Abbie Gardner and Ordinary Elephant Nominated as Folk Alliance International Artist of the Year

by Maddie Hardwick

Award shows are no stranger in the music industry, from the Grammys to the CMA’s, these all commemorate artists on their achievements through music. The International Folk Music Awards are no different. According to the Folk Alliance International Website, “The International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs) are the premier recognition of folk music industry leaders, legends, unsung heroes, and rising talent.” Each year we see a new class of nominees and awards winners in the International Folk Music Awards.

This year OM could not be more thrilled to have two of our consulting clients be nominated in the artist of the year category! As consulting clients this means that these artists Erin monthly as well as join two monthly group meetings with various other artists. These amazing artists have played for us in events such as our AMERICANAFEST and FAI showcases. We have seen the hard work that they put in towards their art and are so proud of them for being nominated this year!

Our first nominee is the one and only Abbie Gardner. “Billboard charting artist Abbie Gardner is a fiery dobro player with an infectious smile. Whether performing solo or with Red Molly, her acclaimed tales of love and loss, both gritty and sweet, are propelled by her impeccable slide guitar playing. She channels Lucinda and Bonnie, but remains pure Abbie” (Abbie Gardner Bio).

Abbie is currently on tour in the Northeast. Get tickets to hear her gorgeous voice live and check out Abbie’s website here!

Our second consulting nominee is Ordinary Elephant! “Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as ‘one of the best Americana albums of the year’” (Ordinary Elephant Bio).

Recently, Ordinary Elephant have just come off of a tour with more tour dates announced for January! Get tickets and check out their website here!

The International Folk Music Awards will take place on January 21st, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana! Streaming will be available on Youtube. For more information and other nominees check out the Folk Alliance website here! If you’re a member of FAI, voting is open now and you can find more information here.

Patreon - a fantastic platform for Artists and Fans!!

By Lexi Staebler

Have you ever wondered how to build a bigger community with your fans? Well, artists (and fans!) this one platform is perfect for you! “Patreon” is a platform where artists have the opportunity to connect closer with their biggest fans and have complete creative control of their space. The platform acts as a direct line for artists to communicate with their fans in an intimate space, through options such as group chats, comments, DMs, or email to make the experience special and individual. Artist's platforms also have several membership options you can select to be a part of as a fan, spanning different monthly fees.

Each artists’ space is uniquely designed to fit them—their music, personality and passions! Things such as videos, podcasts, writing, art, music, recipes, passions, and hobbies are commonly shared on artists' patreon platforms for fans to access and enjoy. These exclusive works shared to the platform are a great way for artists to grow and turn something they enjoy, a talent, or a passion into a creative business to further connect with their fans. These communities act like a “VIP experience” for fans from their favorite artist to get a sneak peak into their artistry and/or personal life more than the average listener.

Independent Artists We Love With Awesome Patreons:

Marr Bue patreon homepage

Mary Bue

Mary loves to share her thoughts about her passion, yoga, on her Patreon. She also enjoys sharing postcards, handwritten notes and artworks with her fans. You can also download a song a week with its stories and get to hear Mary’s spiritual, emotional and mental thoughts.

Jaimee Harris

Jamiee shares a behind the scenes sneak peak with her fans, showing them what day-to-day artist life can look like. She also posts cover songs, first clips of new music, and cover art for her superfans to see before the general public. Jamiee also does Q and A’s, private live streams, polls, and shout-outs to specific fans!

Jamiee Harris patreon homepage

Ordinary Elephant patreon homepage

Ordinary Elephant

This duo utilizes their Patreon as a safe space to connect with their listeners. The duo expresses themselves as one voice made of poetry and music, and on their Patreon, you can hear lovely poetry read by Crystal in her calming and soothing voice. They also share new songs they’re working on, or their version of someone else’s song to the platform as well.

Sara Milonovich

Sara gives her Patreon fans a fiddle tune a week and loves to sprinkle in chicken puns as well! Additionally, once a month she hosts a booze-themed livestream where a featured drink is picked and she dives into the history, chemistry, and other fun facts. Sara then sings performs a song or two on the livestream highlighting the chosen drink!

Sara Milonovich patreon homepage

Olivia Management artists, Alex Blue, Derek Webb and Ruthie Collins all have Patreon platforms which you can join to become a part of their personalized community space! Be sure to check them out for an inside look and closer artist/fan relationship!

*disclaimer: we do not full-time manage any of the artists listed above.