The Fourth Annual Intermountain Acoustic Music Association (IAMA) Folk and Bluegrass Festival took place on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at the Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
The free event featured live acoustic music from both local talent and national acts.
“We try to keep it free so we can bring acoustic music to the public,” said IAMA Board of Trustees Member Todd Schultz.
Schultz and fellow Board of Trustees Member Guy Benson helped create the Folk and Bluegrass festival.
“We like to showcase both local talent and national headlines,” said Schultz.
This year’s festival featured the Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase, a competition for performing solo artists who write and perform their own acoustic music. Contestants submit two original songs, and entries get narrowed to ten finalists. The final ten are selected by a blind judging panel, scored according to their vocal ability, instrumental ability and songwriting ability.
Finalists for the showcase kicked off the festival’s music at 11 a.m. as they performed their contest entry songs.
Utah native Chris Orrock was announced as the winner at 3 p.m. Orrock then took to the stage and was joined by the 2011 contest winner Peter Danzig. Danzig is also a Utah native.
