The 20th annual Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance returns May 2-5, 2024, in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Featuring performances from hosts Donna The Buffalo, Scythian, Watchhouse, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Time Sawyer, The Shoaldiggers and more than 50 other musical acts along with camping, yoga, food trucks, artisans, sustainability workshops, healing arts, kids areas and so much more.
Tickets and more information at ShakoriHillsGrassRoots.org.
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival is an electrifying music experience that features the very best roots music. Held annually in September in historic downtown Bristol TN/VA, the three-day music is amped to the beat of Appalachia’s past, present, and future. The Festival digs down deep into the roots of the traditional Appalachian sound and lifts its branches to new heights. It all happens in the heart of the Birthplace of Country Music.
For tickets, to volunteer or get more information, visit https://birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/festival.
Time Sawyer is set to release its seventh studio album, “Dig a Little Deeper,” on March 10, 2023. The record explores the human failings that get in the way of finding true connection with one another and forging our authentic path in the world. The first single, “It’s What It Is” is out now (Listen/Share). Time Sawyer will support the album with a series of U.S. tour dates through the spring and summer, according to a press release.
On “Dig a Little Deeper,” the North Carolina-based quartet offers a poignant and well-balanced collection that melds their signature alt-country sound and breezy song craft into something wholly unique. Riding the heels of their 2019 release, “Mountain Howdy,” “Dig a Little Deeper” does exactly as the title suggests as it addresses important themes about self sabotage, bias and greed, again according to the release.
“Little Black Cat” opens the listen with a clever tune about how attached we can be to superstition and how those feelings can keep us from seeing beyond our own experiences. Time Sawyer guitarist and songwriter Sam Tayloe shares “four-leaf clovers and throwing salt over our shoulder are crutches that let us keep on thinking the same selfish way, instead of digging to find a more universal truth.”
“Shame” tells the story of a man who chases status and ultimately loses his picture because he’s too worried about the frame. The chorus highlights how we all seem to focus on our differences over the many things that make us alike.
Paying homage to the late Jim Croce is the cover “Speedball Trucker,” which calls to mind some of the same traveling woes and triumphs that Time Sawyer sees as a touring band.
“It’s What It Is” is a driving anthem inspired by the “tough guy” role that Joe Pesci is often known for. As the song moves along, you discover how harmful the mindset of “it’s what it is” can be. “We like to find common ground between folks (conductors and pilots) but once we feel inferior, they’re our enemy, not someone who was seen as an ally,” adds Tayloe.
“Goodbye Forever, I Guess” is a look at modern dating and examines how quick we can be to write someone off, while “Wealth Of Greed” showcases how difficult it can be to show others how we care.
The finale, “210 (It’s Over)” is a reinvention of a Time Sawyer murder ballad recorded in 2014 after a night in Knoxville, Tennessee. The song was re-recorded to show the evolution of the song as Time Sawyer toured and played it together, and the life that it developed over time. A highlight of the song is Court Wynter’s jazz improvisation on bass, which is an audience favorite at live shows.
Dig a Little Deeper” by Time Sawyer will be released to all digital streaming platforms on Friday, March 10, 2023. For more information, visit www.timesawyer.com.
| From the good folks at Front Porch Fest: Welcome to the Porch, new artists! Lonesome River Band Goodfellers Sisters & Brothers Borrowed Earth Billy Woods Maggie Blankenship Riggs Roberson & Griffin Haley Maggie May & the Summer Heat Liv Sloan & The Die Hards We couldn’t be more pleased to have world renowned bluegrass artists Lonesome River Band join us this year! They perfectly round out the Front Porch Fest 13 musical lineup, alongside many other amazing artists. You can find out more about the full lineup here!This may the final lineup announcement, but stay tuned to your inbox and FPF social media outlets for additional information and updates! The 13th annual Front Porch Fest will be held at Spirithaven Farm on Labor Day weekend, September 1- 4, 2022. We are proud to offer a wide range of talented local, regional, and national music acts; children’s activities; vendors, merchandise, and more. Front Porch Fest provides fun for the entire family while raising money and awareness for local community organizations and charities. It is produced by One Family Productions and presented by Patrick County, Virginia. |
| TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW 4-Day General Admission (Tier 3): $140 Ticket includes access to the event for one person, Thursday-Sunday. Tent camping is included with ticket. Parking must be purchased separately online or at the gate. 4 Day VIP: $300 [GOING FAST!] VIP ticketholders receive homemade meals, continental breakfasts, beer tickets (must be 21), and a swag bag to include: Front Porch Fest branded merchandise, FPF merch shack discounts, vendor coupons, and sponsor provided swag. The VIP lounge features special performances, free pour hours and free specialty food events. A VIP ticket includes premium VIP only camping (first come first serve) & standard parking. If you are interested in car camping or bringing an RV, those tickets must be purchased separately. Car Camping: $60 [SOLD OUT] Car Camping tickets include access to a 20×20 space for 1 car, 1 tent, and 1 10×10 canopy. Limited quantities available.RV Pass: $120 [LOW TICKET WARNING] RV Tickets include access for one RV/Pull Behind Camper up to 30 feet. Each RV space will accommodate room for one vehicle. Parking: $10 All General Admission and Single Day ticket holders must purchase a parking pass (one pass per vehicle – carpooling is encouraged!). This pass grants parking on-site, just a short walk to the festival grounds. The festival is a family friendly event and children 12 and under are free! Please add (1) 4 Day GA (Child 12 and under) ticket to your order per little one! |
“Reevestock as a festival lives on, pushing into the future, still as a benefit festival put on by The Foothills Arts Council. We have created the Reevestock Scholarship Fund from the money raised each year at the festival to serve as our fundraising project. These scholarships are made available to Elkin and Starmount seniors looking to continue their education at any two-year program, four-year program, or technical school.“Reevestock offers something for everyone in the family and looks to benefit the community in every way possible. Great music for all ages, food and drinks made available by your favorite restaurants, and even activities for the kids. Music helps to bring us all together and that’s what Reevestock is all about. We hope to see you all the first weekend in August for some great music and fun.”
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
Two of my favorite on-the-rise bands — Annabelle’s Curse and Will Overman Band — that hail from opposite ends of Virginia are going to converge at The Garage in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this weekend and I can hardly wait. I hope you will consider joining me for what promises to be a night of fantastic original Southern rock and Americana music. I promised you won’t be disappointed. The show begins at 9 p.m.
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