Make That Two Seattleites in Memphis

Man, this Folk Alliance conference has been total insanity. Last night, the wait for the only four elevators going to the top floors of the hotel (where all the artists showcase) reminded us of waiting for the subway in New York on the 4th of July. Good luck.

With all these people from all over the world flooding Memphis, and with all the folkies in Seattle, we're surprised that we've made it all the way to our final day here without running into more folks from home. In fact, we've met one whole person from Seattle, but she's a good person to have met. Her name is Jennifer Kallen, and she runs the Firefly Concert Series.

What's great about the folk world is that we all, no matter who we are or what role we play in the business of folk music, are in it because we just love the music. There's really no big money to be made. Unless you're Bob Dylan or Ani DiFranco, but even much of her money goes to giving the staff of the indie label she runs great pay and benefits. These days, this Seattlest makes most of our living writing about folk music, which—surprise—isn't crazy lucrative, even in a roots music stronghold like the Northwest.

Kallen is no exception. She started throwing concerts in her house years ago, when she decided she was tired of local bars that didn't know how to amplify acoustic instruments properly, with atmospheres that left a lot to be desired. Wishing for a venue to hear great singer/songwriters in a warm, cozy, familial atmosphere, she decided to just do it herself. Lately, though, the audiences her concerts attract have outgrown her home, and she's looking for a larger space to keep her series alive.

Her taste is impeccable. Past concerts have featured Vicci Martinez, Ashleigh Flynn, The Weepies, Beth Amsel, and others. The next show will be Rebecca Riots in April unless, she told us yesterday, she finds someone at this conference that blows her away. With nearly 2,000 artists from all over the world in one place at one time, that shouldn't be too hard.