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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass

Author Archives: lsnedeker


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Yep Roc Records releases Sawyer Sessions: Season 2, proceeds going to Equality NC

From the good folks over at Yep Roc Records:
When Redeye Distribution opened a new Yep Roc Records office in Hillsborough, North Carolina three and a half years ago, they sought to find a way to integrate with the creative juices of the historic, southern town. What developed from that idea was The Sawyer Sessions, a series of soul-stirring live performances from artists of every genre, all set in a historic southern town with a story all its own.  Sawyer Sessions: Season 2 documents the best performances of the series second season.  The digital compilation is now available to purchase and stream.


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Scythian, Junior Sisk to headline fifth annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10

Carolina Bible Camp & Retreat Center will host its Fifth Annual CBC Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10, featuring MerleFest fan favorites Scythian and Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice.

Danylo Fedoryka says, “This will be our first Bible Camp show. We met the organizers at MerleFest and to us it seems that what they’re trying to do create is a continuation of that MerleFest spirit — great bluegrass in a real family friendly environment. And we just can’t enough of North Carolina, so we are excited to be back.”

The day-long festival located at 1988 Jericho Church Road, Mocksville, North Carolina, promises to feature great music, food, and fellowship – not to mention a few surprises, according to Festival Director Lisa Brewer.

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Ricky Skaggs and Sammy Shelor join Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas and The Whites at Blue Ridge Music Center for ‘A Show for Joe’ on Friday, Sept. 2, in honor of the late Joe Wilson

From the good folks at the Blue Ridge Music Center:
“A Show for Joe is almost here and we have an exciting update! Ricky Skaggs, multiple Grammy Award winner and recipient of the 2015 Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for an Instrumentalist (mandolin), and Sammy Shelor, who has earned the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass and multiple IBMA awards, have joined the musical lineup for this special one-day festival. The concert features performances by Jerry Douglas, The Whites, and special guest Alison Krauss, as well as musical tributes from Wayne Henderson & Friends, The Jeff Little Trio, Linda & David Lay, Elizabeth LaPrelle, Phil Wiggins, The Barr Family & Jimmy Edmonds, and Frank Newsome.

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Second annual Kruger Brothers’ ‘Carolina in the Fall’ music and food festival features Infamous Stringdusters, The Steel Wheels on Sept. 23-24 in Wilkesboro, N.C.

MerleFest fans who make the annual trek to Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to hear their favorite bluegrass and Americana artists every April are in luck because they don’t have to wait until next spring to hear some great music thanks to the Kruger Brothers, hosts of Carolina in the Fall.

For the second year in a row, Heart of Folk LLC brings “New Carolina Music”  and a new (but not so new) music and food festival to the old Courthouse Square in historic downtown Wilkesboro featuring some of North Carolina’s best folk/ roots musicians. They will be joined by bands from other areas that tip their hats to the rich musical history of Wilkes, the heart of American Folk Music.

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Small Town Country Music Fest featuring Brothers Osborne set for Saturday, Sept. 3, in Winston-Salem

The Small Town Country Music Fest is coming to the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Fair Grounds, 414 Deacon Blvd., from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, featuring the Brothers Osborne.

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On Huffington Post: Little Hill Trio to release first CD at Appaloosa Fest over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-4

This post also appeared on The Huffington Post here.
Scythian fans are most likely already aware the Celtic rock band and Merlefest fan favorite is hosting its second annual Appaloosa D.C.’s Roots Music Festival  over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-4, 2016, featuring 40-plus bands on five stages plus musical workshops by top artists.
In addition to Scythian, headliners include The Black Lillies, Mipso, Penny and Sparrow, Marie Miller, Humming House, Billy Strings, The Accidentals and Lowland Hum, among others.


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Triad Music Festival 2016 set for Sept. 1-3 in downtown Winston-Salem

 

The Triad Music Festival 2016, Sept. 1-3, will include a Kick-Off Party, Songwriter Stand-Off and performances featuring Caleb Caudle and Wurlitzer Prize, among others, in various locations around downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

According to organizers, the main event will be the N.C. Regional Gear & Music Expo, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 3,  at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts.

For more information visit the festival  HERE or call (336) 747 – 1465.

 


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On Huffington Post: Don’t miss Josh Shilling and Mountain Heart online and on the Grand Ole Opry

The following post also ran on The Huffington Post here.

If you weren’t at Pop’s Farm in Axton, Virginia, the home of Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival, under the stars on Saturday, Aug. 20, you missed an incredible high-energy performance by the incomparable Southwest Virginia native Josh Shilling and his band, Mountain Heart.

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The Genuine to perform on Friday, Aug. 26, as part of Stonefield Cellars’ Friday Flavors Concert Series

I first discovered The Genuine, a Winston-Salem-based progressive, folk rock group, thanks to Phuzz Phest a few years ago.
 
And I can tell you that the band doesn’t stray far from its name. Their sound is genuinely unique and I am not alone in my thinking. In fact, The Genuine were recently voted “Best Band”in Smitty’s Notes 10th Annual Best of Winston-Salem Awards. Fans are in for a treat on Friday, Aug. 26, when they can catch the Genuine band members — Matthew Allivato, Katelyn Allivato and Devin Forkel — perform at Stonefield Cellars Winery in Stokesdale, North Carolina, as part of its Friday Flavors Concert Series.


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On Huffington Post: MerleFest fans in for a treat when Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings perform under the stars at SECCA on Thursday, Aug. 25

This post also appears on The Huffington Post here.

The first time I heard folk, alt-country Americana singer-songwriter Gillian Welch perform live was at MerleFest in 2004 on the heels of the popularity of the Grammy-award winning movie soundtrack for “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,”  on which she was an associate producer with the illustrious T-Bone Burnett and performed on two songs. It’s a performance that has stayed with me through the years.

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