Evan Blackerby (full band/album release show) W/ Tyler Dodson

Into The Fog + Lua Flora

Into The Fog is a psychedelic jamgrass band from Raleigh, North Carolina that combines timeless songwriting with progressive instrumentation and tight harmonies. The group consists of Winston Mitchell (mandolin), Derek Lane (upright bass), and Connor Kozlosky (guitar), with everyone contributing on vocals. The band’s members have varied musical backgrounds that range from bluegrass to funk, which helps create Into The Fog’s genre-jumping sound. The band has released three studio albums and two live records. Their latest, Carolina Moon released in August of 2024, expands upon their latest sounds incorporating collaborative songwriting, improvised jams, and a focus on harmony. Live shows are a keystone of the Into The Fog experience, as the band expands songs to highlight their instrumental prowess and push the boundaries of the newgrass sound. Into The Fog has shared the stage with the likes of Sam Bush, Keller & The Keels, Town Mountain, Daniel Donato, Arkansauce, Shadowgrass, Big Richard, and The Grass Is Dead. No strangers to the festival scene, Into The Fog has played FloydFest, Rooster Walk, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Charleston Bluegrass Festival, Earl Scruggs Music Festival, The Big What? and more. Creating in a state of constant adventure, Asheville, NC-based Lua Flora has successfully unified sounds that typically don’t go together. The electrifying passion and introspective lyrics of songwriter Evan Button, meet a mesmerizing blend of Caribbean, Eastern, and American music to create a previously undefined genre; “Beach Folk.” This cultural phenomenon lends itself to easy listening from the perfect barrels of the Pacific Ocean to the hollers of Appalachia. In three quick years, the project has gone from backyard parties to national stages across the U.S. supporting Satsang, Franc Moody, Of Good Nature, and Kendall Street Company in addition to festival appearances at Front Porch Fest, Kentucky Yoga Festival, Between the Trails, and others.

Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam Birthday Jam w/ Momma Molasses and Stacey and Rob Rinaldi

Jeffrey Dean Foster & The Arrows w/ Kate Musselwhite & Molly McGinn

Jeffrey Dean Foster is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, who is both a solo recording artist as well as a member of roots rockers the Pinetops. Foster got his start with rock music back in the ’80s with a pair of bands, the Right Profile and the Carneys, which were either signed to fruitless major-label record deals or completed albums that went unreleased. The ’90s saw Foster play shows along the East Coast as a solo performer, as he began laying down tracks for newly penned compositions with old friend/renowned producer Don Dixon (R.E.M., the Smithereens) overseeing the recording process. Soon after, Foster decided to form a band, the Pinetops (which included members John Pfiffner, drummer Will Dyar, and bassist Andy Mabe), to bring his new songs to life. The newly formed group issued their debut album, Above Ground and Vertical, in 2000, following up the release with a smattering of select tour dates (including an appearance at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX). In late 1999, Foster appeared alongside William Shatner as part of an ad hoc band for Priceline.com TV commercials, and a year later issued his first solo release, the live EP The Leaves Turn Upside Down. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi

The Gone Ghosts, Crenshaw Pentecostal, and Charles Latham & The Borrowed Band

The Wes Collins Band with Jeffrey Dean Foster and Sam Frazier

Wes Collins’ songs dig deep and go to uncertain, sometimes scary places. On his new album “Jabberwockies” (available June 3) you meet a woman who fears her power over men, and eavesdrop on both a precious friendship destroyed by unrequited romantic feelings and an addict in full-fledged panic. A lyric suggesting you “look out for the people who love you” takes a nasty twist in the last verse: “You got a scar on your spirit? / Somebody who loved you was probably holding the knife.” “Wes Collins has a wonderful gift for telling stories from truly unique points of view. Every narrator in Jabberwockies reveals thoughts I’ve had, but would certainly be terrified to express. Wes is a courageous songwriter. Wes also has that magical musical sensibility that makes me hit “repeat” on his songs. He makes my favorite records and he’s one of my ultimate favorite musical artists.”Jaimee Harris “(Collins) is one of the best songwriters in the (North Carolina) Triangle’s vital Americana quadrant.Author and critic David Menconi “Wes Collins’ songs have a way of circling around my mood and elevating it. His music makes me feel better, no matter how my day is going. I congratulate him on his new record Jabberwockies, a stellar collection of new songs, beautiful vocals, and glorious harmonies by Jaimee Harris and Crystal Hariu-Damore. I can’t stop listening to it, I love it!”Mary Gauthier

Folkknot and Mild Goose Chase

Megan Jean’s Secret Family w/ Kyle Caudle & Timberline and Don Mercle

MEGAN JEAN’S SECRET FAMILYMegan Jean: Lead Vocals, BassByrne Klay: electric banjo, VocalsTommy Bailey: Drums, Keys,Eric Davis: Guitar,Megan Jean’s Secret Family is a fresh blend of the 70’s by way of the 90’s rock, soul, country, and jam, emphasizing vocal-driven danceable original songs that bring together generations of sound. In May of 2024, the band made their national radio debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage alongside notable acts like Keller Williams and Bettye Lavette. DC Music Review called them one of their “New favorite acts” following an energitc performance at 2024’s DelFest. The band was awarded a creativity grant from the Maryland State Arts Council to produce their debut full-length album PLOT (Play.Loud.On.Turntable) which will be released in Fall 2024. In the three years since their formation they have shared the stage with Fastball, The Spin Doctors, Cabinet, Joan Osbourne, and Cris Jacobs.

Colin Cutler & Hot Pepper Jam w/ Audrey Smith and Rebecca Porter

Audrey Smith”Audrey Smith writes music from the heart, one molded within her rich cultural heritage of the North Carolina Piedmont. Her songs honor traditional country and southern folk, with a unique sound dancing between the lines of bluegrass, radio country, and piedmont blues. She’s heavily influenced by North Carolina icons Doc Watson, Etta Baker, and her time spent in south Louisiana over the last decade.”Rebecca PorterRebecca Porter, originally from Guam and now based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, brings raw authenticity to her music, defined by her honey-smooth voice and sharp, irreverent songwriting. Her lyrics courageously explore personal themes such as trauma, discrimination as a Pacific Islander woman in rural Virginia, and the complex challenges of motherhood.Her musical journey began over a decade ago as a member of local cover bands, where she honed her skills and gained local acclaim. However, it was during the pandemic that Porter redirected her creative energy, eventually releasing two EPs: “Prime Rainbow Conditions” and “Queen of the Local.” The latter marked a pivotal move towards independence, propelling Porter to national and international recognition through her grassroots efforts.Recently, Porter joined Rissi Palmer’s esteemed Color Me Country Class of 2024 and made her debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage. Her music also captured the interest of Ed Helms, editor of Good Country, who selected her for his curated playlist, ‘Ed’s Picks’. These achievements underscore Porter’s artistic evolution and the broad appeal of her music, touching listeners well beyond her local beginnings.Listeners near and far have come to appreciate and connect with the depth of Porter’s emotional landscapes. She continues to captivate audiences with her musical journey that embodies unwavering determination, creativity, and the transformative power of storytelling through music. Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam Folk? 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 selling out Greensboro’s Flat Iron and touring for shows from Georgia to Indiana’s Notre Dame University. Tarwater, their first release as a band, reached the top 20 in both Folk and Alt Country radio charts on its release

Genre: Americana