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BLACK FRET ANNOUNCES ‘NWA SESSIONS’ AND PARTNERS WITH HOUSE OF SONGS IN PRESENTING THREE-MONTH SERIES OF SHOWS FEATURING BLACK FRET AWARDEES FROM AUSTIN AND SEATTLE
With the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation, the Austin-based music non-profit celebrates exceptional local music in a series of concerts featuring Black Fret Awardees playing with some of NWA’s finest musicians. Shows will take place across Northwest Arkansas between March and May of this year.
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – Feb. 24, 2022, source: Juice Consulting) – Austin, Texas-based music non-profit, Black Fret today announces its launch of a new Spring concert series in Northwest Arkansas (NWA). After launching chapters in Seattle and Colorado’s Front Range over the past three years, the organization has been quickly growing and empowering musicians around the country to create and perform new music. Founded in 2013, Black Fret is a public charity that is an innovative evolution of the age-old symphony patronage model that focuses on supporting popular local music. To date Black Fret’s programs have provided over $3.5M directly to a carefully curated group of exceptional local musicians and music businesses. For its latest debut in NWA, Black Fret along with The House of Songs will produce a twelve-show concert series at different venues throughout the region. These shows will kick off on Saturday, March 5 and continue through May. Each show will feature a Black Fret grant recipient band from Austin or Seattle playing alongside a NWA-based act. The lineup includes artists like Graham Wilkinson, Sydney Wright, Kalu James, Shaina Shepherd, Tony Kamel, Blk Odyssy, Pat Byrne, Beat Root Revival, Western Youth and more. Featured NWA artists include Auralai, Bonnie Montegomery, BAANG, Jasper Logan, Meadow
Makers, Willi Carlisle and Dylan Earl. The public is invited to attend the events and ticketing information can be found here. For more information on Black Fret, see here. For more on The House of Songs, see here.
“We could not be more excited to welcome our friends at Black Fret to NWA,” said House of Songs’ program director, Graham Weber. “The House of Songs has worked, and continues to work, with so many wonderful artists in this region by facilitating collaborations to create new music with other artists from around the world. The presence of Black Fret in the region will provide more opportunities for these artists to perform, helping to bring their art to new audiences and continue following their
artistic ambitions.”
The “NWA Sessions” concert series six public shows are as follows:
Saturday, March 5:
Graham Wilkinson, Sydney Wright, and Kalu James w/ supporting act Auralai at Meteor Guitar Gallery – Bentonville (128 W Central Ave, Bentonville, AR 72712)
Saturday, March 12:
Shaina Shepherd w/ supporting act BAANG at 21C Ballroom – Interform Fashion Week After Party
Friday, April 1:
Tony Kamel w/ supporting act Willi Carlisle at George’s Majestic (519 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR 72701)
Friday, April 8:
Blk Odyssy w/ supporting acts BAANG and Jasper Logan at Kingfish – Fayetteville (262 N School Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701)
Saturday, May 7:
Pat Byrne & Beat Root Revival w/ supporting act Meadow Makers at Heartbreak House (229 N Block Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701)
Saturday, May 14:
Western Youth joins local acts Arkansauce and Rachel Aamons at Railyard Live – Rogers (101 E Cherry St, Rogers, AR 72756); see here for more info.
“We’d like to thank the Walton Family Foundation and The House of Songs for catalyzing our efforts to create NWA Sessions,” said Black Fret’s CEO and Founder, Colin Kendrick. “This series is a pilot aimed at connecting the music communities of Austin, NWA, Colorado’s Front Range and Seattle with an eye toward creating a sustainable path to accelerate these exceptional emerging artists’ careers. We’d like to add NWA to the list of our other chapters and shine a national light on the NWA scene and it’s finest local talent. A full Black Fret chapter would provide NWA’s music community with access to grants, touring opportunities and to Black Fret’s national network of industry professionals, advisors and touring musicians.”
Black Fret is actively seeking interest from NWA residents in pledging to join a NWA Chapter once one hundred folks have committed. Details on a potential NWA Chapter can be found here. Those who wish to join Black Fret in any of our other chapters may do so at sonicguild.org/join. With three annual membership levels of $750 for an individual membership, $1,500 for a couple or $3,000 for a “party” four-person membership, there are options available for all who truly want to step up to support their local music. Members gain the right to nominate the bands they love as well as vote for the allocation of grant dollars at the end of each full season as well as the privilege to attend the many private events held each year. Black Fret’s Austin chapter held over 40 private events in 2021 as they emerged from the COVID pandemic, culminating in the Black Fret Ball at ACL Live. Those not ready to join Black Fret or those who wish to support the Black Fret mission before a chapter exists in their town may donate at sonicguild.org/donate. Anyone interested in assisting with Black Fret’s efforts to create an NWA Chapter or continued national expansion, may reach out to Black Fret’s CEO and Founder Colin Kendrick at colin@sonicguild.org.
ABOUT BLACK FRET:
Founded in 2013, Black Fret is a public charity headquartered in Austin whose mission is to empower musicians to create and perform new music. The organization is an innovative evolution of the age-old symphony patronage model that is focused on supporting popular local music. Together, Black Fret’s limited membership has supported musicians with over $2.5 million in grants and direct payments since 2013. In return for annual dues, members enjoy a broad range of private events in a multitude of venues and an incredible annual awards show named the Black Fret Ball. Grant recipients are selected annually through a yearlong process where members, advisors and prior grant recipients nominate, lobby for, see performances by and finally vote on their favorite artists. Those
who wish to become a member of Black Fret can sign up at www.sonicguild.org/join. For more info see www.sonicguild.org.
ABOUT THE HOUSE OF SONGS:
Celebrating its 12th year in 2022, The House of Songs is a 501(c)3 that invites songwriters from around the world to the United States to share the universal language of music in collaborations designed to bridge cultures, build friendships and cultivate peace. The House of Songs has since sponsored collaborations in 33 countries and now operates out of Austin and Bentonville, Arkansas, where the second permanent location opened in September 2017 with support from The Walton Family Foundation.
Download the pdf of this PR here.
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