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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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Rooster Walk 8 adds 30 more bands to festival lineup

Just released from the folks at Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival:

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — From funk to folk, blues to bluegrass and jambands to jazz bands, the eighth annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival will have something for just about every music lover.

Rooster Walk 8 has unveiled an additional 30 acts that will take part in the Memorial Day weekend festival at Pop’s Farm just outside Martinsville. Continue reading →


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My 2016 Grammy Predictions: Alabama Shakes, Chris Stapleton will be big winners

Following are my predictions for a few of the categories for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, which air tonight on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. EST:
Record of the Year
Who should win: Taylor Swift for “Blank Space”
Who will win: Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars for “Uptown Funk”
Album of the Year
Who should win: Alabama Shakes for “Sound & Color”
Who will win: Chris Stapleton for “Traveller”
Song of the Year
Who should win:  Taylor Swift for “Blank Space”
Who will win: Kendrick Lamar for “Alright”
Best New Artist
Who should win:  Courtney Barnett
Who will win: Meghan Trainor
Best Pop Solo Performance
Who should win:  Taylor Swift for “Blank Space”
Who will win: Ed Sheeran for “Thinking Out Loud”
Best Pop Vocal Album
Who should win: Taylor Swift for “1989”
Who will win: Taylor Swift for “1989”
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Who should win: Bob Dylan
Who will win: Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap
Best Rock Performance
Who should win: Foo Fighters
Who will win: Alabama Shakes
Best Rock Song
Who should win: Florence and the Machine for “What Kind of Man”
Who will win: Alabama Shakes for “Don’t Wanna Fight”
Best Solo Country Performance
Who should win: LeeAnn Womack for “Chances Are”
Who will win: Chris Stapleton for “Traveller”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Who should win: Little Big Town for “Girl Crush”
Who will win: Little Big Town for “Girl Crush”
Best Country Song
Who should win: Tim McGraw for “Diamonds Rings and Old Barstools”
Who will win: Chris Stapleton for “Traveller”
Best Country Album
Who should win: Kacey Musgraves for “Pageant Material”
Who will win: Chris Stapleton for “Traveller”
Best Americana Album
Who should win: Brandi Carlile for “The Firewatcher’s Daughter”
Who will win: Jason Isbell for “Something More Than Free”
Best American Roots Song
Who should win: Béla Fleck And Abigail Washburn for “And I Am Born to Die”
Who will win: Don Henley for “The Cost of Living”
Best American Roots Performance
Who should win: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell for “The Traveling Kind”
Who will win: The Punch Brothers for “Julep”

Best Folk Album

Who should win: Rhiannon Giddens for “Tomorrow Is My Turn”
Who will win: Rhiannon Giddens for “Tomorrow Is My Turn”
What are your predictions? Find the full list of nominees here.


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‘Live at the Rives Theatre Concert Series’ kicks off with Love Canon on Saturday, Jan. 30

Updated with local musician Chris Wood opening for Love Canon.

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The historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, will kick off its annual fundraiser “Live at the Rives Theatre Concert Series” 2016 season with Love Canon on Saturday, Jan. 30. Fans of Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival and FloydFest won’t want to miss this show to get a preview of one of the acts that will be featured at FloydFest 16 and hopefully at Rooster Walk 8.

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PhuzzPhest 2016 adds Sunflower Bean to lineup

The folks at Phuzz Phest announced today the following addition to the 2016 lineup: “Rolling Stone named Sunflower Bean as one of the most anticipated bands of 2016, and we’re excited to have them at the festival this April! Check out their new single via Stereogum,”  festival organizers announced on Facebook.

Winston-Salem’s Premier Music Festival, returns to the Camel City for its sixth annual event with 50-plus bands and much more the weekend of April 15-16, organizers report.

Weekend wristbands are on sale now. The full lineup and more information White Denim, coming soon at http://PhuzzPhest.com/


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The Rives Theatre offers two holiday shows you won’t want to miss

This show is sold out! But tickets are still available for the New Year’s Eve show with Yarn and The Morgan Wade Band!

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If you missed Mountain Heart’s Josh Shilling and Left Hip Pocket perform their Allman Brothers Tribute set at Rooster Walk 7, you won’t want to miss the Day After Christmas Party at The Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia.

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John Prine, The Wood Brothers among initial MerleFest 2016 lineup

MerleFest fans, the wait is over! According to the following announcement from MerleFest, fans can look forward to hearing headliners John Prine, Dave Rawlings Machine and The Wood Brothers as well as MerleFest favorites Steep Canyon Rangers, Jerry Douglas, Scythian, Donna the Buffalo, The Kruger Brothers and some new acts including the Will Overman Band at MerleFest 2016 on April 28- May 1, 2016. Continue reading →


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Six questions with Will Overman Band

Will Overman may be the busiest man in Americana music. I used to think Jerry Douglas was until I met Overman, who is the front man of his band of the same name, which is affectionately referred to by fans as WOB. The 21-year-old sociology major at the University of Virginia works part-time in a soup shop and spends every other spare minute writing songs — songs with lyrics and melodies that belie his youth — booking gigs and marketing his band’s music, which has been described as “amped-up” folk rock. This post can also be found on Huffington Post here.

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Jarekus Singleton, Devon Allman, Mandolin Orange, Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan among acts coming to Rives Theatre

Updated with the latest newly announced shows including Mandolin Orange!

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Before heading to the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion on the Virginia/Tennessee border this weekend, Delta blues sensation  Jarekus Singleton is making a stop with his full band in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, to perform in the historic Rives Theatre.

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On Huffington Post: Five musical takeaways from Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion

You probably think of NASCAR’s storied “Thunder Valley” when you think of Bristol, intersected by the Virginia/Tennessee border. What you might not realize is that it’s also the Birthplace of Country Music. In fact, Congress passed a bill officially recognizing it as such in 1988. Continue reading →