From the good folks over at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA):
NASHVILLE — Organizers of this year’s PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass on Sept. 27-28 in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, have announced the full list of performers, and performance schedules, for the annual festival.
The free Wide Open Bluegrass festival – part of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s five-day World of Bluegrass event, sponsored by Chiesi USA – brings bluegrass into the community, and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year, with more than 100 performers on seven stages along Fayetteville Street.
Performers include a broad mix of local, national, and international talent. Stages include the Youth Music Stage – situated on the outdoor plaza at the Convention Center – and the Dance Tent, which features clogging performances, participatory square dances, and late-night open dancing Friday and Saturday nights.
In addition to the seven stages of Wide Open Bluegrass, performances at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater will be open to the public for free, as well, subject to venue capacity. A limited number of reserved seats in prime sections of the venue are still available for purchase, to ensure admittance for every performance. More details about the festival can be found online at worldofbluegrass.org/wide-open-bluegrass, or on the festival app, available for free download via your app store.
PNC returns, for the seventh year, as the presenting sponsor for the two-day Wide Open Bluegrass festival: “PNC’s support of Wide Open Bluegrass allows festival goers free access to all stages and makes this festival even more special,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president of Eastern Carolinas. “As the presenting sponsor for the seven years that Raleigh has hosted Wide Open Bluegrass, we are pleased that this event has become a flagship music festival and adds to our vibrant cultural scene. We at PNC look forward to celebrating a great weekend of bluegrass in downtown Raleigh.”
The list of Wide Open Bluegrass artists – as well as their performance stage and set time – is as follows:
RED HAT AMPHITHEATER
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
4:00 Gates open
5:00-5:45 Sister Sadie
6:05-6:55 Balsam Range with special guests from NC State Symphony Orchestra
7:15-8:05 Molly Tuttle
8:25-9:25 I’m With Her – Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz,
Aoife O’Donovan
9:45-11:00 The Ringers (featuring Jerry Douglas, Ronnie McCoury, Todd Phillips, Christian Sedelmyer, and Dan Tyminski
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
4:00 Gates open
5:00-5:50 “You Gave Me a Song” celebrating Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard; featuring Alice Gerrard, Laurie Lewis, Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Justin Hiltner, Jon Weisberger, & Eliza Meyer
6:10-6:55 Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
7:15-8:00 Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
8:30-11:00 A Delebration with The Del McCoury Band and Travelin’ McCourys featuring special guests Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Jon Fishman (of Phish), Dierks Bentley, Sierra Hull, and others
PLAZA STAGE
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:00-12:45 The Price Sisters
1:15-2:00 David Davis & The Warrior River Boys
2:30-3:15 Bowman, Bowman & Dre
3:45-4:30 Sierra Hull & Justin Moses
5:00-5:45 Fireside Collective
6:15-7:15 The Gibson Brothers
7:45-9:00 The Grascals
9:30-11:00 Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:00-12:45 Amanda Cook Band
1:15-2:00 Nefesh Mountain
2:30-3:15 Kids on Bluegrass
3:45-4:30 Missy Raines Band
5:00-5:45 Red Wine
6:15-7:15 Darin & Brooke Aldridge
7:45-9:00 Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
9:30-11:00 Volume Five
DAVIE STREET
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:15-1:00 Nixon, Blevins & Gage
1:30-2:15 Brandon Lee Adams
2:45-3:30 Larry Stephenson Band
4:00-4:45 ClayBank
5:15-6:00 The Trailblazers
6:30-7:30 Kenny & Amanda Smith
8:00-9:15 Carolina Blue
9:45-11:00 Unspoken Tradition
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:15-1:00 Cane Mill Road
1:30-2:15 Tommy Edwards & The Bluegrass Experience
2:45-3:30 Diamond Creek
4:00-4:45 Kristy Cox
5:15 – 6:00 Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
6:30 – 7:30 Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive
8:00-9:15 Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
9:45-11:00 Sideline
HARGETT STREET
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:30-1:15 Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike
1:45-2:30 Chatham Rabbits
3:00-3:45 Dave Adkins Band
4:15-5:00 Irene Kelley
5:30-6:15 Hubby Jenkins
6:45-7:45 Hank Pattie & The Current
8:15-9:15 The Burnett Sisters Band
9:45-11:00 Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:30-1:15 Zoe & Cloyd
1:45-2:30 Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
3:00-3:45 Hoot and Holler
4:15-5:00 Tony Williamson & Friends
5:30-6:15 Bill & the Belles
6:45-7:45 ShadowGrass
8:15-9:15 Chris Jones & the Night Drivers
9:55-11:00 Violet Bell
CAPITOL STAGE
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:15-1:00 Tellico
1:30-2:15 Steve Gulley & New Pinnacle
2:45-3:30 Blue Canyon Boys
4:00-4:45 Appalachian Road Show
5:15-6:00 Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
6:30-7:30 Darin & Brooke Aldridge
8:00-9:15 Kate Lee & Forrest O’Connor
9:45-11:00 The Steel Wheels
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:15-1:00 Circus No. 9
1:30-2:15 Henhouse Prowlers
2:45-3:30 The Gingersnaps
4:00-4:45 The Lonesome Days
5:15-6:00 Rapidgrass
6:30-7:30 Trout Steak Revival
8:00-9:15 Songs From the Road Band
9:45-11:00 Joe Newberry with Tommy Edwards
DANCE TENT
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27 – SHOUT & SHINE DANCE TENT TAKEOVER
12:00-12:45 Open Dance with Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
1:15 -2:15 Nic Gareiss & Allison de Groot
2:45-3:30 Open Dance with Hubby Jenkins
4:00-4:45 Open Dance with Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
& the Grassabilly Rockets, including Jon Weisberger
& George Jackson
5:15-6:15 Cane Mill Road & Williette Hinton
6:45-7:30 Open Dance with Lakota John Trio
8:00-9:00 Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands –
Tribute to Eileen Carson Schatz
9:30-11:00 Inclusive Square Dance with caller Boo Radley
Music: Jake Blount & Friends
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:00-2:00 Family Square Dance with caller Boo Radley
Music: Jake Blount & Friends
2:30-3:45 Clogging (performance and workshop) with Green
Grass Cloggers, Music: Willow Dillon & Friends
4:15-5:45 Contra Dance with caller Eileen Thorsos
Music: Swang!
6:15-7:00 Clogging with Apple Chill Cloggers
Music: Patrick Walsh & Friends
7:30-9:00 Open Dance with Charm City Junction
9:30-11:00 Square Dance with caller Nancy Mamlin
Music: The Smoky Mountaineers
IBMA YOUTH STAGE (RCC plaza)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:00-12:45 Cane Mill Road
1:00-1:40 Michelle Canning Band
2:00 3:45 Kids on Bluegrass
3:55-4:40 BJUGrass
4:50-5:35 Jubile
5:45-6:30 Burnett Sisters Band
7:00-7:30 Mountain Music Ambassadors – Morehead State University
7:40-8:10 High Lonesome Senate – Walters State Community College
8:20-8:50 Tigertown Roots – Clemson University
9:00-9:30 ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band – East Tennessee State
University
9:40-10:10 Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band – Warren Wilson
College
10:20-10:50 Colorado College Bluegrass Band – Colorado College
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:00-12:45 Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
12:55-1:40 Mountain Highway
1:50- 2:35 Shiloh Creek Girls
2:45-3:30 The Family Sowell
3:40-4:35 ShadowGrass
6:00-6:30 Glenville State College Bluegrass Band –
Glenville State College
6:40-7:10 Carolina Bluegrass Band – University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
7:20-7:50 Pellissippi State Bluegrass Band – Pellissippi State
Community College
8:00-8:30 The Ruta Beggars – Berklee College of Music
8:40-9:10 Eastern Kentucky University Bluegrass Band – Eastern
Kentucky University
9:20-9:50 Denison University Bluegrass Band – Denison University
10:00-10:30 BJUgrass – Bob Jones University
J.A.M. STAGE @ MARTIN STREET
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
11:00 – 11:45 Pickin’ Thistles
12:00 – 12:45 Jonah Graves
1:00 – 1:45 One Fret Over
2:00 – 2:45 Liam Purcell & Mallory Blackwood
3:00 – 3:45 Eliza Meyer
4:00 – 4:45 Gate Ten
5:00 – 5:45 Ella & Mary
6:00 – 6:45 ShadowGrass
7:00 – 7:45 Cane Mill Road
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
11:00 – 11:45 Cheyenne & Wyatt Grantham
12:00 – 12:45 Carson Moore
1:00 – 1:45 Unbranded
2:00 – 2:45 Blackberry Jam
3:00 – 3:45 Fiddlin’ Red and the Bluegrass Harvesters
4:00 – 4:45 Wyld Fern
5:00 – 5:45 New River JAM Band
6:00 – 6:45 Ella & Mary
7:00 – 7:45 Cane Mill Road
MASTERS WORKSHOP STAGE (Raleigh Convention Center)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
12:00 Songwriting Workshop with Donna Hughes & Brink Brinkman
1:00 Banjo – Jason Davis, Kristin Scott Benson, Joe Dean,
Matthew Davis
2:00 Fiddle – Jim Van Cleve, Laura Orshaw, Stephen Burwell
3:00 Mandolin – Alan Bibey, Zack Arnold, Danny Roberts, Jesse
Brock
4:00 Bass – Zak McLamb, Edgar Loudermilk, Beth Lawrence
5:00 Bluegrass Karaoke with Alan Bibey & Grasstowne –
Want to sing a song with Grasstowne as your backup
band? Sign up, pick a song, name the key, and be
ready!
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
12:00 Performing as a family band – The Family Sowell
1:00 Guitar – Jacob Greer, Jeff Autry, John Lowell, Kenny Smith
2:00 Clawhammer Banjo – Joe Newberry, Liam Purcell, Laura
Boosinger
3:00 Vocal Workshop – Johnny and Jeanette Williams
4:00 Love Canon – Transforming Music: One Genre to Another
WIDE OPEN WORKSHOPS (Raleigh Convention Center)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
10:00 – 12:00 Bluegrass Jam Class – Bring Your Instrument
With Pete Wernick, Gilbert Nelson & Leigh Nelson
(takes place in Main Lobby)
10:30 – 11:30 Bluegrass College Info Session
Fred Bartenstein
(takes place in Room 304)
11:00 – 12:30 The Life of a Professional Songwriter: A Career Path
David Morris, Donna Ulisse, Jerry Salley, Irene Kelley
(takes place in Room 306A)
12:30 – 1:45 A Bluegrass Ambassadors Workshop – Kyrgyzstan
Jon Goldfine, Chris Dollar, Kyle O’Brien, with artists
Henhouse Prowlers
(takes place in Main Lobby)
2:00 – 3:30 Vintage Instrument Tasting
Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive, Tom Gray, Will Jones,
Tony Williamson
(takes place in Main Lobby)
2:00 – 3:30 Evolution of Bourbon
Jason Bradley
(takes place in Room 305AB)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
10:00 – 12:00 Bluegrass Jam Class – Bring Your Instrument
With Pete Wernick, Gilbert Nelson & Leigh Nelson
(takes place in Main Lobby)
11:00 – 12:30 “Stealing Fire” from 1st Generation Songwriters
Mark Simos, Laurie Lewis, Joe Newberry
(takes place in Room 306A)
12:30 – 1:45 Dynamics of Banjo Sound
Tom Nechville, Gilbert Nelson
(takes place in Main Lobby)
2:00 – 3:30 Fiddle & Banjo: The Roots and Branches of American Music
Tom Nechville, Gilbert Nelson
(takes place in Main Lobby)
2:00 – 3:30 Evolution of Bourbon with Jason Bradley (takes place in Room 305AB)
The Shout & Shine Dance Tent Takeover, presented by The Bluegrass Situation and PineCone, is the fourth year that the group will host an event to celebrate the diversity of bluegrass. Shout & Shine’s mission includes highlighting and reincorporating the voices and perspectives of underrepresented and marginalized artists, musicians, and performers — not only at the event, but throughout the week-long convention and festival. This year’s Dance Tent Takeover on Friday will include sets of music from bands and artists from a variety of backgrounds, traditional step dance and buckdancing performance, and a queer and gender-inclusive square dance.
“This is an especially exciting year for our festival. We celebrate the first of our three-year extension in Raleigh; we have made every stage free to the public, including the Main Stage in the Red Hat Amphitheater (with limited reserve seating); and we have another stellar lineup on every stage throughout downtown Raleigh,” said Paul Schiminger, Executive Director of IBMA. “We are highlighting Hall of Famers, IBMA award winners, one-of-a-kind collaborations, and fantastic youth performers. And, we continue to shine a bright spotlight on a vital resource, the IBMA Trust Fund that helps so many bluegrass professionals during times of emergency need.”
Single-day preferred seating for performances at Red Hat Amphitheater during Wide Open Bluegrass are still available, and start as low as $60 for the general public and $50 for IBMA members. Wide Open Bluegrass is the principal fundraiser for the IBMA Trust Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to bluegrass artists and other industry professionals in times of emergency need. To date, the Trust Fund has given more than $800,000 in direct aid.
Information about Red Hat Amphitheater limited reserved seating, Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registration, IBMA Award Show tickets and hotel reservations are available at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass website, WorldofBluegrass.org.
Some Wide Open Bluegrass highlights include:
Youth Stages: Bands chosen through a juried process by IBMA’s Youth Council will perform in front of the Convention Center, followed by college program ensembles; additional youth bands affiliated with the Junior Appalachian Musicians program will perform on the Junior Appalachian Musicians Stage on Martin Street. Don’t miss these future stars of bluegrass!
Inside the Raleigh Convention Center, you’ll find the Masters’ Workshop Stage; the Main Lobby Stage; the World of Bluegrass Expo Hall; a room dedicated to youth activities, including jams and songwriting workshops led by well-known bluegrass artists; and more!
On Saturday, be sure to check out the North Carolina Pork Council’s Whole Hog Barbecue Championship, where the best whole hog barbecue cooks in North Carolina square off to become state champion. At lunch, grab your stretchy pants and buy a wristband to sample directly from 28 competitors and vote for the pig you think deserves the People’s Choice Award! The Whole Hog Barbecue Championship is the culmination of a qualifying series that includes more than 25 N.C. Pork Council-sanctioned whole hog barbecue competitions statewide. Proceeds from the wristband sales will be donated to the InterFaith Food Shuttle and the IBMA Bluegrass Trust Fund, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to bluegrass professionals experiencing financial emergencies. For advance tickets and more information: wholehogbarbecue.com.
This project is supported by Come Hear North Carolina, a program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Arts Council.
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