Mike Musikanto will perform at 8 p.m. at the Ferdinand American Legion. Local favorite, Beau Troesch will open the show at 7 p.m.
Chicago-based folk troubadour Mike Musikanto will perform on Friday, May 11, in the backroom of Ferdinand’s American Legion at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be picked up at the Ferdinand Town Hall or the Ferdinand American Legion. Tickets may also be reserved by contacting Marc Steczyk at 812-367-2282 or msteczyk@ferdinandindiana.org. All net proceeds will benefit the third annual Ferdinand Folk Festival.
Local favorite, Beau Troesch will open the show at 7 p.m. All times are eastern standard.
Having toured with the likes of James McMurtry, Jesse Malin, AA Bondy, Mason Jennings, Dan Bern,The Handsome Family, Cory Chisel, The Gourds, Jason Isbell,Chuck Prophet, The Gear Daddies, Band Of Heathens, Pieta Brown, and Alejandro Escovedo, MUSIKANTO walks the line between Indie-Blues and Urban Americana, while borrowing elements of Experimental Folk and Broken-down Orchestral music. Growing up listening to his father’s obscure folk & roots records he was taught music through the likes of Fraser and Debolt and Jerry Hahn. With heartbreaking ballads and melodic melodrama, Musikanto’s songs have the grind of a Chicago winter and the soul of a Midwestern bonfire and it’s as sincere as it gets.
With an honest comparison, Musikanto carries the lyrical weight of folks like Leonard Cohen and the back road sense of Leon Russell with the driving tone of Ray Lamontagne or Amos Lee. His narratives reach the core of the human spirit like an outsider who has witnessed something very real.
After years of touring and writing, Musikanto set out to make his best record to date. Making countless drives from Chicago across the Illinois/Wisconsin border during the hours when most people were sleeping or just waking, he recorded in a house in Mequon, WI. These late night and early morning drives helped the songs evolved and become personal and unchangeable. Finding solitude on the drives Musikanto recalls a peaceful and perfect canvas for completing lyrics and piecing together the final arrangements he was hearing in his head as he drove.
Every song on the new record has its own intrinsic ambiance. The vocals are telling a story that really happened, honest and at times seem to be on the verge of collapse. The record is personal and true to life. The new record, “Sky of Dresses” by Musikanto earned positive reviews from the likes of NPR and Paste Magazine for its soulful reflection on traditional Americana—a style the singer-songwriter adopted after studying painting at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.
For additional information about Musikanto, including music samples, please visit www.musikantomusic.com.
ANY MEDIA/INTERVIEW REQUESTS CAN BE ADDRESSED TO: Sunny Day Entertainment, Elliot Fox, Elliotfox@sunnydayentertainment.com.
“There’s an influx of bands struggling to imprint themselves on the modern folk movement. Chicago’s Mike Musikanto has figured out the key—sincerity.” Paste Magazine
“As with Musikanto’s debut album, the songs in Sky of Dresses rely heavily on the same elements – strummed acoustic guitar, piano, and Musikanto’s worn and soulful croon. But each song narrates a different story and maintains its own, distinct character. Take for instance, the “oh, my my” nonchalance of “Awful Mind” or the simplicity and sincerity of “Blues for Momma.” The result is an 11-song album that plays like a compilation of short stories about love and loss.” The Chicagoist
Adam Hood, who will return to Ferdinand to play the main stage with his band this September, has been nominated in multiple categories for the Lone Star Music Awards. His nominations include: Album of the Year, Best Singer-Songwriter/Folk Album, Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal, and Songwriter of the Year. He’s going up against some pretty strong competition in the likes of Lucinda Williams, Will Hoge, Hayes Carll, and Robert Earl Keen.
Their memorable performance at the 2011 Folk Festival was a crowd favorite. The GRR’s music is self-described as being “…soul sonic, blues drenched sounds of reggae and ska”.
The Ferdinand Folk Festival organizers will hold the 2012 lineup announcement party and fundraiser on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at Foxy Hollow (7630 South 600 East, Ferdinand, IN 47532) beginning at 8 p.m. (EST). The featured performer for the evening will be Carnival Recording artist Adam Hood and tickets are $12. Foxy Hollow is an intimate venue and seating will be limited. Seats can be reserved by contacting Marc Steczyk at 812-367-2282 or by email at