Eric Folkerth profile picture

Eric Folkerth

Yes, it's my real name

About Me


Get Eric's music at the iTunes Store (click the iTunes button)
..

Eric Sez...

Believe it or not, folks actually *do* ask me from time to time, "So, is that your real name?"
And my response is: "Uh, yeah."
And at that moment? In my head, I am paraphrasing "A League of Their Own..."
("There's no stage names in folk music!!!" )
I like songs with images in them that serve as metaphors take you to a deeper place. I like songs that are slightly obscure, like that last sentence. I like songs that have spirituality in them, without being preachy, dogmatic, or sectarian (look it up...). Those are among the songs I try to write. Sometimes, I'd like to think I succeed.
I have a really amazing website, with a blog attached to it, that I have spent hours creating and maintaining. But it seems to me nobody visits websites anymore. Just Myspace pages.
But, if I have managed to make you nostalgic for websites with this sad commentary, please knock yourself out and go here. (Hey, if pity works...)
As for who I am, outside of the music, here is a good place to start. This blog blog will tell you more about my inner struggles. I think you can learn a lot about somebody from the quotes they write down to keep for later. So here are some of my favorites. These are the iPod songs that my iPod tells me I am listening to most right now, and here are the books I am currently reading.
But enough about me. Now for some shameless self promotion, written in the third person to sound more impressive...

Awards

* Eric was a 2003 semi-finalist in the Wildflower Festival Songwriter Contest.
* Eric was a 2004 finalist at the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter Competition.
* Eric was a 2004 finalist at the Fifth Street Festival Songwriter Competition.
* Eric's song I Will Sing has won three prestigious awards:
--Honorable Mention in the 9th Annual Billboard Songwriter Contest
--Honorable Mention in the Great American Song Contest.
--It has also been chosen for a United Nations project, "New Songs for Peace."

Prairie Chapel Road

Eric's song "Prarie Chapel Road" has been called the "unofficial song of Camp Casey" in Crawford Texas, and has been downloaded over 3,000 times since August 2005.

Connections Band

Eric is also a part of "Connections," a cover band that stages "tribute shows" to raise money for charity. Past shows have included Dan Fogelberg, Chicago, the Eagles, James Taylor, and Carole King. To date these shows have raised more than $25,000 for worthy causes.

Quotes, and More Info

* A number of critics give Eric's CD, "Songs for the Time Being," high praise.
* Eric has shared the stage with the likes of David Wilcox, Joan Baez, Tom Prasada-Rao, Cary Cooper, Terri Hendrix, James McMurtry, Jana Stanfield, The Burns Sisters, Rachel Bissex, Peter Mayer, Bethany Yarrow, Rhett Butler, Beth Wood, Brad Thompson, Elizabeth Wills, Bill Nash, Annie Benjamin, Jayson Bales, Tracie Merchant, Elizabeth Wills, and a host of Dallas's best songwriters.
* Bob Ackerman, Dallas singer-songwriter, says "Eric's songs tell stories the way a good movie does."
* Cary Pierce, of Jackopierce, says "Eric's songs have that lullaby quality that reminds me of the stuff I grew up on."

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/26/2006
Band Website: ericfolkerth.com
Band Members: I usually play with myself. (That didn't sound right...) I play with a mini-band that includes Rick O'Connor (percussion and vocals) and Bruce Hathaway(vocals). And I play in a band called "Connections," but that's another story .

Eventually, I'm going to release another CD, which is mostly done in fact. And on that CD, there are lots of fine musicians to hear:
-- Rachel Bissex,
-- Billy Jonas,
-- Reggie Rueffer,
-- Annie Benjamin,
-- Beth Cahill

Influences: Anybody from the Kerrville Folk Festival, David Wilcox, John Gorka, Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, Patty Larkin, Peirce Pettis, Carole King, Billy Joel, Chicago, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin, Stephen Bishop, Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett, Elton John, America, Dave Loggins, Michael Martin Murphey, Paul McCartney, Nilsson, Bread, Jim Croce, Todd Rungren, Don McClean, Arlo Guthrie, Bill Withers, Janis Joplin, Greatful Dead, Beatles, Richie Havens, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, John Denver, Joan Baez, Dave Mason, The Who, Michael Penn, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Cheryl Wheeler, Peter Mayer, John Mayer, Susan Werner, Christine Lavin, The Dixie Chicks, Nancy Griffith, Ellis Paul, Tom Prasada-Rao, Jewell, Hootie and the Blowfish, Bruce Hornsby.
Sounds Like: Um...music? I give up..

OK, well maybe like some of these folks....James Taylor, David Wilcox, Dan Fogelberg, Stephen Bishop, Peter Mayer, Kerrville Folk Festival performers.
Record Label: Selfish Giant Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

5 Friends Uncensored

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vtHwWReGU0 Don't Vote. Pass it on....
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:09:00 PST

Were gonna send them, ahem, Packing...

David is certainly not "Zeman" when it comes to his choice of football teams.Yes, the Cowboys have never won in Green Bay. That's right...NEVER.Yes, it's probably the biggest game of the Pack's young ...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:37:00 PST

Would it Be Wrong to Pray for Rain?

(originally posted here)I posted the video that inspired this question to my Facebook page, and it got a couple of nice comments. So I thought I'd expand my thinking on it ...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:24:00 PST

Heartsick for NOLA and the Gulf Coast

(posted last night here)I'm heartsick tonight. Watching the ominous sight of Gustav, and knowing what I know about NOLA and all of the Gulf Co...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:02:00 PST

Why Did McCain Pick Palin?

(originally posted here) mean the above question this way: What does this pick say about his judgement? It's an i...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:10:00 PST

"Hes the best Ive ever seen"

(originally posted here)Last night was historic in many ways. Many of those ways have been duly noted in papers and blogs around the nation to...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:37:00 PST

How to Save $13,636 While Driving 100,000 Miles

(originally posted hereon 08.23.08)Did I get your attention with that headline? Hope so. Because I'm not kidding...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:55:00 PST

Where the Wild Things Are

(orignally posted hereon 08.22.08))In our North Dallas suburban neighborhood, apparently.... This ...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:12:00 PST

Why I Hate Email

(Originally posted, on 08.22.08 here)Over the past few years, I have come to a growing and inescapable conclusion: I now hate email. ...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:05:00 PST

The Reach

(Originally posted here)It's been a strange couple of days filled with life and death. My Treo says that today I'm having lunch with Russ Noland. I plan to be there. I'm ha...
Posted by Eric Folkerth on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:07:00 PST