 North Coast Folk Festival
By Tom May
The third annual North Coast Folk Festival will take place this year as a one-day event, Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the beautiful Ocean Shores Convention Center.
This year, because of significant support from the community, the event will have no admission charge. The festival will be an attractive destination for families looking for a spring outing that features something really special and for folk music lovers from Puget Sound and beyond ready for a day at the ocean.
Headlining this years event will be Northwest legend and nationally respected and revered Autoharp master, singer/songwriter, storyteller and performing artist Bryan Bowers.
 An unconventional instrument, the Autoharp is a little like a cross between a twelve-string guitar and a zither. Used for generations to accompany the music of the Appalachian mountains, it had fallen into obscurity before Bryan almost singlehandedly made it an important part of the folk revival. His fingerstyle technique on the instrument has been copied widely and is used and heard in bluegrass, folk and country music in festivals from coast to coast. Bryan Bowers is to the Autoharp what Earl Scruggs is to the 5-string banjo.
But much more than just a virtuosic musician, Bowers concerts are filled with wonderful stories and tales that will make you both laugh and cry. His songs have been covered by John Denver and many others, and he has brought audiences to their feet at some of the most prestigious folk festivals in North America. His stage presence and ability to charm a crowd are nothing short of inspiring.
On a personal note, I have shared many festival stages with Bryan; he truly cares about his audience, and takes every performance as a personal challenge to himself that the listeners are entertained and mesmerized by the show.
He is widely respected by his peers in the music business, and was elected to the Frets magazine “Gallery of the Greats,’, along with such luminaries as Tony Rice, Sam Bush, and Chet Atkins. Bryan’s musical journey has taken him to hundreds of venues over the last 60 years, and we are very fortunate indeed to have him as the headliner at this year's festival. Bryan has made his home in Washington, close to the North Cascades, for many years now.
Also performing at this year's North Coast Folk Festival will be Chris Kokesh. Best known for her stellar work with the incredibly popular Northwest quartet Misty River, Chris added the tasty fiddle work and her own songs to the sound of the group. This year she has been working as a solo performer and with other artists whil Misty River takes a hiatus from their hectic schedule of touring all over the United States.
 Chris’s songs and performance remind me of a young Emmy Lou Harris. She sings with immediacy, and has a distinctive voice. She also incorporates her fiddle expertise into her sets, making for a multi-dimensional experience for her listeners.
Also featured at this year's North Coast Folk Festival will be David Rea. David began his career as a guitarist at 17, having the opportunity to work with the then unknown Gordon Lightfoot. He went on to play guitar with Ian and Sylvia on tour and also recorded a number of albums with the popular Canadian duo, who also were the first to record his songs. After making his own debut albums on Capitol Records, David also eventually added his trademark filigree guitar style to albums by Judy Collins, Fairport Convention, and many others. He even co-wrote the rock classic “Mississippi Queen” along the way, never dreaming it would be part of today’s Guitar Hero 3 video game and discovered by a whole new generation of young people. David continues to perform regularly, as well as working on writing new songs.
Rounding out this year's lineup at the North Coast Folk Festival will be the very popular Seattle singer/songwriters Michael Guthrie and Nancy K. Dillon, both of whom are very recognizable to Puget Sound music listeners. Michael performs frequently at a variety of Seattle area coffeehouses and clubs and last year was featured at the Juan De Fuca Festival in Port Angeles. Nancy is a former folk radio programmer at KBCS/Bellevue-Seattle. She was a founding member of the renowned cowgirl band Ranch Romance and performed as a duo with Rounder recording artist John Miller. Her most recent release Just Let me Dream has been played on radio all over the U.S. and internationally.
This is the third North Coast Folk Festival. The first one took place in September of 2007, and the second one was staged in April of 2008. Local director Peter Jordan (a folk performer himself) and his partner Leslie Reedy continue working to make this an event that will be accessible and attractive to locals in Grays Harbor county, as well as to weekend trippers looking to get out of Seattle and Tacoma to hear  some great music. Past performers have included Tom Paxton, Tillers Folly, Tom May, Hank Cramer and Del Rey, to name just a few.
There are numerous lodging options for those who wish to make a weekend of it in Ocean Shores. You can visit the Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.oceanshores.org for excellent ideas, in all price ranges, for food and lodging.
Last year's event was marked by the rare scene of snow on the beach; this year's weather is sure to be more beach-like. Jim Sanders will handle the sound for this year's festival, which is being co-sponsored by the City of Ocean Shores, A.C.T. committee, and P and L productions.
The schedule of events for the third annual North Coast Folk Festival, May 2nd, 2009 is as follows:
12 Noon-1:30 pm: Michael Guthrie
1:30-3:00 pm: Nancy K. Dillon
3:00-4:30 pm: David Rea
4:30-6:00 pm: Chris Kokesh
7:00-10:00 pm: Bryan Bowers
Again, all events are free—make the trip down to Ocean Shores for some great music this spring!
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