"Newport has always been feeding the musical omnivore - someone who listens to all types of music" -Jay Sweet
Forget what you think you know about folk music. The man currently at the helm of the festival that has been defining — and redefining — folk music for half a century is blowing the doors wide open this year.
Sure, Arlo Guthrie will be there. So will Patty Griffin and Jackson Browne. But one look at the lineup for the 2012 Newport Folk Festival, which takes place July 27-29 at Fort Adams State Park, R.I., and one thing is clear: Festival co-producer Jay Sweet takes the Newport tradition seriously. And at Newport, tradition means more than just banjos, dobros and dulcimers. It even means more than simply honoring a musical style immortalized by legends like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. It also means pushing the boundaries of what makes music “folk” music. And feeding what Jay calls the “musical omnivore,” someone who listen to all types of music. Here are just a few of the artists that you can expect the musical omnivores in Newport to be feasting on this year.
tUnE-YArDs
First Aid Kit
Charles Bradley
Jonah Tolchin
Alabama Shakes
