#ICYMI Whats Up Newport interviews new festival producer Tyler Grill and talks about Rhythm & Roots festival revival.
As Covid surged last winter, things looked bleak for Rhode Island’s renowned Rhythm and Roots Festival. Facing health issues and uncertainty around vendors, longtime Producer Chuck Wentworth announced in February that he was ending the popular Labor Day Weekend event. Fans were disappointed but understood Wentworth’s position. Just after Wentworth’s announcement, offers to take over the Rhythm & Roots began to roll in. One inquiry that got his attention came from GoodWorks Productions, a Hartford, CT-based company that produces concerts at small to medium-sized venues throughout Connecticut. Before long, a deal was struck, and word that the festival was back was made public in May.
Music industry consultant and publicist Ginny Shea has garnered international exposure for her clients through radio and video promotion, print media, and her vast industry network.