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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass

Tag Archives: North Carolina


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MerleFest 2019 adds Amos Lee, The Milk Carton Kids, Steep Canyon Rangers to lineup

This just in from the good folks over at MerleFest:

WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce new artist additions for MerleFest 2019: Amos Lee, The Milk Carton Kids, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Del McCoury Band, The Casey Kristofferson Band, and David Holt. The annual homecoming of musicians and music fans returns to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, April 25-28. MerleFest is pleased to welcome these six distinguished acts to the 2019 lineup:

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The Shindig 2018 schedule featuring Dangermuffin, Yarn and Scythian

If you’ve had trouble finding the schedule for The Shindig 2018 “Music For Your Beers,” on Saturday, Nov. 3,  to Clayton, North Carolina, it’s below and you’re welcome.
This event always features a great musical lineup and this year is no exception. More than 25 craft beers will be available along with nine bands, including some of my personal favorites Scythian, Yarn, Jon Stickley Trio, Fireside Collective, Dangermuffin, and Forlorn Strangers, on two stages.

General admission is free and taster tickets to get beer samples in the VIP tent are available at www.theshindig.net.

Hope to see you out there!

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Town Mountain releases New Freedom Blues to high praise

From the good folks at The Press House:

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Today, Town Mountain releases their critically-acclaimed sixth studio album, “New Freedom Blues.” Originally announced by The Bluegrass Situation in June, producer Caleb Klauder joined the Asheville, North Carolina-based band at the legendary Echo Mountain Studios late last year to record the 11-track masterpiece, which features drummer and Sturgill Simpson collaborator Miles Miller, as well as a duet and co-write with Tyler Childers. Praised by outlets like Rolling Stone, No Depression, American Songwriter, Glide, and SiriusXM among others. The band recently played AmericanaFest and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry for the third time; they are currently touring throughout the Southeast and will join Tyler Childers for a handful of dates throughout Texas and Oklahoma in December (full dates below). New Freedom Blues is available today via Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and the band’s website.

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Listen Up: You don’t want to miss N.C. State Fair’s amazing 2018 musical lineup

The North Carolina State Fair always sports a great music lineup and this year is no exception. Its “Homegrown Music Fest” concert series features 11 days, three stages and 117 performances from Oct. 11-21. My advice is that while you’ll certainly want to catch some of the headliners — Raleigh’s own American Aquarium, the War and Treaty, New Reveille, Summer Brooke and the Mountain Faith Band, RaeLynn and Bucky Covington — make sure you catch some of the lesser-known acts on the Waterfall andHeritage Circle Bluegrass stages.

It wasn’t that many years ago that I discovered country, rock superstar singer-songwriter Eric Church, who as you may recall is a North Carolina native, playing for a small crowd at the fairgrounds’ Dorton Arena. Tickets were $5 because at the time you had to pay extra for concert tickets. Good luck finding a $5 or even $50 ticket to one of Church’s shows today.

Dorton Arena shows begin at 7:30 p.m. each night. Lineup for the show begins no earlier than 6 p.m. and doors are at 7 p.m. Each show is free with State Fair admission, and seating in the arena is first-come, first-served general admission.

I recommend making time to see Jack the Radio, the Pinkerton Raid, Katie Basden, Jump Mountain, David Childers, Big Fat Gap and Carolina Line Bluegrass Band among many others too numerous to list on the Waterfall and Heritage Circle Bluegrass stages.

For specific show times visit http://www.ncstatefair.org/2018/Attractions/HomegrownMusic.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 


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CANCELLED Classic Country Throwdown featuring Tracy Lawrence, Phil Vassar and Little Texas set for Booth Amphitheatre Oct. 4

From the good folks over at Cary, North Carolina’s Booth Amphitheatre, this event has been cancelled. If you have tickets contact the Box Office at www.boothamphitheatre.com.

The show announcements just keep coming with a Classic Country Throwdown at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Continue reading →


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Women poised to dominate 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards

In 2017, Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Hall of Fame. With the exception of women who were part of a band, and usually a family band, ie. the famous Carter Family, who were inducted in 2001, only one other woman — Louise Scruggs in 2010 — has received solo recognition by the hall of fame organizers since 1991. And this week, songwriter Dixie Hall will be inducted as the fourth.

Let’s face it. Bluegrass has been a good old boys genre since Bill Monroe picked up a mandolin, Louise’s husband Earl Scruggs met Lester Flatt and the Stanley Brothers became the Clinch Mountain Boys. But as Bob Dylan once wrote, “the times they are a changin.'”

Fast forward to 2016, when Sierra Hull and Becky Buller became the first women to win Instrumental Performers of the Year awards for mandolin and fiddle, respectively. Hull came out on top in the same category in 2017, and Molly Tuttle, who appears poised to be among the next female superstars of bluegrass, won Instrumental Performer of the Year for her guitar picking prowess — the first woman to ever top that particular chart. Continue reading →


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The Shindig returns to Clayton, N.C., on Nov. 3 featuring Scythian, Yarn

The Shindig, “Music For Your Beers,” returns Nov. 3, 2018, to Clayton, North Carolina. This event always features a great musical lineup and this year is no exception.

More than 25 craft beers will be available along with nine bands, including Scythian, Yarn, Jon Stickley Trio, Fireside Collective, Dangermuffin, and Forlorn Strangers, on two stages.

General admission is free and taster tickets to get beer samples in the VIP tent are available at www.theshindig.net.


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Fourth Groove in the Garden in downtown Raleigh, N.C., to feature Lydia Loveless, New Reveille on Sept. 22, 2018

The fourth annual Groove in the Garden music and arts festival returns on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, to the Stephenson Amphitheater and Rose Garden, 301 Pogue St., in downtown Raleigh.
The 2018 Groove in the Garden lineup includes: Lydia Loveless, Loamlands, Pie Face Girls, Kate Rhudy, ZenSoFly, Tres Chicas, New Reveille, Reese McHenry, Blue Cactus, Emily Musolino, Kamara Thomas and Luxe Posh.
According to organizers, “The annual music and arts festival shines the spotlight on the incredible talent we have in North Carolina.”
Gates open at 1:30 p.m. music starts at 2:15. Tickets are $10 advance and $15 at the gate.

In addition to live music, local food trucks, vendors and more will all be on hand.  Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Suitable for all ages.

Find more information here: https://raleighlittletheatre.org/events/groove-in-the-garden-18/


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Annual ‘Shout & Shine: A Celebration of Diversity in Bluegrass’ kicks off IBMA on Monday, Sept. 24, at N.C. History Museum

From the good folks over at The Press House:
The third annual “Shout & Shine: A Celebration of Diversity in Bluegrass” will honor the connection and cross-pollination between blues, bluegrass, and their offshoots and will take place on Monday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. at the North Carolina Museum of History Daniels Auditorium, at the very beginning of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass events in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Carrboro Music Festival celebrates 21st annual event with 200 acts across 29 venues Sept. 29-30, 2018

The 2018 Carrborro Music Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Sept. 30. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the festival that will feature 200 acts across 29 venues.

Saturday’s kick-off event will feature three bands at Carrboro Town Commons, beginning at 2 p.m. following the Farmer’s Market. A free, ticketed, show will be held at the Cat’s Cradle at 8:30 p.m.

The Carrboro Music Festival is an effort to showcase Triangle-area performers and the varied musical styles they represent, according to the website. All of the performers donate their talents to foster a strong sense of community and to reveal their talents to a wider audience.

And while the acts are too numerous to mention, I am particularly excited to see some of my personal favorites, including Triad-based Abigail Dowd and newly relocated to the Triangle Will Overman, among this year’s performers.

The event is a product of a coordinated effort by the Carrboro Recreation and Parks Department and the Carrboro Music Festival Planning Committee.

This program is supported by the Town of Carrboro and the Carrboro Tourism Development Authority.  Generous support is also provided by the local business community.

Find a map and list of all the acts and times here: http://www.carrboromusicfestival.com/DocumentCenter/View/3119/2018-Carrboro-Music-Festival-Guide–Map?bidId=