Joel Rafael has been a featured performer at the annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival since its inception in 1998. Considered a natural and pre-eminent interpreter of Guthrie"s music, he has released two albums honoring Guthrie"s song. The Songs of Woody Guthrie, Volume 1 and Volume 2, together encompass Rafael"s graceful and authentic takes on twenty-four Guthrie - and two Guthrie-inspired - compositions. Rolling Stone, in its review of Woodyboye, noted, "Don"t miss the moving version of Guthrie"s "Stepstone," which finds Rafael sharing vocal duties with Jackson Browne & Arlo Guthrie.