Anne-Marie Jennings
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 15/98) - The upcoming Folk on the Rocks festival this summer is gearing up and local artists are already lining up to get their names added to the lineup.

Yellowknife-based blues trio Big Ethyl has been invited to attend and has already accepted a spot on the schedule.

"We're scheduled to play on the main stage during the event," Big Ethyl guitarist-singer Rick Maddeaux says. "We're really excited."

Tom Hudson, who has recently released a new CD of original music, received his invitation Wednesday and began filling it out right away.

"The support you get from Yellowknife is overwhelming," Hudson says. "I'm really excited about getting the chance to play at Folk on the Rocks."

"I'm filling out my application immediately."

Jodi Woollam, co-ordinator of Folk on the Rocks, says the volunteers and organizers are working on getting corporate sponsorship to help with the staging of the event itself as well the cost of building a new stage.

"I figure we still need about $10,000," Woollam says.

She also says that invitations have been sent out to a number of artists -- both from the NWT and the south -- to attend the summer festival.

"We try and bring in about one-third of the total number of acts from the south," Woollam says. "We're a Northern arts festival, so naturally the event is designed to promote Northern acts."

Woollam adds that a complete list of acts who will be playing at Folk on the Rocks will be available in the next few weeks.

Folk on the Rocks is scheduled to take place from July 17-19 in Yellowknife.