By Helen Musa

A gentle radicalism lies at the heart of the 60th National Folk Festival as co-artistic directors Michael Sollis, Holly Downes and Chris Stone embrace a “make love, not war” spirit suited to troubled times.

Overseas headliner Steve Poltz seems a perfect fit.

Speaking to me by WhatsApp, the raconteur-singer says he is not particularly political these days, although he enjoys discussing politics with people who are well informed.

“I used to be more political, but it got boring to me. There’s a lot happening in the world that I can’t control,” he says.

“I’m 66 years old and I’m fed up with the 24/7, 365-days-a-year breaking news. I’m trying to give people a sense of spirit. I’m trying to spread the joy all around.”

Poltz divides his time between Canada, where he was born, and the US.

“I was raised Canadian and American. I’m a dual citizen so I’m 50-50 both ways. It’s cool to have both passports, particularly in these times. I was lucky.”

Poltz is a fount of stories and, a bit like Forrest Gump, seems to have met everyone.

As a child he suffered severe asthma and allergies, so the family moved to the dry climate of Palm Springs. There, he insists, he and his sister met Elvis Presley.

“He put me on his shoulders and hung out with me and my sister,” Poltz recalls. “He was super nice.”

Another Palm Springs memory involves a Halloween visit to the home of flamboyant pianist Liberace.

“He had piano keys for the front steps of his house and rings on every one of his fingers. He always had his blond chauffeur with the white teeth by his side,” Poltz says.

“He handed out huge candies.”

The memory prompts the observation that Poltz himself likes wearing rings.

“Yes, I always like to have a couple of nice rings on my fingers,” he laughs. “When I’m travelling I love going to vintage shops and estate sales. I collect old books, too.”

Although he lived in Nashville for about a decade, he has moved back to San Diego, where his music career began.

“I’m an ocean child,” he says, despite the Palm Springs years.

That affinity with water has made his current Australian visit particularly enjoyable. It is his 23rd trip to the country, and he recently appeared at the Port Fairy Folk Festival.

“I even got to take a dip at the Pea Soup beach,” he says.

Poltz often talks about his earliest memory – the assassination of US president John F Kennedy.

“I was about three and a half,” he says. “It was late November 1963 and I was about to go to bed. My mum was ironing and crying. I didn’t know why. I wanted to cheer her up, but I was too young.”

No problem now. Humour has long been part of Poltz’s personality. He loves doing comic voices, often mimicking fellow musicians.

“I’ve been doing that forever,” he says. “On my new album Joyride, which just came out last week, I even do the voice of Jesus. It’s kind of a dialogue I may or may not have had with Jesus.”

Talkative from childhood, he says his family could never get him to be quiet.

All this makes for lively performances, with plenty of storytelling between songs. Poltz chats about whatever has caught his imagination, movies, art, travel or the day he has just had.

“Normally I just talk about whatever happened that day, about what I see around me. My show is always, to some extent, a monologue of my life.”

Folk festival team is already in full swing

Meanwhile, the National Folk Festival team is already in full swing preparing for its 60th celebration of culture at EPIC. 

Peace is firmly on the minds of the co-artistic directors this year, to be seen in Songs of Peace, presented by Fred Smith and Songs of Protest, where artists will perform union and social-justice anthems.

Performers from Palestinian, Jewish and Ukrainian heritage traditions have also been invited to contribute to the festival’s message of harmony.

Puppetry is an unexpected inclusion in this year’s program. Dee Palanisamy from Deelightful Tales will tell Asian folk stories, while Pico’s Puppet Palace will introduce ecological themes and Keith Preston, Uma Preston and Deborah Baldassi will bring history to life in their show Railway Bob.

Youth arts will also feature strongly. The Canberra Youth Orchestra is scheduled to perform in a special collaboration with didgeridoo player Mark Atkins and composer Keyna Wilkins on her concerto Celestial Emu (Dhinawan), adapted especially for the ensemble.

Peace and harmony may be the guiding themes, but organisers promise plenty of energy and variety across the program.

The 60th National Folk Festival, Exhibition Park, April 2-6. Full details at folkfestival.org.au.