The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a collaboration between the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center and the GrassRoots Festival Organization, providing a family-friendly celebration of music, dance, art and education; a Music Lovers’ Paradise!
To purchase tickets or to learn more about the festival, visit https://www.shakorihillsgrassroots.org/
From the good folks in Creedmoor, North Carolina, which is just north of Durham:
The 31st annual Creedmoor Music Festival will be held from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on SATURDAY, SEPT. 21, 2024.
The lineup include GrassStreet, British Invaders, Soul Triii, God’s Men of Harmony, Fifth Floor, Bender Street and Sagamore.
Parking Information
Complimentary parking will be available at the Creedmoor Community Center located at 108 East Wilton Avenue.
Main Street in Creedmoor will be closed to traffic starting at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. from West Lyon Street to Park Avenue for the safety of festival attendees.
The Creedmoor Music Festival welcomes Bill Young, co-anchor of CBS 17 News This Morning and CBS 17 News at Noon, and Amber Freeman, the vibrant co-host of My Carolina on CBS 17, will be the Guest Emcees for this year’s Creedmoor Music Festival.
Young, known for his love of cars and his impressive collection of 200 neckties and 300 quirky socks, is ready to bring his unique flair to our festival stage. Visit his Facebook page and vote for your favorite tie and sock combo for him to wear on air.
Freeman, the engaging personality behind Triangle’s only daily one-hour lifestyle TV show, is bringing her lively energy to the festival. With a passion for Ranch Doritos, champagne, pickles and Prince, Freeman is set to add a fun and unique vibe to the event.
No Pets Policy
While pets are welcome at several other city events throughout the year, due to the nature and location of this event, the CMF Committee established a “No Pets” policy. We understand this policy may not be popular with some, however the committee is appreciative of the full cooperation that has been shown by attendees over the years.
Stay up-to-date with the CMF!
Potential performers, vendors, and sponsors are encouraged to register for Event News & Updates under e-Notification to ensure receipt of time-sensitive festival announcements and information. Residents and other interested persons are also encouraged to register and stay informed of all news and happenings in Creedmoor.
For more information, contact
MusicFestival@Cityofcreedmoor.org
Hopscotch 2024 kicks off with a VIP party on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The VIP only schedule follows:
Hopscotch Music Festival + The Rialto Present
The dB’s
Doors: 7:00pm | Show: 8:00pm
Hopscotch VIPs can claim up to
two (2) complimentary tickets to the show!
Click the link below and select the “General Admission – Hopscotch VIPs” ticket. Enter the email address used to purchase your Hopscotch VIP passes in all lowercase.
Remaining tickets will be available to the general public beginning Saturday 8/31 for $22 + applicable taxes and fees.
This show is at The Rialto.
Where: Landmark Tavern | 117 E Hargett St
When: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Food: Provided by Raleigh Times
Presented by: Come Hear NC, Merge Records, Dash Media
Where: Natural Science | 2409 Crabtree Blvd #126
When: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Food: Provided by Local’s Seafood
Presented by: Levitate
Where: Jimmy V’s Osteria & Bar | 420 Fayetteville St
When: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Food: Provided by Jimmy V’s
Presented by: Parker Poe, Axios
The Rialto Theater in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood is having a BOGO sale over Labor Day Weekend that starts at 10 a.m. on Aug. 30 and ends at midnight on Sept. 2 for tickets to upcoming concerts including Joan Osborne, Cowboy Mouth, Jack the Radio, Phil Vassar, The Brothers Comatose, Jim Lauderdale and many more.
Purchase tickets at this link: https://therialto.com/events/
Here’s what I wrote at the time for The Huffington Post:
“Caudle weaves the richness of the tobacco leaves he grew up between into the flavor of his songs. The singer-songwriter plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, rockin’ it out one minute and switching to a haunting ballad the next. Think Steve Earle pre-heroin.”
If you haven’t heard Caudle play, don’t take my word for how talented he is, go see him for yourself this holiday weekend at the Wake Forest Listening Room on Saturday, Aug. 30. Tickets are $20 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
According to the Listening Room’s website, Caudle’s show is also the release of his sixth studio album “Sweet Critters.”
Through sometimes shadowy arrangements that creep and lurk, Caudle continues to mine both the brightest and murkiest corners of his imagination, finding that purest of points where tenderness and grit collide, inspired by musical heroes like Buddy Miller and Guy Clark, and mentors like Elizabeth Cook and John Paul White. It was White who Caudle tapped to produce Sweet Critters, along with Ben Tanner, at the duo’s Florence, Alabama studio Sun Drop Sound.
White is also performing at the Wake Forest Listening Room on Sept. 6 but the show is sold out, according to the website.
“I was very excited to work with Caleb on this record. Iʼve been a fan for Iʼve been a fan for years and count him as a friend,” White says of working with Caudle. “Heʼs a stellar songwriter, so I knew heʼd bring the goods. And he did.” The album features Allison Russell, Aoife OʼDonovan, John Paul White, and Caudleʼs own touring band.
These songs are a showcase of Caudle’s singular command of language. He sees the world through a hyperreal lens wholly unique to him, one that renders dank humidity “horsefly heat,” a moody sky “cast iron skillet” dark, or a loved one’s “wind chime of a smile.” For Caudle, details are the last frontier in a world where thousands of new songs are created every day. As such, he weaves his intricate tales of redemption, sacrifice, forgiveness, and loss with the colorful threads of living, breathing characters and all the rich idiosyncrasies and ephemera that fill out their worlds.
Caudle and his band have played Stagecoach, Cayamo, Luck Reunion, Mountain Stage, Merlefest, Americanafest, The Long Road (UK), AMAUK (UK), and recently supported Marty Stuart, Steve Earle, Hayes Carll, Elizabeth Cook, Brent Cobb, Charles Wesley Godwin, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and many more.
In other notable news, Caudle is headed to his Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville on Nov. 23! You can learn more on his website at https://www.calebcaudle.com/
The 2024 lineup features:
FRIDAY
Sierra Ferrell, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Crying Uncle
SATURDAY
Steep Canyon Rangers (with special guests Chatham County Line), Sierra Hull, Amythyst Kiah, Danny Paisley
In addition to the Red Hat Amphitheater, there are six more stages at IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. Performers on those stages include:
Balsam Range; Barefoot Movement; Broken Compass; Compton & Newberry; Chris Jones & the Night Drivers; Country Current (US Navy Band); Dewey & Leslie Brown; Earl White String Band; Evans, Smith & May, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen; From China to Appalachia (Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian); Golden Shoals, The Gospel Jubilators; The Gravy Boys; Hank, Pattie & the Current; Henhouse Prowlers; Jacob Jolliff Band; Jake Blount; Jake Leg; Jim Lauderdale; Junior Appalachian Musicians; Kaia Kater; Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands; Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road; New Dangerfield; Nixon; Blevins & Gage; Raised in Raleigh All Star Jam; Sister Sadie; Songs From the Road Band; The Tan & Sober Gentlemen; Tray Wellington Band; Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention 100th Anniversary; Unspoken Tradition; The Williamson Brothers; Wyatt Ellis; and more!
IAs in years past, events during IBMA World of Bluegrass will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, the Red Hat Amphitheater and at various venues in town.
“This is our favorite time of year. I just love seeing everyone coming down to Raleigh with guitars and banjos slung over their shoulders,” said David Brower, festival producer and executive director of PineCone, in a press release. “In addition to all the bands playing the big stages, there’s also something special for the everyday pickers. We’re dedicating a stage to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers Convention. We’ll have contests for fiddlers, banjo, mandolin and guitar players, plus a great big square dance to cap off the afternoon each day. Lifting up North Carolina’s musical traditions is something we’ve been proud to do with the festival over the last decade.”
For the 12th year, PNC Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. “Since helping bring this festival to Raleigh during the early days of PNC’s local growth story, all of us at PNC have been committed to making this event a success for visitors, residents and local businesses,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president for Eastern Carolinas, in a release. “We look forward to this year’s event, the community togetherness it will foster and the economic impact it will create.”
IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC is part of the five-day IBMA World of Bluegrass event, billed “The Most Important Week in Bluegrass,” which also includes the IBMA Business Conference, the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase series and the 35th Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, Sept. 24-28.
Tickets and hotel reservations will open for IBMA members May 8 and to the general public May 15. More information is available at the IBMA World of Bluegrass website, worldofbluegrass.org.
ABOUT IBMA
IBMA is the non-profit music association that connects, educates, and empowers bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts, honoring tradition and encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide. IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, featuring the best of the best in bluegrass today, helps benefit the IBMA Trust Fund—a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists bluegrass professionals during financial emergencies—and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year.
ABOUT PINECONE
PineCone is the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music. It is a Raleigh-based nonprofit that serves as the official local host and festival producer for IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. It was founded in 1984 by a group of friends looking to preserve, present and promote music and dance that’s rooted in the Piedmont. PineCone hosts year-round events that highlight rich and diverse musical traditions that’ve been passed down informally for generations. There’s more about PineCone’s concerts, jam sessions, workshops, camps, youth programs and weekly radio show at pinecone.org.
The popular International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass annual conference and music festival has announced it is moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee, after a decade in downtown Raleigh thanks to a $25 million incentive from The Volunteer State after this fall.
But that doesn’t mean the Oak City is going to stop hosting a bluegrass festival. Instead, Pinecone announced last fall it would partner with the City of Raleigh to introduce the Raleigh Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, which will debut in downtown Raleigh on Oct. 3-4, 2025.
PineCone, the Raleigh music organization that has coordinated much of the free music at IBMA’s event, plans to resurrect the branding of a previous street festival with the help of the City of Raleigh, the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau and the State Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The new name is a tribute to a 2005 Raleigh festival that was launched to bring life to downtown at the time, PineCone says.
The goal, organizers say, is that festivalgoers won’t feel like Raleigh Wide Open is a completely new festival. The plan includes a mix of performances along Fayetteville Street and other downtown areas, with sights on keeping it a primarily free event. The festival will focus on bluegrass but will also include genres like Americana, alt-country and other folk music, especially those with North Carolina ties.
For more information, visit https://pinecone.org/
Today’s announcement by the International Bluegrass Music Association is bittersweet for me since it will be the last awards ceremony held in Raleigh, at least for awhile. That’s because last fall, IBMA annouced that this year’s annual IBMA Wide World of Bluegrass business conference and Bluegrass Live! festival will be its last in the Oak City.
But until we find out where IBMA is headed next, we will celebrate the nominees, recipients and inductees who will be honored at the 35th Annual Bluegrass Music Awards show on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, during IBMA’s headline event of the year.
The nominations and honorees were announced on a radio broadcast at SiriusXM in Nashville, Tennessee, that featured live performances by nominees Missy Raines & Allegheny and Authentic Unlimited.
Billy Strings, Sister Sadie, Authentic Unlimited and Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway lead the nominations. Also announced during the event were this year’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees and Distinguished Achievement Awards Recipients. Entering the Hall of Fame – the highest honor awarded by IBMA and its membership – are Jerry Douglas, Katy Daley and Alan Munde.
It’s the biggest night on the bluegrass calendar, according to IBMA, featuring once-in-a-lifetime moments and outstanding performances by the best in bluegrass.
And the nominees are:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Songwriter: Ashley McBryde
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury
Songwriter: Rick Faris
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster & Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush
Songwriters: Wayne Carson/Ronnie Reno
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Producers: Jerry Douglas/Molly Tuttle
Label: Nonesuch
Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass
Producer: East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever
Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records
No Fear – Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Songwriter: Michael Feagan
Producer: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Label: Independent
“Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker
Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mike Richards/Windi Robinson
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/David Stewart
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
“Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck
Songwriter: George Gershwin arr. Ferde Grofé/Béla Fleck
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers
“Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank
Songwriter: Terry Baucom
Producer: Ashby Frank
Label: Mountain Home
“Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
“Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde
Songwriter: Alan Munde
Producer: Billy Bright
Label: Patuxent
“Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Andy Leftwich
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wyatt Ellis
The Kody Norris Show
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka featuring Billy Strings
Songwriters: Alton Delmore/Rabon Delmore
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Down the Road
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster, Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Bluegrass Radio” – Alison Brown and Steve Martin
Songwriters: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“Too Old to Die Young” – Bobby Osborne and CJ Lewandowski
Songwriters: Scott Dooley/John Hadley/Kevin Welch
Producer: CJ Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Russell Moore
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Molly Tuttle
Jaelee Roberts
Dale Ann Bradley
AJ Lee
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Rob McCoury
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missy Raines
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Todd Phillips
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Deanie Richardson
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Rob Ickes
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Gaven Largent
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle
Trey Hensley
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Label: Upper Management Music
“I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show
Label: Rebel Records
“Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
Label: Compass Records
BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Alan Munde
Jerry Douglas
Katy Daley
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Cindy Baucom
Laurie Lewis
Richard Hurst
ArtistWorks
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival
The North Carolina Museum of History will host the Henhouse Prowlers as part of its Tar Heel Troubadours series, a celebration of Americana, roots, bluegrass and traditional music performed by artists from or living and working in North Carolina, on Saturday, July 20.
A music performance at the North Carolina Museum of History is unlike any other, according to the museum. “You’ll enjoy an intimate experience with an artist in our 300-seat venue. Every seat in the house has a fantastic view and the sound is exceptional.
“Our Tar Heel Troubadours series works to keep music accessible to our community by keeping ticket prices affordable. Visit the museum’s website for up-to-date information and tickets.”
The Henhouse Prowlers are bluegrass ambassadors. Founded nearly two decades ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this Chicago-bred quartet now finds itself at the intersection of performance, diplomacy, and education.
Onstage, the group’s enthralling performances give audiences a sense of how much the musicians love what they do. On records — including their latest offering, 2023’s “Lead and Iron,” released via Dark Shadow Recording — the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all their own.
Working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors, the Prowlers have toured more than 25 countries across the globe. The group’s experiences with people and musicians across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East have shaped the band’s worldview and broadened the group’s direction toward bridging cultural gaps with music, educational programs, and workshops. Using traditional American music as a foundation while connecting folk music, customs, and history the world over, including in North Carolina classrooms, the Prowlers incorporate international elements into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.
Whether playing live or presenting seminars, the Henhouse Prowlers find and spread the commonality we share as human beings through the universal language of music.
IF YOU GO
Tar Heel Troubadours: Henhouse Prowlers
Saturday, July 20, 6:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. performance
Tickets: MOHA/museum members $12; general admission $15
Purchase tickets at this link.
From the good folks at Raleigh Magazine:
“Following a four-year hiatus, Jack the Radio is back. It’s the Raleigh rock scene’s dream come true. Jack the Radio is back with a new album and a collab beer with Trophy Brewing—a Helles lager with 100% NC Pilsner malt dubbed Jack the Radio Fast Fun (a nod to their 2023 single). After a four-year hiatus, the roots rockers are set to drop Under Lonely Light June 21, with a release show slated for June 22 at The Pour House feat. Fancy Gap, a comic release and vinyl fresh off the presses.
The magazine caught up with half the group, George Hage and Danny Johnson, ahead of their tunes and brews release. Learn more at this link.
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