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I'm now back in Israel after a thrilling experience participating in the Emerging Artist Showcase of the 2007 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, New York.

I was honored to be chosen from over 450 applicants from around the world (OK, most applicants probably weren't crazy enough to apply from the Middle East like I did, but there was one participant from the UK!). The festival drew tens of thousands of folk music fans to a grassy hillside with four separate stages ringing its lowest point, and the surrounding fields chocker-block with tents of all shapes and sizes.

The mainstage acts included some of the leading lights of folk music, including favorites of mine including Tracy Grammer and John Gorka. But it was the new and upcoming that really caught my interest. An jaw-dropping bluegrass girl group called the Lovell Sisters. And a sixteen-year-old phenomenon with a bunch of self-produced CDs under his belt who's been barnstorming through every songwriting competition there is - and winning! - Anthony DaCosta. I have photos of him playing my guitar... this may not mean much to you now, but I wager that in ten years or so, you'll be mighty impressed!

Another player you'd do well to get to know is Alan Goodman. Alan is a stunning, flamenco-inflected (and trained) guitar whiz, who has won two "Parents' Choice Awards for his solo acoustic albums. I was lucky enough to have Alan accompany me on my song, Giorgio Perlasca, in the showcase finals.

But by far the best part of the festival was being invited to join a camping group that included a bunch of wonderful, veteran songwriters. The late-night song circles were a magical experience, with hour after hour of original songs being sung by the people who created them. Stand-outs were David Massengill - who just happens to have written one of my favorite songs of all time, "Riders on an Orphan Train" - and Jack Hardy, an influential songwriter who was the founding editor of Fast Folk Magazine. I think it was mostly thanks to Jack that many of the "senior" songwriters at the festival (and I don't mean just in terms of age), made the trek up the hill to our campsite to sit down, have a beer, sing a little and pay their respects.

I would like to thank everyone who made this trip possible: the many, many Israeli fans who turned up for my June and July shows, members of my international mailing list who bought (extra copies of!) my CDs and/or donated to the cause, and of course my family, who survived my absence and were still smiling (and breathing!) upon my return. It's good to be home, with sweet memories to keep me going until the next adventure rolls around.

- Sandy