FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UNTIL JUNE 10, 2011

PEOPLE'S CHOICE CONCERT AT THE FOLK FACTORY FRIDAY, JUNE 10

On Friday, June 10, at 8:00pm, the Folk Factory will have our last event of the season: our annual People's Choice Concert, with the top vote-getters of this year's Open Stages. The performers will be The Lindas, Harry Rothwell (member at Buxmont UU), Wayne Dunlap, Rick McConnell Jerram, Geoff Simpson, and former UUCR member Drew Calvin. Tickets are $7-20, sliding scale (half for no or low wage), available at the door, with a $2 discount for UUCR members and friends (be sure to say something to the person at the door). Doors open at 7:30pm. Childcare is available by arrangement in advance, preferably by June 6, by calling 215-848-6246.

The Lindas: Linda Donnelly and Linda Noonan have sung together with Anna Crusis Women's Choir for a number of years and connected early on with similar tastes in contemporary and traditional folk music and a love of harmonizing. Marty Spiegel will add his mandolin talents to Linda D's guitar and Linda N's harmonies.

Harry Rothwell: Music of many kinds has enthralled Harry from childhood and uplifted him through all subsequent phases of life, but it was the profoundly stirring sounds ringing out from the dormitory-room sound systems of college days that made him an enthusiastic devotee of folk music. It was the heyday of The Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul and Mary; Joan Baez; The Weavers and Odetta. Their singing not only lifted up many a beautiful melody, but also implored one.s very soul to overcome hatred, war . or any other crime of hurt and injustice. Such music can move people to foster a better world. Harry yielded to a years-old attraction to Auto Harps by getting one of his own, so that he wouldn.t have to share all songs a cappella. He just can.t resist joining in with others to keep on singing out those civil-rights-style songs. You.re very likely to hear him tell you, .This world still needs them very much . and we.ve got to keep them going strong!.

Wayne Dunlap is an old folky from the 60s. His favorite artists are Peter, Paul & Mary followed by Ian & Sylvia. He always wanted to sing and play folk music, but had no voice until he was talked into joining his church choir. His small son went from putting his fingers in his ears to wanting Wayne to sing him to sleep. His son later wanted to get a guitar, so Wayne decided to get one too. Wayne currently sings with Roxborough Male Chorus, and recently discovered the Folk Factory.

Rick McConnell Jerram: Trained originally in Architecture, Rick McConnell Jerram left the drawing board to follow the heart in 2000. Now he teaches the inspiring and soulful movement practice of Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms and occasionally performs his heartfelt songs to strummed guitar at the Folk Factory and the Mermaid Inn. Rick moved from London to Philadelphia in 2008.

Geoff Simpson was raised in Kansas, educated in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and worked in central Virginia. He owes his musical inspiration to musician parents and their folk, classical, jazz and rock-and-roll interests. He found his musical voice somewhere between Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn. In 2008 he moved to Oxford, England to study and work, and there jumped into the local singer-songwriter scene. At the end of two years he had written enough songs to fill a CD (O.X.F.D. 2010 A.D.). He is now back in the Philadelphia area where he frequents a number of open mics.

Drew Calvin has graced the Philadelphia folk music scene since 1995. He brings to his listeners the experience of a life lived around the world in practically every life condition except rich and famous. (Prior to Philadelphia he lived for four years in Taipei, Taiwan, where he earned the majority of his income as a street busker.) Over the years his music, particularly his original songs, has won him praise from artists such as Robin and Linda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. He won first prize at the 1988 Florida Original Folksong Competition and at the 2003 Performing Songwriter's Contest at the Wildflower Music Festival in Texas. His music is firmly rooted in blues and country with a strong dash of Woody Guthrie populism and Dylanesque poetry. He is a powerful, dynamic performer not to be missed.

Come join the fun!

The Folk Factory coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration in Mount Airy, at 6900 Stenton Avenue (the corner of Stenton Avenue and Gorgas Lane). For further information, visit www.folkfactory.org .