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Live In-Studio: The Alaska Room at Folk Alliance

The Alaska Room at the 2018 Folk Alliance conference, in Kansas City, MO, was a great reason for KNBA to test some new equipment used for 'remote' broadcasts.  Michael Howard led the live music from Alaskans attending the big event down south!

For 2018, the Alaska Independent Musician Initiative (AKIMI) will present the Alaska private showcase room for the second year. Over seven Alaska-based organizations (KNBA, Parlor in the Round, Anchorage Music Co-Op, Spenard Jazzfest, Anchorage International Film Festival, Upword Creative, Taiga Creative, and more) have sponsored AKIMI and the Alaska Room to send some of Alaska’s best kept secrets to showcase in the Alaska Room.

The Folk Alliance International (FAI) Conference is the world’s largest gathering of the Folk music industry and community, crossing a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Indigenous, Old Time, Traditional, Singer-Songwriter, and Spoken Word. The annual February conference (now in its 29th year) draws over 2,000 artists and industry (agents, managers, publishers, labels, festival/venue presenters, promoters, media) dedicated to folk music. Delegates who attended the 2016 conference represented over 17 countries.

Our Alaska-based artists and ‘honorary Alaskan’ friends will perform to national and international presenters, booking agents and music industry professionals. All the performers in this room are valuable members of our community, and have each contributed to the love and downright family spirit of our home state. The Alaska Room will showcase 23 Alaskan and ‘honorary Alaskan’ artists over the course of four days in a private professional showcase setting. And it’s true, to give you a taste of the Last Frontier, we will feature a real bear in the room.

Loren’s been on the Radio in Anchorage for 30 years. Since the mid 80's he's worked with Anchorage radio stations including KWHL, KFQD, KKLV, and KMXS. His passion for Music and the 'Triple-A' radio format began in the early 90’s which led to him to help establish the format for KNBA when the station signed on in 1996. When not on the radio hosting a music show and interviewing local and national music acts, he may be on a long road trip or you’ll find him hanging out at his log cabin in the quiet, but bear filled hillside valley of his hometown Anchorage.