The Kerrville Folk Festival, which began in 1972, has become a staple in the Texas music scene. The festival was initially held at the Kerrville Municipal Auditorium for its first two years, but as it quickly grew in popularity, it found a new home at Quiet Valley Ranch in 1974. This move to a larger venue allowed for more artists to perform and more attendees to enjoy the music and community that the festival fostered.
The festival was the brainchild of Rod Kennedy, who was invited by the Texas Commission on the Arts and Humanities to produce concerts in the Hill Country. With his background in owning the Austin folk club the Chequered Flag and organizing music festivals in the city, Kennedy was well-equipped to create an event that would bring together singer-songwriters and music lovers from all over the world. He enlisted the help of his Chequered Flag colleagues to make the festival a participatory experience, rather than just a passive listening event. This led to the creation of the New Folk Competition for songwriters, which became a signature feature of the Kerrville Folk Festival.
The move to Quiet Valley Ranch in 1974 marked a new chapter for the festival, with an extended lineup and performances by artists such as Willis Alan Ramsey, Townes Van Zandt, and Asleep at the Wheel. Despite attracting artists of great acclaim, the festival has always operated under a “no star” system, ensuring that every performer is treated equally. This approach has helped to nurture the careers of many young artists over the years, including Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, and Lyle Lovett. Today, the Kerrville Folk Festival is one of the longest continuously running music festivals in the United States, serving as a beacon for songwriters across the nation.
I mean, who would’ve thought that a little festival in Kerrville, Texas, would turn into this huge event that has been going on for over fifty years? Not me, that’s for sure. But hey, it just goes to show the power of music and community coming together. And now, with its home at Quiet Valley Ranch, the Kerrville Folk Festival continues to bring people together through the magic of song and storytelling. It’s pretty cool, if you ask me.
