Kari Estrin Management

10/10/2025

Hi All - thought I'd share this article I wrote a while back for the IAMA - hope some may find it helpful!

With the continuing fall-out from the pandemic, combined with technology that’s ever evolving, the music industry has been adapting and continues to be reshaped in ways that affect both artists and audiences. With the continuing fall-out from the pandemic, combined with technology that’s ever ev...

09/04/2025

In July - congrats to the artists I promoted at radio who took the No. 1, 2 & 3 spots on the Folk Alliance International Radio Charts - The Accidentals - No 1 - TIME OUT 3
- Ponyfolk - No. 2 - THE WOODS HAVE SHOWN US
- Steve Gillette - No. 3 - BEST OF (Steve was No. 1 last month!)

Always a great honor to work with such wonderful talent - and July marked six months of No. 1s on the charts so far this year for five of my artists - Tim Grimm's BONES OF TREES was No 1 for two months.

Please check out these artists albums when you get a chance - Kari

06/20/2025

Congratulations to my radio client - Tim Grimm for his BONES OF TREES release reaching No 1 for the second month on the Folk Alliance International Charts and this week at NACC Folk - the No. 5 CD of the Top 30! Check out Tim's release if you can -

If you have a CD you're considering sending to radio - or need help in putting that CD together and a marketing plan - just get in touch! -

20 No. 1 CDs and 76 Top 10 Releases in 36 months! Helping You Achieve Success with her Holistic Approachto Marketing / Branding Promoting your CD’s & Careers Get Started  Career Assessment System  Artist Development  Management Programs  A & R Services  Acoustic Radio Promotion Acou...

05/09/2024

Congratulations to the April Artists I promoted on the FAI Folk Chart that just came out today:

No. 1 - Cris Jacobs ONE OF THESE DAYS
No. 3 - Muriel Anderson - SAILING DREAMS
No. 6 - Rachael Sage - ANOTHER SIDE (reimagined)

Thanks to all the DJs for your airplay. And to the artists for some fine music for me to promote - always a pleasure. :)

10/02/2023

You know what you mean when you’re writing a song, but are you truly conveying to your listeners what you want want to say? Are you just “dancing on top […]

09/28/2023

Zoom Panel Oct 3 - "Dancing On Top of the Lyrics: Be Your Own Song Editor - with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Tom Paxton, & Jim Photoglo!

Hey All - super excited to share this info on the webinar I'll be sponsoring and leading the conversation about next week - Tuesday at 1:00 pm Central - if you're a member of Folk Alliance you can be part of the live participants being able to ask questions - later we'll have it up on the web. In my holistic artist career consulting - I often help artists with their songwriting, by looking at "editing" their songs. If I'm reading the lyrics and I'm a bit in the dark, I mention that they seem to be "dancing on top of the lyrics," not digging into enough to help me understand what they want to say. I'm more than honored to have Beth Nielsen Chapman, Tom Paxton and Jim Photoglo as panelists to illustrate what we'll be discussing - here's more info to read about it:

You know what you mean when you’re writing a song, but are you truly conveying to your listeners what you want want to say? Are you just “dancing on top […]

07/08/2023

Excited to be part of Your Roots Are Your Roots Are Showing - thanks Chris Keenan for your support and all your hard work and expertise!

Kari Estrin is celebrating over 50 years in the acoustic music/roots world, while continuing to be in demand for her holistic and strategic artist career consulting and acoustic roots/radio promotion.

Since 2021, Kari has promoted over 18 No. 1 CDs of the month and over 60 artists total in the Top 10 of the highly respected Folk Alliance International Folk Chart.

Kari gives each artist she works with her all with expertise drawn from a her wide and accomplished background in the music business - from booking countless venues and as the first female concert promoter of a 1200 seat hall in 1980, as one of the first five female tour managers in the US, as assistant festival director to Newport Folk Festival and MerleFest, as well as founding several companies and organizations.

Kari's management prowess led bluegrass/acoustic jazz legend Tony Rice during his prime, propelled the UK world music band The 3 Mustaphas 3 to No. 1 on the Billboard World Music Charts, and secured their Top 10 World Music CD of the Year status.

In addition to tour managing Tony & The 3 Mustaphas 3, Kari also toured with Suzanne Vega, Janis Ian, Steeleye Span and Papa Wemba

Kari is best known as an artist advocate who tailors her marketing plans, consulting and radio promotions to the artist and to their unique talents with her holistic and sustainable plans. Her workshops and mentorships have helped artists throughout the decades.

02/22/2023

Congrats to Tim Ball on his No. 1 release - UPSTATE CROSSROADS. If you’re a fan of fiddle tunes, you’ll count this album as one of your favorites! So happy to have worked with Tim this past year and then promote it to the Folk DJs - we’re both thrilled at the results and for the incredible airplay it received!

Feeling totally overwhelmed, and very grateful to everyone who's played and listened to Upstate Crossroads!! Coming in at No. 1 on the Folk-DJ charts is not something that's been on my radar until very recently or, honestly, something that I thought was possible for my weird little corner of fiddle music. I've had an idea this might happen for a couple of weeks and I'm still kinda in shock. Many, many thanks to all the folk DJ's for playing the record and helping me share this music I love!

Also: a HUGE thank you to everyone who worked on this record and helped me get the music that's in my head out into other people's ears! Most especially Electric Wilburland for a killer job recording and mixing, Kari Estrin for incredible radio promotion and post-production advice, and Lydia (along with Will, Kari, and a host of other people) for helping me stay sane throughout this project.

And: an ENORMOUS thank you to all you folks who backed my Kickstarter last year, and helped give me the confidence (and resources) to get my music out this far. Y'all are the BEST.

THANKS EVERYONE!!

https://www.folkradio.org/chart/january-2023/