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.
DANCE FROM ABOVE HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY
Lee Roy Parnell’s Texas Flavored Christmas wsg: Jimmy Murray
Join GRAMMY-nominated Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame member LeeRoy Parnell for an unforgettable evening of live music featuring his long list of hits (“On The Road,” “Love Without Mercy,” “I’m Holding My Own,” “Heart’s Desire” and many more), plus his Texas-flavored take on a few classic songs for the Christmas season delivered only the way this ace guitarist, vocalist and songwriter can. No Depression may have said it best when they called Lee RoyParnell “a fine writer blessed with a rich, soulful vocal delivery and a blistering array of guitar chops drawn almost equally from Texas blues, Memphis soul, and Southern rock traditions.”
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
Tom Hamilton w/ TBA
Tom Hamilton’s guiding creative principle is very simple: he doesn’t like to repeat himself artistically.For the Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter andguitarist, this mindset stems from a deep-seated motivation to keep pushing himself as an artist —to delve into different lyrical themes and musical detours, to explore potentially uncomfortable and unfamiliar emotional places.”That’s a thrilling prospect,” says Hamilton. “To find the deeper things inside and to open up those doors that I didn’t even know were there.”As founding member of Brothers Past, American Babies, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Ghost Light and Billy and The Kids, Hamiltonhas written/recorded roughlya dozen albums and EPs and shared the stage with everyone from John Mayer to Bob Weir to Billy Strings.Hamilton’s debut record as a solo artist will be released in late 2025.
Lemon Sparks, Secret Monkey Weekend, and Laura Jane Vincent
The Cody Sisters
The Cody Sisters band is the very heart of contemporary acoustic Folk and Bluegrass in Colorado, the United States, and the UK. Their propulsive instrumental solos and warm harmonies combine to grip the listener. Along with bass player Will Pavilonis, sisters Megan (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Maddie (guitar, banjo, vocals) have forged a new sound that has no equivalent match in the acoustic world today. In May of 2023, The Cody Sisters released their self-titled EP marking a new beginning for the band. It is their first release since parting ways with their former image of “young girls in a family band” and it portrays a sense of maturity and musical understanding that reveals a new dimension to their artistic expression. They set out to explore new sounds and styles while still holding true to their Bluegrass roots, and they have done just that. This new music is an invitation to connect, to feel, and to journey together through original lyrics and captivating instrumental arrangements. With their brand-new Archipelago, The Cody Sisters contineu to refine and explore a sound that is original, exhilarating, and heartwarming all at the same time. With strong ties to traditional American acoustic music, they continue to stun their audiences both in the U.S. and abroad.
Sweet Dream/The music of Led Zeppelin w/ Crushing Quiet/The music of Oasis
New Dawn Starkestra
New Dawn Starkestra is a new collaboration between four heavyweights of the Western North Carolina music scene: vocalist and songwriter Rebekah Todd, guitarist Isaac Hadden, bassist Quinn Sternberg, and drummer Jeff Sipe, a veteran of the jam and jazz worlds known for his work with Aquarium Rescue Unit and beyond. Together, they’ve formed something that feels less like a supergroup and more like a conversation — one that’s unfolding live, night after night. At its core, the band is rooted in trust: each member brings original songs to the table, but there’s no fixed destination. Their sets blend composed material with extended improvisation and unexpected detours. One moment might feel like Southern soul, the next like spacey fusion, and the next like something you’ve never quite heard before. It’s not genre-hopping — it’s just what happens when four players actually listen to one another. What separates New Dawn Starkestra is their ability to stretch out without losing the thread. The musicianship is airtight, but it never gets in the way of the emotional core. They’re not afraid of silence, or space, or slowness — and when the energy builds, it feels earned. Their shows aren’t about replication; they’re about discovery. In their short time together, they’ve already begun turning heads at venues and festivals throughout the Southeast, with performances that feel more like experiences than sets. There’s no spectacle here, no posturing. Just four artists showing up, tuning in, and chasing whatever spark happens to catch that night.
