Song from the North Country

The final pieces of this year's Duluth Dylan Fest puzzle have been theoretically finalized and a schedule will be shared soon, but you can mark you calendars for May 22-30 for a series of live, streaming and hybrid events as we celebrate the 80th birthday of Duluth's native son.

One of these events will be a variation on the traditional Singer-Songwriter contest, which is a highlight for many over the years. Essentially, competitors perform a Dylan song and a song of their own. Like Dylan, they are singer-songwriters. The judges vote on the best original song, and over the years there have been some fantastic winners.  (Here's my review of the 2018 Singer Songwriter Contest.)

ONE UNIQUE FEATURE of this year's contest will be that the competition will take place online. We'll still have judges, but songs will be recorded and shared from a distance. We won't all be gathered in one place for a show. 

A SECOND UNIQUE FEATURE is even more exciting. A group called Song from the North Country will perform the winning song or songs. (I will be corrected on this in a comment maybe.)

The Duluth Reader this week featured a story by Richard Thomas explaining what this group of musicians has been up to, comparing it to a campfire jam, using contemporary technology. 

"They’re not in the same room or even time frame," writes Thomas. "They’re all in their own living rooms, home studios and back yards. One drums on a woodpile, another tap-dances, another sings while stepping into an outdoor sauna. They’re miles apart but the music and harmonies beautifully blend."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Song from the North Country

Here's a link to their site onYouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIMxFqJmfffW8ygAOrsDuaQ

TOMORROW I aim to share the Call for Poetry instructions, deadlines and themes for this year's Duluth Dylan Fest Poetry Contest. 

And yes, Song from the North Country is a play on the title of Dylan's Girl from the North Country.