Friday, April 8, 2022: The Alaska Folk Festival draws talent from across the state. Linda Buckley releases new children’s book, The Humpback in the Herring.

At the Juneau Airport, you can tell the Alaska Folk Festival is back, with musicians milling around, carrying guitars, mandolins and violins – and occasionally someone hefting a big stand-up bass.

On Friday’s show, Juneau Afternoon continues its week-long celebration of the festival with live studio performances from Robin Hopper, a singer-songwriter from Chugiak, known for her velvety voice and songs about Alaska.

• Also on this program, Mike and Matt Faubion, a father and son duo from Anchorage, who have a mind-meld going, in which one guitarist finishes the other’s musical phrases.
• And a children’s book about a whale, will be launched Saturday at the Whale statue downtown.

Andy Kline hosts Friday’s program.  You can catch Juneau Afternoon,Tuesday through Friday, live at 3:00 p.m. on KTOO Juneau 104.3. The rebroadcast airs at 7:00 p.m. on KTOO. You can also listen online at ktoo.org.

For more information about Juneau Afternoon or to schedule time on the show, email juneauafternoon@ktoo.org.

Part 1: Alaska Folk Festival features original music from Alaskan artists.

Guests: Robin Hopper, Chugiak. Mike and Matt Faubion, Anchorage.
The paths to writing music are as varied as the artist. Robin Hopper, a Chugiak singer-songwriter, says many of her songs are inspired by real-life Alaskan stories, with her love of people woven into the lyrics. Mike and Matt Faubion, a father son duo, say that their songs often start with a melody, and the words follow, usually drawn from life experiences. Matt’s new CD, Conversations with Your Ghost, is about the break-up of a relationship.

 

 

Part 2: Linda Buckley's books help children explore the interconnectedness of life.

Guests: Linda Buckley, Juneau writer.

In 2019,  when Linda Buckley wrote her first children’s book,  A Bear in the Blueberry, her son, Jim, began pushing her to write a sequel. He even suggested the title, The Humpback in the Herring. Both books have science woven into the stories. Like the first book about bears, which was loaded with lots of information about them, her new book has lots of facts about whales. Both encourage children to look at the circle of life.