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Last update 6/28/2012
The Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival
Main stage at the 2005 Kate Wolf festival
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Kate Wolf was a well-loved folk singer-songwriter based in Sonoma County, Northern California. Although she died in 1986 just as she was reaching national acclaim, her music continues to capture the minds and hearts of new fans, and to inspire many contemporary country and folk artists. She played to packed houses in Mendocino many times in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Kate released many record albums and CDs, and she toured far beyond California. She appeared on the Austin City Limits PBS TV series in 1985, not long before she became ill. Videotapes and DVDs of that memorable performance and more are available from www.katewolf.com
The Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival had its origin in June 1996, when the Kate Wolf Retrospective Concert was held to celebrate Kate and her music. Kate's friends, family, and a sold-out crowd had such a wonderful time that they decided to make it an annual event. From 1996 to 2000, Caswell Vineyards in Sonoma County hosted the festival, which is sponsored by the Sebastopol Community Center in Sebastopol, CA, and produced by Cloud Moss and Cumulus Presents.
In 2001 the festival found a new home at Black Oak Ranch (home of the Hog Farm commune, Camp Winnarainbow, and Wavy Gravy), just north of Laytonville (northern Mendocino County). There's plenty of room for campers to stay the entire three-day weekend on site. Though festival has grown larger, it remains a mellow, family-friendly event featuring acoustic-style traditional music. Each year the festival presents nationally known performers such as Joan Baez, Donovan, Greg Brown, Steve Earle, Rosalie Sorrels, Tom Paxton, David Grisman and many more.
Nicholas Wilson has been photographing the annual festival since 2004. Over 2000 of his Kate Wolf Festival photos can be viewed from the links below.
Folksinger Bruce "Utah" Phillips was a friend of Kate's and a regular performer at the festival. He died at home on May 23, 2008, and the 2008 festival was dedicated to his memory. There is a special photo tribute to Utah Phillips on this site.
For information about the 2012 festival see the official site at www.katewolfmusicfestival.com
Guide to Nicholas Wilson's Kate Wolf Festival Photos
See the newer additions as Facebook albums
View the 2011 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
2011 Performers
- The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- Taj Mahal Trio
- Los Lobos
- Bruce Cockburn
- Mavis Staples
- Todd Snider with Great American Taxi
- The Wailin' Jennys
- Houston Jones
- The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- Red Molly
- "Poor Buttered Rumskey" - fusion of Poor Man's Whiskey and Hot Buttered Rum
- Evie Ladin & Evil Diane
- David Bromberg and Jorma Kaukonen
- Jim Page
- Stevie Coyle
Note: This performer list include only those whose photos are included here.
View the 2010 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
2010 Performers
- Little Feat
- Robert Earl Keen
- Greg Brown
- Steve Earle
- David Grisman Bluegrass Experience
- Rosalie Sorrels
- The Waifs
- Linda Tillery & Cultural Heritage Choir
- Charlie Musselwhite
- Baka Beyond
- John McCutcheon
- Carrie Rodriguez
- Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart
- Blame Sally
- Poor Man's Whiskey
- Hot Buttered Rum
- Po' Girl
- Sherry Austin Band
- Stevie Coyle
- Love Choir
- Ray Bonneville
View the 2009 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
2009 Performers
- Emmylou Harris
- Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women
- Mavis Staples
- Blind Boys of Alabama
- Richard Thompson
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- Ramblin' Jack Elliott
- Chris Smither
- Patty Griffin
- Shawn Colvin
- Buddy Miller
- Ruthie Foster
- Railroad Earth
- Riders in the Sky
- Work o' the Weavers
- Sherry Austin Band (with a Kate Wolf song set)
- Poor Man's Whiskey
- Po' Girl
- Girlyman
- Love Choir
- Joe Craven
- Darryl Cherney
- Blushin' Roulettes
View the 2008 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
2008 Performers
- Los Lobos
- David Lindley
- The Waifs
- Ruthie Foster
- Rosalie Sorrels
- The Wailin' Jennys
- The Greencards
- Cris Williamson
- Jimmy LaFave
- The Waifs
- John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky with Nina Gerber
- Joe Craven
- Blame Sally
- Pieta Brown
- Vance Gilbert with Moira Smiley
- Ani DiFranco Band *
- Taj Mahal Trio *
- Keb' Mo' Band *
- Greg Brown *
- Todd Snider *
- Moira Smiley & VOCO *
* There are no photos on this site of Friday or Sunday night performances.
For those please see the official Kate Wolf website 2008 festival photo index page.
View the 2007 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
Over 370 photos from the 2007 festival can be viewed from a single large index page (posted 6/26/2008)
2007 Performers
- Richie Havens
- Hot Tuna
- Marcia Ball
- David Bromberg and Angel Band
- Dave Alvin
- Eliza Gilkyson with Nina Gerber
- Rosalie Sorrels
- Laura Love Band
- The Bills
- Dougie MacLean
- Utah Phillips (the late, great singer and storyteller)
- John Trudell & Quiltman
- Nina Gerber
- Kenny Edwards, Joe Craven & Cary Black
- Tom Russell
- The Mammals
- Joe Craven & Sam Bevan
- Robin & Linda Williams & Their Fine Group
- Guy Davis
- The Devil Makes Three
- Lowen & Navarro
- Marc Atkinson Trio
- Moira Smiley & VOCO
- The Be Good Tanyas
- Wavy Gravy
View the 2006 Kate Wolf festival photo gallery
Over 300 photos from the 2006 festival can be viewed from a single large index page
2006 Performers
- Bruce Cockburn
- Steve Earle
- Arlo Guthrie & Guthrie Family Legacy
- Greg Brown with Bo Ramsey
- The Roches
- Alison Brown Quartet
- Rosalie Sorrels
- Tim O'Brien Band
- Utah Phillips
- The Campbell Brothers
- Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum with Dirk Powell & Christine Balfa
- Railroad Earth
- The Wailin' Jennys
- Buddy Miller
- Mary Gauthier with Thomm Jutz
- Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez with John Platania
- The Websters & Scott Nygaard
- Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
- The Kennedys
- Jim Page
- Hugh Shacklett
- Clan Dyken
- Wavy Gravy
View the 2005 Kate Wolf festival photo galleries
Main Stage Performers and Audience (197 photos)
Secondary Stages (31 photos)
Kids & Activities (39 photos)
Craft and Food Vendors (89 photos)
Panoramic Audience Views (7 photos)
2005 Performers
- Donovan
- Greg Brown
- Iris Dement
- Richard Thompson
- Karla Bonoff w/ Kenny Edwards, Nina Gerber & Scott Babcock
- David Lindley
- Linda Tillery
- Nina Gerber
- Rosalie Sorrels
- David Grisman Bluegrass Experience
- Robert Earl Keen
- Campbell Brothers w/Eric Bibb
- Garnet Rogers
- John McCutcheon
- James Keelaghan & Jez Lowe
- Cris Williamson w/Barbara Higbie & Teresa Trull
- Sisters Morales
- The Duhks
- City Folk w/Kimball Hurd, Keith Greeninger & Roger Feuer
- Caroline Herring
- Paul Kamm & Eleanore MacDonald
- Alisa Fineman
Additional 2005 festival photos by Max Wolf are available at www.katewolf.com/festival
The 2004 Kate Wolf festival gallery of Nicholas Wilson's photos is on the official Kate Wolf website at www.katewolf.com (opens in a new browser window).
2004 Performers
- Joan Baez
- Jackson Browne (unadvertised)
- Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes
- David Bromberg Quintet
- Tom Paxton and Anne Hills
- Maura O'Connell
- Peter Rowan & Tony Rice
- Peter Rowan & The Rowan Brothers
- Greg Brown with Nina Gerber
- Nina Gerber
- Eliza Gilkyson
- Chris Smither
- Ruthie Foster with Cyd Cassone
- Rosalie Sorrels
- The Waybacks
- Christine Kane
- Paul Kamm & Eleanore MacDonald
- Mary McCaslin
- Jimmy LaFave
- Jennifer Berezan
- Joel Rafael Band
- Banana Slug String Band
- Wavy Gravy
- Love Choir
- Peter "Madcat" Ruth
Prints available:
Archival Art prints of selected festival photos are available by special order. Audience and children photos are available only to people in the pictures and family members. Please contact mail@nwilsonphoto.com to ask about prints, and please include the file numbers of any image(s) you're interested in. More information about prints.
Special note to performers:
If your photo is included in the online photo galleries on this site, it's easy to get permission to use it on your own website and other uses under terms detailed on the Notes for Musicians and Performers page.
Publications interested in editorial use of photos please write to mail@nwilsonphoto.com or call the numbers listed on the contact page.
For more about
visit: www.katewolf.com
For more about the Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival see: www.katewolf.com/festival/
For information about the next festival see: www.cumuluspresents.com/kate/
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