Feb. 27, 2013. Music City Roots: Live From The Loveless Cafe announces its partnership with MerleFest for a special kickoff event at the multi-platform Nashville concert series prior to the North Carolina festival. Set for April 24, 2013, at 7 p.m., Nashville’s “coolest show” will devote an evening to the talent appearing at the 26th year of the festival.
Merlefest, the venerable four-day festival dedicated to roots music and tradition, will take place April 25-28 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The MerleFest-themed show on Wednesday will feature five selected artists from the 2013 lineup: The Waybacks, Pokey LaFarge, Della Mae, Jim Avett and Peter Rowan.
“Music City Roots and MerleFest are both well known for showcasing the best in roots and acoustic music and have hosted many of the same artists in the past. It is a natural fit to have Music City Roots host a special “global kick off” for MerleFest 2013, which includes some of the great talent we will feature on the festival this year,” Steve Johnson, Events and Artist Relations manager for MerleFest, shares. “We hope everyone can attend the festival and will also visit our friends at Music City Roots for the “MerleFest sampler” on April 24!”
“MerleFest is like a whole season of Music City Roots in one festival, so it’s only natural that we showcase artists from what is one of the great festivals every year,” Todd Mayo, Music City Roots executive producer adds.
As Music City Roots and MerleFest highlight the best of authentic music makers, many of the artists have visited the radio program to perform on the Loveless Barn stage. Della Mae, the celebrated female bluegrass group, bewitched in October 2012. Pokey LaFarge, the innovative entertainer with roots steeped in the past coupled with a unique modern edge first wowed in April 2011. Peter Rowan also led his bluegrass band at Music City Roots during an April 2010 set.
The Waybacks, known for their dynamic “Album Hour,” and MerleFest favorite Jim Avett will round out the show.
Tickets for Music City Roots’ MerleFest edition are available at www.musiccityroots.com/tickets. MerleFest passes are still available via www.MerleFest.org.
About Music City Roots
Music City Roots is a weekly live radio show and HD webcast featuring the finest roots and Americana music based in or passing through Nashville. Since going on the air in October 2009, Music City Roots has broadcast the authentic sound of today’s Music City, embracing the traditional and the progressive in equal measure.
Each Wednesday beginning at 7 p.m. Central the program airs live on Nashville’s WRLT 100.1 and streams via Livestream at www.musiccityroots.com while an audience of hundreds enjoys the show in the Barn. Veteran Grand Ole Opry announcer Keith Bilbrey emcees with help from our musical host, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale and interview guy Craig Havighurst.
Music City Roots is presented by Nissan, French’s Shoes and Boots, Star129, Ascend Federal Credit Union, Vietti Chili, Griffin Technology, Ole Smoky Moonshine and The Nature Conservancy.
About MerleFest
MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of American music legend Doc Watson who passed away May 29, 2012. MerleFest, presented by Lis a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts over 90 artists, performing on 14 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.
Tickets for MerleFest 2013 can be purchased at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 10, 2013. Additional details about this year’s festival lineup and other MerleFest information can also be found at the website.
You must be logged in to post a comment.