Author Archives: Art Menius

About Art Menius

About Art Menius Art Menius received both the B.A. (1977 with honors) and M.A. (1982) in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following three and one-half years as an Interpretations Specialist for research at the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Menius entered the music field as a writer and production assistant for the Nashville Network bluegrass and old-time music series, “Fire on the Mountain.” In September 1983 he began publishing reviews and features about roots music for publications ranging from Bluegrass Unlimited to the [Raleigh] News & Observer. Other adventures along the way have included editing and desktop publishing books for the Forest History Society, promoting a live performance bluegrass radio series on 117 commercial stations, emceeing and stage managing at dozens of music festivals in USA and Canada, and serving as a consultant on the acclaimed film, “High Lonesome.” During 1985 Menius helped create the International Bluegrass Music Association. Late that year he became the new trade association’s first executive director. Menius returned to IBMA’s Board of Directors for two terms running from 1998 through 2004. He served on the board of directors of the Old-Time Music Group, publishers of the Old-Time Herald, from 1991 thorough 1998, including six years as president. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Folk Alliance International. In 1990 the North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance elected Menius the President of its first board of directors. In April 1991 he became its first manager, serving in that capacity until June 1996. Following a period as an artistic representative, Menius became Associate Festival Coordinator for MerleFest, the enormous outdoor folk festival presented by Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC. Following a decade there, Menius served as Director of Appalshop, the acclaimed Appalachian media and arts center in Whitesburg, Kentucky from July 2007 until March 2010. On November 2, 2011, Menius completed his work as Director of Development for Common Ground on the Hill. From 2012 to 2014 he served as Executive Director of The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC before semi-retiring to freelance due to health issues.

Art Menius Radio Sponsors Folk DJs Unlocked

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DJ Registration link: https://folk.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5dc3050b8b64527eaa668e1e5&id=69ab3bd959&e=83f59e8afe

Artist Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSciWe5utH6beByhx1ahqyx_ldePD5PCowzDqVd5wvwWUvlr-A/viewform?mc_cid=5b95739262&mc_eid=83f59e8afe

During this virtual session, up to 50 artists (registered for the 2023 conference) who have filled out the form in advance will be randomly selected in real time to give a one-minute live pitch to the group via Zoom. Be as creative as you like — you can do anything during your time, including performing a bit! Even if you are not selected to give a pitch, the information you submit in the form will be passed along to the DJs after the event.

We encourage you to have your pitch ready and include your name, location, genre, and the title of your latest release. We look forward to seeing you at Folk DJs Unlocked!

My new music website ArtMeniusRadio.com

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As I complete six years of folk radio promotion, I am amazed at how my business has more than doubled during the past two. You can see the statistics for the first 11 months of 2020 below.

I write this post, however, to announce that I have moved my music business from artmenius.com to its own website, https://artmeniusradio.com. The site went live on December 28, 2020.

There you can learn about what Art Menius Radio does in:

Recording promotion to folk radio
Career consulting and artist management
Promotional mailing services

We enjoyed, despite all the challenges of 2020, a remarkable year that included:

FAI Folk Chart

1 #1 album
2 #2 albums
3 #3 albums
9 Top 8 albums
16 charted albums

3 #1 songs
2 #2 songs
2 #3 songs
10 Top 5 songs
24 Top 11 songs
32 charted songs

NACC Folk Chart

1 #1 release
2 #5 releases
4 Top 10 releases
8 Top 20 releases
9 charted releases

Artists With Whom I Work Rule in February 2020 Folk Chart

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I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to promote to radio recordings so strong that for the second consecutive month I work with artists holding the top spots in FAI’s The Folk Chart for both Album and Song. The February chart also marked two months in a row for Frank & Allie Lee‘s Treat a Stranger Right as #1 album.

Matt Watroba’s The Far Si: The Si Kahn Funny Song Sing-Along Songbook surged to #3 album which with Eliza Meyer‘s Hello Stranger at #9 gives my clients three in the top ten albums. Love & Fire by Annette Wasilik remained high on the chart at #19.

Matt simultaneously grabbed the #1 slot on the song chart with Si’s composition, “You Can’t Say $%&# on the Air.” Frank and Allie enjoy three songs charting with Eliza’s “Hello Stranger,” #1 in January, in the eleventh spot.

Among artists for February, Matt debuted at #4 behind the Lees in their second straight month in the second spot. Eliza stood at #13 with Annette 22nd.

Art Menius Radio Clients Dominate The Folk Chart

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Art Menius Radio promotion clients Frank & Allie Lee, Eliza Meyer, and Annette Wasilik dominated The Folk Alliance International Folk Charts, formerly FolkDJ Charts, for January, 2020. They earned three of the top 6 albums, three of the top 8 artists, and, due to ties, a probably never-to-be-repeated seven of the top 5 songs.

Frank & Allie Lee, veterans recording together under their married names for the first time, became the first #1 folk album of 2020, while also reaching #5 on the NACC Folk Chart. Treat a Stranger Right included the #2, #3, #5 (twice), #10, & #23 songs while landing the Bryson City, NC couple at #2 on the artist chart.

At age 17, Eliza Meyer captured #1 on The FAI Folk Chart for songs with “Hello Stranger” with her moving cover of Iris Dement’s “Our Town” in the big tie at 5th. The album Hello Stranger debuted at #3 on the album chart, while Eliza ranked as the #4 artist. The album also stands at #17 on the most recent NACC folk chart.

Love & Fire, Annette Wasilik’s second album and first on Azalea City, debuted at #6 album on The FAI Folk Chart. On the song chart for January, “Chincoteague” also tied for fifth, and “The World is on Fire” tied for 10th. Annette also claims #8 artist for January.

Click below to download Art Menius’ 11-page ebook demystifying radio promotion of recordings. Basic Concepts about promoting folk recordings

Art Menius Clients at FAI in New Orleans

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Art Menius’ Current Clients at FAI

Antonio Andrade

WED** 12:00 – 12:45 AM Texas Sugarbaby (1027)

THU** 12:10 12:30 AM Access Film Music RED (1019)

FRI 11:15 PM – 12:00 AM Texas Sugarbaby (1027)

SAT 11:30 – 11:50 PM Access Film Music RED (1019)

Crys Matthews

Official Showcase: FRI 7:00 – 7:25 PM Nottoway (4th Floor)

WED 10:30 – 10:55 PM Cantina Navarro (816)

WED** 2:10 – 2:30 AM MPress (922)

FRI** 1:10 – 1:30 AM Songs for Social Justice (1203)

SAT 11:00 – 11:25 PM Poets, Queer, and Radicals (1024)

SAT** 2:00 – 2:30 AM FAR-West (1219)

Annette Wasilik

FAI Drops 1_31_20 (2)

WED** 12:30 1:00 AM Access Film Music BLUE (1212)

THU 11:30 – 11:50 PM Lonestar Music Live (1223)

FRI** 1:00 – 1:30 AM Access Film Music BLUE (1212)

Tiffany Williams

THU 11:30-11:55 PM FAI First Timers C (Room 906)

Art Menius

Thursday at Noon I’ll be on the “Timelines, To Dos, and Things to Remember When Releasing” panel in the Nottoway Room on 4th floor.

I’ll be seated at a table stacking CDs and business cards as a DJ Friday afternoon from 2 to 4. I’ll be part of the 11 AM B2B on Saturday, but I think my dance card is full.

You can most easily reach me by text to 919-675-2787.