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Amos Perrine

THROUGH THE LENS: Rooster Walk & Shakori Hills Roots Music Festivals Thrive in Appalachia

THROUGH THE LENS: Rooster Walk & Shakori Hills Roots Music Festivals Thrive in Appalachia

This week’s column highlights two Appalachian roots music festivals: Spring Shakori Hills Grass Roots Festival of Music & Dance (Pittsboro, North Carolina, May 1-4, 2025) and Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival (Martinsville, Virginia, May 22-25, 2025). In addition to presenting a wide array of roots musicians in a

THROUGH THE LENS: Vinyl Update & Other Roots Music Releases to Savor

THROUGH THE LENS: Vinyl Update & Other Roots Music Releases to Savor

It's mini-review time again. This week the column looks at four new roots music releases, three that have not gotten as much attention as they deserve and one by a legend that comes out next month. There’s also an update on four stellar vinyl blues re-issues that

THROUGH THE LENS: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2025

THROUGH THE LENS: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2025

Spread across 14 stages the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 24–May 4, 2025) transformed the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course into a sprawling celebration of every style of American music. 5,000 musicians gave their all to nearly half a million fans, which is in itself

THROUGH THE LENS: Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest 2025

THROUGH THE LENS: Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest 2025

Byron Bay Bluesfest, held over Easter weekend since 1990, has long been regarded as Australia’s premier roots music festival, as well as being one of the world’s leading destination festivals. Reduced from five to four days (April 17-20, 2025) this year, Bluesfest still attracted the third largest crowd

THROUGH THE LENS: Changes in the Air at Stagecoach and High Water Festivals

THROUGH THE LENS: Changes in the Air at Stagecoach and High Water Festivals

This week the column again reports from two roots festivals held last month in opposite ends of the country — Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California (April 25-27, 2025) and High Water Festival in North Charleston, South Carolina (April 26-27, 2025). High Water took place at the town’s Riverfront Park which,

THROUGH THE LENS: MerleFest 2025 Highlights - Tami Neilson, The War & Treaty, Stephen Wilson Jr., and More

THROUGH THE LENS: MerleFest 2025 Highlights - Tami Neilson, The War & Treaty, Stephen Wilson Jr., and More

This year’s edition of MerleFest, which took place in Wilkesboro, North Carolina from April 24-27, 2025, was the epitome of how Doc Watson described the festival he and his wife Rosa Lee founded in 1988 to honor their son Merle — “traditional plus.” To make it even more inviting, the

THROUGH THE LENS: Best Bets for MerleFest 2025

THROUGH THE LENS: Best Bets for MerleFest 2025

One-hundred artists are scheduled to perform across 12 stages at this year’s MerleFest, to be held April 24-27, 2025 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The artists highlighted below are, with a couple notable exceptions, ones that regular MerleFest attendees may not be that