It’s the most wonderful time of the year: When all the area music festivals start to announce their initial lineups for next year. Kicking off announcement season is appropriately MerleFest, since it’s also the festival that kicks off the live, outdoor music festival season in the Piedmont. Following is the official press release announcement from MerleFest. Enjoy!
Country rockers Pure Prairie League to hit High Point Theatre Stage on Thursday, Oct. 30
Country rockers Pure Prairie League took their name from an obscure 19th century Temperance Union mentioned in the 1939 film Dodge City. But this distinctly American band, with its 40-year career and long line of top hits, escaped obscurity long ago. Although fan favorites right out of the gate it took a number of years before Pure Prairie League, formed by vocalist/guitar player Craig Fuller, had its first hit. But it couldn’t have picked a better way to start, and “Aimee” not only put PPL on the map, but went on to become perhaps the most well-known and beloved country rock songs of all time, according to the High Point Theatre website.
Sam Bush to perform at The Harvester on Thursday, Oct. 30
If you’re a bluegrass or Americana music fan, you know that the “The Bush League” doesn’t have anything to do with baseball. Instead that is the moniker intrepid fans of Sam Bush proudly wear. Continue reading
Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Asheville’s Caleb Johnson among free entertainment at Lexington Barbecue Festival
The 31st annual Lexington Barbecue Festival is set for Saturday, Oct. 25. Organizers of the festival are expecting some 150,000 people to attend this weekend’s festivities that include music, food, craft vendors and children activities. Among the free performers will be Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and 2014 American Idol winner Caleb Johnson, who is a native of Asheville. Find the entertainment schedule here.
Following is an interview with Bush that I wrote for The Fayetteville Observer in April 2007.
Mountain Heart lead singer and Bassett, Va., native Josh Shilling returns as part of free two-night Turn 5 concerts in Martinsville, Va., on Oct. 24-25
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — The roar of stock cars and trucks racing around the Martinsville Speedway aren’t the only sounds that are going to be heard this race weekend in Southwest Virginia. Continue reading
Sunny Ledfurd, Josh Shilling to headline free concerts during Martinsville Speedway race weekend Oct. 24-25
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — The third annual Turn 5 Concert Series means two nights of free outdoor music, Oct. 24-25, during Martinsville Speedway race weekend.
Head to Raleigh for some Wide Open Bluegrass Oct. 3-4
On the heels of last night’s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards, you can catch many of the winners performing today, Oct. 3, and Saturday, Oct. 4, in Raleigh at Wide Open Bluegrass, part of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass annual event.
Steep Canyon Rangers to perform at Blue Ridge Music Center on Saturday, Oct. 11
Want to catch glimpses of autumn color and hear some amazing music at the same time? Mark your calendar to head to the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, Va., off the Blue Ridge Parkway to hear the Grammy Award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. Continue reading
Southern rockers to permeate southwest Virginia the weekend of Sept. 25-27
If you like Southern rock, or “Southern Fried Rock” as the old K-Tel albums used to refer to it, there are a lot of chances for you to get your groove on to some classics as well as some new tunes this weekend beginning Thursday, Sept. 25, in southwest Virginia. Continue reading
Lonesome River Band and John Cowan, John McFee & Friends headline the 40th annual Stokes County Stomp
DANBURY, N.C. — The annual Stokes Stomp Festival on the Dan is celebrating its 40th birthday with free concerts including bluegrass sensation The Lonesome River Band and the Doobie Brothers’ John Cowan, John McFee and Friends. Continue reading
