2026 Folk Hero Online
Click on the links to open each video. (please note that youtube links often have advertisements which you can skip but occasionally you have to sit through them).
Please rank in order 1 through 8 with #1 for your favorite and #8 for your least favorite.
When you have decided please send your vote and select “reply all” in your outgoing email to include all board members. No later than July 25, by noon.
1-Collide
Collide lands at the intersection of folk, rock, country, and Americana, with an alchemy of sound that is inviting, thoughtful, and fun. Their debut album, Union Station, hit #16 on the Folk Alliance chart with songs that spring from a lifelong well of love, loss, joy, and hope. Their music was described as “the thoughtful, folksy Americana we didn't know we were missing” by Tony Mora, KUNM Radio, Albuquerque. Formed on the eve of the COVID pandemic in late 2019, Collide consists of Washington, DC singer/songwriter Catherine Messina Pajic and California-bred musician Daniel Ogden. Catherine - the driving creative force behind the music - had been a writer and composer since college, long before she met Daniel, a multi-instrumentalist with solid chops from his years in cover bands. Together, they create music that their fans describe as both powerful and enchanting. Collide appears regularly at cafes, art shows, and music festivals in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, offering original ballads and upbeat tunes you can dance to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9fEs4ytfes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NbuLDg0KGc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw6flpr4lEE&list=RDFw6flpr4lEE&start_radio=1
2-Derek Burkins
I have been a musician since I first started playing trumpet at age 8 and now have been playing guitar & banjo, and writing songs, as a singer/songwriter (both solo and with my trio) for over 30 years now. While I still play trumpet in multiple wind bands, an orchestra, and a brass quintet, I also spend most of the year playing my songs all over the northeast at farmer's markets, summer music series', and coffeehouses (with the occasional bar/restaurant gig thrown in for good measure). In addition, I help run a coffeehouse in Lebanon, NH called the "Anonymous Coffeehouse." I currently have one album out called "Ten Years and 29 Days" and am working on a second album with many of the songs written, but still in the recording process. After teaching for 30 years, I am now retired and able to focus on bringing as much music to our communities as I can, I feel like we all need a bit more music in our lives these days! Currently I live in Vermont, but have a large family in Delaware and spent my summers as a kid down near Rehoboth. I would love a chance to come down to visit and play at the festival!
https://youtu.be/BB3KpJlnxmM?si=zhoWopAEnYbATCdf
3-Wattle & Daub
We're a folk duo based in Grayslake and we know we're far away, but Susan has never been to Delaware and needs to check it off her list.! We'd love to come play for you. Wattle & Daub’s authentic acoustic voice is rooted in their passion for the power of the folk music tradition. From the heart of the midwest,, husband and wife singer-songwriters, Tim and Susan Mocarski are dedicated to keeping folk culture alive and kicking through participation, social commentary, and entertainment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wfwdxBp1JI
4-Wilbur
Hi, I'm Wilbr, a Virginia-based singer-songwriter who's been playing guitar since I was a kid. Songwriting became my way of making sense of life's twists and turns, and it's grown into a passion for telling honest, heartfelt stories through music. My songs explore resilience, growth, and the moments that connect us, and I hope each performance leaves people feeling a little lighter than when they arrived. I'm excited to share my music across the Mid-Atlantic region and I am grateful for every chance to meet new listeners and become part of this wonderful folk community.
5-David Scott Weaver
“Exquisite songwriting, emotive performances and driving instrumentation” is how FV Music Blog describes David Scott Weaver, an award-winning songwriter who crafts tunes in a range of genres from Americana to Folk, Bluegrass, Gospel and Rock. Weaver has earned recognition in multiple songwriting competitions, including the World Songwriting Awards, the Global Music Awards and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, where he won top honors for his song “Going Home.” Over the years, Weaver has collaborated with Mary Chapin Carpenter’s longtime producer John Jennings, GRAMMY-award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, and co-written with the legendary songwriter Louisa Branscomb. The Whistling Traveler Music Blog writes that his songs offer “vivid storytelling frames and immersive evocation,” while The Other Side Reviews notes that Weaver “crafts engaging melodies that speak to the heart while tantalizing the ears.”
6-Josh Brokaw-Solo
Roadside Rhythms - that's the name of Josh Brokaw's act and it's how he lives his life, as a wandering bard living out of a DIY tour bus. Writing, playing, and singing from Florida to Arizona, California and back to the East Coast. Wielding guitar & harmonica, Josh plays offbeat originals and timeless classics for audiences coast to coast. When the compass turns east, he’s guided back to the green hills, meandering waterways, and golden fields of Delmarva. Visit his world of sonic wonder at roadsiderhythms.com.
https://youtu.be/EUZO0Twbn4E?si=sM0GLZ9OCo-sbjQo
7-Joe Barbella
I am a singer/songwriter currently living in Lewes, DE. I graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a BFA in Illustration. In addition to my career in fine art I have spent many years as a folk singer. I have produced six albums. I have performed in many venues including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, World Cafe Live, Penns Landing, Listening Booth in Lewes DE as well as many other southern Delaware venues. My music also appears in the WHYY music library. I have received “Chart-Topping Artists” and “Trending Alternative Music” playlists on Reverbnation.com. My music can be heard on Spotify, Apple music, Amazon, Youtube and many other streaming services as well as on soundcloud.com and reverbnation.com. For more information visit my website at joebarbella.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCjhGgwFHXY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqYtxBhoroA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ms-sN6N7_o
8-Treefolk and Mulch
Treefolk is back and ready to avenge oneself! Presenting: 'Treefolk with Mulch', a dynamic two-piece folk punk band from Delaware, consisting of a guitar, a kazoo, and an acoustic bass. Known for their quick-beat lyrics revolving around environmentalism, mutual aid, and humans' conflict with nature, 'Treefolk with Mulch' embodies what folklore and storytelling is all about. Their lyricism coupled with dance-worthy basslines provide for a performance sure to captivate the audience and leave them yearning for a better world ahead. With hundreds of shows under Treefolk's belt, it was only natural for some acoustic bass-ridden Mulch to be added to the mix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYtprurZyBQ&list=PLbXVrEHSwz7o&index=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPvee5rYm70&list=PLbXVrEHSwz7o&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHh9IO9A2mk&list=PLbXVrEHSwz7o&index=3