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Category Archives: Music Festival


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Cary Live! presents free show by Southern Avenue on Saturday, Oct. 22

On Saturday, Oct. 22, the Town of Cary will present a free concert by Southern Avenue at 7 p.m. on the site of the old library (across from the Cotton House Brewery). In addition to the concert, there will be food and drinks available for purchase from local vendors.

Memphis-based, GRAMMY®-nominated Southern Avenue inked their first record deal with legendary Stax Records in 2016. The first Memphis band signed to Stax in over 40 years, their self-titled debut was an immediate phenomenon, reaching #1 on iTunes’ “Top Blues Albums” chart before being honored with the 2018 Blues Music Award for “Best Emerging Artist Album.” 2019’s KEEP ON proved an even greater success, debuting among the top 5 on Billboard’s “Top Blues Albums” chart amidst worldwide critical acclaim, ultimately earning Southern Avenue their first GRAMMY® Award nomination, for “Best Contemporary Blues Album.”

In addition to the early success that the band has had with their recordings, they have also found a home on the road. The band has performed in 15 countries on three continents and averages over 150 shows in a typical year, making the group one of the most sought-after live performance experiences.  Their high-energy shows have captivated audiences around the globe, making this eclectic group a must-see at venues and festivals alike.

Learn more at this link.


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MerleFest to celebrate 35 years April 27-30, 2023

Tickets go on sale Nov. 15, when initial 2023 artist lineup will be announced

Photo by Brent Keane on Pexels.com
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — MerleFest, presented by Window World, is planning a 35th celebration on April 27-30, 2023, and a 100th heavenly birthday celebration for Doc Watson.

MerleFest started in 1988 as a fundraiser for the Garden of the Senses on Wilkes Community College to memorialize world-renowned flat picker Eddy Merle Watson, Doc Watson’s son. 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. The festival plans to celebrate the life of Doc Watson and the history of MerleFest both visually and musically through vintage videos and artist collaborations.

MerleFest, an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, occurs on the campus of Wilkes Community College.

Volunteers may choose to work a specific number of days or the entire four-day festival. In exchange for working a four-hour shift, volunteers will receive free entry into the festival for that day, free volunteer parking and shuttle, and a 10% discount on camping at the River’s Edge Campground.

We will begin accepting online applications for its popular volunteer program on Oct. 1.
Those who are interested in volunteering can apply online at www.merlefest.org/volunteer.
Additional information about MerleFest 2023 can be found at www.merlefest.org.


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2022 IBMA Bluegrass Award winners announced

The. 2022 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s Bluegrass Music Awards were announced on Thursday, Sept. 29, amid three-plus hours of performances ranging from bluegrass royalty to newcomers held at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Both nominees and winners were chosen by the professional voting membership of the IBMA.

And the winners are…

  • Mandolin Player of the Year – Sierra Hull
  • Bass Player of the Year – Jason Moore
  • Instrumental Recording of the Year – “Vertigo” – Béla Fleck featuring Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Bryan Sutton (artists); Béla Fleck (writer); Béla Fleck (producer); Renew Records (label)
  • Gospel Recording of the Year – “In the Sweet By and By” –Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley (artists); S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster (writers); Jerry Salley; (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
  • Collaborative Recording of the Year – “In the Sweet By and By” –Dolly Parton with Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley (artists); S. Fillmore Bennett/Joseph Webster (writers); Jerry Salley; (producer), Billy Blue Records (label)
  • Fiddle Player of the Year – Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
  • Banjo Player of the Year – Béla Fleck
  • Guitar Player of the Year – Cody Kilby
  • Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year – Justin Moses
  • Male Vocalist of the Year – Del McCoury
  • Female Vocalist of the Year – Molly Tuttle
  • Vocal Group of the Year – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
  • Song of the Year – “Red Daisy” – Billy Strings (artist); Jarrod Walker/Christian Ward (writers); Rounder Records (label); Jonathan Wilson/Billy Strings (producers)
  • Instrumental Group of the Year – Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart
  • New Artist of the Year – Rick Faris
  • Album of the Year – Béla Fleck’s “My Bluegrass Heart”
  • Entertainer of the Year – Billy Strings


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IBMA announces Momentum Awards 2022 winners

Full Cord performs at IBMA Momentum Awards lunch on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The annual International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Momentum Awards lunch has historically been one of the best places to discover new talent and Wednesday’s event was no exception.

Sponsored by Campbell University School of Law, the luncheon included live and recorded performances from the five groups nominated for Momentum Band of the Year, which was won by Full Cord of Grand Haven, Michigan, whose members were shocked and surprised they beat out who they considered very tough competition, frontman Brian Oberlin said after the awards were announced. Full Cord was also this year’s winner of the Telluride Bluegrass Competition.

Oberlin asked the crowd just before the band started playing for a Raleigh Convention Center ballroom packed full of artists, fans, promoters, record label producers, music writers and marketers, “Raise your hands … Who here is hearing bluegrass for the first time?,” which was met with a hearty round of laughter and apparently a single raised hand.

Other Momentum Award winners were:

Vocalist of the year – Rebekka Nilsson, lead songstress of the Norway-based Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra, which was also up for band of the year. Her haunting performance of “Wayfaring Stranger” left no doubt as to why she was chosen for this year’s award in this particular category.

Rebekka Nilsson

Industry Involvement – Lillian Werbin, president and co-owner of Elderly Instruments, who is on the board of directors of the IBMA Foundation and Bluegrass Pride. She also serves on IBMA’s Arnold Shultz Advisory Committee.

Mentor of the Year – Della Mae’s Kimber Ludiker. In addition to touring and performing, she serves as the director of the California Bluegrass Association’s Youth Academy, co-coordinator of IBMA Kids on Bluegrass, director of the Bluegrass Camp at Ashokan and producer-host of the Bluegrass Academy and Bluegrass Campout.

Instrumentalist(s) of the Year – The first award went to Harry Clark, a mandolin and guitar player who performs with East Nash Grass (also up for band of the year), the Dan Tyminski Band and the Wooks. The second award was presented to George Jackson, a fiddle and banjo player, who has performed with Front Country, Peter Rowan and Missy Raines, among others.

ABOUT THE IBMA MOMENTUM AWARDS

The Momentum Awards recognize impressive new talent in the bluegrass world, on both the musical side of our community. These awards focus on artists and businesspeople who are in the early years of their careers in bluegrass music. Learn more at this link.


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Performers announced for 33rd annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards show on Sept. 29

IBMA has announced performances by four of this year IBMA’s Entertainer of Year Nominees for this year’s Bluegrass Music Awards show on Sept. 29: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sister Sadie and Del McCoury Band.

Also, a star-studded list of performances by Dan Tyminski Band, Ronnie Bowman and Bela Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart will be included in the show, with special Hall of Fame tributes and performances to honor Norman Blake, Peter Rowan and Paul “Moon” Mullins.

The awards will be held at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.

For tickets and more information, visit https://ibma.org/.


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Carolina Indie Fest is free on Sept. 23-24

The city of Sanford is hosting Carolina Indie Fest, a FREE two-day, outdoor music festival, on Sept. 23-24.

Sanford is a bit to the southwest of the Triangle, but it’s close enough to make a very easy day trip. It’s a 45-minute or so drive from Raleigh, a 30-minute drive from Apex, and a 20-minute drive from Pittsboro.

Food trucks and local arts and crafts vendors will be on site as well.

The festival takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and from 3 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The music will take place on a single stage in the lot behind Hugger Mugger Brewing, 229 Wicker St.

Carolina Indie Fest features 10 diverse performances:

Friday

  • Secret Monkey Weekend
  • Mike Dillon & Punkadelick
  • Big Break
  • Cliff Wheeler Band

Saturday

  • Whoop
  • David Childers and the Serpents
  • Oort Patrol
  • Paleface
  • The Phantom Playboys
  • Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands


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Creedmoor Music Festival celebrates 29 years of music and much more

GrassStreet

Twenty-nine years. That’s how long the annual Creedmoor Music Festival has been bringing folks together. Wayne Kinton, founding member of bluegrass band GrassStreet, remembers when the event started on a resident’s front porch. Kinton’s band was one of eight musical groups performing on two stages during Saturday’s festival held on Main Street. 

Those humble beginnings have grown into a full-blown festival attracting a variety of genres including blues, R&B, soul, country and original rock.

The weather cooperated to help visitors and more than 100 vendors and local businesses that lined packed streets. The festivities included a car show. And food. Hot dogs and hamburgers. BBQ. Giant turkey legs. Thai curry. Pizza. And the ubiquitous funnel cakes.  

Trey Snide, owner and on-air personality at Granville County’s Next Door Radio, served as guest emcee welcoming bands to their respective stages.

“We have a great mix of music and we’re thrilled to be back after missing the past two years due to Covid,” Snide said. 

One of the bands, Bellflower, played the festival for the first time. The five-piece rock band from Chapel Hill performs all original songs, some of which include a pocket trumpet played by Sam Davis-Castro.

“We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to share our music here,” said Franklin Bellflower, band founder and leader. “I love festivals because they allow us to expose our unique sound to a wide variety of people, who otherwise might never get to hear us play.”

But back to Kinton, who has been involved with the Creedmoor Music Festival since its inception. GrassStreet plays contemporary tunes based on traditional stylings, a mixture of bluegrass standards and original compositions. The current group is a derivative of the band Swift Run which has performed regionally since the early ’80s. 

A Henderson native, Kinton plays a 1951 Martin D-18 on stage. On Saturday, GrassStreet played a mix of gospel and classic rock songs — from Hank Williams to Bob Seger.

Kinton praised the Creedmoor Music Festival and its organizers for making sure the show has gone on all these years.

“This festival has hung with it and they built on what they had,” he explained. “They had competent and able help, they had a large volunteer pool, and they were very well organized. This festival is unusual because it is still here and it is thriving.”

Here’s a video clip of GrassStreet’s performance: https://www.facebook.com/wayne.kinton/videos/425032206283931

Read original story at https://restorationnewsmedia.com/articles/local-news-butnercreedmoor/creedmoor-music-festival-celebrates-29-years-of-music-and-much-more/


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Free Creedmoor Music Festival set for Sept. 17

The 29th annual Creedmoor Music Festival will be held on from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on SATURDAY, SEPT. 17, 2022. 

The 2022 Creedmoor Music Festival is dedicated in memory of Mrs. Merle Edwards. Mrs. Edwards was one of the original founding members of the festival in 1992.

Main Street Creedmoor will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. from W. Lyon Street to Park Avenue for the safety of festival attendees.

For more information, visit creedmoor.org/departments/recreation/events/creedmoor-music-festival.