Saturday, July 10, 2010, 6pm

Weeksville Heritage Center

Historic Hunterfly Road Houses

1698 Bergen Street
(between Buffalo Avenue and Rochester Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11213 (view map)
718.756.5250

 Weeksville Heritage Center in The Daily News

This winter has been about woodshedding and working with the opportunities the arise to record a few songs. 

Photo by:  Farkas Fülöp

The Amplified documentary series, profiling the artists featured in $5 Cover Memphis, snagged the Cultural Documentary Emmy for pieces on Ben Nichols and Valerie June, as well as the Photography Award for the Valerie June piece and "What It Is" featuring Craig Brewer, Paul Taylor, and Jason Freeman.

Check Out the Documentary:           $5 Cover Amplified

Blog on the other Emmy Winners

My, My I Must Be Living A Dream!

Everyday since I arrived I have been woodshedding with Clyde (guitar) & Mose (banjo).  There have been inches upon inches of SNOW!  The red boots are having a fine time walking through town.  I've met some good folks and will begin to record a few songs next week.  Afterwards, it will be off to Berlin, Germany for a show at Artliners.  

Latasha Diggs & Kandia Crazyhorse 

It was a great show at the Mercury Lounge.  It was also a pleasurable experience to spend time with good friends!

Kandia Crazyhorse, Latasha Diggs, Valerie June & Greg Tate

Photo By:  Camara Holloway

Ketch Secor & Gill Landry of The Old Crow Medicine Show

As you can see, we are all busy writing! 

...and our new addition:  Ron Gomez (far right)

Walkin' that Lonesome Valley, but making friends along the way...

 Ketch Secor & Gill Landry of The Old Crow Medicine Show, Bo Stapleton-The Engineer Old Crow Medicine Show

Dreams come true in fragments over the period of a lifetime. One little bit at a time... unfolding...gratitude...lovenlight

There are many changes coming into being and many songs are being written.  I am living in the blue light.

Thanks to my friend Farkas Fülöp for the photo

Photograph by:  Nathan McMahan

Gratitude Seals the Deal!

 We were able to write and record a children's song during our short time working together.  www.johnforte.com

Thanks to Krista & Jana for joining me on stage at the Harvest Celebration!

I am honored to appear as one of the first guest on the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission's TV Show, Memphis Music Revealed.  The TV show will air on Comcast Channel 17 on Thursday, October 22^nd.  Vicki Loveland and Nyko Lyras will be featured on this episode as well.    

It was a treat to perform at The  Family Wash in Nashville, TN with the boys from Old Crow Medicine Show and Bo of  Kornhole as my backing band.  Old Crow Medicine Show

It was definitely a performance at "The Wheel" of fortune.  It's all in the cards!  Thank you NBN!

Jason Freeman and Valerie June entertained 200 students during a brown bag lunch hour.  "The Hokey Pokey" must never die! 

What a wonderful time at Askew, Nixon & Ferguson entertaining and learning the latest from Habitat for Humanity!

The Wheel

421 Broadway Ave.

Nashville, TN  37203

615-742-1675 

Friday, October 9, 2009, 7-7:30pm 

Blues Fans know I'll be spending the entire day Saturday singing in Helena, AR for the King Biscuit Festival!  Nathan McMahan will be playing his little mandolin, and I'm certain there will be plenty of special guest coming up to jam with us!  This festival is part of why I live near  THE DELTA! 

Valerie June & John Forte recording one of many newly written songs.  

Photograph taken by Bright Moments, Christian Ericson

The Traditional Children's Music Show created by Jason Freeman and I was a huge success at the Memphis Central Library and Memphis East Branch Library.  We believe that the best way to preserve traditional folk music is by live performances for kids.  The Memphis Farmer's Market has also become a monthly children's music venue. 

It was wonderful to share the stage with Muck Sticky and Al Capone on the rooftop of The Peabody.  

"A downtown summertime institution, the Peabody Rooftop Parties, is having a big holiday weekend. On Thursday, July 2nd, there will be a $5 Cover-themed rooftop party with three stars from Craig Brewer's web/MTV series performing: rapper Al Kapone, rap-rock prankster Muck Sticky, and country/folk singer Valerie June. Brewer — who is currently in California filming the pilot episode ofTerriers, a new comedy for the FX network — won't be able to make it, but apparently the other $5 Cover stars will be there."-Chris Herrington, Memphis Flyer 

I was surprised to find out that there are free/natural hair websites that feature my hair.  This is how I was able to meet my new friend, Dream Hampton.  She is the sweetest!  Check out some of these sites:

Natural Hair Beauty

Get up Dread Up

 Woman of Colour

On the Road to Queendom

TIP: Enhance your lawn-seating experience with a blanket or folding chairs.  ENJOY!! 

The world premiere of $5 Cover will be held Thursday, April 30th at Malco's Paradiso Theater.  Tickets are available at www.indiememphis.com.

To watch the trailer for $5 Cover, go to Videos.   

Amplified  is a series of documentaries produced by Alan Spearman & his group.  The docs feature musicians from $5 Cover.  They will be shown Tuesday, April 28th at Malco's Studio on the Square.  Tickets are available at the theater after 5 pm.  

Flipside is a series created by Christopher Reyes & Sarah Fleming.  It will also be shown Tuesday, April 28th at Malco's Studio on the Square.   

Howdy Folks!

I must say I have been missing everyone.  I've been designing my new website that you see here.  The winter has been full of hard work and songwriting.  I think the winter has also initiated a love affair between me and Memphis, TN.  I have lived here for eight years, and I am just now falling in love with this city as it is in the present moment.  So if you are asking why that is, I'd have to say I've found that there are no kinder folks than in Memphis, TN, and I am extremely thankful for my friends, family, fans, and neighbors. 

  $5 Cover(www.fivedollarcover.com)  by Craig Brewer is a rough-and-tumble show set in the clubs, all-nite cafes and no-tell motels of present-day Memphis. The series follows a cast of young musicians as they fight for love, inspiration, and money to pay the rent.  All of the characters play themselves and perform their own music. Each episode builds to an exciting performance or recording session captured on location. The dialogue is improvised and the scenes come straight from the lives of artists and bands struggling to make a mark on their scene.  Some of the awesome performers are Two-Way Radio(www.makeshiftmusic.com), Al Kapone(www.alkaponemusic.com), Muck Sticky(www.mucksticky.com),Amy Lavere and Paul Taylor(www.myspace.com/amylavere) (www.myspace.com/paultaylormemphis),Snowglobe(www.makeshiftmusic.com), Alicia Trout of the River City Tanlines(www.rivercitytanlines.com), Lucero(www.luceromusic.com), Harlan T. Bobo(www.myspace.com/harlantbobo), and Cody Dickinson of  Hill Country Revue(www.myspace.com/hillcountryrevue).

 It was such a treat to work with these performers as well as the crew- John Hubbell, Alan Spearman, Erin Hagee, Morgan Jon Fox, Scott Bomar, Tommy Kha, Claude Phillps, Mrs. Doris, Jeff Pope, Saki Manousakis, Brent Shrewsbury, Clare Grant, Jack Oblivian and Chellie Bowman.  These people and many more good folks have helped me fall in love with present day Memphis, TN.

     We "Folkies" in Memphis are so blessed to have the Folk Alliance based downtown on Main Street.  The first year I attended the conference I was so excited that I decided to volunteer as well as play my showcases.  I was a kid in a candy store with all of that good folk music from all over the world being performed all night and day.  I have since learned my lesson:  VOLUNTEER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!  They always have extra things to do in order to prepare for the conference.  This year the conference began on Thursday with my dear friend Jason Freeman.  We entertained about 100 grade school children with our Traditional Children's Music Show.  They were adorable doing the Hokey Pokey!  I left there and headed for Bragg Elementary in West Memphis, AR where I did a Folk Music Workshop with 200 well behaved 4th-6th graders.  Later that night, I performed at my official showcase in the Memphis Room which was well attended.  The highlight and ultimate delight was on Saturday night when I was joined by musicians, Nathan McMahan-Mandolin and Megan White-Cello, to entertain at the Center for Southern Folklore(www.southernfolklore.com).  I was sandwiched between Andy Cohen(www.andycohenmusic.net) and The Ebony Hillbillies (www.ebonyhillbillies.com).  Mrs. Ella's homecooking topped off the evening!  You can learn more about The International Folk Alliance at www.folk.org.

For those who love art and music, this is a MUST SEE festival!!

Watch this video for a taste of the divine gifts this festival offers:

 http://www.riverartsfest.org/2009RAF/Slideshow/2008Highlights.htm