Festival Express

Polaris Prize winning artist Cadence Weapon will be making his Winnipeg Folk Festival debut on Saturday July 9th . Here he discusses the appeal of folk festivals, the creation of his album Parallel World and his recent memoir, Bedroom Rapper. Here's the link to the Substack that Rollie reference in the interview.

Boy Golden - the creation of musician Liam Duncan - is the founder and minister of the Church of Better Daze. He'll be bringing the religion to Birds Hill Park to play the Winnipeg Folk Festival, July 7 - 10th.

Ricky McKinnie of legendary gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama discusses his over 30 years as part of the "boys" in advance of their playing the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

UMFM Program Director Michael Elves talks to Calgary artist Mariel Buckley, whose album Driving in the Dark has earned acclaim and counts previous Festival Express guest Sarah Shook amongst her fans. Buckley plays Spruce Hollow on Saturday July 13th at 11:15 AM. For more information, to purchase tickets and complete schedules visit winnipegfolkfestival.ca

Winnipeg Music Project's Ashley Bieniarz sits down with Living Hour's Sam Sarty (vocals, trombone, keyboard) and Gil Carroll (guitar) to discuss the band's background, their new album Softer Faces and much more. Living Hour play Big Blue @ Night on Friday, July 12th as well as a pair of workshops . For showtimes and a complete list of performers, visit the Winnipeg Folk Festival website .

John Prentice, host of Planet Mainstage, speaks with Choctaw singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and poet from Oklahoma, Samantha Crain. This award winning dynamo is sure to wow the crowd when she plays Little Stage On The Praire on Saturday July 13th at 12:15 PM. Festival Express will air each Monday and Wednesday at 11:30AM between now and July 11th - be sure to tune in! #winnipegfolkfest #w...

On today's episode, UMFM program director Michael Elves speaks with Alexa Dirks, better know to you and I as Begonia! Don't miss this bold and brazen pop performer she plays at Green Ash on Sunday, July 14th at 4:45 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival!

John Prentice of Planet Mainstage (Saturdays, 2-4PM) talks to "the Turkish psych folk band from Amsterdam," Altın Gün who released their new album Gece on ATO Records this spring. The sophomore effort by the six-member band has drawn critical acclaim and will earn them legions of fans when they play Big Blue at Night on Saturday July 13th at 7:30 PM .

On today's episode, join Beer For Breakfast's Broose Tulloch as he speaks with Canadian music icon Hawksley Workman, who makes his 3rd appearance at this year's festival - his first since 2006! Be sure to check him out at Big Bluestem on Friday, July 12th at 4:45! Broose Tulloch, host of Beer For Breakfast, talks to acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman - an artist who has honed hi...

Planet Mainstage's John Prentice talks to singer-songwriter Danny Michel. Michel has been performing and recording for over two decades and his latest release is White & Gold released in October 2018. Michel plays the Little Stage on Sunday July 14th at 3pm.

On today's episode, Can We Hang's Myles Erickson speaks with longtime Winnipeg favorite, the divine Christine Fellows. She makes her first appearance at the Festival since 2006 - don't miss her sure to be stunning performance at Green Ash on Sunday, July 14th at 3:15PM!

On today's episode, UMFM program director Michael Elves chats with brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, better known to you and I as The Cactus Blossoms . Don't miss this wonderful duo as they play at Snowberry Field on Saturday July 13th at 12:45 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival ! Festival Express will air each Monday and Wednesday at 11:30AM between now and July 11th - be sure t...

On today's episode, our station manager Jared McKetiak speaks with one of his favourites - guitar virtuoso Steve Gunn . Don't miss Gunn as he plays at Spruce Hollow on Sunday July 14th at 4:30 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival ! Festival Express will air each Monday and Wednesday at 11:30AM between now and July 11th - be sure to tune in!

On today's episode, Can We Hang's Myles Erickson talks to Rayland Baxter, who recorded his most recent album - ATO Records' Wide Awake - in an abandoned rubber-band factory. Don't miss Baxter as he plays at Bur Oak on Saturday July 13th at 4:15 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival! Festival Express will air each Monday and Wednesday at 11:30AM between now and July 11th - be sure to tun...

On today's episode, UMFM program director Michael Elves kicks of our series speaking with North Carolina's Sarah Shook, a true original cut from the proud tradition of in-your-face outlaw country. Don't miss her as she plays at Big Blue Stem with her excellent band the Disarmers on Sunday, July 14th at 4:15 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival! ⠀ Festival Express will air each Monday a...

Beer For Breakfast's Broose Tulloch talks to Winnipeg icon Al Simmons who has moved past a devastating fire that destroyed decades of musical props and who will be entertaining fans of all ages all weekend long at the Chickadee Bigtop.

Danielle Caruana - the Mama Kin in Australian duo Mama Kin Spender - joins UMFM Program Director Michael Elves by phone to discuss assuming a moniker, writing in a duo and touring with her family. Mama Kin Spender play the Main Stage on Thursday July 5th at 7:15 PM.

On this episode of Festival Express, UMFM Program Director Michael Elves talks to Real Estate bassist Alex Bleeker. The New Jersey quartet released their fourth full-length album In Mind recently and will play Big Blue @ Night on Friday July 6th at 8:30 PM and Bur Oak on Saturday July 7th at 12:45 PM

On this episode Thank God It's Free Range host Michael Elves talks to one of his "absolute must-see's" of the festival, Quebec City singer-songwriter Gabrielle Shonk, whose self-titled album was released via Universal Records last year.

Beer For Breakfast's Broose Tulloch talks to one-half of Canadian roots duo Kacy & Clayton who - while hailing from smalltown Saskatchewan, have blown up big. Their latest album, The Siren's Song landed them on the same label as the likes of Rodney Crowell and Sara Watkins. Don't miss Kacy & Clayton when they play Shady Grove on Saturday July 7th at 1pm.

On this episode of Festival Express, Michael Elves - host of Thank God It's Free Range - talks to Tom Meikle who performs under the name Mappe Of. Last year he released A Northern Star, A Perfect Stone on Paper Bag Records and just issued a "Celestial Version" of the album.

Planet Mainstage's John Prentice talks to Canadian fiddle phenom Natalie MacMaste r who plays the Mainstage at 7:05pm on Friday July 6th. She also appears at two workshops during the weekend which will likely feature material from her latest album, Cape Breton Girl , a return to the jigs & reels of her East Coast childhood.

Beer For Breakfasts' Broose Tulloch talks to Jeremy Fisher , who has earned acclaim as a folk singer-songwriter but who recently added "Junior" to his name and created an album - Highway to Spell - aimed at a younger audience. JFJ will be performing twice under the Chickadee Bigtop during the festival.

On an extended edtion of Festival Express, Planet Mainstage's John Prentice talks to Canadian folk legend Ferron in advance of their Spruce Hollow performance on Sunday, July 8th at 12:45pm. With over four decades of performing and recording history to explore, there's a lot to talk about!

On today's episode, Michael Elves, host of Thank God It's Free Range, speaks with acclaimed singer-songwriter Donovan Woods . Don't miss him as he plays at Big Bluestem on Saturday, July 7th at 3 PM as part of this year's Winnipeg Folk Festival!