News & Blog

June 2010 - New Folk - did they just call my name??

The whole Kerrville experience is like a dream. For days in a row you exist in this community of music lovers all gathered to enjoy one another's songs and company. Smiles are commonplace and the onset of a frown brings strangers out of the woodwork to find out how they can help. Nightfall isn't a sad farewell at all, it's the beginning of a song that lasts until dawn.

This was my second year at Kerrville. I knew the lay of the land, I knew what to expect - camping-wise. But I never expected to make so many new friends at the New Folk Competition. By the time the winners were accounced, I was pulling for everyone. So was Emily. We had come to know these folks as friends, not competitors. They were our campneighbors. We shared beer, hummus, box wine, aloe, capos, you name it. 

Of course, this amazing connectedness couldn't have happened without Rouse House existing. And Rouse House wouldn't exist without Liz, Deb, and Lindsey. I can't thank them enough for all they do for New Folk folks. It's beyond words. It's into the land of hugs. And there were plenty of those, too.

I should have taken more video. I should have taken more photos. Instead I was selfishly absorbing every second. It's hard to say I'm sorry for that. I hope you understand.

I did take some photos. Emily took some, too. See belowm But the best photos are on Facebook. Many supersize thanks to Neal, Betty, Madalyn, everyone who took photos during those moments I was washed away in Kerrville-ness. You can see them as tagged photos on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thekimrichardson.

And Emily, bless her heart, took video of my first song in the competition. View at your own risk. She was nervous for me. Nerves make for shaky video. Lesson learned: bring camera stand. But she's my hero for being able to come in the first place. It was wish granted to have her there with me.

So, in the end, I won. What does that mean? It means my superstition of keeping the Kerrville brochure standing upright on my desk for two months worked. It means I'm headed back to Texas in Sept for the Kerrville Wine & Music Festival and in Nov for the Rice Festival and other House Concerts. It means a lot. And it means I'll be back next year to cheer on my old and new friends at New Folk 2011.