Mallory, Zeke (Alison Krauss & Union Station; Carlson, Bert; Curtis, Catie; DiFranco, Ani; Dixie Power Trio; Kottke, Leo; Krauss, Alison; Lawrence, Jack; O’Connor, Mark; Watson, Doc; Williams, LaRon; Williams, Victoria et al)

Original Concert Poster: The Eighteenth Ann Arbor Folk Festival (January 28, 1995)

Ann Arbor, MI: Zeke Mallory, 1995. First Edition. Single Sheet. Signed by most festival performers. This poster memorializes the 18th Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival which took place on January 28, 1995 at the Hill Auditorium on the University of Michigan campus. This poster was designed and printed by local artist Zeke Mallory, and the roster lists ten acts slated to perform, including Doc Watson, Leo Kottke, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Victoria Williams, Mark O’Connor, & Ani DiFranco. The images of these six are collaged within this design, five of which are dark brown & blue though Doc Watson (1923-2012) is shown in lighter contrast blending into the blue background. The seven-time Grammy Award-winning Watson was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. He signed this print in silver across the center of the performer roster, and his performing partner Jack Lawrence (b. 1953) signed at the right edge near the bottom, also in silver. Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass-country band featuring Alison Krauss on fiddle, Ron Block on guitar/banjo, Adam Steffey on banjo/guitar, Barry Bales on bass/background vocals, Larry Atamanuik on drums, & Dan Tyminski on mandolin. Krauss’ signature is in silver diagonally across the lower half of her photo; Tyminski signed in silver at right edge near the lower right corner; Bales signed in silver at upper right corner of Alison's photo; Steffey signed in silver to the left of Krauss’ photo; Block signed in silver near bottom right corner above the Red Hawk logo; Atamanuik’s signature cannot be identified and may not be included. American blues and jazz guitarist Leo Kottke (b. 1945) is known for his syncopated rhythms and polyphonic melodies, and he signed in silver above his photo across the printed “January” in the event date. The prolific Canadian American singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco (b. 1970) has pulled influence from countless genres and blended them into her own unique style; she signed in silver below her photo with her trademark squiggle ending. American fiddler, guitarist, and mandolinist Mark O’Connor signed in silver in the bottom left corner to the left of his photo. American singer-songwriter Victoria Williams (b. 1958) was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just as her career began to take off in the early 1990s; nevertheless, she persisted. She signed in gold over her photo near left edge and added a scribbled smile onto the image of her face. The Dixie Power Trio is made up of Andy Kochenour, Chuck Underwood, Zachary Smith, and Byron McWilliams. The group played authentic sounding New Orleans jazz, zydeco, and Louisiana-style funk. Kochenour signed in silver in the bottom right corner; Smith signed just above his, also in silver; and the other two members may not have signed as their signatures cannot be identified. Catie Curtis (b. 1965) is a folk-rock artist whose most recent album was released in 2020, and her signature is in silver at the center near bottom edge above the printed “Auditorium”. LaRon Williams is a performer of stories and songs infused with traditional instruments like African drums; he signed in silver diagonally to the left of Alison Krauss’ photo. Guitarist Bert Carlson (?-2018) also signed in silver near the bottom right corner, though he is not listed as a performer. The only listed performer that cannot be positively identified is the MC known by the mononym Betty, though there is an unidentified signature that appears to begin with a “b”. Another unidentified signature looks like the word “Ritz,” but we cannot connect this with an act. This piece of folk music history is a unique addition to any collection. Single sheet: first edition, presumed first-&-only printing as was typical for event posters in this era. In near fine condition with minor bumping to the fine edges and corners with a small chipped section at bottom edge approximately 1” long; minor scratching, scuffing visible in some of the darker sections; verso has smudges of silver and gold ink on the bottom half of the print. Near Fine. [Item #7216]

Price: $200.00