Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves w/ TBA
Born in Alabama and baptized in the dive bars of the southeast, Paul McDonald first made noise with the Grand Magnolias, a roots-rock outfit, before catching fire in the public eye during American Idol’s 2011 run. When the bright lights blurred and the cameras turned, the man behind the voice slipped into the shadows where he did what real artists do: He lived, he lost, and he wrote. Retreating to Nashville, that holy city of reinvention, Paul stitched himself back together with worn boots, hard songs, and a new band called The Mourning Doves. Now, in 2025, the giant has stirred the release of “So Long to the Dark Side” – a gospel tinged reckoning wrapped in cosmic Americana and lit with songs that sound like they were scribbled on the edge of a breakdown and sung back from the brink. Raised on Petty, Parsons, and pain, Paul McDonald is not chasing trends, he’s conjuring somethingolder and truer. His live performances are equal parts revival and rock séance.
Nathan James Hall, Lightnin’ Luke, and Joshua Quimby
Nathan James Hall is a North Carolina–born singer-songwriter known for his gritty voice, poetic storytelling, and raw Americana sound. Before launching his solo work, Hall toured nationally with the acclaimed band Old Heavy Hands, earning praise for his emotional intensity and blue-collar songwriting. His debut solo EP, Midnight, introduced a darker, more intimate sound—blending folk, rock, and haunted southern soul. Hall’s first full-length album is set to arrive in early 2026 on Moths Record Co, expanding his sonic range with cinematic arrangements and unflinching honesty. Whether on stage or on record, Hall delivers songs that feel lived-in, heavy with heart, and rooted in the American experience. Lightnin’ Luke’s powerful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and wild fiddle playing have made him a versatile musical force. A towering presence in the underground folk scene, Luke maintains a relentless tour schedule alongside his impressive recording achievements. Known by many for his work as a member of The Bridge City Sinners, he’s also a frequent collaborator with Yes Ma’am, and has previously been a member of Tejon Street Corner Thieves, Clyde and the Milltailers, King Strang, and Jesco Payne & the Painkillers. His resume includes on-stage appearances with The Devil Makes Three, Amigo the Devil, The Goddamn Gallows, IV and The Strange Band, and many more. Appearing on a majority of the catalogue from Portland indie label Flail Records, Luke has become a defining pilar of the label’s unique sound. His upcoming album “Unfaithful” is set to release in December 2025. Alternative-Country music singer, songwriter, and guitar picker Joshua Quimby has one of those special voices that demands any listener’s immediate attention. His unique, bellowing rasp cuts through each song he sings, not matter the context – whether delivering a slow folk ballad, a blues-rock uptempo number, a honky tonk classic, a 90’s grunge tune, or really anything else. You’ll believe Quimby the moment he opens his mouth.
Seth Walker w/ Goodnight Moonshine
Among the most prolific artists on the Americana scene today, Seth Walker is a multi-dimensional talent whocombines a gift for melody and lyric alongside a rich, Gospel-drenched, Southern-inflected voice with a true blueknack for getting around on the guitar. With his 12th studio album Why The Worry, Walker further builds uponthis reputation.Set straight by the title’s mantra, Why The Worry finds the veteran singer-songwriter letting go of the worryabout perception, the worry of over-preparation, and the worry that seeps in constantly from the news andnoise of everyday life. Taking a page from Willie Nelson, Walker embraced the country music legend’s sagewisdom, “I’ve never seen worry accomplish anything, so I decided not to do it.” Indeed, the album was justabout finished when Hurricane Helene hit Walker where he lives in the mountains around Asheville, and as aresult, the record almost didn’t see light. As catastrophe took shape, the album’s importance wavered in hismind until the central theme came back into view. The worry wouldn’t undo any damage, and there was stillservice in song.Growing up on a commune in rural North Carolina, the son of classically trained musicians, Walker played cellolong before discovering the guitar in his 20s. When his introduction to the blues came via his Uncle LandonWalker, who was both a musician and disc jockey, hisfate wasforeversealed. Instantaneously, Seth was lookingto artists like T-Bone Walker, Snooks Eaglin, and B.B. King as a wellspring of endless inspiration. The rest is his-tory. He’s released twelve albums, broken into the Top 20 of the Americana Radio Charts, reached No. 2 on theBillboard Blues Album Chart and received praise from NPR, American Songwriter, No Depression and Relix,among others.Alongside his extensive songwriting and recording pursuits, Walker is consistently touring and performing atvenues and festivals around the world. Along with headline shows, he’s been invited to open for The Mavericks,Marc Broussard, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster, among others.Prior to relocating to Asheville in 2020, Walker did stints residing in Austin, New Orleans and Nashville. He’sused those experiences wisely, soaking up the sounds and absorbing the musical lineage of these varied places.With a bluesman’s respect for roots and tradition, coupled with an appreciation for—and successful meldingof—contemporary songwriting, Walkersublimely incorporates a range ofstyles with warmth and grace. PerhapsCountry Standard Time said it best: “If you subscribe to the Big Tent theory of Americana, then Seth Walker—with his blend of blues, gospel, pop, R&B, rock, and a dash country—just might be your poster boy.”
New Years Eve w/ Ranford Almond and Folkknot
Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam + Victor Furtado
Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper JamFolk? Country? Blues? Rock and Roll? Sugar, vinegar, or spice? When Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam show up, it’s all on the table.”…a juke joint energy coursing through it and a humidity that seems to sweat out the sins and the booze that these characters are often soaked in.” ~Paste”Wickedly funny.” ~Susquehanna Folk Music Society”Devastating.” ~Americana Highways”One magnificent tapestry of roots music.” ~No DepressionColin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam’s music stretches across the American roots music world, from acoustic oldtime and alt country to electric blues and rock’n’roll, with touches of bluegrass and jam band energy.The last couple years have seen them playing at Merlefest, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, the North Carolina Folk Festival, the Susquehanna Folk Festival, Antlers and Acorns Songwriters Festival, and the Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival, while touring for shows from Georgia to Canada, Virginia to Texas, and everywhere in between.
Haunted Like Human + Couldn’t Be Happiers
Mythology evokes images of gods, titans, demons, and beasts of every kind. Yet, it’s the spark of humanity that keeps us telling and retelling myths. It’s these stories of seduction, inheritance, and hubris that Nashville-based folk duo Haunted Like Human rekindle in the 14 songs on their third album American Mythology. Since the release of 2021’s Tall Tales & Fables, Dale Chapman and Cody Clark have been refining their sound rather than departing from it. With a background in poetry and prose, Dale Chapman’s granular focus on language is simpatico with Cody Clark’s background in classical guitar, where each note carries its own weight. The result is a shapely set of songs that borrow from universal lore in order to reveal intimate truths. The pair prove they write songs like novelists write their books, using careful detail and well-shaped characters to tell even the heaviest of stories. Whatever the topic, the songs shine with restrained arrangements and entwined harmonies. This duo tells stories so well that there’s no need to cloak them with heavy-handed production or vocal processing. Instead, Haunted Like Human lets the humanity shine through.
Evan Blackerby & The Bandwagon w/ The Ghosts Of Liberty
EVAN BLACKERBY & THE BANDWAGON NC FOLK FESTIVAL 2025 “NOT YOUR AVERAGE FOLK CONTEST” WINNER Evan Blackerby has something to say. With his rollicking full band, “the Bandwagon,” he has been relentless in working to cultivate his own musical voice and sound – a sound that can only be described as alt-bluesy Americana, folkish-rock-esque singer-songwriter. Over the past few years with his band, he has found a sweet spot where unpolished honesty can still create a groove. The Bandwagon includes Brett Morgan Thompson on guitar, Lelan James Estes on bass, Ralph Butcher on drums and percussion, and Michael Van Patter on keys. Blackerby’s debut full-length, full-band album “Hop on the Bandwagon (https://open.spotify.com/album/2Y50b9cUMVdCYLC0DSt0YM?si=Sb57C46IR8OZIZkmp_kgsw)” was released in January 2025 (recorded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by Doug Williams / Electro Magnetic Recorders and mastered by Grant Livesay / 68 Sound). As a part of the Evan Blackerby Trio, he won the North Carolina Folk Festival’s 2025 “Not Your Average Folk Contest” and the Bandwagon performed on the main stage. Also in 2025, he performed with the trio as guests on The Martha Bassett Show in Elkin, NC and as a part of the Emerging Artist Series hosted by Greensboro’s Flat Iron. After writing songs for decades, in 2022 Blackerby turned forty-one years old and lost his job. Deciding he was tired of waiting around for someone to stumble upon his songs and decide they were good enough, he personally declared himself to be a full-time musician and sought to fill his entire schedule with music. He has since played over 750 shows. While Blackerby continues to evolve sonically and as a songwriter, his incessant commitment to bringing people together through music has never shifted. He still has more to say. Also, THE GHOSTS OF LIBERTY Americana folk-rock act based in the foothills of North Carolina- The Ghosts of Liberty comprises husband & wife duo Emma Millard (Lead Vocals, Keyboard) and Tyler Millard (Vocals, Guitar). They bring together their combined influences of roots, blues, rock and soul, delivering a truly original package that could only be born of two people living and working under the same roof. Tyler discovered his passion for music while losing his vision to RP, a degenerative retinal disease- and Emma comes from a background in multi-genre vocal performance, beginning with classical training at an early age. Ty’s steady and cool nature balance Em’s gutsy emotionality, and together they are a musical force. They have been playing and writing music together for over a decade, and through many of life’s challenges have maintained a deep and abiding appreciation for how music and love can truly overcome any obstacle. Emma and Tyler currently reside in Oak Ridge North Carolina with their two ambitious toddlers who are eager to join the band as soon as their attention spans will allow.
The Gone Ghosts, Crenshaw Pentecostal, and Nathan James Hall
All Y’all Country Allstars Potluck w/ Laura Jane Vincent
ALL Y’ALL COUNTRY ALLSTARS playing all your favorite outlaw & classic country hits! This event is a POTLUCK! Bring your favorite dish to share! Dinner @ 6pm, Show @ 7pm
Lilly Hiatt w/ Kai Crowe – Getty
The last few years have been a little hazy for Lilly Hiatt, who finds herself searching for answers on her striking new album, Forever. Recorded at home with her husband, Coley Hinson who produced and played most of the instruments, Forever grapples with growth and change, escape and anxiety , self-loathing and self-love. The songs are intensely vulnerable, full of diaristic snapshots and deeply personal ruminations, but they’re also broad invitations to find yourself in their unflinching emotional excavations. The result is a raw , unvarnished work of love and trust that walks the line between alt-rock muscle and singer/songwriter sensitivity , a bold, guitar-driven exploration of maturity and adulthood from an artist who wants you to know you’re not alone, no matter how lost you may feel. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tennessee, Hiatt first earned buzz with a pair of early solo records before breaking out with 2017’s T rinity Lane, which helped earn dates with the likes of John Prine, Margo Price, Drive-By T ruckers, and Hiss Golden Messenger in addition to festival slots from Pilgrimage to Luck Reunion. NPR called the album “courageous andaffecting,” while Rolling Stone hailed it as “the most cohesive and declarative statement of the young songwriter’s career .” Hiatt returned in 2020 with the similarly well-received Walking Proof, and in 2021 with Lately , which The Boston Herald said showcased her “knackfor plainspoken, poetic lyrics” and Uncut proclaimed “captivating.”
