Honorable Mention: Jeff Warner, American Folk Musician, Portsmouth

Jeff Warner performs the music of America's rural past: songs of Revolutionary War heroes; sea shanties and songs of work aboard wooden ships; African-American banjo tunes; Irish-American concertina tunes; songs of lumber camps; and ballads of old New Hampshire. His programs for young people include hands-on fun with accessible rhythm instruments like bones and spoons.

Warner toured with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Associates Program from 1979-1993 in 36 states.  He has also been an artist for the Utah Arts Council's Rural Touring Program, the Ohio Arts Council's Arts-in-Education Program and Young Audiences, Inc. of Massachusetts.

Warner’s parents were early collectors of American folk songs. An avid music scholar himself, Warner has released recordings of the music collected by his parents, CDs of his own collections, and researched liner notes for the State Arts Council Traditional Arts Program's 2003 CD release "Songs of the Seasons."

Warner was awarded a Performing Artist Fellowship in 2007 from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts.

Last updated: August 14, 2013