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.
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.
It’s the first time the band will perform at either venue, according to Trent Wagler, the band’s founder and frontman, who plays guitar and banjo. Continue reading →
The Steel Wheels present the sixth annual Red Wing Roots Music Festival on July 13-15, 2018. Three days, four stages and 40 bands at the beautiful Natural Chimneys Park and Campground in Mt Solon, VA, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. Continue reading →
The fourth annual Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival set for Sept. 21-22, 2018, in downtown Wilkesboro, North Carolina, has expanded its powerful lineup of entertainment to include The Secret Sisters, Jim Lauderdale, Front Country and Humming House, among others. These artists will join festival hosts The Kruger Brothers and The Steel Wheels, The Roosevelts, Fireside Collective, The Contenders, Snyder Family Band, The Arcadian Wild, Nikki Talley and more than 100 other musicians, chefs, vintners and craft beer brewers from the region.
From the good folks over at The Press House and Jam In The Trees:
Jam In The Trees is proud to announce the lineup for the 2018 festival, which will be held on August 24-25, 2018. The annual music festival returns with a diverse lineup for the third year to Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
The roster includes legendary artists The Travelin’ McCourys, Jerry Douglas, Shooter Jennings, Elizabeth Cook, Jane Kramer, Gangstagrass, The Stray Birds, Jim Lauderdale, The Steel Wheels, Fireside Collective, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, The Slocan Ramblers, and Andy Buckner. Following tradition, Jam in the Trees will host music on both an indoor and outdoor stage, and will strategically schedule artists so that there are no overlapping sets. In addition to award-winning Pisgah beer, food trucks will be present on-site, as well as unique vendors and local artisans.
To know me is to know that the lineup announcement for the second annual 2018 Cold Mountain Music Festival at Lake Logan set for June 8-9 has me pretty excited.
They had me at Shovels & Rope, Mandolin Orange, River Whyless, The Steel Wheels and Jon Stickley Trio, and that’s not all the acts!
The event will raise funds and awareness for Lake Logan and Camp Henry. The centerpiece of the 300-acre property is a mile-long lake surrounded by the Shining Rock Wilderness Area of Pisgah National Forest, according to the website.
So if you, like me, are interested in checking out this festival, head over to http://coldmountainmusic.org to buy tickets or for more information.
FloydFest 18~Wild is celebrating its 18th anniversary July 25-29, 2018, near Floyd, Virginia, and it’s offering one of the best music roots festival lineups and experiences in the South. But don’t just take my word for it. Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine readers voted FloydFest “Best Festival” and “Best Kid-Friendly Outdoor Destination” in the 2018 Best of the Blue Ridge Competition.
“We are beyond honored, and it fuels our fervor to create the best FloydFest EVER,” festival organizers said in an email.
This year’s amazing lineup includes Foster The People, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Old Crow Medicine Show, Hiss Golden Messenger, ZZ Ward, Greta Van Fleet, The Infamous Stringdusters, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Antibalas, Langhorne Slim, Nikki Lane, The Steel Wheels, Son Little, The Lil Smokies, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, No BS! Brass Band, Devon Gilfillian, Lindsay Lou,Fireside Collective, Govt Mule, Tyler Childers, Leftover Salmon and 2017 FloydFest On-the-Rise Competition winner, South Hill Banks, and runner-up, Dharma Bombs. Learn more here: http://floydfest.com/lineup/
Tickets are available now at www.floydfest.com for five days of music, magic and mountains, featuring outdoor adventure, vibrant and varied vendors, quality brews and chews, healing arts, workshops and whimsy, children’s activities and a lineup featuring more than 100 artists on eight-plus stages.Continue reading →
While 2017 will be remembered for many things, it turned out to be a great year for new music. Artists including Steve Earle & the Dukes, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Stapleton, Rhiannon Giddeons and Jason Isbell turned out some amazing albums over the past 12 months, but you don’t need me to tell you that.
Instead, I am going to focus on my own purely subjective list that evolves mainly from music festivals I attended, interviews I conducted and stories I published online on this blog, HalfwaySouth.com or on HuffPost that features my favorite genres (primarily folk, Americana, country, rock) and up-and-coming artists that I hope you will take the time to listen to in the coming year and beyond.
And now, in no particular order, here’s my picks for the best listens of 2017. Happy listening! Continue reading →
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