musicreporterblog

Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass

Category Archives: Live Music


by Leave a comment

Old Crow Medicine Show, Carly Pearce headline 2023 Azalea Festival in Wilmington, N.C.


The 2023 North Carolina Azalea Festival at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, at Live Oak Bank Pavilion features Carly Pearce with openers Conner Smith and Jonathan Hutcherson!

And at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 14, at Live Oak Bank Pavilion features Old Crow Medicine Show and Jamestown Revival!

Tickets at this link.

Old Crow Medicine Show

Ketch Secor (fiddle, harmonica, guitar, banjo, vocals) – Morgan Jahnig (upright bass) – Cory Younts (mandolin, keyboards, drums, vocals) – Jerry Pentecost (drums, mandolin) – Mike Harris (slide guitar, guitar, mandolin, banjo, dobro, vocals) Mason Via (guitar, gitjo, vocals)

On their whirlwind new album Paint This Town, Old Crow Medicine Show offer up a riveting glimpse into American mythology and the wildly colorful characters who populate it. The most incisive body of work yet from the Nashville-based roots band—a two-time Grammy Award-winning juggernaut whose triumphs include induction into the Grand Ole Opry and double-platinum certification for their iconic hit single “Wagon Wheel”—the album pays homage to everyone from Elvis Presley to Eudora Welty while shedding a bright light on the darker aspects of the country’s legacy. Fueled by Old Crow’s freewheeling collision of Americana, old-time music, folk, and rock & roll, Paint This Town relentlessly pulls off the rare and essential feat of turning razor-sharp commentary into the kind of songs that inspire rapturous singing along.

In a major milestone for Old Crow, Paint This Town marks the first album created in their own Hartland Studio: an East Nashville spot the band acquired in early 2020 then transformed into a clubhouse-like space custom-built to suit their distinct sensibilities. “Over the years we’ve spent a lot of time and money in professional studios, but this was the first time we’d worked in our own place since back in the late ’90s, when we’d hang a microphone from the rafters and record a cassette on our TASCAM 4-track,” says frontman Ketch Secor. Co-produced by the band and Matt Ross-Spang (a producer/engineer/mixer who’s worked with the likes of John Prine and Jason Isbell), Paint This Town also took shape from a far more insular process than their past work with such producers as Don Was and Dave Cobb (who helmed Old Crow’s most recent effort, 2018’s widely acclaimed Volunteer). Not only instrumental in allowing the band a whole new level of creative freedom, that self-contained approach helped to revive a certain spirit of pure abandon. “Doing it ourselves was a lot more fun with a lot less stress or pressure, and because of that we were way less precious about it,” says Secor. “It all just felt less like a chore and more like a complete joy.”

The seventh studio album from Old Crow, Paint This Town opens on its title track: a raucously swinging anthem that fully embodies that joyful energy. With its fable-like account of the band’s carefree troublemaking over the last two decades, the track showcases Secor’s uncanny knack for packing so much detailed storytelling into a single line (e.g., “We were teenage troubadours hopping on box cars for a hell of a one-way ride”). “Our band has always drawn its inspiration from those elemental American places, where water towers profess town names, where the Waffle House and the gas station are the only spots to gather,” says Secor. “This is the scenery for folk music in the 21st century, and the John Henrys and Casey Joneses of today are the youth who rise up out of these aged burgs undeterred, undefeated, and still kicking.”

Although much of Paint This Town looks outward to examine the American experiment, Old Crow never shy away from the intensely personal. Written soon after the demise of Secor’s marriage, “Bombs Away” puts a devil-may-care twist on the classic divorce song, while the gently galloping “Reasons to Run” invokes the Lone Ranger in confessing to the emotional toll of too much time on the road. And on tracks like “Used to Be a Mountain,” Old Crow turn their lived experience into a lens for illuminating larger-scale problems affecting the modern world. “I spent about 25 years of my life very close to the region of Appalachia where strip-mining occurs, which is really dangerous work and destructive for all living things,” says Secor of the song’s origins. Partly informed by his memories of hitchhiking around coal country as a teenager, “Used to Be a Mountain” emerges as a galvanizing meditation on environmental catastrophe, boldly propelled by Secor’s frenetic vocal flow and firebrand poetry (“From the fat cats, race rats, big Pharma, tall stacks/They’re the ones digging the hole/All the way down to Guangzhou”).

In one of the album’s most potent segments, Paint This Town delivers a trio of songs that delve into matters of race and hate and systems of power, embedding each track with Old Crow’s vision for a more harmonious future. On “DeFord Rides Again,” for instance, the band serves up a gloriously stomping tribute to legendary harmonica player DeFord Bailey (the first Black star of the Grand Ole Opry, who was eventually banned from the show and left in exile). “One of the things that inspired that song was the experiences we’ve had traveling all over the world and seeing the people who take country music into their hearts,” says Old Crow upright bassist Morgan Jahnig. “It’s the entire spectrum of humanity—but when you look at the people making country music, it tends to be pretty monochromatic. If we really want to push music forward, we need to let all kinds of people have a voice.” Featuring Mississippi-bred musician Shardé Thomas on fife (a piccolo-like instrument often used in military bands), the soul-stirring “New Mississippi Flag” dreams up an insignia that truly honors the state’s rich cultural heritage (“She’ll have a stripe for Robert Johnson/And one for Charlie Pride”). “We’re living in a time in which there’s a great undoing of the mythologies that were created in order for the South to alter its view of itself, and with that undoing comes a repurposing,” Secor points out. Meanwhile, “John Brown’s Dream” unfolds as a swampy and smoldering portrait of the notorious radical abolitionist and his brutally violent attempt at rebellion.

Throughout Paint This Town, Old Crow bring their spirited reflection to an endlessly eclectic sound, spiking their songs with elements of everything from gospel (on “Gloryland,” a heavy-hearted lament for our failure to care for each other) to Southern highlands balladry (on “Honey Chile,” a melancholy love song graced with soaring harmonies and swooning fiddle melodies). That deliberate unpredictability has defined Old Crow since their earliest days, when they got their start busking on the streets with pawnshop-bought instruments. Through the years, they’ve continually breathed new life into their sound by inviting new musicians into the fold; to that end, Paint This Town marks the first album to include Jerry Pentecost (drums, mandolin), Mike Harris (slide guitar, guitar, mandolin, banjo, dobro, vocals), and Mason Via (guitar, gitjo, vocals). “We were auditioning new members during the process of putting the studio together—so if you signed up to be in this band, you got handed a paint roller and a list of songs to learn,” says Secor. As they got Hartland Studio up and running, Old Crow also launched the Hartland Hootenanny: an hour-long variety show livestreamed every Saturday night during lockdown, with guest appearances from the likes of Amythyst Kiah, Billy Strings, Marty Stuart, and The War and Treaty. “The Hartland Hootenanny kept us joyous during what could’ve been a very bleak time,” Secor says. “It helped us process the experience of Covid and George Floyd’s death and all the urgent cries for change, but at the same time we talked about full moons and football and summer camp—which in a way symbolizes everything we are as a band.”

Indeed, Old Crow ultimately consider that mingling of the joyous and the profound to be the very life force of their collective. “At the end of the day, we’re still just trying to stop you on the street and get you to put a dollar in the guitar case,” says Jahnig. “Then once we’ve got your attention, we’re gonna tell you about things like the opioid epidemic and the Confederate flag and what’s happening with the environment—but we’re gonna do it with a song and dance. We feel a great obligation to talk about the more difficult things happening out there in the world, but we also feel obligated to make sure everyone’s having a great time while we do it.”

Old Crow Medicine Show’s album “Paint This Town” is available via ATO Records. Order your copy here.

WITH…

Jamestown Revival is an internationally recognized Americana/Roots Rock band from Austin, TX who affectionately describe their music as “Southern & Garfunkel.”

Jamestown Revival’s newest album, Young Man, is the band’s first album without electric guitars and their first to be recorded in a studio. With themes like coming of age and settling into an identity, Young Man was produced by Robert Ellis and Josh Block (Leon Bridges, Caamp).

The band has performed at iconic music festivals, such as Farm Aid, Coachella, Stagecoach, Lollapalooza, Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic and Austin City Limits, have been featured in publications ranging from Rolling Stone to the Wall Street Journal, and performed and toured with the likes of the Zac Brown Band, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ryan Bingham and Willie Nelson.

Jamestown Revival has released three critically acclaimed albums (Utah, The Education Of A Wandering Man and San Isabel) and two equally praised EPs (Field Guide To Loneliness, an intimate collection of songs reflecting recent times whereby human contact is limited more than ever, and Fireside With Louis L’Amour, featuring songs inspired by stories from author Louis L’Amour’s The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour, Volume 1: Frontier Stories.

Learn more at www.jamestownrevival.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @jamestownrevival and Twitter @JTRevival.

ABOUT CARLY PEARCE: Fiercely rooted in the classics, the girl who left her Kentucky home and high school at 16 to take a job at Dollywood has grown into a woman who embraces the genre’s forward progression. Confident in what she wants to say, the committed songwriter has resonated with fans and caught the attention of music critics from Billboard, NPR, Rolling Stone, The New York Times touting 29: WRITTEN IN STONE (Big Machine Records) on their 2021 year-end Best of Lists. Lighting a fire with her debut album EVERY LITTLE THING and the PLATINUM-certified history making title track, Carly’s 2X PLATINUM-certified “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Lee Brice won both the 2020 CMA Awards Musical Event and 2021 ACM Awards Music Event, plus ACM Single of the Year. She picked up her second consecutive ACM Music Event of the Year in 2022 with Ashley McBryde duet “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” Carly’s third No. 1 and the third duet between two solo women to top Country Airplay, dating to the Billboard chart’s January 1990 inception. The song also took home 2022 CMA Musical Event of the Year and is currently up for a GRAMMY Award in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category, marking Pearce’s first-ever nomination. Knowing it’s time to move on, she offers final reckoning of a relationship that failed and a new set of standards for the next time she falls in love with the 29 project’s final single “What He Didn’t Do,” co-written alongside Ashley Gorley and Emily Shackleton. Following the Grand Ole Opry and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member’s sold-out THE 29 TOUR and spending the summer touring with Kenny Chesney, Pearce joins Blake Shelton’s BACK TO THE HONKY TONK TOUR in 2023. Honored as one of CMT’s 2022 Artists of The Year, the 2021 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and reigning ACM Female Artist of the Year is clearly living out her childhood dream. For tour dates and more, visit CarlyPearce.com.

Tickets on sale, Friday, Dec. 9 at 10am. 

WITH…

CONNER SMITH was born to write songs. His mother interviewed songwriters as part of her work when he was a small child; he remembers being in her office, transfixed, listening to the tapes of the people most music lovers never saw telling the stories of where the songs came from. By the time he was 6, he was writing his own. By the time he was 9, he’d signed to BMI as a writer. 

Being so immersed in songs and where they came from, the 21-year-old Nashville native is the rarest of all things: a songwriter from the inside out. You can feel it in the wanting so much more than the surface in “Tennessee,” the way “Take It Slow” captures the innocence of young love, and you can hear it in the old school lyric twist in “Learn From It,” which just made its debut at Country Radio. As Smith just released his latest “Why I Can’t Leave”, fans are also quickly discovering “I Hate Alabama.” Smith first released the song on his social media channels and the overwhelming response prompted him to immediately release the full song on all platforms… right before Alabama  suffered a loss that ended their long-running winning streak. The Tennessean  called it a “…love song and perfect game day tune all wrapped in a catchy country melody” while Barstool Sports mused “Am I saying the Crimson Tide suffered their first loss since 2019 because of this objectively awesome song? I don’t know. I generally don’t believe in coincidences.”

While working with Ashley Gorley and Zach Crowell as a Junior and Senior in high school, the pair encouraged him to still “finish school.” So, Smith spent his teenage years leading a double life: Student in the morning, working songwriter from noon on. His dream turned into real life – with sweeping country songs that show the maturity and insight of an old soul discovered early, then given the time, tools and opportunity to master their craft as a seasoned writer and not just one more kid shuffling from writing appointment to writing appointment. Recently opening up for Sam Hunt and Thomas Rhett on select dates it was just announced he will join Ryan Hurd on tour in 2022. He has previously performed alongside some of the genre’s other top acts including Kane Brown, and Kip Moore. For more information and dates visit ConnerSmithMusic.com.  

AND…

Hailing from Wilmore, KY, country, bluegrass and gospel music influences, along with a strong love and appreciation for family have helped form the artist and songwriter that Jonathan Hutcherson is today.  He brought those influences to Nashville in 2018 and quickly started impressing songwriters and publishers on Music Row with his falsetto vocals, heartfelt lyrics and catchy melodies.  Hutcherson released a self-titled EP in 2021 that has garnered millions of streams and followed that up with the release of “Blue Collar” in the Fall of 2022 and a 2023 Winter release of “Makes A Man”.  Inspiration for both songs pulled from the honest, hardworking and hard loving people he’s always surrounded himself with.  

Look for Jonathan out on the road all over the country in 2023. 


by Leave a comment

Aoife O’Donovan shares ‘Phoenix’ from Grammy-nominated album ‘Age of Apathy Solo Sessions’ on May 12

Features Solo-Acoustic Tracks Of Eight Songs From 3x GRAMMY-nominated Album “Age Of Apathy” 

Aoife O’Donovan Plays “Nebraska” Tour Continues April 12 

Listen/Share: “Phoenix” (Acoustic)

From Yep Rock Records, “Today, critically acclaimed Aoife O’Donovan shares “Phoenix” from the “Age of Apathy Solo Sessions” out May 12 on Yep Roc Records. The companion album features eight acoustic versions of songs from her multi-GRAMMY-nominated album Age of Apathy reimagined as intimate solo performances. 

“The album, which was nominated for three GRAMMYS, including Best Folk Album as well as Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song, both for “Prodigal Daughter” featuring Allison Russell garnered critical acclaim. Rolling Stone hailed “stunning,” NPR Music “a moving self-portrait,” and “No Depression “an astounding accomplishment.” Pitchfork says O’Donovan “taps into the propulsion of prime Joni Mitchell,” while The New York Times praises the album’s “musical surprises: daring melodic leaps, unexpected chord progressions, [and] subtle rhythmic shifts.” 

“Recorded through a unique residency with Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, O’Donovan wrote and recorded 2022’s “Age Of Apathy” on-site at their studio with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Darren Schneider while collaborating entirely remotely with producer Joe Henry (Bonnie Raitt, Rhiannon Giddens). 

“On March 24, the GRAMMY Award-winning artist released a limited edition worldwide indie exclusive vinyl release of Aoife O’Donovan Plays Nebraska. The album, limited to 1,000 copies worldwide, is now available at select indie retail stores and via Bandcamp. The vinyl release follows a 2021 digital-only live recording of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album “Nebraska,” one of his most acclaimed. The intimate and uninterrupted live, solo-acoustic performance was recorded in Aoife’s living room in Brooklyn, New York, May 2020 from a livestream broadcast. 

“In April, O’Donovan’s Spring tour continues as she performs “Nebraska” in its entirety alongside selections from “Age of Apathy.” O’Donovan returns to Europe and the UK in late Spring followed by a full summer of touring.  O’Donovan is also the 2023 FreshGrass Festival commissioned composer and will premiere a new work at the festival this September. A complete list of dates follows below; tickets are available here.”

For my N.C. readers, please note you can catch O’Donovan with Nickel Creek on July 21 at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh or July 22 at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington.

Aoife O’Donovan Plays Nebraska

April 12 – Stoughton Opera House – Stoughton, WI

April 13 – SPACE – Evanston, IL – SOLD OUT

April 14 – Turf Club – St. Paul, MN – SOLD OUT 

April 15 – The Sheldon Concert Hall – St. Louis, MO

April 16 – The Basement East – Nashville, TN

with special guests The Westerlies

Aoife O’Donovan Performances

April 28 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN – SOLD OUT

May 30 – Dresden Music Festival – Dresden, DE ^

June 3 – Queen’s Hall – Edinburgh, UK

June 7 – Debarras Folk Club – Clonakilty, IE

June 10 – Doolin Folk Festival – Doolin, IE

July 15 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN *

July 16 – Big Top Chautauqua – Bayfield, WI *

July 18 – Masonic Temple – Detroit, MI *

July 19 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON *

July 21 – North Carolina Museum of Art – Raleigh, NC *

July 22 – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater – Wilmington, NC *

July 23 – Wolf Trap – Filene Center – Vienna, VA *

July 24 – The Coves at Smith Mountain Lake – Union Hall, VA *

July 27 – Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards – Lafayette, NY *

August 19 – Green Mountain Bluegrass Festival – Manchester, VT ^

August 25 – The Long Road – Leicestershire, UK

August 26-27 – Tønder Festival – Tønder, DK

August 28 – TBD – Amsterdam, NL

September 9 – Moon River – Chattanooga, TN – SOLD OUT

September 22-24 – FreshGrass Music Festival – North Adams, MA

* supporting Nickel Creek

^ duo with Eric Jacobsen

The Apathy Sessions Tracklisting:

1. Phoenix

2. Galahad

3. Passengers 

4. B61

5. Age of Apathy

6. Elevators

7. Sister Starling 

8. Town of Mercy

About Aoife O’Donovan

GRAMMY Award-winning artist Aoife O’Donovan operates in a thrilling musical world beyond genre. Deemed “a vocalist of unerring instinct” by The New York Times, she has released three critically-acclaimed and boundary-blurring solo albums including her most recent record, 2022’s boldly orchestrated and literarily crafted Age Of Apathy. Recorded and written over the course of Winter and Spring 2021 with acclaimed producer Joe Henry, Age Of Apathy is “stunning” (Rolling Stone) and “taps into the propulsion of prime Joni Mitchell” (Pitchfork). 

Age of Apathy received three nominations at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards including one for Best Folk Album while Folk Alliance International named her song “B61” its 2022 Song Of The Year.

A savvy and generous collaborator, Aoife is one third of the group I’m With Her with bandmates Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. The trio’s debut album, See You Around, was hailed as “willfully open-hearted” by NPR Music. I’m With Her earned an Americana Music Association Award in 2019 for Duo/Group of the Year, and a GRAMMY Award in 2020 for Best American Roots Song.

O’Donovan spent the preceding decade as co-founder and front woman of the string band, Crooked Still and is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions – the group with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. She has appeared as a featured vocalist with over a dozen symphonies including the National Symphony Orchestra, written for Alison Krauss, performed with jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas, and spent a decade as a regular contributor to the radio variety shows “Live From Here” and “A Prairie Home Companion.”


by Leave a comment

Scythian to headline Lucknow Music Festival on March 11 in Dunn, N.C.


Scythian fans listen up: Merlefest’s Fan Favorite House Band is coming to Dunn, N.C.

From the boys: “Hey NC! We’re pumped to announce that we’ll be headlining the first annual Lucknow Music Festival and bringing our brand of St. Patrick’s Day excitement to Dunn, NC!!! So grab your tickets and become a part of a future ongoing legacy and new family member to the amazing array of NC music fests! ALL AGES”

Lucknow Music Festival

Sat, Mar 11 @ 7:30PM 

Lucknow Music Festival, 114 N Wilson Ave, Dunn, NC

$35 – VIP Presale

Learn more at https://scythianmusic.com/shows


by Leave a comment

Catch Sam Bush, Annabelle’s Curse at ‘Farm and Fun Time’ variety show on March 16 at Paramount Bristol

Hosted by Kris Truelsen and his house band Bill and the Belles, “Farm and Fun Time” is recorded for broadcast television on Blue Ridge PBS, East Tennessee PBS and PBS North Carolina

Sam Bush
There was only one prize-winning teenager carrying stones big enough to say thanks, but no thanks to Roy Acuff. Only one son of Kentucky finding a light of inspiration from Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys and catching a fire from Bob Marley and The Wailers. Only one progressive hippie allying with like-minded conspirators, rolling out the New Grass revolution, and then leaving the genre’s torch-bearing band behind as it reached its commercial peak.

There is only one consensus pick of peers and predecessors, of the traditionalists, the rebels, and the next gen devotees. Music’s ultimate inside outsider. Or is it outside insider? There is only one Sam Bush.

In 2009, the Americana Music Association awarded Bush the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist. Punch Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers, and Greensky Bluegrass are just a few present-day bluegrass vanguards among so many musicians he’s influenced. His performances are annual highlights of the festival circuit, with Bush’s joyous perennial appearances at the town’s famed bluegrass fest earning him the title, “King of Telluride.”

Annabelle’s Curse

Electrified Appalachian folk band Annabelle’s Curse has gathered quite the following in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond with a reputation for captivating, high-energy shows. After more than a decade together, the band has become a staple at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and tickets for their performances are always in high demand. Annabelle’s Curse makes its first appearance on Farm and Fun Time for this special Paramount Bristol edition of the program. A great venue in which to experience the music of this original and captivating act. 

Bill and the Belles
Based in Johnson City, Tennessee, Farm and Fun Time house band Bill and the Belles is known for combining a stringband format with their signature harmonies, candid songwriting, and pop sensibilities. Composed of Kris Truelsen on guitar, fiddler Kalia Yeagle, banjo/banjo-uke player Aidan VanSuetendael, and bassist Andrew Small, the group has a knack for saying sad things with a bit of an ironic smirk and revels in the in-between.




by Leave a comment

Will Overman, River Tramps to perform at The Pour House in downtown Raleigh on Sunday, March 5

RALEIGH — Will Overman’s genre-bending, storytelling approach to songwriting is a product of being born and bred on the East Coast, finding love and being tested on the West Coast, and finding a renewed passion for his art around the world.

You can listen to this alternative country, folk rocker live with Nashville’s The River Tramps at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 5, at The Pour House, 224 S Blount St., in downtown Raleigh. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at this link.

The Charlottesville, Virginia, singer-songwriter’s music carries a maturity to match the up-and-down life he has lived over the past 26 years. From fronting a touring band while attending college, through-hiking the Appalachian Trail and traveling around the world for several months, to witnessing his parents divorce, standing by his wife as she fought and beat cancer twice, and going through tough financial situations while trying to make it as a creator; Overman’s songs evoke the wisdom of an old soul with youthful optimism.

Overman initially found success with his collaborative project, Will Overman Band, touring up and down the east coast on the weekends while attending college at UVA. The band released two EPs and an LP from 2013-2017. In the spring of 2017, Overman graduated and the band decided to go their separate ways. Not sure what to do next, Overman began writing again, culminating in the release of his first solo studio work, 2017’s Crossroads EP.

Overman shares his stories and perspective through songs that cross genres from Pop and Folk to Country and Rock ‘n Roll; taking an approach laid by legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor, and expanded upon by the likes of Josh Ritter, Jason Isbell and John Mayer.

In early 2020, he followed up the Crossroads EP with several new singles in anticipation of his debut solo LP, “The Winemaker’s Daughter” (releasing Feb. 12, 2021).


by Leave a comment

MerleFest Adds Chris and Rich Robinson’s Brothers Of A Feather, Nickel Creek, and more to 35th annual festival

MerleFest celebrates what would be founder Doc Watson’s 100th birthday over the weekend of April 27-30, 2023, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina


MerleFest, presented by Window World, is excited to announce the final round of artist additions to the 35th annual festival, organizers said in a press release on Feb. 13.

Set for April 27-30, 2023, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, MerleFest 2023 will welcome The Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson’s stripped-down side-project, Brothers of a Feather, the Grammy-winning trio of acoustic music torchbearers Nickel Creek, Tommy Emmanuel—one of only five musicians to ever earn the Chet Atkins-given title of C.G.P. or Certified Guitar Player, the highly anticipated Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam hosted by The Kruger Brothers, your favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter, Lori McKenna, hard-working honky-tonk storyteller, Joshua Ray Walker, North Carolina’s favorite husband and wife duo, Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth, and many more—and that’s all in addition to previously announced headliners like The Avett Brothers and Maren Morris and MerleFest favorites Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas. 

The following bands and artists were also included in the announcement: Ali McGuirk, Bella White, Ben Chapman, The Biscuit Eaters, The Brothers Young, The Burnett Sisters Band with Colin Ray, Della Mae, Gravity Check Juggling, Henhouse Prowlers, High Road, Holt & Cabe, John Jorgensen Bluegrass Band, John Paul White, Laney Lou & The Bird Dogs, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Pretty Little Goat, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Songs From the Road Band, Southbound 77, and Taylon Hope.


These additions will join this year’s previously announced list of MerleFest favorites and first-timers: Andy May, The Avett Brothers, Banknotes, Black Opry Revue, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Donna the Buffalo, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Smothers, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Maren Morris, Mark Bumgarner, Mitch Greenhill & Mitch’s Kitchen, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan, Presley Barker, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush, Scythian, T. Michael Coleman, The InterACTive Theater of Jef, The Waybacks, Tony Williamson, and Wayne Henderson. 


MerleFest 2023 tickets are available now. For general admission passes, as well as patio seating, reserved seating, camping, parking and more, visit merlefest.org/purchase.
About Brothers Of A Feather with Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes (appearing Thursday): Under the moniker Brothers Of A Feather, The Black Crowes, Chris and Rich Robinson give fans a rare opportunity to see them perform stripped-down versions of some of their classic songs. In 1990, when journalists were lamenting the death of rock, as cheesy pop and hair metal dominated the charts, Atlanta’s Black Crowes gave the genre a swift and much-needed kick in the ass with “Shake Your Money Maker.” Fueled by singles “Jealous Again,” “Twice As Hard,” “She Talks To Angels,” and the breakthrough cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle,” the band immediately took the rock world by storm, topping Rolling Stone’s “Best New American Band Readers Poll” in late 1990. The Black Crowes went on to release eight studio and four live albums, selling in the tens of millions along the way; they sold out shows around the world; had legendary guitarist Jimmy Page join as a member; got kicked off a tour with ZZ Top for insulting the sponsor; got screwed by bad record deals; got married and divorced, fought amongst themselves and against the rest of the world. In other words, they’ve done everything a legendary rock group should do.
About Nickel Creek (appearing Sunday): Nickel Creek is the platinum-selling, internationally renowned roots trio of mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins. The Grammy-winning band has revolutionized folk and roots music since first performing together as children at a pizza parlor in San Diego in 1989, signing to acclaimed roots label Sugar Hill Records after wowing the bluegrass circuit for a decade. Nickel Creek quickly broke through in 2000 with their Grammy-nominated, Alison Krauss-produced self-titled LP, which showcased not just their instrumental virtuosity but their burgeoning songwriting prowess. The trio quickly followed that effort with the Krauss-produced This Side, a landmark release that earned Nickel Creek the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and brought their progressive take on acoustic music to a broader audience, greatly influencing the sound and trajectory of roots music in the process. 2005’s Grammy-nominated Why Should the Fire Die? found the trio pushing genre boundaries even further, incorporating elements of alt-rock and indie pop into their singular brand of acoustic music. Nickel Creek’s most recent album, 2014’s critically acclaimed and joyously received A Dotted Line, ended a seven-year recording and touring hiatus for the band, during which members explored other musical and creative avenues. Each member of Nickel Creek has taken part in many outside projects over the years, too. Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the American radio variety show Live from Here (formerly A Prairie Home Companion) from 2016 to 2020. Over the course of Nickel Creek’s career, Thile has released collaborative albums alongside world-renowned musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Brad Mehldau, and Stuart Duncan. His Grammy-winning band Punch Brothers has released six studio albums, the most recent being 2022’s Hell on Church Street, a reimagining of the beloved 1983 Tony Rice album Church Street Blues. Sean Watkins has kept busy outside of Nickel Creek, too, co-founding Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, releasing three albums with the collective and maintaining the long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles for a decade. Sean has also released a string of solo albums, most recently 2020’s This Is Who We Are with the Bee Eaters. Sara Watkins’ extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour band, as well as co-founding the Grammy-winning roots trio I’m With Her alongside Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz. Sara has released four studio albums, most recently 2021’s Under the Pepper Tree. She has contributed fiddle to recordings by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers and John Mayer. Nickel Creek will release Celebrants, their first new album in nine years, March 24 via Thirty Tigers. 
About Tommy Emmanuel, CGP (appearing Thursday): Anytime you talk to any of Tommy Emmanuel’s fans, whether musicians or civilians, invariably they will speak of not one but two qualities that define his greatness. The first, predictably, is his extraordinary guitar playing. Considered by those in the know to be among this planet’s greatest guitarists, his playing is simply miraculous, as it would take three musicians, or more, to do what Tommy does solo.Which brings us to the other aspect of his music always mentioned, and without which the first might not be as powerful or as infectiously appealing: the joy. Yes, joy. Because it’s one thing to play these multi-dimensional arrangements flawlessly on an acoustic guitar. But to do it with that smile of the ages, that evidence of authentic, unbridled delight, is an irresistible invitation to feel his music as deeply as he does.Although his expression is instrumental, he comes to the guitar much more like a vocalist, positively singing melodies through the strings. He inhabits the tunes he performs, delivering every nuance and turn of phrase. His own songs are also illuminated always with lyrical melodies that go right to the heart, such as his beautiful ode to his daughter, “Angelina,” or his great “Story Without Words,” “Lewis & Clark.” That they resonate so deeply without words makes sense, as words only go so far. But music, coming from a genuine and joyful source, can go so much farther.
About Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam hosted by The Kruger Brothers (appearing Saturday): Wilkes County residents and long-time MerleFest performing artists the Kruger Brothers celebrate the music of MerleFest’s founding folk icon Doc Watson. Join the Krugers and special guests Saturday evening at the Watson Stage for Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam. This unique collaboration of musicians will showcase many highlights from Doc’s extensive catalog ranging from the ballads Doc made famous to the “Doc-a-billy” numbers that rocked the many stages at MerleFest and the country throughout his lifetime of making music for the people. Happy Birthday, Doc! 
About Lori McKenna (Appearing Saturday): Over the last three decades, as she became a wife and mother of five, she has also emerged as one of the most respected, prolific singer-songwriters in popular music. On her latest release, The Balladeer, Lori McKenna is offering her most uplifting and up-tempo album in a catalog that spans 20 years. Produced by Grammy Award-winning Dave Cobb and recorded in Nashville’s historic Studio A, The Balladeer follows an incredible stretch of career momentum, including two consecutive Grammy wins as a songwriter for Best Country Song: Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” and Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind.” She made history in 2016 by becoming the Academy of Country Music’s first female Songwriter of the year and in 2017 she became the first woman ever to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award two years in a row. Yet her success doesn’t stop there. McKenna co-wrote “Always Remember Us This Way,” which was featured in the Academy Award-winning 2018 film, A Star Is Born. In 2021, Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album Red (Taylor’s version) including a song called “I Bet You Think About Me” featuring Chris Stapleton and written by Swift and McKenna. McKenna continues to enjoy tremendous success as one of the music industry’s most in-demand songwriters. Her recurring theme of family builds a tapestry of experiences she has loved and overheard, been told, and dreamed up, to create a stunning ode to life’s defining relationships.
About Joshua Ray Walker (Appearing Thursday): On his new album See You Next Time, Texas-bred singer/songwriter Joshua Ray Walker shares an imagined yet truthful portrait of a broke-down honky-tonk and the misfits who call it home: barflies and wannabe cowboys, bleary-eyed dreamers and hopelessly lost souls. His third full-length in three years, the album marks the final installment in a trilogy that originated with Walker’s globally acclaimed 2019 debut Wish You Were Here and its equally lauded follow-up Glad You Made It.The album’s immaculately crafted but timelessly vital sound provides a prime backdrop for Walker’s storytelling, an element that endlessly blurs the lines between fable-like fiction and personal revelation. Closely informed by the tremendous loss he’s suffered in recent years, See You Next Time emerges as the most powerful work to date from an extraordinarily gifted songwriter, imbued with equal parts weary pragmatism and the kind of unabashedly romantic spirit that defies all cynicism.A working musician since the age of 13, Walker first began honing his lyrical talents after the death of his beloved grandfather. Raised on bluegrass, he lists Texas legends like Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver among his essential inspirations but also notes the undeniable influence of country superstars like Alan Jackson and George Strait.With the arrival of Wish You Were Here, Walker won lavish praise from outlets like NPR Music and began opening for such artists as Colter Wall and Charley Crockett, in addition to headlining tours in the U.S. and Europe.Over the years, Walker has continually captivated crowds with his magnetic live show, a feat that finds him joined by musicians like bassist Billy Bones and drummer Trey Pendergrass (both of whom played on See You Next Time).
About Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth (Appearing Friday): Husband and wife duo, Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth of Brevard, North Carolina, each has a unique history of musical accomplishments. A silver lining of the global pandemic was more time at home, which has allowed them to play, write, record, and perform together. They have curated a set of music comprised mostly of Whitworth’s original songs. Shannon Whitworth’s swoon-inducing musical style found its first showcase in her Asheville-produced solo debut, 2007’s No Expectations. Followed by 2009’s critically-acclaimed Water Bound, an album that drew comparisons to Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball. Whitworth is a songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. She has garnered praise in outlets ranging from People Magazine to Garden & Gun. Her honest reinterpretation of ‘Americana,’ a la Mark Knopfler meets Norah Jones and the ghost of Julie London, has garnered Whitworth prime appearances from Philadelphia Folk Festival to Yosemite’s Strawberry Music Festival to Nashville’s own Ryman Auditorium. Shannon is also an acclaimed artist and spends much of her time in her art studio these days. She was quoted in Walter Magazine saying, “My art is how I see the world,” says artist and singer-songwriter Shannon Whitworth. “And my music is how I hear it.” Woody Platt was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning band Steep Canyon Rangers. The band toured the world on their own, and alongside the well-known actor/comedian/musician Steve Martin. During Woody’s tenure with Steep Canyon Rangers, the band won multiple awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), a Grammy Award with 3 total Grammy Nominations and was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Since retiring from the Steep Canyon Rangers in the summer of 2022, Woody has been working on solo recording projects including a debut single “One Last Goodbye” which features an all-star Bluegrass lineup and was written by Chris Stapleton and Barry Bales. “One Last Goodbye” spent several months in the number one position on the Bluegrass charts. Shannon and Woody are honored to be joined on stage by Grammy-winning Bassist Barry Bales of Allison Krauss and Union Station, master fiddler Casey Driessen, and mandolinist Daren Shumaker.
About MerleFest: MerleFest, presented by Window World, celebrates its 35th year on April 27-30, 2023. MerleFest started in 1988 as a fundraiser for the Garden of the Senses at Wilkes Community College to memorialize world-renowned flatpicker Doc Watson’s late son, Eddy Merle Watson. In keeping with the MerleFest traditions, 2023 will offer jams honoring MerleFest’s past, present, and future. The celebration also aligns with the late Doc Watson’s 100th heavenly birthday year. The festival plans to celebrate the life of Doc & Merle Watson and the history of MerleFest both visually and musically through vintage videos and artist collaborations.

About Window World®: Window World®, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally owned franchises nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors and other exterior products, with over 21 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR® partner and its windows, vinyl siding and Therma-Tru doors have all earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. Through its charitable foundation, Window World Cares®, Window World and its franchisees provide funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Since its inception in 2008, the foundation has raised over $13 million for St. Jude. Window World also supports veterans and the military through its Window World Military Initiative (WWMI). WWMI defines Window World’s commitment to honor and serve America’s veterans, active military and military families across the entire franchise system by focusing on three pillars: Careers, Community Outreach and Partnerships. The Veterans Airlift Command has been a partner since 2008. During that time, Window World has contributed over $2.5 million in flights and donations to the organization. For more information, visit WindowWorld.com or call 1-800 NEXTWINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World on Facebook and Twitter. 


by Leave a comment

My Grammy picks for 2023

Following are my picks for this year’s Grammy Awards for country, Americana and bluegrass artists set for Sunday, Feb. 5. The 2023 Grammys will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. 

Best Country Solo Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo country recordings.

  • Heartfirst
    Kelsea Ballerini
  • Something In The Orange
    Zach Bryan
  • In His Arms
    Miranda Lambert
  • Circles Around This Town
    Maren Morris
  • Live Forever
    Willie Nelson

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative country recordings.

  • Wishful Drinking
    Ingrid Andress & Sam Hunt
  • Midnight Rider’s Prayer
    Brothers Osborne
  • Outrunnin’ Your Memory
    Luke Combs & Miranda Lambert
  • Does He Love You – Revisited
    Reba McEntire & Dolly Parton
  • Never Wanted To Be That Girl
    Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde
  • Going Where The Lonely Go
    Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Country Album

For albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new country recordings.

  • Growin’ Up
    Luke Combs
  • Palomino
    Miranda Lambert
  • Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville
    Ashley McBryde
  • Humble Quest
    Maren Morris
  • A Beautiful Time
    Willie Nelson

Best Country Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

  • Circles Around This Town
    Ryan Hurd, Julia Michaels, Maren Morris & Jimmy Robbins, songwriters (Maren Morris)
  • Doin’ This
    Luke Combs, Drew Parker & Robert Williford, songwriters (Luke Combs)
  • I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
    Lori McKenna & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
  • If I Was A Cowboy
    Jesse Frasure & Miranda Lambert, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
  • I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die
    Rodney Crowell & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Willie Nelson)
  • ‘Til You Can’t
    Matt Rogers & Ben Stennis, songwriters (Cody Johnson)

Best American Roots Performance

For new vocal or instrumental American Roots recordings. This is for performances in the style of any of the subgenres encompassed in the American Roots Music field including bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots. Award to the artist(s).

  • Someday It’ll All Make Sense (Bluegrass Version)
    Bill Anderson Featuring Dolly Parton
  • Life According To Raechel
    Madison Cunningham
  • Oh Betty
    Fantastic Negrito
  • Stompin’ Ground
    Aaron Neville With The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
  • Prodigal Daughter
    Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell

Best Americana Performance

For new vocal or instrumental Americana performance. Award to the artist(s).

  • Silver Moon [A Tribute To Michael Nesmith]
    Eric Alexandrakis
  • There You Go Again
    Asleep At The Wheel Featuring Lyle Lovett
  • The Message
    Blind Boys Of Alabama Featuring Black Violin
  • You And Me On The Rock
    Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius
  • Made Up Mind
    Bonnie Raitt

Best American Roots Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, traditional blues, contemporary blues, folk or regional roots songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

  • Bright Star
    Anaïs Mitchell, songwriter (Anaïs Mitchell)
  • Forever
    Sheryl Crow & Jeff Trott, songwriters (Sheryl Crow)
  • High And Lonesome
    T Bone Burnett & Robert Plant, songwriters (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)
  • Just Like That
    Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)
  • Prodigal Daughter
    Tim O’Brien & Aoife O’Donovan, songwriters (Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell)
  • You And Me On The Rock
    Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius)

Best Americana Album

For albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Americana recordings.

  • In These Silent Days
    Brandi Carlile
  • Things Happen That Way
    Dr. John
  • Good To Be…
    Keb’ Mo’
  • Raise The Roof
    Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
  • Just Like That…
    Bonnie Raitt

Best Bluegrass Album

For albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.

  • Toward The Fray
    The Infamous Stringdusters
  • Almost Proud
    The Del McCoury Band
  • Calling You From My Mountain
    Peter Rowan
  • Crooked Tree
    Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
  • Get Yourself Outside
    Yonder Mountain String Band


by Leave a comment

Listen Up: Time Sawyer releases first single on upcoming album, ‘Dig a Little Deeper’

Time Sawyer is set to release its seventh studio album, “Dig a Little Deeper,” on March 10, 2023. The record explores the human failings that get in the way of finding true connection with one another and forging our authentic path in the world. The first single, “It’s What It Is” is out now (Listen/Share). Time Sawyer will support the album with a series of U.S. tour dates through the spring and summer, according to a press release.

On “Dig a Little Deeper,” the North Carolina-based quartet offers a poignant and well-balanced collection that melds their signature alt-country sound and breezy song craft into something wholly unique. Riding the heels of their 2019 release, “Mountain Howdy,” “Dig a Little Deeper” does exactly as the title suggests as it addresses important themes about self sabotage, bias and greed, again according to the release. 

“Little Black Cat” opens the listen with a clever tune about how attached we can be to superstition and how those feelings can keep us from seeing beyond our own experiences. Time Sawyer guitarist and songwriter Sam Tayloe shares “four-leaf clovers and throwing salt over our shoulder are crutches that let us keep on thinking the same selfish way, instead of digging to find a more universal truth.”

“Shame” tells the story of a man who chases status and ultimately loses his picture because he’s too worried about the frame. The chorus highlights how we all seem to focus on our differences over the many things that make us alike. 

Paying homage to the late Jim Croce is the cover “Speedball Trucker,” which calls to mind some of the same traveling woes and triumphs that Time Sawyer sees as a touring band. 

“It’s What It Is” is a driving anthem inspired by the “tough guy” role that Joe Pesci is often known for. As the song moves along, you discover how harmful the mindset of “it’s what it is” can be. “We like to find common ground between folks (conductors and pilots) but once we feel inferior, they’re our enemy, not someone who was seen as an ally,” adds Tayloe.

“Goodbye Forever, I Guess” is a look at modern dating and examines how quick we can be to write someone off, while “Wealth Of Greed” showcases how difficult it can be to show others how we care.

The finale, “210 (It’s Over)” is a reinvention of a Time Sawyer murder ballad recorded in 2014 after a night in Knoxville, Tennessee. The song was re-recorded to show the evolution of the song as Time Sawyer toured and played it together, and the life that it developed over time. A highlight of the song is Court Wynter’s jazz improvisation on bass, which is an audience favorite at live shows.

Dig a Little Deeper” by Time Sawyer will be released to all digital streaming platforms on Friday, March 10, 2023. For more information, visit www.timesawyer.com.