Jerry Christen Memorial Award

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*The Jerry Christen Memorial Award*
*Jerry Christen*
Each year, the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association presents the Jerry Christen Memorial Award, in memory of one of the most important and best-liked figures on the local folk scene. The award is made to someone that we feel embodies many of the same inspiring qualities Jerry shared with so many of us until his death in 2003. For those who may not know, Jerry was an example of everything that is good about the whole folk music community. A career Air Force officer, he was all about community building from the start. He founded the Bedford Center for the Arts and was president of the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society. In 1985, he founded "A New Song Coffeehouse" in Bedford which is now ably run by his daughter Linda and his wife Charlotte. Then in the year 2000, he was the driving force behind starting the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association, removing the feeling of competitiveness from individual coffeehouses, and helping them unite to present events such as The Coffeehouse Stage at the Boston Folk Festival.
In 2003 BACHA was proud to name Scott Alarik as the recipient of our first award for his work as a writer, chronicler, and organizer/promoter of the folk music scene, as well as a being a performer for over 30 years.
	In 2004 BACHA honored Dick Pleasants for his many years of radio work at WGBH and WUMB, and his work with SAMW and other projects related to folk music.
In 2005 BACHA recognized Pat Monteith, who was one of the student-founders of WUMB, and has shepherded it through the years, as well as organizing the Boston Folk Festival.	Photo by Neale Eckstein
	In 2006 BACHA presented the award to the founders of Rounder Records, Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy for their outstanding contributions in promoting folk music both locally and world wide.
In 2007 BACHA gave the award to Bill Staines for his many years supporting Boston area coffeehouses both in good times and bad, and representing the quintessential Boston Folk performer to the rest of the world.