Colton Baker with Authentic Unlimited at the 2026 Spring Headin’ Home Fest
The weekend was full of high notes at the Spring 2026 Headin’ Home Fest, held April 8-12 at Stagger Lee Music Park in Hazlehurst, Georgia.
Friday morning, April 10, Kenny Smith led a guitar workshop for a large group of pickers of all levels. The day’s show then began with Last Hour Bluegrass, an outstanding gospel band from North Carolina. Featuring seven band members on stage, Last Hour stole the show with their stirring harmonies and heartfelt testimonies. This is a band presenting sincerity and refreshment, well worth adding to any festival’s lineup.
Kenny & Amanda Smith followed next. Between jokes, Kenny’s lightning guitar licks wowed the crowd, along with Amanda’s lovely vocals. The duo featured their 11-year-old daughter Annabelle on a song per set. Upon being questioned, Annabelle claimed she gets her singing talent from both her mom and dad.
The Brothers Five played a set on both Friday and Saturday. Aged 20 to 11, these five brothers are part of the Lindblom family which hosts Headin’ Home Fest. Linus, Logan, Liam, Levi, and Leo Lindblom are quickly becoming one of the most exciting and polished young acts on the scene.
The Little Roy & Lizzy Show then took the stage as only they can, closing out Friday afternoon’s show with some blazing fast bluegrass and joyful Lewis Family style gospel numbers.
Host band Headin’ Home played an evening set; and then in Kenny and Amanda’s evening show right afterwards, they invited Libby and Lucy Lindblom up to play Studebaker with them. Multiple campground jams then wiled the night away. Kenny and a group of young pickers wore their fingers out till nearly 3:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 11, Daryl Mosley led a songwriting workshop at 10:00 a.m. He then opened the day’s show to the lively crowd that had gathered again under the covered pavilion at Stagger Lee Music Park, ready to enjoy another full day of bluegrass. Daryl’s original songs and stories touched every heart. Remarks were heard about how surely no other solo artist can so skillfully captivate an audience with only his voice and a guitar.
The Brothers Five performed again. They featured a friend, Croft Wilson, for a couple numbers. Croft hails from Jacksonville, Florida and is a talented picker and singer. Keep an eye out for this young man!
Backline then hit the stage with their hard-driving, contemporary bluegrass sound. Katelyn Ingardia is one of the strongest female vocalists in the business, and her band is as solid as they come. This was Backline’s third appearance at Headin’ Home Fest in the festival’s five years. They remain a fan favorite.
Closing out the Saturday show was Authentic Unlimited: reigning IBMA Vocal Group of the Year and unarguably the gold standard of modern bluegrass music. Jesse Brock, Colton Baker, Jerry Cole, and Eli Johnston performed as a four-piece group, as Stephen Burwell was absent due to a family commitment. The band showed that they were missing none of their tightness and top-level showmanship. In fact, someone remarked that only one of them could have played the show alone and still delivered the AU sound. Needless to say, the audience ate up every note, filled with attendees who had traveled in from multiple surrounding states to see this band.
Headin’ Home played their final set on Saturday evening, presenting another dose of inspiring family music. They called the younger half of the family, The Brothers Five, up on stage and all eleven family members performed a song together: a first for the festival!
MC Justin Mason and Luke Lindblom Sound kept the show flowing professionally and seamlessly all weekend. Both are at the top of their game in the festival industry.
Sunday morning, April 12, a large group of pickers gathered under the pavilion for an informal, intimate gospel jam and time of prayer and sharing.
The Fall 2026 Headin’ Home Fest will be held October 14-18, 2026 at Stagger Lee Music Park in Hazlehurst, featuring: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Kody Norris Show, Strings of Green, Nick Chandler & Delivered, No Reputation, The Little Roy & Lizzy Show, CrossRoads, The Brothers Five, NightFlyer, Brad Kaylor & Mineral Bluff Revue, Bells Highway, and Headin’ Home.
Mark your calendar! Campsites and advance price tickets can be purchased online.
