Blue Cactus w/ Romona & the Holy Smokes
Rooted in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Blue Cactus cut their teeth on honky-tonk circuit, forging an electrified twang that blends folk, alt-country, and psychedelic rock. Across three critically acclaimed records, the band has built a devoted following throughout the South and beyond, pairing introspective songwriting with blistering guitar work that resonates as powerfully on stage as it does in the studio. Their 2025 album Believer was featured on Bandcamp’s Best New Country list and led to appearances at SXSW, Hopscotch Festival’s main stage alongside Geese and My Morning Jacket, and PBS’s original series Shaped By Sound. From intimate clubs to major festival stages, Blue Cactus is known for performances that forge a genuine connection with audiences wherever they play. Based in Central Virginia and with family roots in South Texas, Ramona and the Holy Smokes represent a new generation of honky tonk music. With powerful female vocals that cover an emotional range from determined to comic to vulnerable, and a talented backing band steeped in classic country and western styles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the band exhibits a “clarity and sincerity that bring Patsy Cline to mind” (Nashville Scene, 2025). Fronted by Ramona Martinez, whose songwriting has earned her recognition from Wide Open Country as one of the “15 Latino Artists Shaping Country Music,” this Charlottesville, Virginia-based band is rooted in the traditional sounds of country music but unafraid of pushing boundaries and highlighting the connections across border cultures. They have appeared at several Americana festivals including Red Wing Roots (2024), Rooster Walk (2025), and Bristol Rhythm & Roots (2025), and has opened for touring artists like Margo Cilker, Colby Acuff, Willi Carlisle, Redd Volkaert, Joshua Hedley, Donna the Buffalo, and Kashus Culpepper. Their self-produced debut album, Ramona and the Holy Smokes, a collection of original songs about heartache and resiliency, was released on September 26.
Beck + Duffer
Laurelyn Dossett (full band album release show)
Full band show celebrating the release of How Many Moons. With DaShawn Hickman, Chaisaray Schenck and Butler Knowles “Laurelyn Dossett has quietly established herself as one of the most respected songwriting voices in roots music while helping shape the creative fabric of North Carolina’s Americana scene.” -Magnet Magazine “Laurelyn’s music is grown from her life. From love songs to anthems of resistance, she is an icon of North Carolina’s music, theater, and political scene… In collaboration with many of the musicians Laurelyn encouraged, her voice and vision are lifted, proving her place as one of the most unique voices in American music.” – Glide Mag “Truly beautiful.” – Americana Highways
The Tray Wellington Band
Banjo player Tray Wellington’s approach to the quintessential American instrument is all about looking forward. An International Bluegrass Music Association Award winner, Wellington is critically acclaimed not only for his technical prowess, but also for leveraging his unique point of view to craft a one-of-a-kind voice on the instrument. It’s a feat that’s all too rare in these roots genres that seem to value emulation and regurgitation over all else. Instead, Wellington has time and time again reasserted that his playing style, and all of the many varied and disparate parts that combine within it, is wholly his own – and it’s unconcerned with tradition.
The Local Honeys w/ Grace Rogers
The Local Honeys blend traditional Kentucky music with modern soundscapes and original songwriting. Fuzzed out guitar and a vibey rhythm section set the sonic bedrock to showcase the entwinement of old-time banjo and fiddle styles at the forefront of their sound. The Honeys understand the complexities of contemporary Appalachian life and their music is reflective of such through raw and emotive songs. The narratives and perspective they weave into song, the deep understanding and endearment they share for hillbilly music, and their undeniable charm make it clear the duo is poised to become defining voices of a new Appalachia. Grace Rogers is a musician & writer from Kentucky having just released her debut full length album Mad Dogs (Sophomore Lounge, 2025). Grace Rogers blends rock, country, and traditional influences into tunes that, in the words of Leigh Viner, “hum like hymns and drive like rain.” Pitchfork named Mad Dogs one of the 30 best Rock Albums of 2025, and Stereogum writes, “Rogers has the kind of talent and irrepressible personality that makes a singer-songwriter stand out in a crowded field.”
Jill Andrews (Full Band/Matinee)
Bold, infectious, introspective music that has served as the backdrop to some of America’s most beloved television series including Grey’s Anatomy, This Is Us, Nashville, and Wynnona Earp, to which she composed the theme. “Andrews’ songs are beautifully crafted and the production molds even the more pensive selections into minor masterpieces” — American Songwriter “Jill Andrews is one of the strongest young female songwriters around.” — Paste Magazine
An Evening With Ordinary Elephant
ORDINARY ELEPHANTMesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on anever-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread criticalacclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.”The duo hasn’t slowed down, earning consecutive International Folk Music Award nominations for Album of the Year in 2024 for their self-titled release, and then Artist of the Year in 2025.This latest eponymous record is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs aretimeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarlytransportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Though the songs were born out of a period of deep uncertainty, the record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody thelimitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration. Press play on Ordinary Elephant, or attend a live performance, and you’ll hear more than just a husband and wife; you’ll hear thesound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment.
The ‘Boro Sessions Presents: John Cowan Trio
The ‘Boro Sessions proudly presents The John Cowan Trio, featuring Luke Bulla and Sam Leslie, to Greensboro at a seated listening room concert on Sunday, June 28, 2:00-4:00PM/doors open at 1:30PM. When John Cowan and Luke Bulla perform together, their shows reflect 25 years of shared history, musical trust, and genuine friendship. Blending New Grass Revival (and more) favorites with old and new originals, they pair masterful picking, rich harmony, and stories that are heartfelt, funny, and hard-earned. Cowan calls Bulla “one of the most beautiful gifts” of his long musical life, while Bulla, inspired by Cowan since his youth, considers sharing the stage a “dream come true” and a source of “immense gratitude and honor”. Together with guitarist Sam Leslie, they deliver music rooted in gratitude, joy, and deep mutual respect.
Aaron Rizzo + Desmond Myers
Desmond Myers is an Atlanta-based singer-songwriter and producer. His music is bolstered by a smooth understated tenor voice, moody colorful arrangements with earnest lyrics. Whether behind a guitar or a synthesizer, his music is full of clever restraint, energy and mood. After spending a decade living in France he was exposed to the indie-funk/disco scene and it left an unmistakable mark on his music. His album Shadowdancer (recorded in France) reflects this sound and it’s breakout single “Playing with Fire” has been streamed over 4 million times. In summer 2026, he’s releasing his third album “Superdomestic” with the single “Balloon” along with dates along the east coast. Aaron Rizzo is an independent rock artist from Rochester, New York whose original work has fostered acclaim from listeners all over the globe. His music has appeared on television shows such as Shameless, Black-Ish and in a T-Mobile ad. In the spring of 2025, Rizzo appeared on NBC’s hit television show The Voice, where he worked closely with Canadian singer Michael Bublé. A guitar player by nature and a singer by trade, Aaron Rizzo writes, records and produces music for himself and others in Atlanta, Georgia where he is based. It’s here that he has sharped his toolset, making him a Swiss Army knife of a musician that can thrive in just about any environment. To date, Rizzo has recorded four full-length solo albums that eloquently showcase his diversity as an original artist. Each one of his records explores a different corner of his ability, all with two common denominators — prolific songwriting and articulate guitar work. In addition to his own catalog, he has recorded and produced countless songs for other artists. He has composed original scores for two short films, one of which that went on to win Best Score at the Sick ’N Wrong Film Festival.
Sam Morrow
Sam Morrow has sound that exists outside of genre and geography. It’s his own version of modern-day American roots music: a mix of roadhouse rock & roll, bluesy R&B, and country-fried funky-tonk, driven forward by groove, grease, and guitars.“A sinewy, head-nodding listen…demands to be played loud at parties.” – Rolling Stone “The record is buttressed by two strong singles: the keyboard-heavy opener “By Your Side” and the driving, twangy “Medicine Man,” both perfectly showcasing Morrow’s whiskey-soaked, rich vocals, bringing to mind the ghost of Leon Russell, offering a powerful one-two Tyson-worthy punch opening the record.” – GLIDE”It’s certainly the best rock album this year.” – Farce the Music Time Sawyer’s name reflects the pull between the past and the future. The character Tom Sawyer evokes the rural background and love of home that the band shares. Time is a muse for songwriting; it’s the thread that runs through life, bringing new experiences and giving us a sense of urgency, while still connecting us with our past. The folk-rock band has performed on the stages of some of the Southeast’s most iconic festivals, including Merlefest, Floydfest, Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Albino Skunk Music Festival, and Carolina in the Fall. They’ve shared bills with American Aquarium, John Craigie, Hiss Golden Messenger, Langhorne Slim, John Moreland, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Wood Brothers, Susto, and many more.