Amy Dixon-Kolar
Singer/Songwriter - Acoustic Folk/Contemporary/Traditional/Celtic
What's New - a place for news, announcements and photos
Honors -
2010 Music2Life Songwriting Competition: I am honored to announce that my song "Rosa Sat" was first runner-up in the 2010 Music2Life: Songs for Social Change contest. Music2Life is sponsored by the Public Domain Foundation, established by Noel Paul Stookey to work with musicians and non-for-profit organizations. Nine judges (including a number of my life-long musical heroes) whittled down three-hundred and forty songs to ten.
To have my song reviewed by such an auspicious group of judges and come in second is just wonderful. The judges included: Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Buffy St. Marie, Christine Lavin, Paul Winter, Kathy Matea, Baby Jay and Amy Carol Webb. Congratulations to all the finalists. Each and every song was fantastic, as were the writers. You can find out more about Music2Life and the Public Domain Foundation by clicking on their names.
Here's a video posted by Noel giving you a taste of all eleven finalists:
Sister Singer's Network Festival: The Water mass chorus (225 voices!) performed 'Rosa Sat' at the closing of their Festival in Chicago on July 4. I was thrilled to be able to attend and hear my song being done by such talented singers. Amazing!
Whole Wheat Radio - Whole Wheat Radio named me the artist of the day on June 24! Have you listened to WWR lately?? If you're not, you're missing something good. Tune in here.
WDCB's Folk Festival with Lilli Kuzma has chosen Now It's Time and Rosa Sat as favorites for 2009!
The Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) has chosen me to appear in their juried showcase on October 10, 2009. More information can be found at the FARM Gathering website.
The 2008 Great Lakes Songwriting contest and the 2008 Independent Singer-Songwriter Association Song Contest have both recognized my song "Child of Three Mothers" with honorable mentions. Since these are my first ventures into songwriting contests, I'm very happy with the honors. You can listen to 'Child of Three Mothers" here. (October, 2008)
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The San Francisco Art Exchange has put up a photo exhibit inspired by "Rosa Sat". To honor Black History Month, SFAE has gathered photos never before exhibited together of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. If you are in the San Francisco area February 1 - March 20, 2010, be sure to check out the exhibit. More information here.
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August, 2009 - Northeast Tour
I had the great opportunity to do a few shows in Vermont and Maine in August. Wonderful venues, wonderful hosts, wonderful audiences!! As you can tell, the trip was all around fantastic. Vermont and Maine are beautiful. A few pics:
Playing in the barn in Underhill, VT. Storytelling in Kennebunk, ME Playing with the wonderful Jennifer
Beautiful setting!! There's always a story... Armstrong in Belfast, ME
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March, 2008 I was interviewed by Michael Teach from Chicago Acoustic Underground I had a great time talking with Michael and playing music. The interview was just put up on-line. Click HERE to play the interview. Or you can download the podcast through ITunes. Michael is a great supporter of local musicians and he has put up 146 interviews to date. He told me they get more than 100,000 downloads per month. Great fun! (August, 2008)
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CD Release Party was great fun!! Thanks to all those who joined me at Bill's Blues on Sunday night, August 31st. We had over 40 people at Bill's and it was a great night of music, food, friends and family. I was honored to be joined on stage by three musicians whose music I admire - John Abbey, Steve Dawson, and Mark Dvorak. I don't get to play with a 'back-up band' much, and these guys were the best around!! Here are a few pictures from the show. (August 31, 2008)
Must be a serious song... Playing with Steve Steve me John Mark
What an incredible back-up band! Thanks guys!!! With Mark after the show. Exhausted but happy with the night.
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Jim Malcolm's house concert was a great success! We had about 40 folks squeeze into the house for a wonderful evening. Everone loved it and many have already asked when Jim is coming back. I'm sure we'll try to set something up for the next time he comes through town. Some pictures of the evening are below. Check out Jim's website at <http://www.jimmalcolm.com> (March, 2008)
2010 Music2Life Songwriting Competition: I am honored to announce that my song "Rosa Sat" was first runner-up in the 2010 Music2Life: Songs for Social Change contest. Music2Life is sponsored by the Public Domain Foundation, established by Noel Paul Stookey to work with musicians and non-for-profit organizations. Nine judges (including a number of my life-long musical heroes) whittled down three-hundred and forty songs to ten.
To have my song reviewed by such an auspicious group of judges and come in second is just wonderful. The judges included: Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Buffy St. Marie, Christine Lavin, Paul Winter, Kathy Matea, Baby Jay and Amy Carol Webb. Congratulations to all the finalists. Each and every song was fantastic, as were the writers. You can find out more about Music2Life and the Public Domain Foundation by clicking on their names.
Here's a video posted by Noel giving you a taste of all eleven finalists:
Sister Singer's Network Festival: The Water mass chorus (225 voices!) performed 'Rosa Sat' at the closing of their Festival in Chicago on July 4. I was thrilled to be able to attend and hear my song being done by such talented singers. Amazing!
Whole Wheat Radio - Whole Wheat Radio named me the artist of the day on June 24! Have you listened to WWR lately?? If you're not, you're missing something good. Tune in here.
WDCB's Folk Festival with Lilli Kuzma has chosen Now It's Time and Rosa Sat as favorites for 2009!
The Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) has chosen me to appear in their juried showcase on October 10, 2009. More information can be found at the FARM Gathering website.
The 2008 Great Lakes Songwriting contest and the 2008 Independent Singer-Songwriter Association Song Contest have both recognized my song "Child of Three Mothers" with honorable mentions. Since these are my first ventures into songwriting contests, I'm very happy with the honors. You can listen to 'Child of Three Mothers" here. (October, 2008)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The San Francisco Art Exchange has put up a photo exhibit inspired by "Rosa Sat". To honor Black History Month, SFAE has gathered photos never before exhibited together of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. If you are in the San Francisco area February 1 - March 20, 2010, be sure to check out the exhibit. More information here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
August, 2009 - Northeast Tour
I had the great opportunity to do a few shows in Vermont and Maine in August. Wonderful venues, wonderful hosts, wonderful audiences!! As you can tell, the trip was all around fantastic. Vermont and Maine are beautiful. A few pics:
Playing in the barn in Underhill, VT. Storytelling in Kennebunk, ME Playing with the wonderful Jennifer
Beautiful setting!! There's always a story... Armstrong in Belfast, ME
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
March, 2008 I was interviewed by Michael Teach from Chicago Acoustic Underground I had a great time talking with Michael and playing music. The interview was just put up on-line. Click HERE to play the interview. Or you can download the podcast through ITunes. Michael is a great supporter of local musicians and he has put up 146 interviews to date. He told me they get more than 100,000 downloads per month. Great fun! (August, 2008)----------------------------------------------------------
CD Release Party was great fun!! Thanks to all those who joined me at Bill's Blues on Sunday night, August 31st. We had over 40 people at Bill's and it was a great night of music, food, friends and family. I was honored to be joined on stage by three musicians whose music I admire - John Abbey, Steve Dawson, and Mark Dvorak. I don't get to play with a 'back-up band' much, and these guys were the best around!! Here are a few pictures from the show. (August 31, 2008)
Must be a serious song... Playing with Steve Steve me John Mark
What an incredible back-up band! Thanks guys!!! With Mark after the show. Exhausted but happy with the night.
----------------------------------------------------------
Jim Malcolm's house concert was a great success! We had about 40 folks squeeze into the house for a wonderful evening. Everone loved it and many have already asked when Jim is coming back. I'm sure we'll try to set something up for the next time he comes through town. Some pictures of the evening are below. Check out Jim's website at <http://www.jimmalcolm.com> (March, 2008)
Here are links to videos up on YouTube of some of Jim's past performances:
Glenlogie
A Man's a Man For All That
Blindness of My Youth
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I've gone commercial (well, sort of). July '07 I sang at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Arts Festival. Great festival by the way! They have developed a promotional show which features two of my songs. "For Harper" is used over the exhibit section and "Wild Mountain Thyme" for the music section, and closes out the show. I'm honored to have my music included with so many other fantastic local musicians. Check it out if you have few minutes - Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Presentation
