Hannah Coates
Staff Writer
The Folk Festival had many entertainers and a variety of musical acts, but none pleased the crowd more than Rosanne Cash, the daughter of the music legend Johnny Cash.
This American singer-songwriter, nominated for 12 Grammys, graced the Folk Festival’s Altria Stage this past Saturday. Those who grew up listening to Rosanne’s music and those hearing it for the first time listened as she played country classics.
Not only was her musical performance well-executed, but her humorous quips between songs showed her expertise at live performance; she definitely knew how to please a crowd.
During one of Cash’s stories she explained the background of her latest album titled “The List.” The album is based off of a list her father gave her at 18, just as she was about to join him on his road show.
This list included one hundred essential country songs, according to Johnny Cash himself, which she was required to learn before she could perform with him. She chose her favorites from that list to share with the crowd at the Folk Festival, as well as a few original numbers.
Even though Cash cherished the list, she found it in need of an addition. She took the liberty of making it into the top 101 country songs and added the song “Ode to Billy Joe,” originally performed by Bobbie Gentry. During her performance of the song, the crowd’s energy escalated. Many clapped and cheered, while others joined her in singing of the classic.
For a fairly well-known artist, Cash’s free performance on Saturday was a rare occasion. She explained that she has worked closely with an organization called Children Incorporated for the past 25 years.
The nonprofit provides long-term assistance to underprivileged children in the United States and in 22 other countries under the belief that children everywhere deserve education, hope and opportunity. According to Cash, they are “lacking an arrogance that so many other charities have,” so when they asked if she would encourage donations at their booth this year she jumped at the idea.
But it wasn’t just her appearance that raised money for her beloved charity – it was her absence. On Friday, the first night of the festival, there was a fundraiser for Children Incorporated, which she could not attend.
Her flight from New York to Richmond, which usually takes 30 minutes, took nearly 13 hours due to an unexpected delay on DELTA airlines. After landing, Cash turned the delay into an opportunity and tweeted a joking plea for DELTA – which she said stood for “Doesn’t Ever Leave The Airport” – to donate to her cause for the inconvenience.
Although it cannot be confirmed if DELTA airlines donated money to Children Incorporated, it cannot be denied that Rosanne Cash still tried to instill the country spirit of good company and good music upon the crowd.