In every community, there are devoted people behind the scenes helping to make the folk music scene vibrant, thriving by keeping the wheels rolling. Whether it's a longtime volunteer at a folk club or house concert series, a festival or venue director, a local folk radio host, or a writer who reviews CDs or concerts - one common thread is that these people love the music. They are passionate about serving artists and fans and making sure the folk scene in their community is strong and active.

We chose the name Folk Spokes from listener submissions for Folk Alley's new feature because spokes support wheels while connecting an unbroken circle of the best of musical traditions. Folk Spokes is an opportunity for you to nominate the unsung individuals (or spokes) in your community and to give them a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Andy Spence

Andy Spence from Voorheesville, New York has been an entrepreneur and producer for over thirty years in the field of folk and traditional music, based in the Albany, NY area. She was a founding member of the Pick'n and Sing'n Gather'n (still gathering to do the same today) and, most notably, Old Songs, Inc. Still under Andy's direction, Old Songs has been presenting folk concerts in the Albany area since 1977, as well as offering contra dances and instrument instruction. But Old Songs is best known for the annual Old Songs Festival which will celebrate it's 29th year in 2009.

Andy is also the founder and proprietor of the folk music mail order business Andy's Front Hall which, though considerably downsized today, still sells some of the classic recordings they produced themselves in the 1970s and '80s.

Dedicated to presenting folk, traditional, Celtic and world music and dance in New York's Capital District, Andy Spence continues to carry on the tradition.

Nominated By: Roger Mock

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