Philadelphia Folk Festival 2016: Old and new voices mingle

When legendary radio DJ and Philadelphia Folk Festival co-founder Gene Shay retired from his post at WXPN's "The Folk Show" last year, aficionados of rural, rustic mountain music freaked out that their festival would go asunder.

"Oh, I'll still be around," Shay said not long ago, he told me in May when I asked him if he'd be a part of this weekend's 55th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Shay will handle PFF 55's pre-stage patter, with an assist from fellow WXPN regulars David Dye, Helen Leicht and Kathy O'Connell. Joining their storied ranks is author, musician and recently-minted local Wesley Stace - the artist formerly known as John Wesley Harding - who will act as guest emcee throughout the campground's proceedings.

"I'm not sure Mr. Shay needs any help, but we'll be dividing up introductions. I'll be in good hands, and so will you," said Stace. Stace hosts the New York's Cabinet of Wonders stage show and is "used to maintaining a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere on stage," he says, "and can't imagine anything that would throw me - just don't throw anything at me."

Stace is ready for his new gig. "I'm willing to put on quite a serious voice to deliver messages about misparked vehicles and egregious behaviors at the campsite, such as overly aggressive campfire strumming."

The myriad acts in the country, folk, bluegrass and blues genres make the usual joyful noise of the festival an end-of-summer must. Outlaw country poets such as Marty Stuart (6:45 p.m. Sunday, Martin Guitar Main Stage), nu-country lion Anderson East (9:45 p.m. Friday, Martin Guitar Main Stage), Latino roots rockers Los Lobos (9:30 p.m. Sunday, Martin Guitar Main Stage), multi-string master David Grisman (playing as Del & Dawg; 9:50 Saturday, Martin Guitar Main Stage), eerie folk goddess Buffy Saint Marie (6:10 p.m. Saturday, Martin Guitar Mainstage), pop-protest legends Peter Yarrow (4:40 p.m. Saturday, Martin Guitar Main Stage) and Si Kahn (7:50 p.m. Saturday, Martin Guitar Main Stage) are but a handful of greats playing PFF 55.

"We're excited to make noise and hang out in Philly," said Anderson East, 28, the soulful Alabama-ian of bringing the Biblical heft of 2015's Delilah to the festival. With a sound based in gospel and R&B beyond his country and bluegrass side, he never thought much of his musician depth besides what was in his church growing up. "All I knew is what was on the pop station. However, some Southern and classic rock managed to slip in like the Eagles and ZZ Top."

Sarah Larsen, the 24-year-old, Wisconsin-born, South Philly-based classical-violinist-turned-country singer is on her fourth PFF. She previously appeared with her sweet trio Ladybird, but this year, she pushes her rough-and-tumble Hurricane Hoss (3:30 p.m. Friday, Martin Guitar Main Stage) onto its stages. Larsen extolled the virtues of the fest's camaraderie. "It's led to the most enduring relationships in my life-Ben Arnold, John Francis, John Flynn Marc Silver," she said. "This folk fest is all about joining up with as many people as possible and seeing old friends."

Young folks aside, there are internationally renowned bluegrass cats such as Kahn, 72, who played PFF in the past and sang so many civil rights soliloquies that he can't recall his first engagement. "My guess is that it was as many as 40 years ago, possibly not long after my very first album - I'm now up to 18. Playing the Philadelphia Folk Festival even once is a serious honor for any musician, let alone to return for this special 55th anniversary."

One of the reasons Kahn returns - usually alone, guitar in hand - is that PFF recognizes the "very broad roots and varieties of folk music," incorporating Klezmer, Zydeco, Cajun, doo-wop, R&B, plus a wide variety of ethnic and religious traditions such as Jewish liturgical music, African American blues and work songs, musical theater and early rock and roll.

"I feel particularly at home at this festival that has such a broad, welcoming definition of 'folk music'."

The 55th Annual Philadephia Folk Festival. Thursday-Sunday, Old Pool Farm, 1323 Salford Station Road, Upper Salford Township, Ticket prices for daily shows and multiple days, along with schedules and campground/lodging suggestions can be found at folksong.ticketleap.com/55fest