"...Rain and sunshine traded off throughout the afternoon. At the Austin Stage, Jim Lauderdale, Kelly Willis and others looked on from the wings as the contestants performed during the finals of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition. Standouts (though not the winners) were Kristin Cifelli with the song "Show Them" and Stayton Bonner, who amused the crowd with his tune "Me and My Poodle." A short walk led back to the Americana Stage where Mindy Smith had finished her set early and was signing autographs behind the platform. Back at the Austin Stage, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings performed before a worshipping crowd of onlookers. After a sufficient period of swooning, I took the opportunity to check out the festival's various vendors and tents before setting back in front of Adrienne Young & Little Sadie for a quick set.

To view the full article, click here.