musicreporterblog

Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


by Leave a comment

FloydFest announces 20 new bands to make your Earth Day rock

This just in from the good folks over at FloydFest:

Join us in a celebration of abundance, with the 16th edition of
FloydFest: Dreamweavin’— July 27-31, 2016.

The soundtrack to our spring is the hundreds of submissions we receive for FloydFest’s anticipated On-The-Rise Competition! Some of these are chosen by our in-house jury of talent scouts, and this year include: Dalton Dash, The Devyl Nellys, Grand Ole’ Ditch, Moonshine District, Of Company, The Wildmans, and Zoe Ravenwood. Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

On Huffington Post: MerleFest Band Competition features possible future festival headliners

The following piece also ran on The Huffington Post here.

Headliners such as John Prine, Jason Isbell and John Oates have drawn nearly 80,000 Americana music fans annually to the hills of MerleFest on the campus of Wilkes Community College each April for the past 28 years. But it is the young musicians trying to make their mark who can provide some of the freshest and transcendent moments at this festival founded by the legendary Doc Watson, who called it “traditional-plus” music.

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

On Huffington Post: Major and the Monbacks double up on unusual musical stylings, new album

The following post was also published on The Huffington Post here.

Everything about Major and The Monbacks is doubled. The eight-piece psychedelic rock band has double the number of players most bands have. That means double the sound. And there’s even a set of twins providing double the talent. Think Chicago meets the Grateful Dead meets The Band. And new album paired with a critically acclaimed producer should result in at least double the new fans.

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

Six reasons you don’t want to miss Phuzz Phest 2016

Self-pegged as the Camel City’s premier music festival, Phuzz Phest returns April 15-16  for its sixth year with 50 bands scheduled to perform a wide-range of genres at multiple downtown venues and much more in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Festival founder and organizer Philip Pledger has done another outstanding job of attracting breakout talent such as New York indie trio Sunflower Bean, one of this year’s SXSW Music Festival darlings, and Austin-based Southern rockers White Denim, which just released a new album. Both bands are featured in recent issues of Entertainment Weekly.

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

Can’t wait for Rooster Walk 8? The Rives Theatre to host several acts in April to tide you over

If you haven’t seen a show at the historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, you’re missing out. This former movie house is celebrating its sixth year as a live music venue and community space dedicated to arts and education. Managed by the nonprofit Arts at the Rives Theatre (ART), the theater, which dates back to 1932, is run solely by volunteers.

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

Madison, N.C.’s Courtney Rorrer named finalist in MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

For the second year in a row, someone with ties to Rockingham County, North Carolina, is a finalist in MerleFest‘s famed Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.

Courtney Rorrer of Madison and Asa Gravley of Beckley, West Virginia,  are finalists in the bluegrass category for their tune,  “Midnight Tears,” and will perform Friday, April 29. Last year, Carri Smithey (now of Burlington, N.C., but used to live in Madison), Josh Coe (Saxapahaw, N.C.), Ryan Burgess (Burlington, N.C.) and Keith Ingalls (Burlington, N.C.)  were finalists in the country category of the contest for their song “No More.” Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

On Huffington Post: Watch Exclusive Premiere of Jack the Radio’s ‘Bad Man’ Video

The following was first published earlier today on The Huffington Post here.

It’s been six years since North Carolina-based <a href=”http://www.jacktheradio.com/home&#8221; target=”_hplink”>Jack the Radio</a> took aim at what members of the group called the “groove-heavy, southern-tinged gap” in the Raleigh music scene.

I had the pleasure of hearing this alt-country Southern rock band play live at <a href=”http://calebcaudle.com/&#8221; target=”_hplink”>Caleb Caudle</a>’s “Carolina Ghost” album release show earlier this year at <a href=”http://www.the-garage.ws/&#8221; target=”_hplink”>The Garage</a> in Winston-Salem. Now, Jack the Radio has its own release to share.

On Friday, April 1, the indie, roots rockers will celebrate the band’s newest music video “Bad Man” at a release party during Raleigh’s First Friday events. Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

On Huffington Post: FloydFest’s On-the-Rise Competition opens Saturday, April 2

Mix up some Swampcandy, Annabelle’s Curse, Look Homeward and The Midatlantic in a bowl, and what you get are some of FloydFest fans’ favorite flavors.

What do you call it? Who knows, but it sure sounds good.

All were chosen as winners and runners up in the festival’s On-the-Rise (OTR) Competition in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Now, FloydFest fans have a chance to choose who takes part in the festival’s OTR 2016
competition during an eight-week roster of shows at The Phoenix, a little “cubby-of-
cool” in Roanoke, Virginia’s Old Southwest neighborhood. The competition starts April
2 and runs through the end of May, says Kris Hodges, co-founder of the festival set for
July 27-31 off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milemarker 170.5. Several of the bands are
alumni of other area festivals, including Rooster Walk Arts and Music Festival and Front
Porch Fest, among others.

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

This is no April Fool’s joke: Will Overman Band, Annabelle’s Curse to perform at Tin Pan on April 1-2

Two of my favorite bands — Will Overman Band and Annabelle’s Curse — are playing at The Tin Pan, 8982 Quioccasin Road ,in Richmond, Virginia, April 1-2. If you’re in the area, you need to buy your tickets now because both shows are sure to sell out.

I discovered both bands at Rooster Walk 7. Annabelle’s Curse is returning to Rooster Walk 8 over Memorial Day and hosting The Howling Craft Beer and Music Festival  May 27-28 while WOB is performing at MerleFest and Front Porch Fest.

If you haven’t heard either of these bands play live, you won’t want to miss either one of these shows!

Continue reading →


by Leave a comment

MerleFest adds John Oates to lineup, Donna the Buffalo to host Midnight Jam

MerleFest, slated for April 28–May 1, 2016, announced today  John Oates, a legend of American music, will be joining the official 2016 festival lineup as the final headliner. Also announced, Donna the Buffalo will host the much-anticipated Midnight Jam at the Walker Center, and the Jam will be sponsored by The Bluegrass Situation.

Continue reading →