The Kruger Brothers to headline Wayne Henderson Music Festival & Guitar Competition on June 17

The Kruger Brothers are headlining the annual Wayne Henderson Music Festival & Guitar Competition set for noon on Saturday, June 17, at  Grayson Highlands State Park. Tickets are $20 plus parking fee. Kids 12 and younger are free with a paying adult.

The Kruger Brothers trio to release ‘The Roan Mountain Suite’ at MerleFest 2017

The Kruger Brothers trio are releasing a remarkable new project, “The Roan Mountain Suite,” on April 28 as part of MerleFest’s 30th anniversary celebration that runs through April 30. This weekend also marks the trio’s 20th anniversary at the Americana music festival held on the grounds of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

30 reasons to attend MerleFest’s 30th anniversary of making music, memories

MerleFest, one of the top Americana roots festivals, is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music and four days of making memories, Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles known as “traditional plus.” The festival, presented by Window World, is celebrating its 30th anniversary April 27-30, 2017, at in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1988 by the late, great Doc Watson in memory of his son Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College. Tickets are available here.

Zoe & Cloyd to release second album, ‘Eyes Brand New,’ on April 7, tour dates announced for March, April

Listen up: Fans of the former Americana trio Red June will be happy to hear Zoe & Cloyd, the Appalachian roots husband and wife duo that made up two-thirds of that group, have a second full-length album, “Eyes Brand New,” coming out April 7.

I have had the opportunity to hear Zoe & Cloyd perform at MerleFest as well as at SECCA in as part of “MerleFest on the Road.” I was particularly impressed by the fiddle stylings of Weinstein and the guitar and banjo talents of Miller as well as their gorgeous harmonies. Their traditional approach to their music take you back to an earlier era. If you like Mandolin Orange, you’ll like Zoe & Cloyd.

Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Natalya Zoe Weinstein and John Cloyd Miller — who have been making music together in various arrangements since first meeting in 2005 — recorded the new album at Sound Temple Studios with fellow musician and engineer Chris Rosser.

The CD Release Show will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 23, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. A schedule of the duo’s March and April dates preceding the release show follow.

MerleFest adds Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Sarah Jarosz, The Steel Wheels, The Kruger Brothers and Mipso to 30th anniversary lineup

This just in from the good folks at MerleFest:

“MerleFest, presented by Window World and slated for April 27-30, 2017, has just announced five more artists added to the 2017 lineup: Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Sarah Jarosz, The Steel Wheels, The Kruger Brothers and Mipso. MerleFest 2017 will be the 30^th annual homecoming where musicians and music fans return to Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Many artists who have graced the stages over the past three decades plan to return for the celebration! MerleFest has already announced over 75 artists, including Zac Brown Band with a very special acoustic set, Del McCoury Band, Jim Lauderdale, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Mountain Heart and many more. The rest of the packed lineup for MerleFest 2017 will roll out over the next few months.”

For more information and tickets, visit http://merlefest.org/

11th Annual Mountain Song Festival set for Sept. 9-11 in Brevard, North Carolina

11th Annual Mountain Song Festival — three days of bluegrass, roots and Americana music  — is set for Sept. 9-11, 2016, in Brevard, North Carolina. Day passes range from $34-$56.

The main stage for the Steep Canyon Rangers hosted event is in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium on the campus of Brevard Music Center, a beautiful open air, covered venue.

Second annual Kruger Brothers’ ‘Carolina in the Fall’ music and food festival features Infamous Stringdusters, The Steel Wheels on Sept. 23-24 in Wilkesboro, N.C.

MerleFest fans who make the annual trek to Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to hear their favorite bluegrass and Americana artists every April are in luck because they don’t have to wait until next spring to hear some great music thanks to the Kruger Brothers, hosts of Carolina in the Fall.

For the second year in a row, Heart of Folk LLC brings “New Carolina Music”  and a new (but not so new) music and food festival to the old Courthouse Square in historic downtown Wilkesboro featuring some of North Carolina’s best folk/ roots musicians. They will be joined by bands from other areas that tip their hats to the rich musical history of Wilkes, the heart of American Folk Music.