| Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival has announced the third and final wave of music performers for the much-anticipated 2022 festival, scheduled for May 26-29 in Martinsville, Virginia. Rooster Walk returns with a diverse bill featuring a remarkable selection of over 40 artists performing across 6 stages over the four-day festival. Grace Potter joins Little Feat and Lettuce atop the festival lineup, which features something for everyone! Many ticket options have low inventory; others have already sold out. Purchase tickets at this link: INFO & TICKETS In addition to four days of amazing tunes, the family-friendly Rooster Walk will offer a wide variety of kids’ activities, craft beer, great food, arts and numerous opportunities to enjoy Virginia’s great outdoors with kayak tours, bike rides, yoga, a disc golf course and beautiful on-site camping.Rooster Walk has been consistently voted as a Top 3 Best Music Festival and Best Family-Friendly Festival by the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Best of the Blue Ridge. It also has been voted the region’s Most Creative Charitable Event by readers of Virginia Living Magazine, among other accolades. The festival was created in memory of late Martinsville natives Edwin “The Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank, who graduated from Martinsville High School in 2000.A portion of proceeds from the festival will be donated to local and regional charities, including Rooster Walk’s own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School, and the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program for public band programs in the local city and county school systems. Learn more at this link: https://roosterwalk.com/ |
Monthly Archives: May 2022
Will Easter and The Nomads win 2022 MerleFest Band Competition
WILKESBORO, N.C. — Stokes County native Will Easter and his band, The Nomads, were declared the winners of the 2022 MerleFest Band Competition.
“I’m still in shock,” Easter said after finding out he and his band had won the contest.
Since MerleFest’s inception, the festival has fostered and provided opportunities to up-an-coming musicians, songwriters, local and regional artists and other undiscovered talent from around the country and this year was no exception.
MerleFest continues that tradition each year by inviting eight groups to not only perform during Saturday’s events but also compete for the chance to perform on the Hillside Stage in front of thousands of festival-goers.
This year’s other band competitors included:
The Blue Ridge Girls
The Burnett Sisters Band & Colin Ray
His & Hers
Jack Marion & The Pearl Snap Prophets
Love & Valor
South Hill Banks
Judged by members of The Local Boys, the band competition winner was announced by host Mark Bumgarner and the lucky group received a coveted spot on the Hillside Stage’s Sunday lineup at 11 a.m. The band played a rousing set to an appreciative crowd. And The Boot named Easter’s set among the best at the festival.
“For some, performing at one of the nation’s largest Americana music festivals is a springboard for their musical careers, while for all the participants it is a once in a lifetime experience,” Bumgarner said. “The level of talent has been incredible and continues to wow the crowds each year.”
“Offering insight into some of the most premier up and coming talent across the nation, this competition is sure to impress,” adds judge and The Local Boys band member John Aaron Soots.
Not only a fan-favorite event, this annual gathering of next-generation bands is near and dear to MerleFest organizers’ hearts as well.
“The band contest is a great opportunity to discover your next favorite up-and-coming band. Every year the talent and quality continue to impress, and audiences get a chance to feel like they’re discovering the next big thing before they hit the Watson Stage,” says MerleFest Artist Relations Manager Lindsay Craven. “We love getting the local and regional talent on our stages and playing for our audience.”
musicreporterblog 