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Tag Archives: Rooster Walk


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Rooster Walk 15 Music & Arts Festival announces full lineup for May 22-25, ticket prices increase Feb. 1

Joining the Lineup: Lettuce, Keller Williams, Ghost-Note, Dangermuffin, Ashes & Arrows, a stellar cast of Artists at Large, plus 15 more bands! Discounted tickets available until Feb. 1!

From the good folks at Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival:

The countdown to the 15th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival is on, and organizers are thrilled to announce the final lineup, featuring funk legends Lettuce, festival icon Keller Williams, and 26 more incredible acts, officially completing the band lineup! The festival will take place May 22-25, 2025, at the scenic Pop’s Farm in Martinsville, Virginia.

Lettuce will return for their third all-time performance at Rooster Walk, following standout shows at RW12 and their headline set at RW8. Meanwhile, Keller Williams, a long-time fan favorite, will bring his unique energy to the festival for the very first time, performing a special 90-minute funk set backed by the all-star Rooster Walk House Band.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the stellar lineup we’ve put together for Rooster Walk 15,” said Johnny Buck, executive director of Rooster Walk Inc. “Lettuce has always been a crowd favorite, and to finally have Keller Williams joining us, an artist that’s been on the wish list since our very first festival. This festival is truly going to be something special.”

Along with Lettuce and Keller Williams, the festival will showcase Ghost-Note (Dallas, TX), a band that features many of Snarky Puppy’s members; they are sure to bring their jazz-funk wizardry to Rooster Walk’s late-night stages. Dangermuffin (Folly Beach, SC) will return for their fifth appearance at the festival, while Ashes & Arrows, the breakout Asheville, NC band recently featured on America’s Got Talent, will make its Rooster Walk debut.

The Artists at Large for this year’s festival are a dream team of musical talent, joining forces to create unforgettable moments throughout the weekend. The all-star cast that will bring an unprecedented level of musicianship to the Rooster Walk House Band performances includes: Ron Holloway (sax, Baltimore, MD), Jeff Sipe (drums, Black Mountain, NC), Josh Shilling (keys & vocals, Nashville, TN), Isaac Hadden (guitar / Asheville, NC) / Keyser George (guitar / Nashville, TN); Wallace Mullinax (guitar/ Charleston, SC); Florencia Rusinol (vocals & guitar / Johnson City, TN); and Jake Dempsey (bass / Roanoke, VA).

Other additions to the lineup include: Dale and the ZDubs (reggae / Maryland); Erin & The Wildfire (R&B / Charlottesville VA); Arts Fishing Club (Americana / Appleton, Wisc.); Underground Springhouse (jamband / Athens, GA); Mighty Joshua (reggae / Richmond, VA); Hustle Souls (soul / Asheville, N.C.); Deau Eyes (indy / Richmond, VA); Future Joy (future-funk / CO & FL); Striking Copper (roots / Wilmington, N.C.); Winyah (rock / Charleston, S.C.); Bella Moulden (indy / Buffalo, N.Y.); Woody Woodworth & The Piners (country / Richmond, VA); Rebecca Porter (country / Harrisonburg, VA); Jules & The Agreeables (rock / Loudon County, VA); and magician Hunter Rhodes (magic / Richmond, VA).

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It’s not too late to get tickets for Rooster Walk 14 on May 23-26

Now’s your chance to get your tickets and save some money for Rooster Walk 14 in Martinsville, Virginia! Ticket prices increase at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 20. Some options are also in low supply. Don’t delay — get yours now! Here’s a full rundown of ticket options and info.

Already have tickets? Let your friends know to get theirs now to make once-in-a-lifetime memories at an affordable cost.

Check out the full musical line-up and more at https://roosterwalk.com/


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Rooster Walk 14 announces final band additions, including North Mississippi Allstars, Big Something, Jim Lauderdale, The Seldom Scene

From the good folks at Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival:

Rooster Walk 14 has announced the following bands have been added to its final lineup for the event on May 23-26, 2024, at Pop’s Farm just outside Martinsville, Virginia:
 
North Mississippi Allstars, Big Something, Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers, The Seldom Scene, The Rooster Walk House Band, Myron Elkins, The Collection, Kaira Ba, Holler Choir, Lillie Mae, Kind Hearted Strangers, Florencia & The Feeling, The Shoaldiggers, Sela Campbell, Raffi Kids’ Set, Sugarbush

The North Mississippi Allstars, an internationally touring blues band known for its rollickingly energetic shows, top the third and final list of bands joining the 14th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival lineup. NMAs, which will be making its RW debut, have been nominated for four Grammys over a 25-year career that has produced 12 albums and countless sold out shows.

Big Something will also join the RW14 lineup. The North Carolina-based jamband has played nearly a half-dozen Rooster Walks over the years. The six-piece band is known for its big sound of soaring guitar solos, synth, horns and soulful vocals.

Other bands getting added to the lineup include: Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers (Roots rock, iconic songwriter from Nashville, TN); The Seldom Scene (internationally celebrated pioneers of progressive bluegrass); The Rooster Walk House Band (all-star collective featuring Ron Holloway, Jeff Sipe, Josh Shilling, Wallace Mullinax, Florencia Rusinol, Jake Dempsey and friends); Myron Elkins (swamp rock, Otsego, MI); The Collection (Indi Rock, Saxapahaw, NC); Kaira Ba (world music, North Carolina); Holler Choir (old-time, Asheville, NC); Lillie Mae (Singer/songwriter, Nashville, TN); Kind Hearted Strangers (rock, Colorado); Florencia & The Feeling (R&B/soul, Johnson City, TN); The Shoaldiggers (Horny swampgrass, North Carolina); Sela Campbell (country, Northern Virginia); Raffi Kids’ Set (Raffi Tribute by Miles Andrews and full band; Saxapahaw, NC); Sugarbush (rock/blues, Virginia).

Bands that had been previously announced to the RW14 lineup include:  Emmylou Harris (Country Music Hall of Fame inductee with five No. 1 singles on the Billboard country music charts, Nashville, TN); Cory Wong (funk/rock/pop, Minneapolis, MN);  Broke Mountain Bluegrass Band (Colorado supergroup featuring members of Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Jon Stickley Trio and more); two nights of Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country (Nashville, Tenn., jam twang); TAUK Moore (funk collaboration between Doom Flamingo’s Kanika Moore and TAUK);  Dogs in a Pile (a New Jersey-based funk/jazz/rock jamband); Couch (Boston, Mass. – funk/rock/soul); Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast (Asheville, N.C. – rock); Yarn (NC/NY roots rockers who will once again perform an original set and a festival-finishing tribute set); Arkansauce (progressive bluegrass from northwest Arkansas); Sneezy (high-energy party music from Chicago, Ill.); The Mountain Grass Unit (up-and-coming bluegrass shredders from Alabama); Isaac Hadden Organ Trio (masterful  musicianship from a North Carolina power trio); Sol Driven Train (upbeat, horn-driven rock’n’roll beach vibes from Charleston, SC); J & The Causeways (New Orleans-based soul powerhouse reminiscent of St. Paul & The Broken Bones); Sticks N Thorns (bluegrass duo featuring Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon and Jon Stickley); Travis Book & Friends (Asheville, N.C., Americana/rock band led by The Infamous Stringdusters’ Travis Book); Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers (bluegrass from nearby Franklin County, Va.); Clay Street Unit (Colorado-based honky tonk/roots rock); The Jared Stout Band (New River Valley, VA, southern rock); and Mighty Joshua (authentic reggae from central Virginia); TC Carter Band (blues, Martinsville, Va.); Lua Flora (Asheville, N.C. – beach folk); Big Fat Gap (Chapel Hill, N.C. – bluegrass); Jules & The Agreeables (Key West, Fla. – rock); DJ What (Martinsville, Va. – DJ); Pirates of the Piedmont (Martinsville, Va. – pirate shanties).

ROOSTER WALK 13 (2023) RECAP VIDEO

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Daniel Donato to perform at The Ramkat on Feb. 2

Want to whisk away the winter blues and get a preview to one of Rooster Walk’s artists?

Acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitar virtuoso, Daniel Donato, will perform at The Ramkat on Feb. 2, the good folks at All Eyes Media have announced. (ticket info). Donato is on tour in support of his recently released album, Reflector  (Retrace Music). The 15 songs on this new record are Donato’s first collection of all original songs. They embody the progressing musical space he has created for himself, which he refers to as “cosmic country.” You can listen to the new album on your preferred DSP HERE.

Donato was recently featured in Rolling Stone, UPROXX, Garden & Gun, and The Bluegrass Situation. The album has also received positive coverage from No Depression, Glide Magazine, Slide & Banjo, and Vintage Guitar Magazine, Magnet Magazine, and others.      

“A longtime fixture on the stages of Nashville’s Broadway district, Donato has transitioned into a force in the rock and jam-band worlds…” – Rolling Stone

“It’s a feeling pitched between the retro country associated with Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton and the “conversational music” (his term) of the jam world. It comes across with uncommon clarity on Donato’s latest album, ‘Reflector’…” – UPROXX

“’Reflector’ is, literally, a reflection of his well-developed tastes, like a kaleidoscopic color wheel of the music that seasoned him, from the jam-heavy Grateful Dead to the crooning country of Willie Nelson.” – No Depression

“Prepare yourself for one of the most interesting, omnivorous, and immersive experiences that you can discover in music that still claims an allegiance to ‘country.’ It’s Daniel Donato’s Reflector, and it’s the realization of his “cosmic country” dream first envisioned years ago, but finally coming to fruition in its full form now.” – Saving Country Music

Donato  released a music video for the joyful track “Hi-Country.” You can watch it HERE. 

Donato’s “cosmic country” is a combination of Southern rock, bluegrass, classic country, and honky-tonk with Southern California folk and Northern California musical exploration. His album opener, “Lose Your Mind,” perfectly demonstrates this incredible blend. You can listen to his single “Lose Your Mind” HERE. 

Reflector possesses such an energetic yet vibey sound that encompasses everything Donato is about. Donato is dedicated to his craft and exemplifies incredible work ethic. It also helps that he is a monster of a guitar player. You can see him in action with Billy Strings on stage at the Double E Performance Center in Vermont HERE.

Reflector was also produced by multi-Grammy Award winning producer/engineer/mixer Vance Powell (White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, Chris Stapleton). 


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Will Overman, Crawford & Power bring the sounds of Virginia to The Pour House on Sunday, Nov. 12

Don’t have plans for Sunday night in downtown Raleigh? Now you do because you don’t want to miss the following performances at The Pour House on Nov. 12 from Virginia country rockers Will Overman and Crawford & Power.

Virginia native singer-songwriter Will Overman‘s music has been described as alternative country, Americana, Southern rock and folk rock among others. I first discovered Overman at Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival in 2015 when he was a junior majoring in sociology at the University of Virginia. At the time I described his music as someone whose songs seem to be drawn from the experiences of someone much older. In 2017, I wrote about him and his band here in The Huffington Post here and here.

Fast forward to 2023. Overman is now living in Nashville and has just released his latest EP titled, “Live From Virginia.”  Despite the move to Music City, his music is still a dynamic and nostalgic ode to his time in central Virginia and you don’t want to miss the chance to hear this former “The Voice” contestant perform live.

Armed with a powerful voice and powerful convictions, Overman is slowly but surely building a name for himself performing throughout the east coast at venues and festivals such as (The Jefferson Theater, Fall for Greenville, The Basement) and supporting artists like (Joe Pug, Christian Lopez, Town Mountain, Grady Spencer & the Work, Wheelwright, etc.). Regardless of whether you get a first listen at the next show or song on shuffle, you can be sure that it won’t be long before you know his songs by heart.

Virginia natives Crawford & Power are making waves within the country music scene with their unique sound. Authentically southern, Jake Crawford’s powerful vocal blended with a modern approach to the Dobro from Ethan Power, create a brand of country that has been lauded as a breath of fresh air to the genre.

The duo have already opened for a variety of artists including The Marshall Tucker Band, Willie Nelson, Travis Tritt, The Charlie Daniels Band, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs, 38 Special, Gary Allan, Jerry Douglas and many other major acts. 


With the help of their debut EP, “Play a Hank Jr. Song,” the duo have quickly eclipsed over 5 million on-demand streams. C&P followed up their debut release with many single releases between 2019-2021 highlighted by “She Liked to Get High” & “Letting You Go.” Crawford & Power are spending time in the studio with Producer Grady Saxman, and just released their new EP, “Bring it On Home,” on Sept. 30.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased this link.


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RoosterWalk 13 announces initial musical lineup for Memorial Day Weekend 2023

Tickets for the 13th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival on May 25-28, 2023, are officially on sale at www.RoosterWalk.com! Grab yours today to get the cheapest prices of the year for this outdoor family friendly festival at Pop’s Farm just outside of Martinsville, Virginia.

Festival organizers have announced the first 16 bands including headliners progressive jamgrass rockers Greensky Bluegrass. Other artists join the initial Memorial Day weekend band lineup include Marshall Tucker Band, Kitchen Dwellers, Trouble No More, Doom Flamingo, Kitchen Dwellers, Yarn, Neighbor, Mike & The Moonpies, Crawford & Power, Sol Driven Train, The Wilson Springs Hotel, Isaac Hadden Organ Trio, Sneezy, TC Carter Band, Big Fat Gap and Pirates of the Piedmont.

More than 30 additional bands will be added to the lineup in the coming weeks and months, organizers said in a press release.

Tickets for Rooster Walk 13 went on sale on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the newly redesigned http://www.roosterwalk.com, which also features all the information needed to plan for an amazing experience: band bios and music, ticket descriptions, festival experiences, frequently asked questions, a venue map and more.

The festival will take place Thursday-Sunday of Memorial Day weekend in the rolling foothills surrounding Martinsville. Rooster Walk is a four-day festival celebrating music, art and the great outdoors at the idyllic Pop’s Farm venue. With roughly 50 bands performing on six different stages, an amazing roster of stellar music steers the Rooster Walk experience. 

In addition to approximately 80 sets of live music, the family-friendly Rooster Walk will offer a wide variety of kids’ activities, craft beer, great food, arts and numerous opportunities to enjoy Virginia’s great outdoors with kayak river floats, bike rides, yoga, a disc golf course and beautiful on-site camping.

Rooster Walk has been named one of the Top 5 festivals in the state by the Richmond-Times Dispatch. It also was voted the region’s Most Creative Charitable Event by readers of Virginia Living Magazine for three consecutive years. The festival was created in memory of late Martinsville natives Edwin “The Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank, who graduated from Martinsville High School in 2000.

A portion of proceeds from the festival will be donated to local and regional charities, including Rooster Walk’s own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School, and the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program for public band programs in the local city and county school systems.

The festival is produced by Rooster Walk Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to promoting music, arts and education in its home of Martinsville-Henry County. Since 2009, Rooster Walk Inc. has donated more than $270,000 to local and regional charities.

Head on over to the website to get more info, updates, buy tickets or volunteer at www.roosterwalk.com.


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Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival 2022 set for May 26-29

Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival has announced the third and final wave of music performers for the much-anticipated 2022 festival, scheduled for May 26-29 in Martinsville, Virginia.

Rooster Walk returns with a diverse bill featuring a remarkable selection of over 40 artists performing across 6 stages over the four-day festival. Grace Potter joins Little Feat and Lettuce atop the festival lineup, which features something for everyone! Many ticket options have low inventory; others have already sold out.

Purchase tickets at this link: INFO & TICKETS

In addition to four days of amazing tunes, the family-friendly Rooster Walk will offer a wide variety of kids’ activities, craft beer, great food, arts and numerous opportunities to enjoy Virginia’s great outdoors with kayak tours, bike rides, yoga, a disc golf course and beautiful on-site camping.Rooster Walk has been consistently voted as a Top 3 Best Music Festival and Best Family-Friendly Festival by the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Best of the Blue Ridge. It also has been voted the region’s Most Creative Charitable Event by readers of Virginia Living Magazine, among other accolades. The festival was created in memory of late Martinsville natives Edwin “The Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank, who graduated from Martinsville High School in 2000.A portion of proceeds from the festival will be donated to local and regional charities, including Rooster Walk’s own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School, and the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program for public band programs in the local city and county school systems.

Learn more at this link: https://roosterwalk.com/


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Annual Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival 12 postponed until 2021

This isn’t an April Fool’s joke, unfortunately. As the live music festival and concerts cancellations continue to pour in, it breaks my heart to announce that Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival 12 has decided to postpone this year’s event to Memorial Day Weekend 2021.

From the good folks at Rooster Walk:
“After a lot of careful thought, research and discussion, Johnny, William and the Rooster Walk board of directors have made the very difficult decision to postpone RW12 until Memorial Day weekend of next year (May 27-30, 2021). We are heartbroken that we won’t get to see you at Pop’s Farm this spring, but ultimately the health and safety of everyone involved with the festival is our top priority. Like everyone, we’re hoping daily life will be getting back to “normal” by the late summer/fall, but we’ve decided there are too many unknowns, and therefore too much risk, to try to put on Rooster Walk later this year. We are hoping to host several live concerts at Pop’s in the late summer/fall, with on-site camping, if it’s safe to do so. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for updates on that front.

“This decision will have some very tough financial consequences on our nonprofit company, but we are determined to survive 2020 and put on our best festival ever in 2021. We know everyone is hurting right now, and we respect the fact that some patrons may NEED a refund. For those who can make do without asking for a refund, we humbly ask that you do us that HUGE favor because it might be the difference in our ability to put on a couple fall events instead of strictly going into “survival mode.”

“If you’ve already bought a ticket to Rooster Walk 12, you have three options related to your ticket purchases:

1) If you’d like to keep your tickets to use at Rooster Walk in 2021, you don’t need to do anything. All tickets already sold will be honored at Rooster Walk in 2021, even if ticket prices increase in the future.

2) If you need a refund, email info@roosterwalk.com with REFUND in the subject line by 5 pm EST Friday, April 17th, and tell us which tickets you are requesting a refund for. We will refund these tickets in full, less the service fees charged by the ticket company.

3) If you’d like the ticket money to be considered a donation to us, please shoot an email to info@roosterwalk.com with DONATION in the subject line. We are a 501c3 nonprofit, and we will send you a tax donation letter for your records.

“Thank you for your support. We’re lucky to have such a strong festival family! We look forward to seeing you at upcoming events.”

Indeed.


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Listen Up: Live music opportunities abound for Memorial Day 2018

There are numerous live music festivals and venues throughout North Carolina, Virginia and beyond on tap to help you celebrate the official kickoff of summer over the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. Following are a few highlights. If I’ve missed one, let me know! Continue reading →


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8th Annual Chantilly Farm Bluegrass & BBQ Festival to feature Balsam Range, Seldom Scene and Love Canon, among many others May 25-27 in Floyd, VA

I’ve never made it up to the annual Chantilly Farm Bluegrass & BBQ Festival in Floyd, Virginia, in part because it is over Memorial Day Weekend, when I can usually be found at another southwest Virginia music festival, Rooster Walk, which is just down the winding road at Pop’s Farm in Axton,Virginia.

Chantilly’s lineup for its eighth annual event set for May 25-27, 2018, however, may be the just the charm needed to get me up there this year. Continue reading →