The Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival was started in 2011 by the Camp’s Board of Directors as a fundraiser for the Camp’s scholarship and capital development funds. According to organizers, it has achieved that goal, operating in the black every year thanks to careful planning and generous stewardship of the festival’s sponsors, organizational team, and volunteers.
This year’s festival set for Saturday, Sept. 10, will feature The Kruger Brothers, the Junior Sisk Band, the Carly Arrowood Band and Big Ron Hunter.
The festival has also become a way to introduce a larger community to the Camp, and to bring Camp friends and family together for a special annual event.
In 2019, Carolina Country magazine readers voted Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival the winner of the inaugural “Carolina’s Finest” award for the Best Festival in the state of North Carolina! In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic and state restrictions prohibited us from holding the festival. We were more grateful than ever to gather together in 2021, and again, we were blessed to win the Carolina Country “Carolina’s Finest” award for Best Festival.
Each year, we pray for a “successful” festival as our Heavenly Father would define success!
We couldn’t be more pleased to have world renowned bluegrass artists Lonesome River Band join us this year! They perfectly round out the Front Porch Fest 13 musical lineup, alongside many other amazing artists. You can find out more about the full lineup here!This may the final lineup announcement, but stay tuned to your inbox and FPF social media outlets for additional information and updates!
The 13th annual Front Porch Fest will be held at Spirithaven Farm on Labor Day weekend, September 1- 4, 2022. We are proud to offer a wide range of talented local, regional, and national music acts; children’s activities; vendors, merchandise, and more. Front Porch Fest provides fun for the entire family while raising money and awareness for local community organizations and charities. It is produced by One Family Productions and presented by Patrick County, Virginia.
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
4-Day General Admission (Tier 3): $140 Ticket includes access to the event for one person, Thursday-Sunday. Tent camping is included with ticket. Parking must be purchased separately online or at the gate.
4 Day VIP: $300 [GOING FAST!] VIP ticketholders receive homemade meals, continental breakfasts, beer tickets (must be 21), and a swag bag to include: Front Porch Fest branded merchandise, FPF merch shack discounts, vendor coupons, and sponsor provided swag. The VIP lounge features special performances, free pour hours and free specialty food events.
A VIP ticket includes premium VIP only camping (first come first serve) & standard parking. If you are interested in car camping or bringing an RV, those tickets must be purchased separately.
Car Camping: $60 [SOLD OUT] Car Camping tickets include access to a 20×20 space for 1 car, 1 tent, and 1 10×10 canopy. Limited quantities available.RV Pass: $120 [LOW TICKET WARNING] RV Tickets include access for one RV/Pull Behind Camper up to 30 feet. Each RV space will accommodate room for one vehicle.
Parking: $10 All General Admission and Single Day ticket holders must purchase a parking pass (one pass per vehicle – carpooling is encouraged!). This pass grants parking on-site, just a short walk to the festival grounds.
The festival is a family friendly event and children 12 and under are free! Please add (1) 4 Day GA (Child 12 and under) ticket to your order per little one!
From the good folks at the International World of Bluegrass (IBMA):
Organizers of this year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass, taking place Sept. 27-Oct. 1 in downtown Raleigh, N.C., have revealed the full lineup of artists and daily schedule of performances for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC.
The weekend festival will offer both ticketed and free Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater, and on five additional free StreetFest Stages in downtown Raleigh Friday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 1.
Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater for this year’s festival will begin at 5 p.m. both days and will feature premier bluegrass acts for six hours each day.
Additionally:
● This year’s festival includes a curated Arts Market featuring makers from local partners Artsplosure and Black Friday Market.
● Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) will be back at the Martin Street stage, sponsored by Ron and Nancy McFarlane, for the first time in three years. This stage is a festival favorite and an excellent way to showcase these young musicians’ talent, passion and authentic connection to the music.
● The Come Hear NC Stage returns to the open space in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. New this year is a beer garden featuring craft beers, as well as games and activities for the whole family to enjoy.
“When the festival is in town every third person has a fiddle, guitar or banjo on their back. It’s one of the best times of the year in downtown Raleigh,” said David Brower, festival producer and Executive Director of PineCone, the Raleigh-based non-profit that produces the festival. “I’m especially excited about the Capitol Stage, which this year features Southern gospel traditions, including bluegrass, string band and quartet gospel from Eastern North Carolina. It will be a joyful sound on that end of downtown.”
For the 10th year, PNC Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. “As PNC commemorates 10 years of doing business in North Carolina, we can’t think of a better way to demonstrate our long-term commitment to the Triangle than by helping bring regionally meaningful live music to the streets of downtown Raleigh,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president for Eastern Carolinas. “This sponsorship represents one of the many ways PNC is supporting the community and driving economic impact locally.”
The schedule for the Main Stage performances at Red Hat Amphitheater:
Friday, Sept. 30
5:00 p.m. Twisted Pine
6:00 p.m. Balsam Range
7:05 p.m. Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
8:10 p.m. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
9:30 p.m. Jerry Douglas Band
Saturday, Oct. 1
5:00 p.m. Della Mae
6:00 p.m. Dan Tyminski
7:05 p.m. Dom Flemons & Shultz’s Dream, featuring: Brian Farrow, Dante Pope, Richard Brown
and Tray Wellington
8:10 p.m. Sierra Hull
9:30 p.m. Infamous Stringdusters
Friday, Sept. 30 StreetFest Schedule:
Come Hear NC Stage (located on the flat parking lot in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts)
Buffalo Commons
Jim Lauderdale
Dewey & Leslie Brown and the Carolina Gentlemen
Sister Sadie
California Bluegrass Reunion: Darrol Anger, Chad Manning, Jim Nunally, Bill Evans,
John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist
Tray Wellington Band
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Della Mae
Davie Street Stage (located near the intersection of Davie and Fayetteville streets)
California Bluegrass Reunion: Darrol Anger, Chad Manning, Jim Nunally, Bill Evans,
John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist
Steve Smith & Tim May
Stillhouse Junkies
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
Joe Newberry & Jim Collier
Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive
Sister Sadie
Gangstagrass
The Sweet Lillies
Martin Street Stage (located on Martin Street between Fayetteville and Wilmington streets)
JAM curated bands
Twisted Pine
Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
Slocan Ramblers
Capitol Stage (located on Fayetteville Street between Martin & Hargett streets)
Dedicated Men of Zion
Mountain Highway
Lorraine Jordan
Caleb Serrano
Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
Dedicated Men of Zion
City Plaza Youth Stage (located on Fayetteville Street across from the Marriott)
Kids on Bluegrass
Fair Black Rose
BJUgrass (Bob Jones University)
UNC Asheville Bluegrass Band
ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band
Denison University Bluegrass Ensemble
KSBTM Bluegrass Band (Hazard Community & Technical College)
Tigertown Roots (Clemson University)
Belmont University Bluegrass Ensemble
World of Bluegrass Open Bluegrass Jams
Dan Bui (Twisted Pine)
Gangstagrass
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
Hank Pattie & The Current
Saturday, Oct. 1 StreetFest Schedule
Come Hear NC Stage (located on the flat parking lot in front of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts)
Rocky Creek Ramblers
Violet Bell
John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project: The Tour
Tray Wellington Band
Special Consensus
Unspoken Tradition
Sideline
Henhouse Prowlers
Gangstagrass
Davie Street Stage (located near the intersection of Davie and Fayetteville streets)
Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra
Fair Black Rose
East Nash Grass
Earl White String Band
Danny Paisley
Hank, Pattie & The Current
Missy Raines & Allegheny
Chris Jones & the Nightdrivers
Damn Tall Buildings
Martin Street Stage (located on Martin Street between Fayetteville and Wilmington streets)
JAM curated bands
Diamond Creek
Into the Fog
Buffalo Commons
Capitol Stage (located on Fayetteville Street between Martin & Hargett streets)
The Burnett Sisters
The Gospel Jubilators
Dave Adkins Band
The Glorifying Vines
The Cockman Family
Brother Jerry Harrison & Faith
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Faith & Harmony
City Plaza Youth Stage (located on Fayetteville Street across from the Marriott)
Kids on Bluegrass
UNC Bluegrass Band
Berea College
Colorado College
Berklee College of Music
Morehead State University
KSBTM Bluegrass Band (Hazard Community & Technical College)
Pellissippi State Community College
World of Bluegrass Open Bluegrass Jams (Market Plaza, Fayetteville St)
Earl White
Youth Jam with Fair Black Rose & The Loblollies
Tray Wellington
Hank, Pattie & The Current
All performers listed are subject to change. Updated artist information, as well as performance times and stages, will be posted in September at https://worldofbluegrass.org/festival Schedules will also be posted at each stage, and QR codes posted throughout the festival will allow festival-goers to access the full schedule and festival map on their phones. Participants who want a printed schedule are encouraged to print that ahead of time from the IBMA World of Bluegrass website.
Pat Morris, Executive Director of IBMA, offered additional comments on today’s schedule announcement: “What a great lineup for this year’s IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. Music fans can enjoy great bluegrass from excellent musicians in a festive environment like no other. Come to Raleigh and surround yourself with the best fans in the world enjoying the best music in the world.”
A portion of the proceeds from IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC supports the IBMA Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) that provides direct financial assistance to bluegrass artists and other industry professionals in times of emergency need. Since its creation in 1987, the Trust Fund has given more than $1,000,000 in direct aid. To meet the needs of the bluegrass community during the pandemic, the IBMA Trust Fund Board of Trustees established an account specifically for COVID-19 Relief.
Information about Red Hat Amphitheater ticketing, IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registration, IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards tickets and hotel reservations are available at the IBMA World of Bluegrass website, WorldofBluegrass.org.
Additional sponsors who helped make this year’s festival and World of Bluegrass week events possible include Come Hear NC, Ron and Nancy McFarlane, JAM, Chevy, WRAL, Wegmans, Michelob Ultra, Wicked Weed, Stella Artois, Devil’s Backbone, Boone, WakeMed, Pepsi, Cheerwine, Nature’s Twist, Parker Poe, Bandwidth, NC Lotto, Chick-fil-A, RALIcares, Campbell University School of Law and others.
More info about IBMA World of Bluegrass and the IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC Festival
IBMA World of Bluegrass is the most important week in bluegrass. The week encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, Sept. 27-29; the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases taking place Sept. 27-29 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards scheduled for Thurs. evening, Sept. 29; and IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, a two-day festival. IBMA Bluegrass Live! features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Trust Fund.
As in years past, events during World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.
IBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide.
PineCone is the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music. It is a Raleigh-based non-profit that serves as the official local host and festival producer for IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. It was founded in 1984 by a group of friends looking to preserve, present and promote music and dance that’s rooted in the Piedmont. PineCone hosts year-round events that highlight rich and diverse musical traditions that’ve been passed down informally for generations. There’s more about PineCone’s concerts, jam sessions, workshops, camps, youth programs and weekly radio show at Pinecone.org.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit http://www.pnc.com.
The City of Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, home to several colleges and universities, with a vibrant performing arts community. Fueled by an impressive mix of education, ingenuity and collaboration, North Carolina’s capital city has become an internationally recognized leader in life science and technology innovation.
Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh)
As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh), is responsible for promoting Wake County as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, the organization strengthens the economic position of and provide opportunity for people throughout Wake County. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes nearly 13 million visitors annually whose spending tops $1.7 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 17,000 local jobs in Wake County and generates $186 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $470 in taxes annually. visitRaleigh.com
About Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex
The Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex encompasses four city-owned and managed facilities that bring together local residents, out-of-town visitors and a host of performing artists from around the country and the world.
In the heart of North Carolina’s vibrant capitol city, three of the four venues welcome some 1 million visitors to downtown Raleigh each year. The award-winning, 500,000-square-foot Raleigh Convention Center is a leader in innovation, sustainability and guest experience. Next door sits the city’s signature open-air music venue, the Red Hat Amphitheater, with 6,000 seats and a buzzworthy schedule of musical performances.
A short walk away, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts offers four unique theaters, seating from 150 to 2,369, and is home to resident companies Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Theatre, North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Opera and PineCone. Beyond Downtown Raleigh, Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek boasts a 20,000-person capacity amphitheater on 77 rolling green acres and regularly packs the house with big-name acts.www.raleighconvention.com/complex
The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the nominees for this year’s IBMA Industry Awards and IBMA Momentum Awards, which will be presented during IBMA World of Bluegrass, Sept. 27-Oct. 1 in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
The announcement was made earlier today on SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction. The IBMA Momentum Awards will take place Wednesday, Sept. 28; the IBMA Industry Awards will take place Thursday, Sept. 29. Specific times and additional details for both events, and for other IBMA World of Bluegrass events, will be shared in the coming weeks across the organization’s social media platforms, through email notification, and at worldofbluegrass.org.
IBMA INDUSTRY AWARDS
The Industry Awards recognize outstanding work in categories including Broadcaster of the Year, Event of the Year, Graphic Designer of the Year, Liner Notes of the Year, Writer of the Year, Sound Engineer of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.Nominees in each category are selected by specially appointed committees made up of bluegrass music professionals who possess significant knowledge of that field. The recipient of each award is decided on by the Panel of Electors, an anonymous group of veteran bluegrass music professionals selected by the IBMA Board of Directors.
The 2022 IBMA Industry Awards nominees are:
Broadcaster of the Year Cindy Baucom Barb Heller Chris Jones Michelle Lee Kris Truelsen
Event of the Year 2021 Camp Springs Bluegrass Festival, Celebrating 50 Years of Bluegrass Country Soul, Elon, NC Crossover Festival, Congleton, Cheshire, England, UK Doc Watson: Celebrating a Life in Music, Banner Elk, NC Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival, Wilmington, Ohio Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival, Brunswick, Maine
Graphic Designer of the Year Jonathan Carroll Gina Dilg Tim Frame Grace van’t Hof Carla Wehby
Liner Notes of the Year Stacy Chandler Never Slow Down – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys Bob Minner From Sulfur Springs to Rising Fawn: The Songs of Norman Blake Ted Olson Doc Watson: Life’s Work: A Retrospective
Songwriter of the Year Mark “Brink” Brinkman Ronnie Bowman Glen Duncan Rick Lang Jerry Salley
Sound Engineer of the Year Dewey Boyd Steve Chandler Adam Engelhardt Andy Lytle Sean Sullivan
Writer of the Year Craig Havighurst Mark Hembree Chris Jones Akira Otsuka Garret K. Woodward
IBMA MOMENTUM AWARDS
The Momentum Awards recognize both musicians and bluegrass industry professionals who, in the early stages of their careers, are making significant contributions to or are having a significant influence upon bluegrass music. These contributions can be to bluegrass music in general, or to a specific sector of the industry. The Mentor Award, in contrast to the other Momentum Awards, recognizes a bluegrass professional who has made a significant impact on the lives and careers of newcomers to the bluegrass industry. Nominees are chosen through a multi-stage process by committees made up of respected musicians and industry leaders in the bluegrass world.
The 2022 IBMA Momentum Award nominees are:
Mentor Award Louisa Branscomb Matt Glaser David Hollender Kimber Ludiker Scott Napier
Industry Involvement Award David Benedict Keith Billik Mary Beth Martin Lillian Werbin Melanie Wilson
Vocalist of the Year Victoria Grace Crystal Lariza Rebekka Nilsson Caroline Owens Zach
Top Instrumentalists of the Year (2 selected) Harry Clark Jake Eddy Ben Garnett Anthony Howell George Jackson Michael Prewitt Samantha Snyder
Band of the Year
East Nash Grass Full Cord Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra AJ Lee & Blue Summit Never Come Down ABOUT IBMA IBMA World of Bluegrass is the most important week in bluegrass! The week encompasses four events: the IBMA Business Conference, September 27-29; the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, an innovative series of showcases taking place September 27-29 in downtown Raleigh and at the Raleigh Convention Center; the 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards scheduled for Thursday evening, September 29, and IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, September 30-October 1, a two-day festival. IBMA Bluegrass Live! features the best of the best in bluegrass today, benefiting the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introducing the music to thousands of new fans every year.About IBMAIBMA – the International Bluegrass Music Association – is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide. IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, featuring the best of the best in bluegrass today, helps benefit the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introducing the music to thousands of new fans every year.
In 2019, I was on hand at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual conference and festival for Jerry Douglas’s announcement about the new Earl Scruggs Music Festival to be held over Labor Day Weekend in 2020.
Nearly three years later, festival organizers are thrilled to announce that the inaugural event will be held Sept. 2-4 at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina.
The star-studded lineup includes Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,Béla Fleck,Sam Bush, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, The Earls of Leicester, Leftover Salmon, Alison Brown, Town Mountain and festival host Jerry Douglas. In addition, the festival features a choice display of North Carolina talent including Rissi Palmer, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Balsam Range and more (see complete lineup below.)
The festival is partnering with internationally recognized roots music brand The Bluegrass Situation to present a tribute to one of the most iconic Earl Scruggs Revue albums, “Live at Kansas State.” Dexterous bluegrass quintet Fireside Collective (also slated for a Friday night set of original music) will lead an all-star outfit in a revival of the 1972 recording with special guest, ESMF artist-in-residence Douglas, plus a slew of surprise cameos. The landmark event will take place Saturday afternoon (Sept. 3) on the Foggy Mountain Stage. Facilitating world-class showcases across festival stages and musical events in all corners of the country, The Bluegrass Situation is a prime collaborator for Earl Scruggs Music Festival, and organizers look forward to building on the partnership in the years to come.
While first-rate live music remains at the forefront of ESMF programming, organizers have also curated a series of interactive workshops for those who are looking to round out their festival experience. Thought-provoking presentations like “Earl’s Nashville Years,” moderated by journalist and guitarist Tommy Goldsmith and featuring insight from Sam Bush, Béla Fleck and Jerry Douglas, “Meet the Authors” with WMOT producer and writer Craig Havighurst, Tommy Goldsmith, veteran music and arts critic David Menconi and more will take place on the Legends Workshop Stage throughout the weekend.
Weekend and single-day passes to Earl Scruggs Music Festival are on sale now via the festival’s website. A limited number of General Admission and Grandstand Weekend tickets are still available at the current pricing level of $200 and $250, respectively. Patron VIP passes are now sold out. To explore premium options, purchase tickets, and stay up-to-date on all things Earl Scruggs Music Festival, visit earlscruggsmusicfestival.com.
Earl Scruggs Music Festival 2022 Lineup Hosted by Jerry Douglas Featuring: The Earls of Leicester Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Sam Bush Band Bela Fleck My Bluegrass Heart Alison Brown Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway Leftover Salmon Balsam Range Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley Town Mountain Chatham County Line Acoustic Syndicate Fireside Collective Dom Flemons Darin & Brooke Aldridge Becky Buller Band Laura Boosinger & Josh Goforth Lakota John Chatham Rabbits Jon Stickley Trio Fireside Collective Unspoken Tradition The Barefoot Movement Rissi Palmer Bella White
About Earl Scruggs Music Festival Established in partnership with WNCW 88.7 at Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC and the Earl Scruggs Center located in Shelby, NC, Earl Scruggs Music Festival will celebrate the legacy of an American music legend who pioneered a unique style of banjo picking, coined “Scruggs style.” His collaborations with Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, as well as Lester Flatt and the Foggy Mountain Boys helped to christen the bluegrass genre in the late 1940s. With a standout lineup featuring the best in traditional roots music and progressive fusions, Earl Scruggs Music Festival will illuminate the profound impact that Scruggs had on American culture, while uplifting fresh and noteworthy voices in the genre. A portion of proceeds will support the festival’s beneficiaries, the Earl Scruggs Center and Isothermal Community College, who serve Earl Scruggs’ home region of the Carolina Foothills with cultural programming through multiple channels.
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.
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.
“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.”
Country music phenom Josh Turner’s closing set on Thursday night at MerleFest 2022.
Day one of MerleFest 2022 is in the books, but the kickoff of the 34th annual musical homecoming will not soon be forgotten for those fortunate enough to gather again on the campus of Wilkes Community College.
Following are a few highlights:
Fireside Collective, who, you may remember, won the MerleFest Band Competition in 2016 with their unique roots sound, kicked off the Watson Stage sets and set the stage for a warm, sunny afternoon filled with a variety of musical stylings. I imagine Doc Watson and his son Merle, for whom the festival is named in his memory, smiling down on the sheer variety of what Doc like to refer as “traditional plus.” You can catch them later today on the Americana Stage and in the Dance Tent.
The Steel Wheels, one of my favorites, followed on the Watson Stage with their high-energy set and unique blend of rootsy Americana that has earned them a loyal fan base as well as their own Red Wing Roots music festival. The boys from Virginia closed out their set with the first song they ever played at MerleFest, a rousing rendition of “Rain in the Valley.” Catch them later today on the Americana Stage.
Durand Jones & The Indications then introduced the crowd to their unique soul, Motown-esque sound that originated in a basement in Indiana (true story).
Trampled By Turtles gave, in my humble opinion, what can only be described as a the perfect MerleFest set with each rousing fiddle performance — somehow blending rock and roll with bluegrass — filling the hills of campus with the notes that define MerleFest’s tagline, “Music, Moments and Memories.” It was a performance that will not soon be forgotten by longtime fans as well as those new to this group’s unique sound.
Josh Turner, who made his MerleFest debut to an appreciative crowd, did not disappoint. His signature voice rumbled across campus and brought the crowd to its feet as he performed hit after hit.
Another highlight was the amazing Canadian songwriter Tenille Townes, who also made her MerleFest debut on the Cabin Stage. It is no surprise that Townes is taking Nashville by storm with her insightful lyrics and award-winning vocals. There is no doubt that on her return to the festival she will be belting out even more hits from the Watson Stage.
Were you at MerleFest on Thursday? Would love for you to share your thoughts. Stay tuned for highlights from the rest of the jam-packed weekend!
MerleFest organizers and patrons have been counting down the days for the world-famous festival’s return to its usual Spring weekend. Some fans’ annual pilgrimages to MerleFest are already underway, and the Wilkes Community College campus is abuzz with festival staff excitedly readying the festival to take place just two days from now—April 28 through May 1.
MerleFest, presented by Window World, has announced the lineup for the fan-favorite Late Night Jam. The Waybacks, Jim Lauderdale, Allison Russell, Kaia Kater, Donna The Buffalo, Kruger Brothers, and Caleb Caudle will join jam hosts to explore the theme of this year’s jam: “The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Songs from the 60’s and 70’s Folk-Rock Revolution.”
MerleFest has published the official festival schedule at merlefest.org/schedule so that fans can plan their weekend. Not to be missed traditions include The Waybacks’ Album Hour set on the Hillside Stage on Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning Gospel sets at the Creekside Stage, Thursday’s Late Night Dance Party with Donna The Buffalo on the Dance Stage, and MerleFest’s yet-to-be-announced band competition winners Sunday on the Hillside Stage. Be sure to check out MerleFest first-timers, including the R&B and soul revolution of Durand Jones & The Indications (Thursday on the Watson Stage), Nashville hit songwriter and 1/4 of The Highwomen Natalie Hemby is being replaced by Sierra Hull (not a first timer) after it was announced Hemby couldn’t make the festival (Friday on the Cabin Stage), Allison Russell’s ethereal, multi-instrument prowess (Saturday on the Cabin Stage), and Arlo McKinley’s eclectic blend of soul, country, punk, and gospel (Saturday on the Cabin Stage).
Tickets for this year’s festival are still available and may be purchased at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. MerleFest also encourages festivalgoers to download the official MerleFest mobile app ahead of this year’s festivities to keep up to date with schedules, events, and on-site information.
Additionally, MerleFest would like to remind patrons of this year’s safety protocol. The major points are as follows: MerleFest 2022 will be mask-optional in general, but masks will be required while riding on all festival shuttle buses and transportation and in the artist-secured backstage area. Buses will be sanitized periodically, and hand sanitizer will be available prior to boarding shuttle buses. Proof of vaccination/negative COVID-19 tests will not be required for 2022. A full list of MerleFest 2022 safety guidelines can be found at merlefest.org/safety. MerleFest continues to follow the state health guidelines as directed by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper along with the CDC and state/local health agencies, so these protocols are subject to change pending state rulings. “Our number one priority has always been to produce a safe and family-friendly event, and that certainly is the goal for MerleFest 2022,” said this year’s festival organizers.
About MerleFest: MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 12 stages during the course of the multi-day event. MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects, and other educational needs.
The Barefoot Movement is a Triangle-based award-winning Americana band.
Did you know there is a free, family-friendly concert series on the picturesque shore of Lake Raleigh in April and May of 2022? LIVE@Lake Raleigh is a collaboration between NC State LIVE and Visit Centennial that celebrates the unique voices of North Carolina’s extraordinary music scene.
This year’s shows are set for April 7, April 21, May 5 and May 19. In addition to the free concerts there will be food trucks on hand. The concert events are held on the shore of Lake Raleigh, at the corner of Main Campus and Campus Shore drives. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the shows start at 6 p.m. Parking is free: SEE MAP HERE.
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