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Tag Archives: Wilkesboro


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Scythian returns to North Carolina bringing its unique brand of Celtic rock to Elkin, Raleigh and Wilkesboro in March, April

The members of Scythian, a Celtic rock band known for bringing legions of MerleFest fans to their feet since 2007, may call Virginia home, but North Carolina comes in at a close second.

And their upcoming touring schedule is reflective of why the Old North State feels like coming home for the current foursome made up of brothers Alexander Fedoryka (Vocals, Fiddle, Mandolin, Harmonica) and Danylo Fedoryka (Vocals, Guitar, Accordion) along with Ethan Dean (Vocals, Upright and Electric Bass, Percussion, Guitar) and Johnny Rees (Vocals, Drums, Percussion).

The classically trained Fedorykas grew up on the Ukrainian folk music of their ancestors and bluegrass, while Dean was raised on the greats of 60’s and 70’s folk-rock. Lafayette, Louisiana native Rees brings a Cajun beat to the Celtic-Americana fusion giving Scythian yet another dimension to keep audiences entertained and moving.

Scythian had its most prolific year in 2020 with more than 1,000 hours of live streams held during the Covid lockdowns, the release of two new albums (Roots & Stones and Quaranstream: The Album) and four new music videos. But you have to catch their live show to understand why The Camel City Dispatch said of one of their Merlefest performances: “[Scythian gives] no quarter in their quest to entertain and bring a joy to their music that gives it an irony-free, wide open feel of manic possibility. The playing is technically brilliant, but it is the energy that carries the day.”

Scythian, which means “nomad” in Ukranian, has been described as fusing Celtic and Americana music with thunderous energy into what the band’s members call “immigrant rock.” Check out the following links to catch one of the band’s upcoming N.C. shows.

Learn more abou the band in a story I wrote about them that was published in The Huffington Post.

NORTH CAROLINA TOUR SPRING 2025

The Reeves Theater and Café

Friday, March 14 @ 8 p.m.

“One of our favorite places to play, and it ALWAYS sells out months before we get there, we’re BACK at the Reeves Theater! Grab your tickets ASAP because this place sells out faster than Taylor Swift Concert,” the band says on its website.

Nashville Farmer’s Market

Friday, Apr 11  FREE SHOW

4th Annual Farmers Market

PineCone Presents 2025 Down Home Concert Series: Scythian

Saturday, April 12 @ 7:30 p.m.
Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts Raleigh, NC

MerleFest 2025, Wilkesboro

Friday, April 25

Saturday, April 26

Sunday, April 27

“We couldn’t be more excited to return to MerleFest for another incredible year! There’s nothing like the energy and camaraderie of this iconic festival. Join us as we turn up the fiddles, kick up the tempo, and dive into a set that celebrates the heart and soul of MerleFest. Get ready to sing, dance, and make some new memories—see you there!”



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The Kruger Brothers present ‘Carolina in the Fall’ music and food festival for 7th year on Sept. 22-23

I had the pleasure of being invited to this festival several years ago by the incomparable Kruger Brothers, who are MerleFest fan favorites for the uninitiated, and I fell in love with this festival. It’s mostly free, it’s intimate (I sat on the stage steps as Ricky Skaggs performed just a few feet away), it always has a great lineup (and this year is no exception) and it’s in a fantastic location (downtown Wilkesboro has a very Mayberry vibe). Trust me, you are going to want to add this festival to your fall music calendar!

From the good folks at Carolina in the Fall: Carolina in the Fall returns for our seventh festival in the Carolina West Community Commons in Downtown Wilkesboro, North Carolina, with our host band, The Kruger Brothers, for two days of great music, food, drink and community.

This year’s festival will be Sept. 22 and 23. Our lineup is headlined by Balsam Range, The Kruger Brothers, Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth and John Cowan’s NewGrass Allstars. The lineup also includes Hank, Pattie & the Current, Alex Key, His & Hers, Presley Barker, Shay Martin Lovette, and returning international guests, Thurler-Mosimann Project.

We have made some significant changes to last years festival in an effort to simplify the festival experience and want to highlight those again. Here are the biggest changes to be aware of:

Carolina in the Fall is a mostly free festival. VIP tickets will be sold for reserved seating at the main stage. All seating behind the reserved and sponsor seating areas will be open and free to the public.

There will only be one stage this year. Managing four stages spread out across the downtown had become an overwhelming task and we wanted to bring the focus back to those artists who perform on our main stage each year. The Carolina Stage in the community commons is our one featured stage.

Music begins at 5 p.m. on Friday. After five years of watching our attendance, we’ve realized that most festival goers arrive after work on Friday. So, we’ve condensed our Friday lineup to begin when most folks can attend.

2023 Stage Schedule

Friday 

5:00 – 5:45 – Presley Barker

6:00 – 6:45 – Alex Key

7:00 – 8:15 – Balsam Range

8:45 – 10:00 – The Kruger Brothers

Saturday 

12:00 – 12:45 – Shay Martin Lovette

1:00 – 1:45 – His & Hers

2:00- 3:00 – Thurler-Mosimann Project

3:15 – 4:15 – Hank, Pattie & the Current

4:30 – 5:30 – John Cowan’s NewGrass AllStars

6:00 – 7:15 – Woody Platt & Shannon Whitworth

7:45 – 9:15 – The Kruger Brothers

Registration is also open for the 8th Annual Chad Lovette Memorial Trail Run at Cub Creek Park in Wilkesboro on Saturday, Sept. 23! Link to register below. Of course we will have our virtual option available for our friends and family who aren’t able to make it in person! We can’t wait to gather again with everyone to celebrate Chad and then head to Carolina In The Fall (Chad played at the inaugural festival). As always, all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to contribute to the fight against cancer!

https://runsignup.com/…/ChadLovetteMemorialTrailRun5K10…


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Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival returns to Wilkesboro Sept. 23-24

I call it the mini-MerleFest. After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, I’m excited to announce Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival, presented by Window World, is set to return on Sept. 23-24, 2022, to Wilkesboro.

Organizers say significant changes have been made for this year’s festival including a new presenting sponsor, Window World, which also sponsors MerleFest.

“We have been blessed with great local support for the festival from the very beginning and that tradition continues as Window World has taken over the role of the presenting sponsor for Carolina in the Fall”, said Dale Isom, festival organizer, on the event website. “We are very thankful for all of our sponsors over the years and their desire to provide excellent entertainment to our community”. 

Additionally, this year’s festival will be held entirely in the Carolina West Wireless Community Commons in Historic Downtown Wilkesboro. 

“Probably the biggest change to the festival is that it will be free to those that want to attend free”, Isom added. “We will sell a limited number of Reserved Seats to help fund the festival and the rest is free to the public”. 

The goal from the very beginning was to present a free festival, said Jens Kruger, of the festival’s host band, The Kruger Brothers, who call Wilkesboro home. “It just took us a while to figure out how to do it. We are excited to offer an amazing weekend of free music to our community and those that will visit Wilkesboro.”

The festival begins on Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday’s festivities will begin at noon.

“We are very excited about the bands we have lined up for this year’s festival,” said Festival Director Michelle Isom on the website. “We have worked very hard to bring excellent talent to Wilkesboro just as we have in our previous years. As always, we focus on bringing bands from North Carolina as this festival is a celebration of our musical roots. We are thankful to have the Kruger Brothers back as our host band and this year they are bringing a very special surprise for our audiences”. 

For more information and the full lineup, visit www.carolinainthefall.org. 

Famous for an amazing selection of food trucks, Carolina in the Fall will be bringing some of western North Carolina’s best trucks to feed their audiences. The festival will also have a limited number of vendor tents. The festivities will include the Annual Chad Lovette Memorial Run to benefit the American Cancer Society. Festival beer and wine sales will be handled by the Wilkes Heritage Museum with all proceeds going to benefit the museum.

Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival is a production of Heart of Folk, LLC along with the Town of Wilkesboro and The Kruger Brothers.


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MerleFest announces plan to stream 2012 festival on April 23-26

From the good folks over at MerleFest:

Wilkesboro, N.C. – In lieu of their annual gathering of music fans and musicians from across the globe, MerleFest presented by Window World has announced a rebroadcast of the Watson and Cabin stages from the 2012 MerleFest weekend.

As a thank you to every fan who has attended and supported MerleFest over the years, this broadcast is being presented free of charge. Simply visit MerleFest.org and click the live stream link on the homepage to view the broadcast over the course of the originally scheduled MerleFest 2020 weekend, April 23-26.

MerleFest 2012 holds a special place in the history of the festival.  Music legend Doc Watson played the Watson Stage alongside lifelong friends for the final time in 2012.  The love and support for Doc shines bright during these performances that also mark the 25th year of the festival he and others started in memory of Doc’s late son, Eddie Merle Watson. “We are thrilled to be able to bring MerleFest 2012 to our loyal fans during the days that we would normally be celebrating MerleFest 2020,” says festival director Ted Hagaman. “Reliving Doc’s final festival will bring back wonderful music, moments, and memories for all to enjoy. We appreciate Window World for making this happen.”

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Consider this before cancelling: MerleFest has more than $12 million regional economic impact

WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA —  MerleFest organizers are agonizing over whether to cancel the music festival that attracts some 80,000 Americana fans honoring the legacies of the late, great Doc and Merle Watson. The deliberations are in direct response to Gov. Roy Cooper’s Thursday announcement about limiting crowds to fewer than 100 to stop the spread of coronavirus.

MerleFest officials wrote on the website Thursday: “We will be issuing an official statement concerning MerleFest 2020 by the close of business on Friday, March 13. Thank you for your patience and support.”

In the meantime, let’s take a look at the economic impact this music festival, which for the past 30 years has acted as the unofficial kick off to the music festival season, has on the region, keeping in mind this does not include music and merchandise sales for the artists, etc.

In 2019, MerleFest reported the following economic impact on the Wilkes Community College; Wilkesboro; and surrounding Wilkes County.

For the uninitiated, WCC closes down its campus during the last full week of April to become home to MerleFest.

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MerleFest to host its 20th year of Acoustic Kids Showcases in 2020

From the good folks over at MerleFest:

WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA — Over the past two decades, hundreds of young musicians have taken part in the Acoustic Kids programming at MerleFest presented by Window World. This year—the showcase’s 20th anniversary—young musicians from the MerleFest audience will once again step on stage and perform in Andy May’s Acoustic Kids Showcases. Some participants are just learning to play their instrument, some play just for the fun of it, and some go on to international renown. Put on by long-time music educator and accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Andy May, Acoustic Kids is open to any musicians ages 16 or younger who register online before March 15.


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MerleFest announces final lineup additions for 2020 festival 

This just in from the good folks over 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. Greensky Bluegrass, Mavis Staples, Paul Thorn, Cane Mill Road, Sweet Potato Pie, The Barefoot Movement, Nefesh Mountain, and Smitty and the Jumpstarters 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.

Greensky Bluegrass: “There’s this great duality to our band,” reflects Greensky Bluegrass mandolinist vocalist and songwriter Paul Hoffman. “We’re existing in a few different places at once. We’re a bluegrass band and a rock band. We’re song-driven and interested in extended improvisation.” Formed in 2000 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Greensky Bluegrass kicked off their career playing living rooms and open mic nights across the Midwest. By 2005, they were touring nationally, and by 2006, they were playing the first in a long series of appearances at the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Bandmates Hoffman, Bruzza, dobro player Anders Beck, banjoist Michael Arlen Bont, and upright bassist Mike Devol spent most of the following decade on the road, fine-tuning a live show modeled not after the toned-down production of traditional bluegrass music, but the full-on spectacle of rock. Greensky Bluegrass will perform Friday night on the Watson Stage. Continue reading →


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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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MerleFest announces 2020 festival lineup additions of John Prine, Colin Hay, Billy Strings, Kelsey Weldon and more

From the good folks over 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. John Prine, Billy Strings, Colin Hay, Kelsey Waldon, and Gangstagrass 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, 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.

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