MerleFest

Sam Bush at MerleFest 2022 - photo © Michael Freas Many thanks to the good folks at MerleFest, who shared these photos from the grassier side of the 2022 four-day music festival. The event has been held since 1988 in memory of

Some folks would say that Lindsay Craven has the best job imaginable. After all, as the Artist Relations Manager for MerleFest, she's the person responsible for booking the artists that play that fabled festival year after year. Still, while some

MerleFest has announced that not only will Andy May's Acoustic Kids showcase return to the festival this year, eligibility has been expanded for 2021 only to allow young artists to perform who were unable to do so last year during

Like so many things in our lives these days, the calendar for MerleFest is a bit twisted this year. After canceling the 2020 festival, organizers have moved this year's to the late summer with an eye towards remaining uncertainty about

MerleFest, the annual mega-fest of acoustic and roots music held each spring on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC, has announced a one-time date change for their 2021 event. The 2020 festival had been postponed until next year

Despite the cancellation of the 2020 MerleFest, the first round of judging for their annual Chris Austin Songwriting Competition was recently concluded. Since submissions had already been accepted when Wilkes County, NC officials restricted public gatherings of more than 100

MerleFest officials said Monday that the acclaimed Chris Austin Songwriting Contest will held, in a slightly altered format, even though MerleFest itself has been canceled for 2020 because of the coronavirus. The first contest judges waded through a record 1,065 entries

MerleFest Veterans set on Watson Stage at MerleFest on April 27, 2019 - photo by Alisa B. Cherry Some festivals are known for their music. Others for the legacy they’ve left behind. And a few can be counted on for both. Put

Last Friday during MerleFest in North Carolina, the finals of the 2019 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest were held before a panel of judges, live on stage. As is done each year at this prestigious competition, the top three finalists in

The prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, held each year as part of MerleFest in North Wilkesboro, NC, has announced the finalists for the 2019 competition. Run as an open event, songwriters compete in two separate rounds. An initial round of judges chooses