PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR
2006 AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Stayton, Ore. (October 2, 2006) - The 5th annual American Roots Music Festival happens on Saturday, October 21st at the Turner Tabernacle in Turner, Oregon. This year's event features folk legend The New Christy Minstrels and The Trail Band, an audience favorite from last year's Festival. Rounding out the program will be bluegrass music from The Hakanson Family Band and the Total Experience Gospel Choir from Seattle.

"When I was growing up in Stayton my parents owned The New Christy Minstrels Greatest Hits album and I listened to it all the time." said festival director Steve Gehlen. "Then, when I was in a bluegrass band during high school in the 70's, our band opened for The New Christy Minstrels when they had a concert in the area, so it was a thrill to invite them back here for the American Roots Music Festival."

Five original members of The New Christy Minstrels, including founder Randy Sparks and Barry McGuire, will be performing in a rare Northwest appearance.

The afternoon show starts at 2:30pm with The Hakanson Family Band. They will be followed by the authentic gospel sounds of the Total Experience Gospel Choir.

The evening show kicks off at 6:30pm with The Trail Band, followed by the community sing-along, a tradition at this Festival. The New Christy Minstrels will then take the stage to close out the show.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. Children 6 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.armf.org, in Salem at Weathers Music, in Keizer at Uptown Music, in Stayton at Roth's, West Coast Bank, Wilco and Stayton Printing, in Silverton at Wilco and in Albany at Magnolia's Audio and Music.

The American Roots Music Festival is a fundraiser for school music programs in the North Santiam School District. Over the past two years the Festival raised $8,500 for those music programs. Several student performing groups from the District music programs will perform in a student showcase at the Festival from 2:00pm to 2:30pm.

Cash sponsors for the American Roots Music Festival are Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company, JELD-WEN, West Coast Bank, Norpac Foods, Inc. and Napa Auto Parts. Grant funding is provided by the Doris J. Wipper Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation and Kettle Foods.

The non-profit fiscal sponsor for this project is the North Santiam Schools Foundation.

For more information, visit www.americanrootsmusicfestival.org or call 503-767-7464.

About the North Santiam Schools Foundation

The American Roots Music Festival is a project of the North Santiam Schools Foundation. The North Santiam Schools Foundation is nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of, and increase support for, public education in the North Santiam School District.

LOCAL GRANT FUNDING POWERS
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Stayton, Ore. (August 24, 2006) - The American Roots Music Festival has received a Corporate Giving Award from Kettle Foods and a new grant from the Doris J. Wipper Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation. The Festival, an annual celebration of our shared musical heritage and a fundraiser for local school music programs, returns this year on Saturday, October 21st at the historic Turner Tabernacle. Over the past two years gate receipts and concession profits from the Festival have raised $8,500 for local school music programs.

The increased funding has enabled the American Roots Music Festival to book its first national-level headline act: folk legend The New Christy Minstrels. Five original members of the 60's group will be traveling to the area in a rare Northwest appearance.

"Kettle Foods is very happy that one of our four Corporate Giving awards went to the American Roots Music Festival. It supports our goals of giving back to the community as the proceeds benefit local school music programs and it's also a fantastic day of music." says Kettle Foods' Ambassador Jim Green.

In addition to grant funding, the Festival has financial support from several local business sponsors including Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company, Norpac Foods and West Coast Bank.

"SCTC is happy to be a major sponsor of a quality entertainment experience like the American Roots Music Festival." said Mike Reding, marketing coordinator for Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company. "We believe in strong community involvement and the support that ARMF gives to the music programs of our local schools validates our investment."

The 2006 American Roots Music Festival will be held at the Turner Tabernacle on Saturday October 21st. This year's event features folk, bluegrass, old-time and gospel music. Tickets priced for the whole family will go on sale in September. For more information call 503-767-7464 or visit www.armf.org.

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL SUCCEEDS IN FUNDRAISING EFFORT FOR LOCAL MUSIC PROGRAMS

Stayton, Ore. (January 20, 2006) - The American Roots Music Festival exceeded last year's fundraising efforts in support of local school music programs. As a result, the North Santiam Schools Foundation presented a $4,500 check to the North Santiam School District at the January School Board meeting.

"We exceeded both our attendance goals, with over 500 people watching the Festival, and our fundraising goals." said Steve Gehlen, Festival Director and co-founder. "In addition, we continued our tradition of having Festival performers go into local schools to interact with the music students prior to the Festival. Providing those unique experiences to the students is a big part of this Festival."

Gehlen and various volunteers are already at work planning for the 2006 Festival, which will be held on October 21st, again at the Turner Memorial Tabernacle.

"There is something quite magical about the American Roots Music Festival-the room, the audience, the producers - it all has a great feel." said Marv Ross, Portland music industry veteran and founder/manager of "The Trail Band", who was featured at the event. "I also enjoyed the sing-along a lot. It is a great idea and people way in the back of the room where I was sitting were all singing."

Sponsors for the event were Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company, JELD-WEN, Norpac Foods, Umpqua Bank, the Stayton Rotary and NAPA Auto Parts in Stayton. Grant funding was provided by the Doris J. Wipper Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. Many local businesses provided in-kind products and services, including Minten Graphics, Stayton Printing and Desktop Publishing, West Coast Bank, daVideo Productions, Kettle Foods and Roth's, KPIK, Canyon Advertiser, Our Town Monthly and the Stayton/Sublimity Chamber of Commerce.

"This event could not happen without the support of the business community." said Gehlen. "We are grateful to each of our sponsors, in-kind providers and volunteers."

For more information and to sign-up for e-mail updates regarding this year's event, visit the American Roots Music Festival Web site at www.armf.org.

The American Roots Music Festival is a project of the North Santiam Schools Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Stayton, Ore., that works to improve the quality of and increase support for public education in the North Santiam School District.

The Star Cinema is a renovated 1949 Movie Theatre in downtown Stayton, Oregon with over 300 seats that plays first-run movies, monthly classic movies and special events throughout the year such as music concerts and magic shows. For more information, visit www.starcinema.net.

The Oregon Community Foundation, established in 1973 and now for 30 years, has managed charitable funds donated by individuals, families, and businesses to enhance and support the quality of life in their communities. Today, the Foundation's endowment consists of over 1000 funds with combined assets of over $500 million. The Foundation makes grants through an application process that involves local citizens in the review and evaluation of requests for funds Individuals or businesses interested in establishing a fund may contact the Portland office at 1221 SW Yamhill, Suite 100, Portland OR 97205, 503-227-6846.

For more information contact:

Steve Gehlen,
Director, American Roots Music Festival
(503) 767-7464,
steve.gehlen@armf.org