FARM Lantern Bearer Award

Annie Capps has the uncanny ability to not only see problems but also multiple ways to solve them, and usually has implemented the solution before others even know there’s a problem. She’s not just an innovative thinker but also a doer.

Annie has been active in FARM for so long that most people can hardly remember a pre-Annie Capps FARM. By 2007, she was involved with programming and by 2008 she was a Board member. She has served two terms as FARM Conference Director (’09 – ’11 and ’18 – ’22). Her many improvements include moving the event from a monastery to a hotel conference center, a full well-designed printed program, automated registration, and private, DJ, and official showcases. She has vastly increased conference participation and made the conference a professional event without losing our fun-loving sense of community.

During COVID-19, Annie was instrumental in keeping the community connected. She organized speakers and arranged the technology to share ‘how to’ information with the wider folk community online. Her work in orchestrating FARM Virtual Connections has served as a template for other regions. Annie’s passion and ability to get things done inspired the folk community and served as a lifeline to many who would have otherwise been isolated during the pandemic. It has taken many people to execute FARM’s Virtual Connections, but Annie was and remains the head and heart of these efforts

In 2021 Annie led a successful online FARM conference so that our worldwide community could connect, attend workshops, communicate, and share music. As Conference Director in 2022 she went beyond the usual tasks and ensured that safety was imperative and that members felt secure in meeting in person once again.

For many years, Annie has been involved with the folk community as a performer and songwriter as Annie & Rod Capps and with other bands such as The Yellow Room Gang. They tour nationally, but Annie is especially involved with the Michigan folk community. She supported multiple venues in Michigan during Covid, not only as a performer but helping them present others online, raise funds, perform benefits, etc.

In 2022, Annie released her solo CD, “How Can I Say This?” Supported by her “band of badass women,” she used all women musicians, engineers, etc. She toured with many of these women, further supporting multiple women musicians in the process.

In addition to all this, Annie also curates “On the Tracks Songwriter Showcase” in Chelsea, MI, now entering its 11th season. Annie has presented songwriters from throughout the country, further promoting folk music and helping to support the artists. During COVID-19, the shows were, of course, presented online.

In summary: Annie has been a passionate, creative, and supportive community member, helping others to perform and grow in addition to performing herself. She is beloved and appreciated for the work she does and how she does it.

Cindy Morgan represents the epitome of dedication to FARM and the Midwest folk music community. From performing and leading community sings and dances to board membership in multiple folk organizations, all the while working as a clinical psychologist and being an accomplished knitter!
 Cindy began teaching herself to read music & play the piano at age 9 and got her first guitar at 12. She met Jim Hall when they were both Resident Artists at East Lansing’s Ten Pound Fiddle in the late 1990s. They have been musical partners since and married in 2000. They play a bevy of instruments, and these days mostly perform as a duo, describing themselves as Americana with contemporary touches. They lead dances and sings at many events, including FARM and the Wheatland Music Festival. They have been awarded official showcases at FARM and FAI. Cindy & Jim live in an 1860s farmhouse (in a constant state of renovation) with 2 cats and their collection of 50+ instruments.

 In another part of her professional life, Cindy is a psychologist, with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke University. She has owned her own business since 1989, as a psychologist in private practice. She has taught at Michigan State University and presented workshops at regional, national & international venues. Cindy is also an accomplished knitter with over 50 years of experience, marketing her knitted and upcycled sewn goods as Handbasket Music. To combat her fear of water, she became a PADI-certified scuba diver.

Cindy served for 10 years as a director and treasurer on the board of the Ten Pound Fiddle in Michigan. For over 17 years Cindy has been and still is an active, engaged, well-informed and productive FARM supporter. For the past 14 years she has been FARM’s volunteer coordinator, and served seven years on the FARM board, most as Secretary. At FARM conferences, Cindy is a constant cheerful fixture. Whatever needs to be done, she is a positive force in command of situations, including serving as Assistant Conference Director with Annie Capps. In dealing with volunteers, Cindy is a firm but graciously gentle presence. She is exceptionally detail oriented and has researched many difficult FARM issues to find answers and resolutions, including helping with the selection of future sites. Cindy is a consistent FARM advocate who operates in support of the entire FARM team.

Cindy has presented FARM workshops, including the Business side of music, Everything Old is New Again, and leading community sings. She has bee a panelist for mental health and self care during the time of the pandemic. Foe several years Cindy hosted the afterglow circle for several years, playing until the wee hours of the morning, and was part of the band for several folk dances held at FARM.

Cindy has given so much to the FARM and wider folk community, and we are all better for her giving and her cheerful, friendly leadership.

FARM has standardized nomination and selection procedures for this award which serves to honor the recipient and increase awareness of and strengthen ties within and beyond the Midwest folk music and dance communities.

Nominations are accepted from any member of FARM, with the finalist(s) selected by the FARM Board of Directors.

A nominee must:

• Maintain a high level of achievement over a number of years
• Demonstrate continued excellence in their field of expertise
• Be engaged with the wider FARM community

A nominator must:

• Fill out the nomination form which includes identifying and contact information for both nominator and nominee.
• Explain in two or three paragraphs why the nominee is deserving of the Award (included in the form, or you may attach a separate letter).
• List the major achievements of the nominee (included in the form, or you may include it in your attached letter).
• Ask at least two other people to write letters of reference, in addition to your nominating statement. Include their names and contact information on your nomination form. You may attach letters of support from the references or ask the references to send their support letters directly to info@farmfolk.org.

All completed nominations will move on to the final round for the 2023 Lantern Bearer Award, after which the Board will select up to four nominees. Award winners will be announced after September 13.

Award Call for Entries is now open and will remain open until September 5, 2023.