Price Dan Radin Michelle Raybourn Albert Reyna Jenny Reynolds Maribeth Rogers Toby Roodman Deb Rouse Natalie Royal Jesse Ruben Stephanie Sammons Patrick Schneider Sue Schnitzer David Schunck Justina Shandler Tai Shan Carolyn Shulman David Singley Aaron Smith Allisong Smith Eve Smith Suzanne Tourville-Smith Hilary Tipps Mindy Turner Craig VanWinkle Joe Vivion Marilyn Walker
AFFILIATIONS Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Music Lover Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Music Business Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist SWRFA Staff Festival Festival Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Music Lover Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Performing Artist Music Business - Folk Alliance Performing Artist Performing Artist Festival House Concert Performing Artist Performing Artist
EMAIL 2folk4country@gmail.com
LOCATION Nashville, TN info@tippsandobermiller.com Fort Worth, TX karynoliver.com@gmail.com Fort Worth, TX pattonbrokus@gmail.com Austin, TX MatthewPayneTX@gmail.com Austin, TX jenni@jennimansfieldpeal.com Del Norte, CO fotsbooking@gmail.com Tucson, AZ fotsbooking@gmail.com Tucson, AZ janapo@gmail.com Albuquerque, NM joseph@indepreneur.io Houston, TX drewpreston.atx@gmail.com Austin, TX nataliepricebooking@gmail.com Nashville, TN dan@danradinmusic.com Austin, TX michelle@raybourn.net Nashville, TN omar58@gmail.com Buda, TX jenny@jennyreynolds.com Austin, TX johnwhipple@gmail.com New Braunfels, TX tobynita@earthlink.net Morgan Hill, CA DebRouse@yahoo.com Kerrville, TX info@natalieroyal.com Nashville, TN jesseruben@gmail.com Atlanta, GA stephanie@stephaniesammons.com Dallas, TX pschneider101@gmail.com Austin, TX musicbysue@gmail.com Nomad cowboyd33@gmail.com Lockhart, TX justinashandler@gmail.com Austin, TX taishanmusic@gmail.com Nashville, TN email@carolynshulman.com Denver, CO davidsingleymusic@gmail.com Saint Paul, MN aaron@thecoalbiters.com Harrison, AR allisongsmithmusic@gmail.com Austin, TX eve@folk.org Kansas City, MO aaron@thecoalbiters.com Harrison, AR info@tippsandobermiller.com Fort Worth, TX riley@rileyamanda.com Wimberley, TX cwvanwinkle@gmail.com Grandview, TX ATXVIVION@gmail.com Austin, TX marilynwalkermusic@gmail.com Boulder, CO Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 33
N L K T D A J J R S M A R
CARING FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS, DJS & MUSIC TEACHERS IS HOW WE KEEP AUSTIN’S SPIRIT ALIVE.
MYHAAM.ORG/JOIN-HAAM
2026 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS NAME AFFILIATIONS EMAIL LOCATION Lauren Wanamaker Performing Artist wanamaker.lauren@gmail.com Nashville, TN Kate Waters Performing Artist katewatersmusic@gmail.com Houston, TX Tracy Weinberg Performing Artist trweinberg@yahoo.com San Marcos, TX Deb Wesloh Performing Artist debwesmusic@gmail.com Bulverde, TX Amber Westerman Performing Artist management@amberwestermanmusic.com Austin, TX John Whipple SWRFA Sound johnwhipple@gmail.com New Braunfels, TX Jay Williams Performing Artist jaymusic333@gmail.com Galveston, TX Ruth Wunderlich Venue ruthellen@me.com South Austin Sue Young Performing Artist rustycnelson@gmail.com Austin, TX Marguerite Zamora Music Business marguerite@attorneyforcreatives.com Austin, Texas Alyce Zawacki Music Business alyce@attorneyforcreatives.com Austin, TX Ray Wyatt Performing Artist Raywyatt@hotmail.com Houston, TX
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION
DON’T FORGET
SWRFA 2027 ONLY $175*
Stop by the registration table and sign up for 2027. *$175 Early Bird Special! LIMITED TIME OFFER.
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 35
2026 IN-ROOM SHOWCASES
FLOORS OF FOLK
Beginning at 10:30PM Friday and Saturday nights these floors are flooded with music. Go check it out!
7TH FLOOR
Room 704 (Friday) - Andrew Delaney & Aaron Smith - Hall of Legends Room 704 (Saturday) - Deb Wesloh - Soldiers Songs & Voices Room 709 - Tracy Weinberg - Tuesday Song Circle Room 716 - Bill Nash Camp - NashBill Room 721 - Jana Laven - Desert Dragonfly
8TH FLOOR
Room 804 - Jan Seides - People’s Republic of Austin Room 809 - Glynace Eastham - Texas Sugarbaby Room 816 - David Hakan - Gypsy Wagon/Access Film Room 821 - Marghi Allen - Sudden Creek
9TH FLOOR
Room 904 - Tom Tranchilla - HAAM/Songwriters Studio Room 909 - Ted Miller (Ed Amash) - Song Circle Houston Room 915 - John Whipple - Alamo Room Room 902 - Daniel and Faith Senie hosting a Local 1000 Jam
SWRFA RAFFLE ITEMS FOLK ALLIANCE CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS: FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL (FAI) January 27-31, 2027 (2) SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FOLK ALLIANCE (SERFA) May 9-12, 2027 SOUTHWEST REGIONAL FOLK ALLIANCE (SWRFA) September 22–26, 2027 (2) FAR-West REGIONAL FOLK ALLIANCE October, 2027 FOLK ALLIANCE REGION MIDWEST (FARM) October 21-24, 2027 NORTHEAST REGIONAL FOLK ALLIANCE (NERFA) November, 2027
Corpus Christi Songwriters Festival - mid Feb. 2027 (2) One Year of Handshake Management Service - Charlie Stewart $1 TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE REGISTRATION TABLE. BUY A WHOLE BUNCH! THANK YOU. Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 37
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 39
40 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
Founded Founded by by Vanessa Vanessa Lively Lively in in 2017, 2017, Home Home Street Street Music Music has has aa weekly weekly music music program, program, events, events, workshops workshops and and more! more! Email Email info@homestreetmusic.org info@homestreetmusic.org to to get get involved, involved, co-lead co-lead aa circle, circle, perform perform at at an an event event or or to to join join the the team! team!
Next public concert event will be at The Rosette in Austin, TX Sunday Nov. 2nd.Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 41
TH E THE
TS
FO
OWCASE H S L AR A I C TI I F CHICAGO 2027
WATCH & LISTEN
NATALIE PRICE
GRACE PETTIS
RACHEL LAVEN
W W W . T H E T E X PAT S . C O M
42 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
Thank you
Empress Dalis
for leading SWRFA
27 years and counting!
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 43
Martin Gilmore
NOVEMBER 13 - 15, 2026
Dedicate a Weekend to Your Songwriting Craft
Jono Manson
Ample workshops with award-winning faculty + Social gatherings to forge connections with peers
queenbeemusicassociation.org
Jules Hoffman
Help us support Singer-Songwriters of the Southwest! Since 2023, HDMG has awarded more than $100,000 in grants directly to musical artists in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico to help them fund their recording projects. We believe the world needs this music! Help us to help them by becoming a monthly patron or by donating or supporting us any way you can!
Scan the code or visit us at www.howlindogmusicgroup.org And Thank You!
44 | Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference 2026 | 45
events ticketing production Good Wolf is based in Austin, serving musicians, venues, and promoters since 2006.
Proud supporter of SWRFA!
www.goodwolflive.com
THE LARGEST ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE GLOBAL FOLK MUSIC INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY
FAI AD FULL PAGE 39TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE JANUARY 27-31, 2027 CHICAGO, IL, USA
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