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MerleFest Adds Chris and Rich Robinson’s Brothers Of A Feather, Nickel Creek, and more to 35th annual festival

MerleFest celebrates what would be founder Doc Watson’s 100th birthday over the weekend of April 27-30, 2023, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina


MerleFest, presented by Window World, is excited to announce the final round of artist additions to the 35th annual festival, organizers said in a press release on Feb. 13.

Set for April 27-30, 2023, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, MerleFest 2023 will welcome The Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson’s stripped-down side-project, Brothers of a Feather, the Grammy-winning trio of acoustic music torchbearers Nickel Creek, Tommy Emmanuel—one of only five musicians to ever earn the Chet Atkins-given title of C.G.P. or Certified Guitar Player, the highly anticipated Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam hosted by The Kruger Brothers, your favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter, Lori McKenna, hard-working honky-tonk storyteller, Joshua Ray Walker, North Carolina’s favorite husband and wife duo, Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth, and many more—and that’s all in addition to previously announced headliners like The Avett Brothers and Maren Morris and MerleFest favorites Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas. 

The following bands and artists were also included in the announcement: Ali McGuirk, Bella White, Ben Chapman, The Biscuit Eaters, The Brothers Young, The Burnett Sisters Band with Colin Ray, Della Mae, Gravity Check Juggling, Henhouse Prowlers, High Road, Holt & Cabe, John Jorgensen Bluegrass Band, John Paul White, Laney Lou & The Bird Dogs, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Pretty Little Goat, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Songs From the Road Band, Southbound 77, and Taylon Hope.


These additions will join this year’s previously announced list of MerleFest favorites and first-timers: Andy May, The Avett Brothers, Banknotes, Black Opry Revue, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Donna the Buffalo, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Smothers, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Maren Morris, Mark Bumgarner, Mitch Greenhill & Mitch’s Kitchen, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan, Presley Barker, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush, Scythian, T. Michael Coleman, The InterACTive Theater of Jef, The Waybacks, Tony Williamson, and Wayne Henderson. 


MerleFest 2023 tickets are available now. For general admission passes, as well as patio seating, reserved seating, camping, parking and more, visit merlefest.org/purchase.
About Brothers Of A Feather with Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes (appearing Thursday): Under the moniker Brothers Of A Feather, The Black Crowes, Chris and Rich Robinson give fans a rare opportunity to see them perform stripped-down versions of some of their classic songs. In 1990, when journalists were lamenting the death of rock, as cheesy pop and hair metal dominated the charts, Atlanta’s Black Crowes gave the genre a swift and much-needed kick in the ass with “Shake Your Money Maker.” Fueled by singles “Jealous Again,” “Twice As Hard,” “She Talks To Angels,” and the breakthrough cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle,” the band immediately took the rock world by storm, topping Rolling Stone’s “Best New American Band Readers Poll” in late 1990. The Black Crowes went on to release eight studio and four live albums, selling in the tens of millions along the way; they sold out shows around the world; had legendary guitarist Jimmy Page join as a member; got kicked off a tour with ZZ Top for insulting the sponsor; got screwed by bad record deals; got married and divorced, fought amongst themselves and against the rest of the world. In other words, they’ve done everything a legendary rock group should do.
About Nickel Creek (appearing Sunday): Nickel Creek is the platinum-selling, internationally renowned roots trio of mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins. The Grammy-winning band has revolutionized folk and roots music since first performing together as children at a pizza parlor in San Diego in 1989, signing to acclaimed roots label Sugar Hill Records after wowing the bluegrass circuit for a decade. Nickel Creek quickly broke through in 2000 with their Grammy-nominated, Alison Krauss-produced self-titled LP, which showcased not just their instrumental virtuosity but their burgeoning songwriting prowess. The trio quickly followed that effort with the Krauss-produced This Side, a landmark release that earned Nickel Creek the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and brought their progressive take on acoustic music to a broader audience, greatly influencing the sound and trajectory of roots music in the process. 2005’s Grammy-nominated Why Should the Fire Die? found the trio pushing genre boundaries even further, incorporating elements of alt-rock and indie pop into their singular brand of acoustic music. Nickel Creek’s most recent album, 2014’s critically acclaimed and joyously received A Dotted Line, ended a seven-year recording and touring hiatus for the band, during which members explored other musical and creative avenues. Each member of Nickel Creek has taken part in many outside projects over the years, too. Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the American radio variety show Live from Here (formerly A Prairie Home Companion) from 2016 to 2020. Over the course of Nickel Creek’s career, Thile has released collaborative albums alongside world-renowned musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Brad Mehldau, and Stuart Duncan. His Grammy-winning band Punch Brothers has released six studio albums, the most recent being 2022’s Hell on Church Street, a reimagining of the beloved 1983 Tony Rice album Church Street Blues. Sean Watkins has kept busy outside of Nickel Creek, too, co-founding Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, releasing three albums with the collective and maintaining the long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles for a decade. Sean has also released a string of solo albums, most recently 2020’s This Is Who We Are with the Bee Eaters. Sara Watkins’ extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour band, as well as co-founding the Grammy-winning roots trio I’m With Her alongside Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz. Sara has released four studio albums, most recently 2021’s Under the Pepper Tree. She has contributed fiddle to recordings by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers and John Mayer. Nickel Creek will release Celebrants, their first new album in nine years, March 24 via Thirty Tigers. 
About Tommy Emmanuel, CGP (appearing Thursday): Anytime you talk to any of Tommy Emmanuel’s fans, whether musicians or civilians, invariably they will speak of not one but two qualities that define his greatness. The first, predictably, is his extraordinary guitar playing. Considered by those in the know to be among this planet’s greatest guitarists, his playing is simply miraculous, as it would take three musicians, or more, to do what Tommy does solo.Which brings us to the other aspect of his music always mentioned, and without which the first might not be as powerful or as infectiously appealing: the joy. Yes, joy. Because it’s one thing to play these multi-dimensional arrangements flawlessly on an acoustic guitar. But to do it with that smile of the ages, that evidence of authentic, unbridled delight, is an irresistible invitation to feel his music as deeply as he does.Although his expression is instrumental, he comes to the guitar much more like a vocalist, positively singing melodies through the strings. He inhabits the tunes he performs, delivering every nuance and turn of phrase. His own songs are also illuminated always with lyrical melodies that go right to the heart, such as his beautiful ode to his daughter, “Angelina,” or his great “Story Without Words,” “Lewis & Clark.” That they resonate so deeply without words makes sense, as words only go so far. But music, coming from a genuine and joyful source, can go so much farther.
About Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam hosted by The Kruger Brothers (appearing Saturday): Wilkes County residents and long-time MerleFest performing artists the Kruger Brothers celebrate the music of MerleFest’s founding folk icon Doc Watson. Join the Krugers and special guests Saturday evening at the Watson Stage for Doc Watson’s 100th Birthday Jam. This unique collaboration of musicians will showcase many highlights from Doc’s extensive catalog ranging from the ballads Doc made famous to the “Doc-a-billy” numbers that rocked the many stages at MerleFest and the country throughout his lifetime of making music for the people. Happy Birthday, Doc! 
About Lori McKenna (Appearing Saturday): Over the last three decades, as she became a wife and mother of five, she has also emerged as one of the most respected, prolific singer-songwriters in popular music. On her latest release, The Balladeer, Lori McKenna is offering her most uplifting and up-tempo album in a catalog that spans 20 years. Produced by Grammy Award-winning Dave Cobb and recorded in Nashville’s historic Studio A, The Balladeer follows an incredible stretch of career momentum, including two consecutive Grammy wins as a songwriter for Best Country Song: Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” and Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind.” She made history in 2016 by becoming the Academy of Country Music’s first female Songwriter of the year and in 2017 she became the first woman ever to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award two years in a row. Yet her success doesn’t stop there. McKenna co-wrote “Always Remember Us This Way,” which was featured in the Academy Award-winning 2018 film, A Star Is Born. In 2021, Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album Red (Taylor’s version) including a song called “I Bet You Think About Me” featuring Chris Stapleton and written by Swift and McKenna. McKenna continues to enjoy tremendous success as one of the music industry’s most in-demand songwriters. Her recurring theme of family builds a tapestry of experiences she has loved and overheard, been told, and dreamed up, to create a stunning ode to life’s defining relationships.
About Joshua Ray Walker (Appearing Thursday): On his new album See You Next Time, Texas-bred singer/songwriter Joshua Ray Walker shares an imagined yet truthful portrait of a broke-down honky-tonk and the misfits who call it home: barflies and wannabe cowboys, bleary-eyed dreamers and hopelessly lost souls. His third full-length in three years, the album marks the final installment in a trilogy that originated with Walker’s globally acclaimed 2019 debut Wish You Were Here and its equally lauded follow-up Glad You Made It.The album’s immaculately crafted but timelessly vital sound provides a prime backdrop for Walker’s storytelling, an element that endlessly blurs the lines between fable-like fiction and personal revelation. Closely informed by the tremendous loss he’s suffered in recent years, See You Next Time emerges as the most powerful work to date from an extraordinarily gifted songwriter, imbued with equal parts weary pragmatism and the kind of unabashedly romantic spirit that defies all cynicism.A working musician since the age of 13, Walker first began honing his lyrical talents after the death of his beloved grandfather. Raised on bluegrass, he lists Texas legends like Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver among his essential inspirations but also notes the undeniable influence of country superstars like Alan Jackson and George Strait.With the arrival of Wish You Were Here, Walker won lavish praise from outlets like NPR Music and began opening for such artists as Colter Wall and Charley Crockett, in addition to headlining tours in the U.S. and Europe.Over the years, Walker has continually captivated crowds with his magnetic live show, a feat that finds him joined by musicians like bassist Billy Bones and drummer Trey Pendergrass (both of whom played on See You Next Time).
About Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth (Appearing Friday): Husband and wife duo, Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth of Brevard, North Carolina, each has a unique history of musical accomplishments. A silver lining of the global pandemic was more time at home, which has allowed them to play, write, record, and perform together. They have curated a set of music comprised mostly of Whitworth’s original songs. Shannon Whitworth’s swoon-inducing musical style found its first showcase in her Asheville-produced solo debut, 2007’s No Expectations. Followed by 2009’s critically-acclaimed Water Bound, an album that drew comparisons to Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball. Whitworth is a songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. She has garnered praise in outlets ranging from People Magazine to Garden & Gun. Her honest reinterpretation of ‘Americana,’ a la Mark Knopfler meets Norah Jones and the ghost of Julie London, has garnered Whitworth prime appearances from Philadelphia Folk Festival to Yosemite’s Strawberry Music Festival to Nashville’s own Ryman Auditorium. Shannon is also an acclaimed artist and spends much of her time in her art studio these days. She was quoted in Walter Magazine saying, “My art is how I see the world,” says artist and singer-songwriter Shannon Whitworth. “And my music is how I hear it.” Woody Platt was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning band Steep Canyon Rangers. The band toured the world on their own, and alongside the well-known actor/comedian/musician Steve Martin. During Woody’s tenure with Steep Canyon Rangers, the band won multiple awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), a Grammy Award with 3 total Grammy Nominations and was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Since retiring from the Steep Canyon Rangers in the summer of 2022, Woody has been working on solo recording projects including a debut single “One Last Goodbye” which features an all-star Bluegrass lineup and was written by Chris Stapleton and Barry Bales. “One Last Goodbye” spent several months in the number one position on the Bluegrass charts. Shannon and Woody are honored to be joined on stage by Grammy-winning Bassist Barry Bales of Allison Krauss and Union Station, master fiddler Casey Driessen, and mandolinist Daren Shumaker.
About MerleFest: MerleFest, presented by Window World, celebrates its 35th year on April 27-30, 2023. MerleFest started in 1988 as a fundraiser for the Garden of the Senses at Wilkes Community College to memorialize world-renowned flatpicker Doc Watson’s late son, Eddy Merle Watson. In keeping with the MerleFest traditions, 2023 will offer jams honoring MerleFest’s past, present, and future. The celebration also aligns with the late Doc Watson’s 100th heavenly birthday year. The festival plans to celebrate the life of Doc & Merle Watson and the history of MerleFest both visually and musically through vintage videos and artist collaborations.

About Window World®: Window World®, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally owned franchises nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors and other exterior products, with over 21 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR® partner and its windows, vinyl siding and Therma-Tru doors have all earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. Through its charitable foundation, Window World Cares®, Window World and its franchisees provide funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Since its inception in 2008, the foundation has raised over $13 million for St. Jude. Window World also supports veterans and the military through its Window World Military Initiative (WWMI). WWMI defines Window World’s commitment to honor and serve America’s veterans, active military and military families across the entire franchise system by focusing on three pillars: Careers, Community Outreach and Partnerships. The Veterans Airlift Command has been a partner since 2008. During that time, Window World has contributed over $2.5 million in flights and donations to the organization. For more information, visit WindowWorld.com or call 1-800 NEXTWINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World on Facebook and Twitter. 


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Scythian, Arbo to perform at The Ramkat in Winston-Salem on Oct. 1

Scythian and Arbo

Not going to make it to the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass this weekend? Perennial IBMA performers and MerleFest fan favorite Celtic rock band Scythian is set to return to The Ramkat on Oct. 1, 2022, with special guests ARBO, a Cajun swamp rock band. Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8.

From Scythian’s website:

“Our triumphant return to The Ramkat will be an absolute knockout party you won’t want to miss! With it being so late in the touring season, we’re looking at this as our last HURRAH in N.C. before the end of the year, which means that this will be the LAST CHANCE TO SEE US IN N.C. THIS YEAR! We also advise that you get your tickets NOW because all the seating and balcony seating is SOLD OUT! Only GA for the floor and balcony is left, so BE QUICK and we’ll see you there!”

Tickets (what are left anyway) are on sale at TheRamkat.com!


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MerleFest 2022 promises many new as well as familiar faces

Spring has sprung in North Carolina and that means, In just a few short weeks, music fans from around the world will make their annual pilgrimage to the campus of Wilkesboro Community College, for one of the country’s most beloved weekends of live music, MerleFest.

If you haven’t already blocked off the weekend of April 28 – May 1, 2022, on your calendar, trust me on this, you’re are going to want to because this year’s lineup is one of the festival’s most impressive. And if you consider the fact we all met for this storied festival less than six months ago, it’s even more impressive.

While I know many festival goers will purchase tickets because they want to see the headliners — Emmy Lou Harris, Josh Turner, Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Trampled By Turtles, Steep Canyon Rangers, Jerry Douglas and many other talented acts — it’s the myriad “other” acts you are not going to want to miss. I often find that it’s the acts in the small print at the bottom of the festival poster that become the headliners of the future and each new festival gives you a chance to “discover” them before anyone else!

Caleb Caudle, a newcomer to MerleFest, is just such a performer for me. I first heard him perform at the now unfortunately defunct Phuzzfest in Winston-Salem. I knew immediately I wanted to hear more from this young talent. He later introduced me to another favorite band, Raleigh-based Jack the Radio, who opened for Caudle at another Winston-Salem show in another sadly defunct music space, The Garage. I have been writing about Caudle long before Rolling Stone finally caught on to his amazing talents and for good reason.

It’s been said that MerleFest is a homecoming, a reunion of sorts for fans and musicians alike. Familiar faces include the one and only Sam Bush, who has never missed a MerleFest since it first started on the back of a flatbed truck in the middle of a then-field, MerleFest’s house band Scythian and their friends from across the pond We Banjo Three, The Wood Brothers, The Steel Wheels, Darrell Scott, and, well you get the picture.

There are too many other great acts to mention but you can find a full lineup at this link.

Additionally, this year’s Late Night Jam hosts Hogslop String Band, whose unique sound and amazing energy I had the pleasure of experiencing at IBMA in October, will be joined on Saturday by myriad guests for a night of “The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s folk-rock revolution.” 

And I am personally excited to announce that Will Easter, a native son and recent graduate of WCC, will be among those performing this year and also competing in this year’s Battle of the Bands, one of my favorite things to check out at MerleFest along with the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.

Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now and may be purchased at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. Short on cash? The volunteer application window is also open for sign ups at merlefest.org/volunteer.


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MerleFest 2021 announces full lineup

MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the full lineup for MerleFest 2021, which will take place Sept. 16-19 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, according to a press release from IVPR.

The following is MerleFest’s complete list of performers including the previously announced headliners:
Sturgill Simpson, Tedeschi Trucks, Melissa Etheridge, Mavis Staples, Margo Price, LeAnn Rimes, Shovels & Rope, Balsam Range, Amythyst Kiah, JOHNNYSWIM, The Milk Carton Kids, We Banjo 3, Adam Traum, Banknotes, Bill and the Belles, Brittney Spencer, Cane Mill Road, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Charley Crockett, Chatham Rabbits, Cordovas, Creole Stomp with Dennis Stroughmatt, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Donna the Buffalo, Happy Traum, Hogslop String Band, Iron Horse Bluegrass, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jim Lauderdale, Jody Carroll, Joe Smothers, Joe Troop (of Che Apalache), John Cowan, Kelsey Waldon, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, Mark Bumgarner, Mary Flower, Mitch Greenhill & String Madness, Moore Brothers, Nefesh Mountain, Oliver Hazard, One Fret Over, Paul Thorn, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan & Free Mexican Airforce with Los Texmaniacs, Piedmont Bluz, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Presley Barker, Rev. Robert Jones, Robbie Fulks, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush Band, Sam Williams, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Scythian, Shinyribs, Sierra Ferrell, Smitty and the Jumpstarters, Sweet Potato Pie, T. Michael Coleman, Terrapin Creek, The Barefoot Movement, The Cleverlys, The InterACTive Theatre of Jef, The Local Boys, The Waybacks, Tommy Emmanuel, Tony Williamson, Wayne Henderson, Wyld Fern, Yasmin Williams and Zoe & Cloyd.

This lineup of world-class bands and artists will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans. 

MerleFest tickets will go on sale on June 10. More information can be found at merlefest.org.
MerleFest, presented by Window World, would also like to remind potential volunteers that the volunteer application period is now open and the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) is accepting submissions until June 15. Information on both of these can be found at www.merlefest.org.


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MerleFest, IBMA favorites Scythian return to Lincoln Theatre on Feb. 27

Raleigh, put on your dancing shoes because the boys of Scythian are coming back to town on Thursday, Feb. 27.
They have rocked the dance tent at the annual International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) for years, kept First Night Raleigh attendees warm and festival goers on their feet as perennial favorites at MerleFest and Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, among many others.
Named after Ukrainian nomads, Scythian (pronounced sith-ee-yin) plays immigrant rock with thunderous energy, blending Irish-Gypsy-American string-rock, clever storytelling, catchy songwriting and humor, beckoning crowds into a barn-dance rock concert experience.
These Celtic rockers will bring their all-ages, high-energy show back to Raleigh’s Lincoln Theatre, 126 E. Cabarrus St. Tickets can be purchased at this link. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Chapel Hill singer-songerwriter Jonathan Byrd will take the stage before Scythian. Byrd has been called “a folk singer with the heart of a rock ‘n’ roll band.” Byrd is a preacher’s son, a Gulf War veteran and an award-winning songwriter from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, known for literary, outsider songs that have become campfire favorites. The Chicago Tribune called Byrd “one of the top 50 songwriters of the past 50 years.”

Scythian features tunes with gypsy, Celtic, bluegrass and Americana influences just in time to provide an appropriate warm up for St. Patrick’s Day. The band’s entertaining stage presence, band camaraderie and audience interaction captivates from the first note. Powerful vocals, fiddle, guitar, accordion, upright bass, drums are just a taste of the myriad instruments the quartet brings to its raucous stage causing iHeart Radio to state, “Scythian has reinvented folk rock in America.” And The Washington Post has called Scythian, “Washington D.C.’s most energetic and eclectic band.”


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MerleFest 2020 adds Melissa Etheridge, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, The Marcus King Band, and more

From the good folks at MerleFest:

MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the next round of artist additions for MerleFest 2020, which will be held April 23-26. Melissa Etheridge, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, The Marcus King Band, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and John Cowan will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Today’s lineup announcement adds five great artists to MerleFest’s already stacked lineup: Willie Nelson & Family, Alison Krauss, John Prine, The Jerry Douglas Band, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Jim Lauderdale, Kruger Brothers, The Waybacks, Scythian, Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Airforce, Tommy Emmanuel, Colin Hay, Shinyribs, Charley Crockett, Darrell Scott, The Steel Wheels, Kelsey Waldon, Gangstagrass, Robbie Fulks, Amythyst Kiah, Cordovas, Alison Brown, Andy May, “B” Townes, Banknotes, Bill and the Belles, Bryan Sutton, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Chatham Rabbits, Che Apalache, The Cleverlys, Creole Stomp with Dennis Stroughmatt, David Holt, Fireside Collective, Flattop, Happy Traum, Hogslop String Band, InterACTive Theatre of Jef, Irish Mythen, Iron Horse Bluegrass, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jody Carroll, Joe Smothers, Ken Crouse, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Los Texmaniacs, Mark Bumgarner, Mary Flower, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Piedmont Bluz, Presley Barker, Rev. Robert Jones, Roy Book Binder, Sierra Ferrell, String Madness, T. Michael Coleman, Tony Williamson, Wayne Henderson, The Moore Brothers, The Williams Brothers, and Wyld Fern.

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Scythian makes debut at The Ramkat


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Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss among others return to MerleFest in 2020

From the good folks over at MerleFest:

Presented by Window World, MerleFest is proud to announce the initial lineup for MerleFest 2020, which will be held April 23-26. 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.

“For over 30 years, one of the major factors that has built and sustained MerleFest has been the quality of the artists and performances that our guests see over the four-day festival,” says Ted Hagaman, festival director. “People truly feel that the festival is a great value and that is why music fans and families return year after year. We feel that the 2020 lineup again reflects the diversity and quality of performers, and we look forward to another successful festival in April.”

The complete lineup for MerleFest 2020 will be announced over the next few months. For more information, visit www.MerleFest.org.

Today’s lineup announcement includes Willie Nelson & Family, Alison Krauss, The Jerry Douglas Band, Sam Bush, Jim Lauderdale, Kruger Brothers, The Waybacks, Scythian, Donna The Buffalo, Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Airforce, Tommy Emmanuel, Shinyribs, Charley Crockett, Darrell Scott, The Steel Wheels, Robbie Fulks, Amythyst Kiah, Cordovas, Alison Brown, Andy May, “B” Townes, Banknotes, Bill & The Belles, Bryan Sutton, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Chatham Rabbits, Che Apalache, The Cleverlys, Creole Stomp with Dennis Stroughmatt, David Holt, Fireside Collective, Flattop, Happy Traum, Hogslop String Band, InterACTive Theatre of Jef, Irish Mythen, Iron Horse Bluegrass, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jody Carroll, Joe Smothers, Ken Crouse, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Los Texmaniacs, Mark Bumgarner, Mary Flower, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Piedmont Bluz, Presley Barker, Rev. Robert Jones, Roy Book Binder, Sierra Ferrell, String Madness, T. Michael Coleman, Tony Williamson, Wayne Henderson, The Moore Brothers, The Williams Brothers, and Wyld Fern.

Tickets for next year’s festival go on sale today and may be purchased at http://www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. MerleFest offers a three-tiered pricing structure and encourages fans to take advantage of the extended early bird discount. Early Bird Tier 1 tickets may be purchased from November 12 to February 16, 2020; Early Bird Tier 2 tickets from February 17 to April 22. Remaining tickets will be sold at the gate during the festival.

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Appaloosa Roots Music Festival announces final lineup for fifth anniversary

The final lineup for Scythian’s Appaloosa Roots Music Festival 2019 is here and includes headliners Steep Canyon Rangers, the Dustbowl Revival, Yarn, Humming House, Fireside Collective and many more.

“We’re thrilled to release our full slate of amazing artists for our big fifth anniversary, with 33 bands over three days,” the band wrote in an email.

 

VIP Packages and Family Packages are available. And this year, the festival has added a full day of music on Friday.

Book tickets and accommodations at appaloosafestival.com.


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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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