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
FRESH TRACK: Mike Delevante - "The Rain Never Came"
Mike Delevante, who spent the 1990s recording and touring as half of trailblazing Americana brother duo The Delevantes with his older brother Bob, has released his debut solo record, September Days, on Guy Clark’s Truly Handmade Records. The album’s first track, “The Rain Never Came,” is an instantly
SPOTLIGHT: Valerie June Clings to Joy on ‘Owls, Omens, and Oracles’
Editor’s Note: Valerie June is No Depression’s Spotlight Artist for April 2025. Learn more about her life and new album, Owls, Omens, and Oracles, which was released April 11, in this feature, and stay tuned for more from June all month long.
Like an alter with mystical crystals,
BONUS TRACKS: Lost Highway Record Label Relaunches and a 4/20 Treat from Willie Nelson
Lost Highway, a beloved country and alt-country record label of the early-aughts, is coming back to life with support from Interscope Geffen A&M. Most famous for releasing the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? and albums by artists like Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, and Kacey Musgraves, Lost
ALBUM REVIEW: Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson's New LP Honors Past and Present
Rhiannon Giddens is a visionary, as well as a revitalizer. With her banjo and her voice, she has brought Black string band music to the attention of a mass audience through her work with The Carolina Chocolate Drops and as a solo artist.
Giddens grew up in rural North Carolina
ALBUM REVIEW: Julien Baker and Torres Offer Catchy Songs, Friendship, and Chemistry on 'Send a Prayer My Way'
Singer-songwriters Julien Baker and Mackenzie Scott (aka Torres) have joined forces to create a set of catchy and heartfelt songs with a country twinge. Following the successes of boygenius (featuring Baker) and Torres’ sixth solo album released last year, the pair alternate lead and supporting vocals, feeding off each other