Initial Line-up for MerleFest 2013 Announced, Includes Charlie Daniels, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush

11 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on Initial Line-up for MerleFest 2013 Announced, Includes Charlie Daniels, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush
merlefest.org

The organizers of MerleFest announced the initial lineup for the four-day event. Included are Charlie Daniels Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent, Matraca Berg, Chatham County Line, Tift Merritt, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, and many, many others.

Catch all the details in the press release:

MerleFest, presented by Lowe’s and slated for April 25-28, 2013, is proud to announce the music festival’s initial lineup. The four-day event, an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

The initial lineup reflects the diversity and quality of performers that are the hallmark of the festival. Thursday night’s schedule will include North Carolina-native country rocker Charlie Daniels (with the Charlie Daniels Band); on Saturday evening, fans can expect special remembrances of the late Doc Watson, with a performance by the legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who worked with Doc Watson on their classic Will The Circle Be Unbroken album, and a special all-star tribute to Doc, assembled by mandolin virtuoso – and longtime Doc Watson friend – Sam Bush.

The Encyclopedia of Southern Culture has written that “Few individuals have symbolized the South in popular culture as directly and indelibly as Charlie Daniels.” His iconic rock anthem “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” as well as other classics such as “In America,” “Uneasy Rider,” “The South’s Gonna Do It,” “Long Haired Country Boy,” “Still in Saigon,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” and many others are part of a catalog that spans 50 years of record making and represents more than 20 million in sales. About his long and highly successful career, the famed fiddler has said, “I have been blessed with gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, I have appeared many times on network television, even in moving pictures. I’m a member of the Grand Ole Opry and have won multiple awards from The Country Music Association, The Academy of Country Music, The Gospel Music Association and even a Grammy. Ain’t God good!!!!” Charlie Daniels’ most recent album is Land That I Love.

The iconic and profoundly influential Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, often cited as a catalyst for an entire movement in country rock and American roots music, continues to add to their legendary status. With multiplatinum and gold records, strings of top ten hits such as “Fishin’ In The Dark” and “Mr. Bojangles”, multiple Grammy, IBMA, CMA Awards and nominations, the band’s accolades continue to accumulate. Their groundbreaking “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” album – which featured Doc Watson, among other traditional music icons – has been inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress as well as the Grammy Hall of Fame. NGDB’s recording of “Mr. Bojangles” was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010.

“This year’s festival will celebrate the life and music of our dear friend Doc Watson, who passed away on May 29,” says Ted Hagaman, director of the festival. “For the past 25 years he has been the artistic and spiritual center of this festival, so this year, we will come together as a family to pay special tribute to the man and the musician who meant so much to us all.”

MerleFest is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles that Doc Watson referred to as “traditional plus.”

“From the beginning, Doc and his wife RosaLee wanted this festival to honor the memory of their beloved son, Eddy Merle,” Hagaman continues. “In the many conversations I’ve had with Doc through the years, he made clear that it was his desire to keep MerleFest as a quality event, with a focus both on family and providing a diverse collection of music. Going forward, it will be our honor to carry on that tradition.”

The following are among the artists scheduled to perform at MerleFest 2013:

Richard Watson
Susana and Timmy Abell
Alberti Flea Circus
Banknotes
Glenn Bannerman
Gregg ‘Buffalo’ Barfield
Riley Baugus
Bayou Diesel
Matraca Berg
The Black Lillies
Blind Boy Paxton
Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition
Roy Book Binder
Laura Boosinger
Sam Bush
Calico Moon
Chatham County Line
Charlie Daniels Band
T. Michael Coleman
Dehlia Low
Donna The Buffalo
Jerry Douglas
Enter The Haggis
Tom Feldmann
French Broad Playboys
The Greencards
Mitch Greenhill
Wayne Henderson
Orville Hicks
Bob Hill
David Holt
The Honeycutters
The InterACTive Theater of Jef
Eilen Jewell
Johnson’s Crossroad
The Kickin Grass Band
The Kruger Brothers
Pokey LaFarge
Jim Lauderdale
Jack Lawrence
Jeff Little Trio
The Local Boys
Doug MacLeod
Bill Mathis
Andy May
Tift Merritt
Misty River Band
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Mountain Heart
Michael Martin Murphey
Nashville Bluegrass Band
The Neighbors
The New Familiars
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Paul’s Creek Band
The Quebe Sisters Band
Red Molly
Carol Rifkin
Peter Rowan
Scythian
The Sheets Family Band
The Sigmon Stringers
Steve and Ruth Smith
Chris Smither
Joe Smothers
Snyder Family Band
South Carolina Broadcasters
Kirk Sutphin
Bryan Sutton
Sutton, Holt and Coleman
Patrick Sweany
Tut Taylor
ToneBlazers
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
The Waybacks
Charles Welch
Pete and Joan Wernick
Ted White
Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris
The Wild Rumpus
Tony Williamson

“This initial lineup shows that the festival will definitely live up to its ‘traditional plus’ motto, with a strong collection of internationally-known touring artists from many genres, as well as a collection of local North Carolina folk and bluegrass artists,” says Steve Johnson, artist relations manager for MerleFest. “And, MerleFest fans know, as the lineup continues to develop in the coming months, it will offer quite a few surprises – let’s just say it’s going to be a big year!”

“As MerleFest fans have learned, we release up-to-the-minute lineup additions and other festival news through our social media outlets,” said Hagaman. “So, staying in touch with us via our electronic newsletter, website (www.merlefest.org), Facebook and Twitter is crucial.”

The MerleFest box office will open for 2013 ticket sales on Tuesday, November 13, at 2 p.m. EST. Ticket purchases can be made on the web at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857.

 

Liv Carter

Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
Liv Carter

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