Chris McGinnis, Joel Nelson, Mason Winfree, and Will Easter
Chris McGinnis writes songs that exist somewhere between a hiccup and a heartache. His most recent EP, Songs For You, touches on the peculiarity of your hometown morphing beyond recognition. It tells the story of two Baby Boomers falling in and out of love across time zones and decades. It’s about connection and disconnection alike. With the release of his debut full-length album Mamaw’s Angel, Chris veers deeper into these familiar themes. Through tales of stolen Winnebagos and hip-shaking grandbabies, Chris’ music is Appalachian absurdity for the 21st Century. Will Easter Coming of age in a hardworking, musical family, living in harmony with the land and the river, Will Easter’s passion for music may have been a given, but his talent and lyricism is what has him sharing the stage with acts like 49 Winchester, Town Mountain, David Childers, Tommy Prine, and Ronda Vincent. He has also played many notable festivals, including FloydFest, Shakori Hills, Boonerang, Doc and Rosa Lee Music Fest, and is the winner of the 2022 Merlefest band competition. Mason Winfree Mason P. Winfree is an award-winning old-time musician and flatfoot dancer who has earned numerous ribbons, including first-place honors, at bluegrass and old-time fiddlers’ conventions across North Carolina and Southwest Virginia, such as the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and the Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention. Over the years, he has performed with several groups and has shared his craft both nationally and abroad, including on PBS’s Song of the Mountains.
Chicago Farmer & Ed Jurdi
When taking on the moniker Chicago Farmer, singer-songwriter Cody Diekhoff aimed to not only showcase the dichotomy of his life and travels — growing up in the tiny Illinois farm community of Delavan, and calling “The Windy City” home for several years — he also wanted to honor his past through his uplifting, introspective melodies. “My hometown kind of goes with me wherever I go,” Diekhoff says. “All thethings I learned from my grandparents, I take that with me wherever I go. They’re always in my heart and in my mind.” Which is why Diekhoff’s latest offering, Homeaid, puts a spotlight on the old soul nature and deep ethos of compassion and camaraderie that resides at the core of his being. A blend of Americana, indie-folk and roots-rock, the album swirls effortlessly into the ether of a modern world facing uncertain times. As a founding member and co- leader of the Austin, TX rock and roll outfit The Band of Heathens, Ed Jurdi’s voice, songwriting and musicianship have been key elements in defining the band’s kaleidoscopic American sound. From festival performances at Bonnaroo, Austin, City Limits, Lollapalooza, Wakarusa, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to over a thousand one nighters in clubs and theaters across the United States and Europe, Ed Jurdi has been a fixture in the Americana world and beyond for the better part of two decades. Originally from the Boston area, Ed Jurdi has forged a sound both rooted in the past and pointing toward the future. An ardent student of the masters of American music, he brings the passion of a gospel sermon and juxtaposes it against a gathering of merry pranksters with a soulful delivery and timeless voice. Ed has called Asheville and the mountains of Western North Carolina home for the better part of a decade after spending eight years in Austin, TX
Laid Back Country Picker
Laid Back Country Picker and Honey are the Hillbilly Power Duo. Picking up where the White Stripes left off, they deliver a blistering show, equal parts 70s Guitar Rock, Honky Tonk and Country Punk. They have toured internationally, opening for the likes of Deep Purple as well as playing festivals and clubs all across the US. Blurring the lines with wit, humor and hot picking, LB is his own genre. Imagine Waylon Jennings sitting in with Motorhead.
Drew Foust & The Wheelhouse w/ DaShawn & Wendy Hickman Present: Sacred Steel
Drew Foust makes music that feels like it’s been lived in. A natural soul singer, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, and prolific songwriter, Drew makes music that exists somewhere between a juke joint’s last call and the first light of Sunday morning. It’s gritty, spiritual, and deeply human. Southern soul with a modern heartbeat. Backed by The Wheelhouse, Drew delivers a brand of “Southern Soul N’ Roll” built on deep grooves, raw feeling, and unfiltered authenticity. Together since 2019, they’ve played hundreds of shows at venues, clubs, and events all across North Carolina and the East Coast, including stops in Nashville, New York City, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Notably, Drew & The Wheelhouse have performed at nationally acclaimed music festivals, including FloydFest, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, and the North Carolina Folk Fest. They have also been official opening acts for The Wallflowers, Anders Osborne, The Rumble, and Cedric Burnside. Drew has also collaborated in the studio and onstage with friends like Charlie Hunter, Sam Fribush, DaShawn Hickman, Maia Kamil, Jive Mother Mary, and Jay Faires.
GO by Raymond James Presents Stevie Woodward
What Stevie Woodward brings to music isn’t something that can be developed, mimicked, or coached – it’s something she was born with. A self-taught guitarist, Stevie’s natural ability to create entrancing melodies and combine them with relatable lyrics just goes to show that her talent is completely innate. Combining elements of pop, rock, and blues, her musical inspirations like Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks taught her by example that originality is key. Stevie’s commitment to keeping her music pure and unique has won her numerous songwriting competitions and given her the opportunity to play alongside some of the best musicians of all ages and genres.
David Lin Album Release Show W/ The Gate City Drivers
David Lin is a singer-songwriter from Greensboro who has been involved in the North Carolina music scene for almost 40 years. Beginning his music career as a classically-trained violinist with the Duke String School, David later picked up a guitar as a teenager trading in the violin for a Fender Strat. That turned into playing in several garage bands through high school and college covering a steady dose of Rush, Pink Floyd and the Who. While influenced by singer-songwriters like David Wilcox, Andrew Peterson, Ed Cash and James Taylor, he is a rocker at heart with a deep appreciation of southern blues musicians like the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Zac Brown Band. His first album release Tobacco Road, is a collection of songs written about his life growing up in the Piedmont. He sings about experiences that have shaped him, faith that guides him, and the fun times he’s had along the way. Recorded throughout the year in 2025 in bits and spurts, Tobacco Road features an amazing community of talented musician friends, and is the realization of a long-held dream to share these songs.
BOOT JUICE W/ FOLKKNOT
BOOT JUICE is a six-piece high-energy rock ‘n’ roll / Americana act from Northern California, notorious fortheir barn-burning live shows that get entire crowds on their feet dancing: a reputation earned from recentperformances at legendary venues like The Fillmore and Dillon Amphitheater, festival sets at Treefort,High Sierra, and Golden Road Gathering, and packed club shows all across America during their manyyears on the road.The group’s fervently-anticipated fourth album, Keeping Out Of The Ground (out 3/20) exemplifies thetradition of kickass eclectic American rock ‘n’ roll: With three vocalists, dueling acoustic andelectric-guitar shredding, a bawdy horn section, and driving, soulful rhythms, the album offers everythingfrom groovy, danceable bangers (“Hard Time for Hard Times”, “Slingshot”, “Struggles”) to heavy,show-stopping rock anthems (“Try Again Tomorrow”, “Rise and Shine”, “Boise”), and tender, swingingballads (“Anywhere With You”, “Love From Here”, “Keeping Out of the Ground”). Throughout it all, the bandsends a poignant message: Despite everything going on in the world and the hopelessness creeping inaround us, the best thing we can do is push it through, keep ourselves out of the ground, keep showing upfor ourselves and our neighbors, and forgive ourselves when we just need to try again tomorrow. *** Folkknot is a seafaring quintet out of Greensboro, North Carolina. Never afraid to sail against the wind, Folkknot crafts enchanting indie-folk-pop-rock escapism that harks at the essence of folk storytelling elements from yesteryear. Captained by frontman Grey Hyatt’s vivid songwriting & lucid vision for his songs, Folkknot’s eclectic instrumentation provides a lush soundscape that brings their songs & stories to life.
Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle + The Plate Scrapers
Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle hail from Cincinnati where they have been crafting a sound that is both rooted in tradition and refreshed by modern sensibilities. This four-piece ensemble confronts the raw expanse of American music, fashioning a live music experience more akin to a bygone era of sweltering summer tent revivals and introspective meditations of the human condition.Leaning into the foundation of folk, old-time, and early country and bluegrass, the Hustle has molded a unique blend of these traditions with contemporary influences of psych rock, raucous performative gyrations, and a growing catalogue of personal storytelling to offer a product solely their own. Strong vocal leads from Casey Campbell, the drummer, and Matt ‘Wabs’ Wabnitz, the guitarist, anchor a sonic landscape full of lilting harmonies and powerful counter-melody; and with the multi-instrumental leads of Scott Risner and Bill Baldock abounding the audience is guided through a show that defies most genre labeling and denominations. The Hustle aims to take its’ legions to a churc experience regardless of an individual’s origins; all are welcome and encouraged to embark on the journey. The group’s upcoming recordings and albums expand on the already thick palette by adding new voices and layers, sometimes leading the group to perform as a six-piece ensemble. New music slated for mid-Spring 2026 promises to be both a departure from previous endeavors while holding fast to the core of the passion and performance that has laid the foundation for the past thirteen years, leading to a devoted and committed fanbase across the globe. Jumping from banjos, to fiddles, to electric guitars, to four-part harmonies keeps the audience wholely enthralled with what may be coming next… And with the growing directions of the Hustle, that anticipation will lead folks on a most exciting mission of new music exploration.Born from the tradition of Bluegrass jams and potlucks, The Plate Scrapers — Derek Kretzer (banjo), Andrew Jordan (guitar), Robbie Mann (fiddle), Jody Mosser (dobro), and Kevin Johnson (bass) — have been putting in the work and showcasing their love for the genre since 2014. They have since released 4 studio albums, 3 live albums, and have toured relentlessly up and down the east coast and into the midwest. In 2019, they won the Podunk Bluegrass Telefunken Band Contest. They have been featured on WAMU Bluegrass Country Radio, performed as an IBMA Official Showcase artist, and their latest release, Artifacts (2024) had multiple singles on the Airplay Direct bluegrass/folk charts as well as rave reviews from Bluegrass Today.
Luke Cope EP Release Show Featuring Justin Cohen
Join us for a night of storytelling and encouragement as we celebrate the release of “The Devil and The Crow” by one of North Carolina’s own, Luke Cope. Justin Cohen will start things off at 7:30pm.
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.