Fulk
Receives Artist Grant
From Staff Reports
KING, N.C .-Randy Fulk is honored to be a recent recipient
of the 2004-2005 Regional Artist Project Grant. This grant
provides financial support to committed, gifted individual
artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating
artists.
The grant is awarded to projects that promise to advance the
career of the artist or group. Career development opportunities
may arise at different stages of a career; therefore, the
grant is open to emerging and established artists. The program
is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council
and is operated in partnership with Arts United for Davidson
County, the Davie County Arts Council, the Foothills Arts
Council, the Stokes County Arts Council, the Surry Arts Council
and the Yadkin Arts Council.
Fulk released his second CD, "Empty Spaces" spring
2004. "Last Song" from the album is featured on
the compilation "Authentic Voice" and is being marketed
to national folk radio by Fulk's music coach, Kari Estrin
Management of Nashville, Tenn.
This new Folk/Americana collection features Fulk's best writing
to date and stands as a enduring tribute to life in small
town America-a sentimental look back down a road that began
on a modest-sized family farm in north central North Carolina.
Over the past year, Fulk has interviewed and performed for
several radio shows, including for IBMA broadcaster of the
year nominee, Sherry Boyd. He performed for Charlotte's Ken
Linker TV Show.
Local arts councils increasingly request Fulk and his band,
Concrete Frogs, to perform at festivals and fund-raising events
such as a recent gig where they opened for The Kruger Brothers.
Fulk performed for the Fiddle and Bow Folk Music Society weekly
venue and in the past performed for the annual Folk Fest and
WFDD radio show.
Fulk was particularly honored to perform his Tori songs in
the Tori Amos Benefit for RAINN in Carraboro, NC. Fulk is
an active member of the NC Songwriter's Cooperative and plays
their venues and festivals. As a practicing viticulturist
in the emerging wine industry in Northwest N.C., wineries
and wine festivals book Fulk as he is known as the "Singing
Vintner."
As for clubs, Fulk performed at The Cave in Chapel Hill, The
Garage in Winston-Salem, PS211, Westville Pub in Asheville
among others. Fulk attends the annual Folk Alliance conference,
Swannanoa Gathering and plans to attend a new songwriting
workshop in Little Switzerland, N.C. called Solatido.
Fulk regularly performs at Villa Appalaccia Winery in Floyd,
Va. He will be there Saturday, Oct. 2 from noon to 4 p.m.
Admission is free. He will perform at the Sawbriar Acoustic
Stage in Pilot Mountain Friday, Oct. 1 from 8 to 10 p.m. Admission
is $7. Fulk will also be at the Great Grapes Wine and Music
Festival at Symphony Park at Southpark Mall in Charlotte Oct.
23.
For more information about Randy Fulk or to view his schedule
of upcoming performances, visit his website at www.randyfulk.com
or call 336-983-7051. -BRBR
September
22, 2004
Your
award is well deserved. The grant panel sensed not only your strong
talent but a significant commitment to your career. They were impressed
with the growth you've demonstrated over the past two years and looks
forward to seeing how your career progresses in the future.
Stephanie Nelson
Director of Marketing and Grants
The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County
305 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
P: 336.722.2585, Ext. 109
F: 336.761.8286
E: snelson@IntoTheArts.org
W: www.IntoTheArts.org
Critique
by Mr. Don Slepian Windrift Music
July
28, 2004
Contact:
Randy Fulk
Band: Randy Fulk and Concrete Frogs
Song: Sunshine Girl
A
fine country tune with a lilting melody and interesting lyrics that
tell an engaging story. Good singing, great playing, excellent ensemble
work, good musical mix in the recording. This would be a welcome addition
to many country radio program.
Sat,
31 Jul 2004
Greetings
from The Ancient One
Hello Randy,
I was exploring other realms in cyberspace and came upon the creative
passion which is your site. I found it to be of great merit . Yours
is a heartfelt voice. May yours be a personal soul song that touches
all blessed to cross your path.
My name is Micheal Teal. I am a Poet , Psychic and Spiritual Advisor
in Canada . I found your pages a journey of passion and purpose .
Thank you for your generosity of spirit. I wish you peace and harmony.
May you live the life you love and love the life you live.
In Surreal Beauty
Micheal Teal
The Ancient One
Thur,
8 Jul 2004
Dear
Randy,
I enjoyed your music very much last weekend at Villa Appalachia, and
have
also enjoyed listening to your CD. I like your style and selection.
I
did want to say again how much I enjoyed your art.
I'll
forward to two people here and hope
something may come of it.
God bless!
Mark DeWeese
Executive
Director for Quality Enhancement
Director of Grants and Special Projects
Ferrum College
Ferrum, VA 24088
i"Fabulous
music, wonderful CD...." - Sherry Boyd of WPAQ during interview
March 21, 2004 on the Mountain Mid Day show. Sherry Boyd was nominated
for IBMA broadcaster of the year 2003.
I
have seen and heard many songwriters perform in the 23+ year history
of Fiddle & Bow and Randy ranks up there with some of the best...
As a songwriter, Randy is a "cut above" the average
- Sonny Thomas Co-Founder The
Fiddle & Bow Folk Music Society
A
few years ago, Fulk's young second cousins - Matt Myers, 21
(bass, electric guitar) and Eli Myers, 16 (percussion, keyboards)
- started playing together and (five years later) the result
is the finely crafted "Empty Spaces," a solid collection
of song that celebrate rural life and its simple delights. Fulk
is a first rate picker, but he doesn't try to dazzle you with
his technique; his guitar is used to support his sharp lyrical
insights and his mellow appealing tenor, an instrument that
delivers his songs in a sincere, unaffected tone. Most of the
songs here deal with the way humans interact with the natural
world, not unexpected from a man whose made his living off of
the land, but even the harsh realities of drought and mortality
don't diminish Fulk's belief in the goodness of life. Fulk knows
there will always be a sunrise, even on the darkest of nights.
"Knock at the Door" looks back on a life that's been well lived,
despite the hard knocks and hardships, reminding us to count
our blessings, even on the days when things aren't going so
well. "Big Train" is in the tradition of great railroad disaster
songs, and finds hope even in the face of certain disaster,
while you could call "Unconditional Love" a secular Gospel tune,
full of hope even in the face of homelessness and other human
folly.
Few musicians these days, except maybe punk rockers, would attempt
a 50 second song, and those that did would probably base it
on a throwaway melody, but "Gravity" is an exception to the
rule. A short, beautiful melody with another wonderful punch
line: "Gravity's the reason you can fly."
- j. poet writes for Paste, Harp, Drum and Grammy.com
Hi
Randy, Sorry that it's taken me so long to get back to you! I'm listening
to your CD right now and think it's fantastic. I'd love to carry it
on FolkWeb. .... Keep up the good work! Best, Karen -- Karen LeCompte
FolkWeb 95 Kidder Ave Somerville MA 02144 http://www.folkweb.com
"Empty
Spaces" (the CD)is a real gem of excellent writing. Interesting,
to say the least, image laden, thoughtful, spiritual, intriguing,
positive, off the beaten path, and at times quite profound. - Dana
Acker http://www.ackerforge.com/
Once
again, thank you for the invitation to be
part of last night's celebration of your new CD at the
winery. It was a great evening, and Trish and I
really enjoyed your performance.
Having grown up in this area, and having been
exposed to many local musicians, I have been impressed
at times with the instrumental abilities of many,
especially in the more traditional genres, but have
felt somewhat "underwhelmed" when it came to song
writers and song writing in this area. I've
encountered excellent instrumentalists, but most
originally written songs from the locals, no matter
how hard they tried, have been in my opinion,
substandard at best, to pathetically painful at worst.
Not intending to be mean in my judgments, but I
consistantly LISTEN to and have an appreciation for
good song writing, above the tastes of many of my
contemporaries for whom music is something to have on
in the background, and as long as the beat is
good...well.... Having pursued a steady diet over
most of my 50 years, of writers like Robert Hunter,
Bob Dylan, John Barlow, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Ian
Anderson, Robert Earl Keen, Tom Waits, Townes Van
Zandt, Woodie Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn, David Hidalgo
and Louis Perez and many others, who are simply
excellent to touching genius wordsmiths, sets the bar
pretty high when it comes to my standards for judging
original songs.
Last night, I felt that you were the victim of a
less than adequate sound system, so it was hard to
hear all of your words. The music sounded real good,
and both Trish and I liked what we heard and could
tell (and appreciated the fact) that there was a lot
of heart being expressed. Every now and again a few
snippets of lyrics (read interesting lines) made it
through and we found ourselves intrigued enough to
purchase your CD.
After the concert, we went home and after getting
in a proper state of mind, put your CD on and listened
carefully, with words in hand. Wow. I'm not impressed
often. You're so low key and laid back in class, I
would have never guessed you had it in you. While the
music is fine, and I applaud your's and the band's
abilities, I must say that hearing and reading the
words was one of the better finds, musically, I've
come across in a while. "Empty Spaces" (the CD)is a
real gem of excellent writing. Interesting, to say
the least, image laden, thoughtful, spiritual,
intriguing, positive, off the beaten path, and at
times quite profound.
One of the things I use to evaluate musical
lyrics is if they give me what I call "mind movies."
Anyone can tell a story, but few can inspire the
imagery to create visual scenes in the mind, if you
will, that compliment the music that accompanies it.
Does that make sense? Anyway, we found ourselves
"transported" into the songs while listening to them.
The ability to do that with words, is a rare find, and
the mark of a special writer.
Your music is definitely not background music.
It is to be listened to--several times in our case--we
stayed up late so doing. I hope others do the same. I
am grateful to have been a part of last night's
experience.
All due respects aside, methinks despite previous
influences, you need not take your hat off to Gordon
Lightfoot or anyone else. While I like Gordon
Lightfoot's music and mean no disrespect, your writing
is much deeper, and to me, much less formula and more
thought provoking than his. I hope you get the
exposure and the promotion to get your words out to
those who can really appreciate them. I'll have a
hard time seeing you the same way in class from now
on. I've enjoyed your classes and have thought of you
as a good instructor. But after hearing your music
and writing abilities, I am honored to have you as a
teacher.
Thanks again
for the invite. Great stuff,
Randy--and I don't say that lightly.
Respectfully,
Dana Acker
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