DBT #449 Great River Folk Fest 2026

September 01, 2026

DBT #449 Great River Folk Fest 2026

I know, I know, I know... why don't you finish one of your posts before you start another one. Well I could make up a lot of excuses, but I really just want to put my memories up on YouTube and have a place to send you as I finish my uploads. I do promise to finish someday, maybe when the weather turns cold.

The 50th Anniversary celebration of the Great River Folk Fest was truly a great time on the Mississippi River in downtown LaCrosse WI. Here's their full line up:

The weekend started off with some local friends just having a tremendous time on the bandshell stage:

I did a snippet short on some Day Two songs:

Too funny the day after Susan Werner sang this song, somebody stole 40,000 pounds of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Just like the bandshell concert on Friday, Saturday started with a concert from friends in the Southfolk tent! The Amadans have played together for 20 years, and two of the members, Barry and Sherri, were part of my ultimate favorite local band, Pigtown Fling Stringband. They are mostly a Celtic band but they have added many bluegrass songs and this is a natural addition since the two genres share a history. It was truly a great set of music, and here is the full song I recorded:

Every fest we walk away with new voices, that we'll follow forever. While I could include Maya de Vitry because I finally listened to a full concert from her after catching a couple songs at the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, the freshest voice was from Jason Dea West. Here's the actual first song I heard in his song swap in the Southfolk tent.

Later he played the bandshell and had his Wisconsin sister Nora Jean join him:

While I know Hemma from seeing her with both Luke Callen and Jillian Rae at different times, it's been rare that I see her solo. I caught this hearfelt song from her Alabone Sky album in an "Originals" song swap in the Southfolk tent:

If you have followed my blog at all during the last three years, you know I've been co-ordinator of the Great River Folk Fest's Songwriting contest in the past. Now can you guess all the past winner names by this picture? Of I can and believe all of these people consider me a friend and patron of music.

So obviously I love to meet and listen to all the songwriters, and this year I only knew two of the five finalists, so I'm going to let you play judge and just like Jeff said as an introduction; I hate to be a judge so you can just feel free and enjoy yourself. Here is one video of each from their finals performance, and yes all have the introduction to the song as well because performance is one of the criteria for the judges; plus to keep it simple they have a link to a FB page and the GRFF contest page description.

First up (randomly chosen) Samatha Grimes

Samantha is a 2022 & 2023 Josie Music Award Nominee in the category of "Rising Star" at the Grand Ole Opry house. Samantha won Entertainer of the Year for the International Songwriter Association in 2023 and 2024. She is also a multiple-time nominee for Entertainer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year from the ISSA organization. She has also won Best of the Valley awards three years in a row in the midwest.

Next up Ben Suchy

North Dakota based Ben Suchy performs his original style of "Funky Folk" in various arrangements.

Next up, Allison Sky,

Allison Sky is a Midwest-based singer-songwriter known for her heartfelt storytelling and soulful voice. Influenced by her dad, Sara Bareilles, and Martina McBride, her music blends timeless melodies with raw vulnerability. After taking a break to focus on her family, Allison has returned to music with renewed passion, captivating audiences with her original songs and well-loved covers. Her journey, shaped by overcoming challenges like chronic illness, inspires her to create music that resonates deeply with listeners. Whether performing on stage or connecting through her songwriting, Allison’s mission is to offer a musical experience that uplifts and connects on a profound level.

Next up, Sammie Hershock,

Sammie Hershock is a multi-award-winning songwriter known for her captivating melodic lines and heartfelt lyrics. After years of crafting songs from her heart in a small town in Michigan, she came on to the songwriter's scene in 2021 and has been winning hearts since. Hershock won A Singing Heart contest in New York City in 2023, became a 2026 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, and has been playing stages such as The Ark in Ann Arbor, and The Listening Room in Nashville Tennessee.

Sammie's songs skip the answers and sit straight in the questions. Her upcoming album, Wings, is the culmination of her growth as an artist, as a human, and as a mother to her three young children. Hershock's shows are full of heartfelt songs about the human experience, splashed with playful banter and a deep love for music and the magic it creates.

Finally, Tim Case,

Tim Case is a folk-inspired, country-adjacent singer/songwriter from Wisconsin. His 2025 debut album Hall of Mirrors, recorded at Pine Hollow in Eau Claire with producer Evan Middlesworth, moves easily across the Americana spectrum, from sweeping Midwestern epics to playful roots rock, with detours into cosmic country and brooding folk. He performs frequently around the upper Midwest, both solo and with his band Tim Case and the Drag, featuring Middlesworth on electric guitar, Jeremy Holt on bass, and Matt Haapala on drums. He and the band have been honored to share the stage with Erik Koskinen, Tall Tall Trees, Jerrika Mighelle, The Mahon Brothers (Salty Dog), and more.