The International Folk Alliance conference is an annual event that draws together music industry professionals from throughout  the world to share ideas, network, and celebrate traditional music and dance.  It is an event of celebration, education, and entertainment with over 2000 registered attendees, 50 panel discussions and educational workshops, 200 juried showcases (Performance Alley) and 300 unofficial showcases.

On Thursday through Saturday of the event, Hadley Music Group will also be hosting a private showcase room where Borzilova will be performing along with a lineup of guest artists such as Nora Jane Struthers, Irene Kelley, Will Kimbrough, David Olney, Tiller’s Folly, Wyatt Easterling, Tomy Womack, Drew Nelson & Wil Maring.

This will be Borzilova’s first time attending the conference.

The songs are both about the biblical Christmas story of the Christ child’s birth. They are already receiving many downloads by radio and we are excited for Donna to finish writing the album and recording it for full release in 2012.

DJs who receive the CD or download the songs and want Christmas liners done, please email Kathy Anderson your script at kanderson(at)hadleymusicgroup.com by December 5, 2011 and Donna will be happy to do them and send you and mp3.

Kyle Cantrell, host of Bluegrass Junction on SiriusXM with Donna Ulisse

Once again Donna Ulisse was the guest of Kyle Cantrell, host of Track by Track on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction Channel 61 in early October. The show is an hour long interview that goes through the artist’s new release “track by track” as Kyle interviews them about the stories behind the songs, the recording of the album and other various items of interest in their careers.

Naturally on this taping they were discussing Donna’s newest release, An Easy Climb. The show will air four times per the schedule listed below.

Wednesday, November 30 @ 11 AM Eastern
Thursday, December 1@ 9 PM Eastern
Saturday, December 3 @ 8 AM Eastern
Sunday, December 4 @ 11 AM Eastern

As Ulisse has more success writing and recording her own songs, she is receiving more requests from other acts for songs out of her catalog. She also continues to co-write with a variety of other singer-songwriters as well as alone.

Natasha Borzilova performing on Music City Roots

Late in July of 2011 Natasha Borzilova made her first appearance on Music City Roots which is a weekly, two-hour radio show that revives the historic legacy of live musical radio production in Nashville. Broadcast on Wednesday nights from 7pm to 9pm, CST, Music City Roots, Live From The Loveless Cafe showcases Nashville’s astonishing music scene, from country and Americana to more progressive interpreters of tradition — a “roots and branches” format that brings together fans of different tastes and generations. Presented live from the stage of the Loveless Barn, this show showcases purveyors of authenticity across many genres.

The show was called their “Girl Power” night as there were many female singer songwriters on the lineup including Tara Nevins with The Heartbeats
Frontier Ruckus, Lera Lynn, Angela Easterling & The Beguilers and .Amanda Shires

Journalist Craig Havighurst of String Theory Media wrote this about Natasha’s performance:

“Natasha Borzilova is a fascinating young artist. Russian-born and a veteran of some serious touring and attention as part of Bering Strait, she writes songs that defy conventions and turn unexpected corners. And if that doesn’t keep your attention, her big round and expressive voice will. “Balancing Act” was a highlight.”

Below is a video clip of Natasha performing the title track to her first solo release “Cheap Escape”.  She wrote the song with label mate Donna Ulisse.

Donna Ulisse sound check in Kremlin Square in Vologda, Russia

At the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in Russia, Donna Ulisse & The Poor Mountain Boys made their first international trip in July 2011 performing as the only American act at four bluegrass festivals in Russia. They were considered music ambassadors playing this true American art form of music in the cities and towns of Vologda, Semenkovo and Yekaterinburg. The festivals were a gift from the U.S. Embassy to the people of Russia and also featured several Russian bluegrass bands.

While there, Donna was interviewed by countless television and radio hosts and also appeared on their morning TV show. It was a whirlwind of seven days from the time they left the U.S. until the returned but the trip was a huge success. To read more about the tour from Donna’s perspective and see more photos, visit her website by clicking here.

]]> http://hadleymusicgroup.com/2011/07/29/donna-ulisse-tours-russia/feed/ 0 http://hadleymusicgroup.com/2011/06/05/an-easy-climb-epk-released/ http://hadleymusicgroup.com/2011/06/05/an-easy-climb-epk-released/#comments Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:51:56 +0000 admin http://hadleymusicgroup.com/?p=266 View the new video about the making of Donna Ulisse’s new CD An Easy Climb. Video production by Craig Havighurst of  String Theory Media.

Musicians on the CD are Rob Ickes on dobro, Viktor Krauss on upright bass, Scott Vestal on banjo, Keith Sewell on acoustic guitar and Andy Leftwich on fiddle and mandolin.

L to R : Anna Uptain Denison, Natasha, Louise Mosrie

Natasha Borzilova began playing a limited number of appearances after the birth of her second child in February of this year. In March she returned to Moonlight on the Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama sharing the bill with folk singer songwriter Louise Mosrie who’s album “Home” was a #1 Folk album in early 2010.

She has upcoming tour dates in Georgia, Kansas and Florida and will only be accepting dates that require short trips until the baby is a bit older.