Welcome to the official site of the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest - one of the best free music festivals in the nation! Produced by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, the FolkFest features more than 70 hours of free music over Labor Day weekend.

Every Labor Day weekend -- Johnstown, Pennsylvania

FolkFest 2005 Performers
Please note: this page reflects the performer roster for FolkFest 2005. Performers for 2006 will be posted soon! Each year, the AmeriServ Johnstown FolkFest hosts more than 20 national and regional musical acts from a broad variety of genres. Programming for the festival is a year-round process, and always includes crowd favorites from previous years as well as new performers to discover. JAHA would like to extend a special thanks to all our Performer Sponsors, whose support helps keep the festival free. The Johnstown Magazine Performance Schedule is now available! Most artists play two shows over the course of the three-day event -- click on the Performance Schedule link to find out when your favorite artists will play. Performer roster and schedule subject to change without notice.
The Daptone super soul revue featuring Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Like most great soul singers, Sharon Jones began singing in church at a young age - and it wasn't long before she was performing with some of the top names in soul, including the Four Tops and The Drifters. Her smoky, sweet voice captivates audiences and brings them to the dance floor. Today, she's known as the Queen of Funk, or Soul Sister #1. She'll play at the FolkFest with the Dap-Kings. Sponsored by CBIZ Insurance Services.
	The Dap-Kings -Former members of The Soul Providers and The Mighty Imperials, the Dap-Kings deliver the kind of soul excitement not seen since the heyday of the Apollo Theatre. Though their recordings are unmatched for their hardness and sheer ability to make people dance, their live show is what makes them a phenomenon. When the Dap-Kings take to the stage with their dance steps and matching soul suits, it's as if someone lit the fuse on a keg of soul dynamite! They will back Sharon Jones at the FolkFest. Sponsored by CBIZ Insurance Services.
Wanda Jackson - Indisputably the First Lady of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson has been recording since the 1950s, earning two Grammy nominations and a spot on the final ballot for the 2004 induction into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame. As once critic put it, "at the dawn of the rock'n'roll era, Jackson became one of the fledgling genre's first female stars, an energetic 18-year-old rockabilly queen who dated Elvis, made frequent stabs at the Top 40 and tore through the music industry like a Midwestern tornado." Today, she's "a well-dressed woman in her late 60s, with a raunchy voice and Southern manners" - and she puts on a great live show. A true legend, Jackson will play two FolkFest sets backed by Rosie Flores and her band. Sponsored by Concurrent Technologies Corporation.
	Rosie Flores -- Rosie Flores has been changing the landscape of Texas country for the past 30 years. She's one of the creators of the alternative country movement, and her career has outlasted many others in that fast-moving genre.. Born in San Antonio, TX and raised in Southern California, Flores is a brilliant singer, songwriter and guitar player Her music blends the best of rock, country and blues with the traditional sounds of her Mexican-American heritage. The result is a swinging rockabilly sound that transcends the genre. At the FolkFest, Flores and her band will play two sets on Saturday and Sunday, each followed by a set backing Wanda Jackson. Sponsored by Concurrent Technologies Corporation.
Brave Combo - Back in 1979, this Texas-based group was pegged as New Wave polka - and has developed into America's premier contemporary polka band. The band, which boasts two Grammy wins and many nominations, can also be described as a hot jazz quintet, a Tex-Mex conjunto, sizzling blues band, saucy cocktail combo, a Latin orchestra and a rollicking rock 'n' roll band. However you describe them, they're lots of fun and very danceable. They've been featured on All Things Considered, Fresh Air, and A Prairie Home Companion. Their music has also been included in several David Byrne movies, an episode of "The Simpsons" and more. Sponsored by Slovenian Savings & Loan.
	Cephas & Wiggins-- Veterans of FolkFest 1999 and the 1990 National Folk Festival in Johnstown, John Cephas and Phil Wiggins are true Piedmont blues legends. Cephas' alternating thumb-and-finger picking style of guitar playing, combined with Wiggins' harmonica, produce an evocative blues sound. The melody and imagery may be Western, but the call and response of the instruments, vocals, complementary rhythms and "bent" notes are quintessentially African. Audiences and critics alike have taken notice. In fact, they are the only traditional artists to have won the W.C. Handy Award for "Blues Entertainer of the Year." Sponsored by Met Life.
Jason Ringenberg - Jason Ringenberg's stage outfit hangs in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville -- and for good reason. This alternative country legend is the original roots-punk barnstormer. As one critic put it, "no act has ever blended punk rock intensity with a country swagger better than Jason Ringenberg... he's the closest thing Nashville has to a rock'n'roll legend." According to the London Times, "Ringenberg has gained a reputation as one of the most dynamic live performers of his generation." Jason, a father of three, has also developed a special children's show as his alter-ego, "Farmer Jason." At the FolkFest, he'll play two Jason Ringenberg shows and two Farmer Jason shows. Sponsored by 96 Key, Froggy 95, Hot 99, Rocky 92, and News Talk 990.
	Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers - Drawing on contemporary urban black sounds while remaining true to their zydeco roots, Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers have created an incredibly exciting, modern form of zydeco. It's rhythmically and lyrically sophisticated, just plain funky - so much so that the band has dubbed their music "Z-funk." According to one critic, Lil' Brian is "the freshest thing to come along in zydeco in decades. . . as tight as The Meters, as funky as the Nevilles and as purely danceable as Clifton Chenier." Sponsored by Laurel Management. *JAHA thanks Lil' Brian for granting permission to use a portion of "Uncle Cliff," a song on his latest album, "Funky Nation," as the music track on FolkFest public service announcements and accompanying the animated logo on this Web site.
Eddie From Ohio - According to Billboard magazine, Eddie from Ohio is "the darling of the East Coast singer/songwriter scene, employing instrumentation that crosses the musical spectrum, a superb flair for cliche-free melodies, and the stunning voice of Julie Murphy." This quartet has opened for acts as diverse as Los Lobos, Dar Williams, Collective Soul, and the Posies. Their sound, streams of music rushing over the common ground of folk and rock, is never stale, even after 13 years of playing together. The group is known for spectacular harmonies and crisp instrumental performances, and songs that range from thoughtful to joyful, to ridiculous and sublime. Sponsored by The Sargent's Group.
	The Chandler Travis Philharmonic - A hit at FolkFest 2003, the Chandler Travis Philharmonic is an alternative Dixieland band that almost defies description. This eight-piece band creates an outlandish, kaleidoscopic sound that encompasses African rhythms, Dixieland jazz, pop, swing and practically every other form of music on the planet. Travis' sharp songwriting skills combine with the band's zany costumes and fine musicianship to create a uniquely intelligent, entertaining live show. Sponsored by Von's United Beverage.
Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans -- Inspired by soul, samba, calypso, second line, rock-steady and anything lilting, clacking or true, Paul Cebar is a 15-year veteran fronting a stellar lineup of musicians known as the Milwaukeeans. A New Orleans critic wrote, "His music owes much to the Big Easy's spirit of abandon and musical cross-pollination.... congas, saxophones, bass drums, lap steel and Cebar's guitar lines and vocals combine in a highly danceable medley, rendered with a skill and sense of fun that locals should recognize." Sponsored by Coast to Coast Cellular.
	Red Elvises - "Kick-butt rock 'n' roll from Siberia" is how this talented group describes itself - yes, that's Siberia, Russia. "Strong musical influences include Elvis Presley and Priscilla, Chuck Berry, Spice Girls and speeches by Comrade Fidel Castro," the band claims, and humor is only one of the attributes that makes them such a crowd-pleaser. Known for fun music, a high energy level and great live performances, the band has released 11 CDs but retains their independent status, having turned down several major record deals. Sponsored by Spence, Custer, Saylor, Wolfe & Rose.
Redbird - Made up of three singer-songwriters, Kris Delmhorst, Peter Mulvey and Jeffrey Foucault, Redbird is a love letter to the body of American song. Traditional tunes, old jazz standards, country songs and contemporary originals are among their repertoire, attending to the musical past in order to live in the musical present. Redbird will play two shows as a group, and each of its members will also play a solo show. Sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank.
	Peter Mulvey - A hit at FolkFest 2003, Peter Mulvey will play two FolkFest shows as a part of Redbird as well as a solo show. A singer-songwriter and skilled guitarist, his acoustic music ranges from full-throated rockers to deceptively plain-spoken musings. As a live performer, this maverick learned his craft by years spent performing in subways for commuters - and he's developed a natural command of the stage with his intelligent, engaging music. Sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank.
Kris Delmhorst - One critic writes of this singer-songwriter, "There's one thing I just don't understand about Kris Delmhorst - why isn't she a star?" A multi-talented musician, Delmhorst plays cello, guitar and fiddle, and is a top-notch vocalist. She effortlessly mixes folk, singer-songwriter pop, gospel, and country styles, with warm, memorable vocals that are accessible to a wide range of audiences. She's garnered much praise for her songwriting skills, too. The Boston Globe writes, "Delmhorst combines alluring, rootsy melodies with the intimacy of the urban songwriter, Delmhorst is a significant new folk-pop voice." At FolkFest, Delmhorst will play one show solo, and two shows as a part of Redbird. Sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank.
	Jeffrey Foucault - The Boston Globe describes this young singer-songwriter as "an atmospheric Midwestern poet-troubadour, a charming presence and a splendid guitarist." Equal parts folk, old country, and roots Americana, Foucault's songs express complex emotions in a compelling way. At FolkFest, Foucault will play a solo show and two shows as a part of Redbird. Sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank..
The Kissers - One critic wrote, "The Kissers aren't what you would expect out of Madison, Wisconsin. Heck, you wouldn't even expect them out of Dublin, Ireland." This young Celtic band has a sharp sense of humor, a cult following and a well-earned reputation as an exciting live act. Part Pogues tribute, part Johnny Cash cover band, the seven-piece ensemble keeps audiences entertained with its wild repertoire, feisty performances and superb musicianship. Sponsored by 1st Summit Bank.
	The Greyhounds -- The Greyhounds combine raw grooves and fresh melodies with elements of classic funk, old-school blues and straight-up soul. One critic wrote, "Playing a fusion of musical styles, Greyhounds marinades the audience with groove sauce, sautes 'em with soul, then deep fries 'em in funk. And everybody's comin' back for seconds." The group enjoys what they're doing, and it's more than evident when they play live. As tight breakdowns and relentless vibes ricochet into the audience, both wallflowers and groove connoisseurs alike will find themselves heading towards the floor to get their boogie on. Sponsored by Thrifty Car Rental of Johnstown.
The Gospel Lights -- The members of this group are from the Pittsburgh area. A perennial FolkFest favorite, they last appeared with us in 2004. The group, which originally formed in 1952, has traveled throughout the country performing with some of the great gospel artists of our time. Sponsored by Somerset Trust.
	Sodajerk -- What sets Sodajerk apart is their ignorance of convention in songwriting, by combining the best of rock and country to produce a revved up, high octane blast of fun, energy and attitude. One critic wrote of this Pittsburgh-based band, "they just might be some sort of musical supergroup from an alternative universe.... the band's music is filled by a blazing, hell-bent intensity few bands seem to muster anymore." Sponsored by Waste Management Corporation.
Tim Dabbs -- One critic wrote of Tim Dabbs, "His powerful tenor tremolo invests his music with a narrative folk authority." Tom May, host of the national radio show River City Folk describes Tim as "a very talented songwriter writing in the tradition of Stan Rogers and Gordon Lightfoot, and people who actually write about real events and real places." Indeed, Tim is a musical storyteller, who will take you on a journey across our great country, and introduce you to a variety of people and places along the way. . .many from our own backyard. FolkFest 2005 will mark the third appearance for this Johnstown native, who was inspired to return to the area after his appearance at the festival in 2000. Sponsored by Somerset Trust.
	Jazz In Your Face --This Johnstown-based jazz ensemble has 17 members, and they've been a hit at several previous FolkFests. Organized in 1988, they've been entertaining audiences with big-band jazz ever since. Sponsored by Slovenian Savings & Loan.
Angelo M -- Angelo Melasecca spent decades working in the steel mills. Laid off in 2003, he put down his hard hat for the last time and picked up his guitar full-time. One critic wrote, "His performances have evolved into multitasking enterprises; he breathes hurricanes into his harmonica, plays the devil out of his guitar, kicks a tambourine propped against his chair and sings when it's convenient." An accomplished dobro and mandolin player as well, Angelo brings to life some of the earthy blues and folk that some call Americana. Sponsored by Northwest Savings Bank.
	Russell Lauf Band -- One critic wrote, "What's country? With a hundred vested interests and a musical spectrum as wide as America, who knows for sure. All Johnstown's Russell Lauf knows is that they're the same personal story songs whether they're backed by twangy pedal steel, delicate six string, wailing urban sax or electric guitar." The Russell Lauf Band specializes in bringing personal songs to life. A Johnstown native and gifted songwriter, Lauf is backed by a 7-piece band with a country rock twist that reminds many of the Eagles and Jackson Browne. His second CD, titled "Johnstown," will be released over the Labor Day weekend. Sponsored by Cool 101.7.
The Rhinelanders -- The Rhinelanders are a traditional German polka band. Bronco Toter, the band's leader, spent 6 years of his youth in Germany and Austria, and had noticed that there were several Slovenian and Polish polka bands in the Johnstown area, but none that played traditional German music. He was asked to form a band for a one-time event, and before he knew it started receiving calls to play at various clubs and festivals. Today, the Rhinelanders play not only in the Johnstown area but also Altoona, Pittsburgh, and northern Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Easy Grade Auto Wash.