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2017 Ferdinand Folk Festival Artists:
Making a national splash with his success on The Voice, Joshua Davis is no stranger to the Ferdinand Folk Festival—in the inaugural year (2010), he accompanied Rachael Davis. Whether speaking or singing, the voice of Davis is a disarming instrument: weathered and warm, as capable of conjuring confessional intimacy on a global stage as it is of making a small room, well off the beaten path, resonant with startling urgency and power. Couple it with an earnest poetic sensibility, a boundless work ethic, and an uncanny gift for connecting with audiences , and it’s no wonder that Davis is now poised at the brink of the sort of widespread recognition that typically passes right over such a humble troubadour. Read More.
The Ferdinand Folk Festival committee is excited to welcome the return of multi-instrumentalist Rachael Davis, who was a crowd-favorite at our opening event in 2010. Renowned for her expressive—and explosive—voice, she has recorded numerous solo albums and collaborations uniting the worlds of folk, blues, country, and pop. Over a decade career, the Michigan native, now-Nashville artist, has established herself as an artist with an intuitive and empathetic understanding of folk music, a poise and confidence on stage, and a song repertoire often associated with veterans with decades of experience. Read More.
One of the world’s leading ambassadors for the homegrown music movement, Nashville-based Roots Blues and Americana recording artist Justin Johnson has been hailed by Guitar World as a “must-see act” and dubbed “The Wizard” for his command of a variety of stringed instruments. Lauded as an “American Master” by John Carter Cash, Johnson has had his “funk” praised by Bootsy Collins, and his musical approach described as “timeless” by North Mississippi Allstar frontman Luther Dickinson. This musical visionary has been recognized as Slidestock International Slide Guitar Champion. Read More.
The son of schoolteachers and grandson of farmers, Tim Grimm is a bit of a Renaissance man in the performing arts world. An Indiana storyteller and troubadour in the spirit of Woody Guthrie, he has been likened to Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Jackson Browne. After spending ten years as an actor in California—performing with actors such as Harrison Ford, Marlee Maitlin, and Mark Harmon, he moved his family back to southern Indiana close to his roots. Read More.
This three-piece, Kentucky string band plays Americana, bluegrass, honky tonk, and blues at regional venues. A native of Calhoun, Kentucky, lead singer and guitarist Carrie Lyn Houtchen joins Eric Houtchen on mandolin and Jason Morris on upright bass to round out the trio. Led by Carrie’s strong bluesy voice, the band enjoys bringing back and redoing some old-time blues and folk music. Read More.
Carrie Lyn and the String Getup is three-piece, Kentucky string band plays Americana, bluegrass, honky tonk, and blues at regional venues. A native of Calhoun, Kentucky, lead singer and guitarist Carrie Lyn Houtchen joins Eric Houtchen on mandolin and Jason Morris on upright bass to round out the trio. Led by Carrie’s strong bluesy voice, the band enjoys bringing back and redoing some old-time blues and folk music.
