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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. 


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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


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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.


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Lineup announced for Mountain Music Festival 2023 on June 1-3 in New River Gorge, WV

Checkout our initial lineup for Mountain Music Festival 2023 on June 1-3 in New River Gorge, West Virginia, at mountainmusicfest featuring @stringdusters@risingappalachia@sierradawnhull@vincehermanband@caitlinkriskoandthebroadcast@thebringdowns and @chadnickellandtheloosechange.

Three-Day General Admission tickets are still $40 OFF with promo code BLINDFAITH23 thru the end of December. That’s ONLY $129 for 3 DAYS of camping and music at @aceadventureresort. Stay tuned for more lineup announcements.


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Early bird launch day for RedWing X set for Dec. 6

Tickets and camping sales are a whirlwind on Early Bird launch day set for Dec. 6 beginning at 10 a.m. for the 10th annual Red Wing Roots Music Festival.

Here are a few reminders before it all begins: We have only 1,000 Early Bird tickets and a limited number of Premium RV Campsites available. (Only one Premium campsite per order.) These two hot items move fast! As soon as the Early Bird tickets run out, Tier 2 tickets will automatically open. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out all of the great camping options before tomorrow. We can’t wait to see you in June!
Each year the festival runs with the help of a fantastic group of volunteers! We would love to have you join us this summer. Learn more about volunteer opportunities for the 10th annual Red Wing Roots Music Festival. Volunteer applications open tomorrow! 

Visit https://www.redwingroots.com/ to buy tickets or sign up to volunteer.


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MerleFest adds Little Feat, Tanya Tucker, Marcus King and Miko Marks to already star-studded lineup for April 27-30

WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — MerleFest, presented by Window World, has just added another huge list of performers to its star-studded 2023 lineup, which includes headliners The Avett Brothers and Maren Morris.

Set for April 27-30, 2023, on the campus of Wilkes Community College, MerleFest attendees will have the chance to see boogie-rock masters Little Feat, next-generation guitar slinger Marcus King, living country music legend Tanya Tucker, Miko Marks’ blend of country, blues, southern rock and gospel and many more take to the festival’s multiple weekend stages.

In addition, the following bands and artists have ALSO been added to the MerleFest 2023 lineup: AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Alison Brown, Andy Cohen, Anna Lynch, Bee Taylor, Brothers Comatose, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Cole Chaney, Compton & Newberry, Dom Flemons, I Draw Slow, Lightnin’ Wells, The Local Honeys, Nigel Wearne, Stillhouse Junkies, Taylor Rae, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive, Todd Albright, Tommy Prine, Yasmin Williams and The Youngers.

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

2023 marks MerleFest’s 35th festival and will honor Doc Watson’s 100th birthday year. To celebrate the historic milestone event, organizers intend to feature MerleFest’s unique history and present unique collaborations to honor the festival’s founding folk icon. From the flatbed trailer stage at the 1988 Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Festival to today, and looking into the future, MerleFest will continue to draw fans from all over the world to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains each spring to make music, moments and memories together.

Want to be a vendor or volunteer? Sign up at MerleFest.org, which is where you can also buy tickets. Just a friendly reminder: The last day ticket orders will be mailed before the holiday break will be Dec. 20. Shipping tickets will resume on Jan. 3, 2023. 


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Visit ‘The Power of Women in Country Music’ exhibit for free on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the N.C. history museum

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Christmas is coming early to the North Carolina Museum of History, which is celebrating its 120th birthday on Saturday, Dec. 3.

In honor of the occasion, the museum is featuring free admission all day to its current ticketed exhibit “The Power of Women in Country Music.” And from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be live on-site broadcasting from the Triangle’s country music station WQDR, specially themed treats, a special birthday promotion in the Museum Shop, and more, according to the museum’s website.

From international superstars, including Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift, to contemporary North Carolina artists, such as Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer and Kasey Tyndall, “The Power of Women in Country Music,” is on loan from the GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles. The exhibit highlights the past, present and future of country music’s greatest female trailblazers.

Artifacts include Swift’s white “Mean” dress and banjo as well as a replication of the wooden cabin the pop star performed in front of at the 2021 Grammy awards. Palmer’s microphone she uses on her podcast, “Color Me Country.”

The exhibit opened to rave reviews on Oct. 28 and runs through Feb. 26, 2023. “This empowering exhibition will be amplified with a special concert series, author series, family events and activities, and much more,” the museum website states.

One of the concerts, Southern Songbirds: Alice Gerrard and Friends, is free and set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the museum. “Gerrard will join us with special guests for a screening of her biopic, “You Gave Me a Song,” followed by a short performance and Q & A with the artist. Gerrard will be joined by Tatiana Hargreaves and Dashawn Hickman. This event will be emceed by legendary North Carolina native Jim Lauderdale,” the museum stated in an email.

Watch a video about the exhibit here.


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MerleFest shares initial 2023 lineup for 35th festival

Tickets on sale and volunteer opportunities are available

WILKESBORO, N.C. — It’s the most wonderful time of the year … and I’m not talking about the upcoming holidays. Instead, this is the season for finding out who will be performing at next year’s live music festivals and this week’s initial 35th edition of MerleFest‘s lineup announcement for April 27-30, 2023, did not disappoint.

Country music sensation Maren Morris is set to make her MerleFest debut on the campus of Wilkes Community College on Saturday along with the Black Opry Revue who will hit the stage on Friday. And the wildly popular North Carolina natives The Avett Brothers, who first performed at MerleFest in 2004 and are one of the most requested performers in the festival’s history, are set to return on Friday at the festival, which will also honor Doc Watson’s 100th birthday year.

To celebrate the historic milestone event, organizers intend to feature MerleFest’s unique history and present unique collaborations to honor the festival’s founding folk icon.  From the flatbed trailer stage at the 1988 Eddy Merle Watson Memorial Festival to today, and looking into the future, MerleFest, which has served as the unofficial kickoff of the annual outdoor festival season, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans. Since its inception, the festival has drawn fans from all over the world to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains each spring to make music, moments and memories together.

Also joining the lineup, will be award-winning MerleFest veterans Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Jim Lauderdale and Scythian, in addition to many, many more including:

Andy May

Banknotes

Carol Rifkin

Charles Welch

Donna the Buffalo

Jack Lawrence

Jeff Little Trio

Joe Smothers

Kruger Brothers

Laura Boosinger

The Local Boys

Mark Bumgarner

Mitch Greenhill & Mitch’s Kitchen

Pete & Joan Wernick

Presley Barker

Roy Book Binder

T. Michael Coleman

The InterACTive Theater of Jef

The Waybacks

Tony Williamson

Wayne Henderson

To learn more, purchase tickets or to volunteer visit https://merlefest.org/.


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Triangle-based genre-jumpin’ string band Into the Fog is on a roll

Into the Fog to take the stage at the N.C. State Fair after a whirlwind summer and winning the Jam In the Van contest in Austin, Texas.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post originally appeared in the The Wake Weekly newspaper.

RALEIGH — Gigs ranging from their recent appearances at the 10th annual International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass conference and festival in Raleigh to OFest  in Summerfield on Oct. 16 to venues up and down the East Coast are keeping the band busy, says Wake Forest native Brian Stephenson, who plays guitar and sings for the fledgling group he helped found four years ago.

“We’re like a rock show in disguise,” Stephenson said during an interview at IBMA. “We like the rowdy crowds. We feed off the energy.”

You can catch their progressive funky take on bluegrass at the N.C. State Fair — Heritage Circle stage on Oct. 18 where they will play five sets at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

With its members having various backgrounds ranging from bluegrass, country, rock to funk, Into The Fog creates a musical melting pot of sounds in an acoustic/newgrass setting. The band is made up of Stephenson (acoustic guitar, vocals), Winston Mitchell (mandolin, vocals), Derek Lane (bass, vocals) and Connor Kozlosky (electric guitar, vocals.)

Originally formed in Wilmington, Into The Fog immediately hit the ground running as a band by heading across the country to compete at the 2018 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition only a few months after coming together. That cross-country trip was recorded by friend of the band and videographer Mason Godwin in his documentary, “Band #7: The Ride to Telluride.”

But their musical journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing.

“We were really just coming together as a band when we went out to the Telluride (Colorado) Bluegrass Festival in 2017 to compete in its annual band competition,” Stephenson explained after playing a set on the Hillside Stage at the recent 2021 MerleFest music festival in Wilkesboro. “We didn’t win the competition, unfortunately, and, then, well, you know, COVID.”

As COVID restrictions slowly diminished, the band got back to work playing as much as they could around North Carolina, becoming a mainstay at more than 30 different breweries. 

After the band’s pandemic-induced hiatus, the boys, who hail mainly from and around the Triangle, re-emerged as the winners of the coveted MerleFest Band Competition in 2021.

Into The Fog started to pick up momentum, exchanging brewery gigs for music venues and festivals with opportunities to play at Shakori Hills, The Big What, Groove in the Garden, RoosterWalk, FloydFest, Front Porch Fest and the N.C. Homegrown Music Festival along with opening slots for national touring acts Sam Bush, Larry Keel, Ghost of Paul Revere and Jon Stickley Trio.

“We’ve been staying really busy,” Stephenson said.

In March, the band traveled to Austin, Texas, to record a Jam in the Van session (www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eL8FNVLVOw) with the help of Mason Via of Old Crow Medicine Show, who flew out to play guitar for the session after Stephenson broke his arm. The band went on to win the competition, thanks in no small part to the help of Via, Stephenson said.

 “We called him the day before and we said if we pay for your flight, can you come and play with us?,” he said. “We had one day of practice for the Jam in the Van session and we won!”

Into The Fog solidified their sound further with their 14-track sophomore album “Runnin’ Blind and Chasin’ Time,” released in May of 2021.

“We feel good about playing in Raleigh and Wilmington, but now we’re looking to branch out and really expand our footprint,” Stephenson said. “That’s our next goal.”

To learn more, visit www.intothefogmusic.com