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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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Carolina Blues Festival set for May 20 at Barber Park Amphitheater in Greensboro

Blues fans, listen up: The 31st annual Carolina Blues Festival is set for 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 2017, at Barber Park Amphitheater, 1500 Dans Road, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

A 10-pack of general admissions tickets are a bargain at $38.

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Seventh annual Chantilly Farm Bluegrass & BBQ Festival set for May 26-28, 2017

If you like bluegrass and barbecue, you won’t want to miss the seventh annual Chantilly Farm Bluegrass and BBQ Festival set for May 26-28, 2017. Chantilly Farm, located at 2697 Franklin Pike Road in Floyd, Virginia, is the home festival of the award-winning Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.

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Jarekus Singleton Band, Turkey Feather Get Together to perform at Rives Theatre on Friday, May 12

Jarekus Singleton Band will return to the historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017.  Turkey Feather Get Together is set to open.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Season Passes gladly accepted.


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Eddie From Ohio, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen to headline Scythian’s Appaloosa Roots Music Festival on Sept. 1-3, 2017

Eddie From Ohio and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen will headline the third Appaloosa Roots Music Festival, hosted by MerleFest fan favorite Scythian, on Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-3, 2017, in Front Royal, Virginia.

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Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival to announce 2017 lineup on May 4

The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) will present “The Big Lineup Reveal” for the 17th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival set for Sept. 15-17, 2017, at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, at an invitation-only event. The festival is held at a variety of venues in downtown Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia.

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The Kruger Brothers trio to release ‘The Roan Mountain Suite’ at MerleFest 2017

The Kruger Brothers trio are releasing a remarkable new project, “The Roan Mountain Suite,” on April 28 as part of MerleFest’s 30th anniversary celebration that runs through April 30. This weekend also marks the trio’s 20th anniversary at the Americana music festival held on the grounds of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

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30 reasons to attend MerleFest’s 30th anniversary of making music, memories

MerleFest, one of the top Americana roots festivals, is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music and four days of making memories, Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles known as “traditional plus.” The festival, presented by Window World, is celebrating its 30th anniversary April 27-30, 2017, at in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1988 by the late, great Doc Watson in memory of his son Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College. Tickets are available here.

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The Steel Wheels to release newest album, ‘Wild As We Came Here,’ at MerleFest 2017

For The Steel Wheels, playing at MerleFest for the fourth time might just be a charm.

That’s because this four-piece Virginia-based string band is releasing its newest album, “Wild As We Came Here,” exclusively at the 30th anniversary of the Americana festival honoring the late, great Doc Watson, and his son Merle. The album will be officially released on May 5.

“There is no place better than MerleFest to release a brand-new album,” says Trent Wagler, who plays guitar and banjo in the band and writes most of its material. “It’s great to release a record in the spring time. It makes a lot of sense … you get something out right at the beginning of the touring year.”

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Scythian to release ‘Dance All Night’ at 30th anniversary of MerleFest

If MerleFest has a house band, it’s Scythian, the Celtic rockers who initially played their way into fans’ hearts busking outside the grounds as festival goers were waiting in line. To hear them tell it, Doc Watson heard them playing and the rest, as they say, is history.

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RW9 band schedule released, ticket prices increase May 1

The ninth iteration of Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival will be held over Memorial Day weekend, May 25 – 28, 2017, at the idyllic Pop’s Farm, overlooking a lake in the countryside of Martinsville, Virginia. Rooster Walk was named one of the Top 5 Music Festivals in Virginia by the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 2016 and it’s one of my personal favorites.

Greensky Bluegrass will headline Rooster Walk 9 with a two-hour set on Saturday night. The Wailers (Reunited!), Anders OsborneAnderson EastMandolin OrangeThe MotetPimps of Joytime, the Marcus King Band and many more will perform over the four-day festival.
The hourly stage schedules for RW9 are set. Check out the Band Schedule Page to see exactly when each of your favorite bands will perform. 

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