Short Bio

To kick off 2023 Ron Fetner released his 7th album “Down A Gravel Road”.  In January/February the album reached #12 on the FAI/Folk DJ List/ NACC radio charts. 

Combining southern roots, soulful songwriting with contemporary folk storytelling, this musical path led to wins at the prestigious Kerrville (TX) NewFolk, 2x Gold Winner Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (Songwriter Association of Washington, DC), and awards at Merlefest’s Chris Austin Song Contest, and Austin (TX) Songwriting Group.  Performances at Kerrville, MerleFest, South Florida Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Festival, Blue Bird Cafe and the Tucson Folk Festival, among others.  

“…This irrepressible guitarist and singer draws on traditional folk, southeastern roots music and early blues and jazz to create his own earnest brand of Americana” Connect Savannah News, Savannah, GA  

 “…truly was phenomenal, overwhelming…a unique blend of New England folk and the soul of the South.” – Barry Graham, “Acoustic Highway”, WHRV  

“…One of the greatest songwriters I’ve ever known.  Ron is able to bring out the old movie projector and I settle in with the popcorn. He will take you there…Brenda Barkley, Talent Buyer-TFAM

 

Full Bio

Ron Fetner released his 7th album to kick off the 2023. In January/February the album “Down A Grave Road” reached #12 on the FAI/Folk DJ List/ NACC radio charts.

Ron Fetner’s is approaching a five-decade music career with 35 years devoted to a singer/songwriter tag. His first solo album, This Box I’m Looking Through, found its way to Folk/Acoustic/Americana radio. As an example, the title song ended up with the honor of “one of the most played songs on NPR/Public Radio’s 35 year run Folk Sampler with Mike Flynn”.  By the time Ron’s second offering “Turning For Home” hit the market, he had garnished a Kerrville NewFolk winner award, Mid Atlantic Songwriter Contest Gold title, and a Chris Austin Song Contest finalist spot at Doc Watson’s Merlefest. Performance stops were at venues like Nashville’s Bluebird Café and Radio Café, Atlanta’s Eddies Attic, DC’s Bayou and festivals like South Florida, Tucson, Gamble Rogers and Falcon Ridge, to name a few.  Plus, numerous stops at coffeehouses/ house concerts throughout the country. Follow-up recordings include Defying Gravity, Sunday Morning Blue, Watch Your Step (with blues harpist Tom Dikon) and a nod to his rocking bluesy DC/Georgetown days with 2017’s “BlueHouse Project. Post pandemic Ron has settled back into the story song chair. 

The new release kicks off with the title track, Down A Gravel Road, a song about the change of season and missing a loved one while walking down a gravel road. (Michael Lille, solo/fills, acoustic, electric guitars). Crossed The Scarecrow, with its Bluegrass 6/8 feel, follows with a unique look at conquering the obstacles of life. A warm, sunny morning after a cold stormy night takes the listener to Brand New Day. A fingerstyle instrumental is next, My Little Bud named for Ron’s partner in house crimes, Spotty, the cat. I Got You, looks at those who love us as we age. (Michael Lille- solo). A re-record/remix of White Cotton is next, a story song from the cotton fields of the south. (Michael Lille on resonator guitar and Mark Wenner on harp). Carolina Rain, re-record/re-mix, takes us to the North Carolina mountains. (Michael Tramonte-Keys). A remix of Newport Blue connects us to the docks with a shipyard workers’ blues. Final track, a solo guitar/vocal version of the award-winning This Box I’m Looking Through, (Kerrville NewFolk).

Recorded at Baywater with additional tracking and all mix production handled at award-winning Kim Person’s Cimirron/Rainbird Studio. Analog mastering by Greg Lukens. 

 Contact: booking and inquiries, fetsong@gmail.com 

www.ronfetner.com 

www.ronfetner.bandcamp.com