Host Jim Rooney Celebrates Five Decades Of Folk In Newport

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Jim Rooney has been involved in music for more than 50 years, ever since his debut in 1954 on Boston's WCOP "Hayloft Jamboree." On August 1 and 2, he celebrates five decades of folk music in Newport as Host of George Wein's Folk Festival 50. In 1960, Jim teamed up with banjoist Bill Keith to form a musical partnership which has lasted to this day. Jim was at the center of the folk revival of the '60's, managing the famous Club 47 in Cambridge, home to Joan Baez, Tom Rush, The Kweskin Jug Band, Geoff & Maria Muldaur and many others. He was also a Director and the talent coordinator of the folk festival in Newport, which introduced such rising young artists as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, Van Morrison, John Hartford and Kris Kristofferson.

Jim subsequently lived in Woodstock, NY, during which time he managed Albert Grossman's Bearsville Sound Studios, where the Band, Van Morrison, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, John Hartford, and Paul Butterfield recorded. He also became a charter member of the Woodstock Mountains Revue along with Bill Keith, Happy & Artie Traum, John Herald, Pat Alger, Roly Salley, and Larry Campbell. Jim toured extensively with the Revue as well as with Peter Rowan and Bill Keith in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. In more recent years, Jim has played with Bill Keith, Eric Weissberg, and Kenny Kosek in the New Blue Velvet Band.

In 1976, Jim moved to Nashville where he became associated with "Cowboy" Jack Clement. That association led him into engineering and producing records. He is best known for his work with many singer-songwriters including Grammy-nominated albums with John Prine, Iris DeMent, Peter Rowan, Tom Paxton and a Grammy-winning album, "Other Voices, Other Rooms, " with Nanci Griffith. In 1986, Jim became a founding partner in the Forerunner Music Group, publishing the songs of Pat Alger, Hal Ketchum, Pete Wasner, Shawn Camp, Tony Arata, and Tim O'Brien, among others. The company had chart success with hits by Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Hal Ketchum, Vince Gill, and Brooks & Dunn.

Jim spends one-third of the year in Ireland outside of Galway and splits the rest of his time between Nashville and Vermont with his wife Carol Langstaff. He performs occasionally in Nashville and Ireland with his stellar group ROONEY'S IRREGULARS, with whom he has recorded two albums, "My Own Ignorant Way" and "Farewell To The Tracks, " available through JRP Records in the U.S. and Appaloosa Records in Italy and Europe. Jim has written two books about music: BOSSMEN: BILL MONROE & MUDDY WATERS" (DaKapo Press) and BABY LET ME FOLLOW YOU DOWN: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY OF THE CAMBRIDGE FOLK YEARS, co-written with Eric Von Schmidt (University of Massachusetts Press).

On Saturday, August 1, from 11:30 am - 7:00 pm at Newport's Fort Adams State Park on Harrison avenue, George Wein's Folk Festival 50 presents A Singalong with Pete & Tao Seeger and Friends; The Decemberists; Fleet Foxes; Gillian Welch; The Avett Brothers; Billy Bragg; Iron & Wine; Mavis Staples; Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman; Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Ben Kweller; The Low Anthem; Tift Merritt; Brett Dennen; Tao Rodriguez Seeger; Langhorne Slim.

Folk Festival 50 continues at Fort Adams on Sunday, August 2, from 11:00 am - 7:00 pm with Pete & Tao Seeger and Friends with special guest Judy Collins; Joan Baez; Arlo Guthrie; Neko Case; The Campbell Brothers; Josh Ritter; Elvis Perkins in Dearland; Tim Eriksen & Shape Note Singers; The Del McCoury Band; Guy Clark; David Rawlings Machine; Balfa Toujours; Dala; Deer Tick; Joe Pug.

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