The NERFA Podcast

This month we go back to the archives for a panel discussion recorded at the 21st Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference on November 14, 2015 at the Hudson Valley Resort in Kerhonkson, New York.  Sonny and her co-host Meg Griffin converse with radio icon Vin Scelsa, veteran singer-songwriter Eric Andersen,  and Lowell Levinger -“Banana”, a founding member of the 60s band the Youngblood...

This month’s Wisdom of the Elder’s Podcast features three distinguished artists - Deidre McCalla, Dan Navarro (Lowen & Navarro), and Rex Fowler (Aztec Two-Step).  Hosted by series creator Sonny Ochs with co-host Ron Olesko, the discussion centers around changes in the music industry and adapting to the challenges to marketing music in our current environment.  DAN NAVARRO - Dan Navarro’s eclec...

This month’s Wisdom of the Elder’s Podcast will be a  Rounder Roundtable”, a discussion on the history of Rounder Records  II was recorded in May of 2015 at SERFA (Southeast Regional Folk Alliance) and featured a panel that includeds Rounder Records founders Ken Irwin, Marian Leighton Levy and Bill Nowlin.  They were joined by two artists who recorded for Rounder - folk singer Alice Gerrard; and s...

February 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Bottom Line in New York City, the legendary club that shut it’s doors in 2004 after 4 decades serving as the epicenter for great music in the metro area.   This month’s panel was recorded in 2021 for the virtual NERFA Conference of the same year and features the co-founder of the The Bottom Line as well as two artists who performed num...

Created by Sonny Ochs at NERFA in 2010, “Wisdom of the Elders” brings together three respected members of the folk community to share their experience and perspectives.  This month we go back to the archives for a panel discussion centered around the New England folk scene, recorded on November 9, 2013 at the 19th Annual Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference, held at the Hudson Valley Resort...

Host and series creator Sonny Ochs and co-host Ron Olesko engage in conversation with three beloved "elders" from the folk community.  This month's conversation features three international artists who have used their musical talents to make social impacts in their native countries. Martyn Joseph -   2023 is Martyn’s 41st year in the business, and started with him being part of BBC R...

In the latest episode of Wisdom of the Elders, recorded at NERFA 2016, host Sonny Ochs and co-host Susan Forbes Hansen gather a panel featuring Tom Paxton, Nora Guthrie, and Noel Paul Stookey. The discussion covers Paxton's career and songwriting journey, his views on the term 'legend,' and reflections on the movie 'Inside Llewyn Davis.' They explore Woody Guthrie's legacy,...

Host and series creator Sonny Ochs and co-host RonOlesko engage in a conversation with three beloved "elders" of our folk community -  actor, singer-songwriter and storyteller Ronny Cox; singer, songwriter, and record producer Wendy Waldman; and singer-songwriter and guitarist Jack Williams.   (All three artists are NERFA alumni!)

Wisdom of the Elders, is a monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song. This month, we go back to the very first Wisdom of the Elders panel! Recorded at NERFA in 2010,  This panel features (in order of appearance) - David Amram, Theodore Bikel, and Oscar Brand. Hosted...

Wisdom of the Elders, is a monthly series where our host and series creator, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song.   This month's show features three acclaimed artists who have combined social activism with their lives as performing songwriters. CHARLIE KING - Charlie King is a musical st...

Wisdom of the Elders, is a monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 NERFA Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This month: Recorded at the 2013 Fo...

Wisdom of the Elders, is a monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 NERFA Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This month - a brand new episode fo...

The NERFA Podcast presents Wisdom of the Elders, a new monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 Nerfa Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This mo...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Marion Halliday's single, "The Measure". This episodes' AMAZING DJ's: Art M...

Wisdom of the Elders, is a monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 NERFA Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This month - a brand new episode fe...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Rod MacDonald's, "Dallas", taken from a livestream video he submitted. This...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes' song "Oh Lord", which has yet to be release...

Wisdom of the Elders is our monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice, and the occasional song! This series is a compilation of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 NERFA Conference, as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This episode was recorded at...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Lindsey Sampson's "One of Those Places". This episodes' AMAZING DJ's: Art M...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Lynne Hanson's "Hold My Breath" This episodes' AMAZING DJ's: Mary-Sue Twohy...

The NERFA Podcast presents Wisdom of the Elders, a new monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 NERFA Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This we...

On the Griddle 's host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback. In this week’s episode we play Belle-Skinner's "Big City Blues" This episodes' AMAZING DJ's: Mary-Sue Twoh...

The NERFA Podcast presents On The Griddle, a new series where our host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback.   In this week’s episode we play Chris LaVancher's "Trade It All Fo...

The NERFA Podcast presents Wisdom of the Elders, a new monthly series where our host, Sonny Ochs, along with co-host, Ron Olesko, invite distinguished members of the Folk community to share stories, advice and the occasional song! This series will be a mix of conversations that were recorded starting at the 2010 Nerfa Conference as well as new discussions that are exclusive to our podcast. This we...

The NERFA Podcast presents On The Griddle , a new series where our host, Biff Kennedy, chooses a radio-ready tune submitted from the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA.org) community to play for top Folk DJ’s and radio promoters, without their knowledge of the title, artist, or album, to get their honest & uncensored feedback.   In this week’s episode we play Abigail Dowd’s “Dia...