Previewing the 2023 festival, taking place this weekend
“Good God Almighty, which way do I steer?”
Aside from a brief memorial for a recently departed and dearly beloved island country singer, the Jimmy Buffett quote from “Cheeseburger in Paradise” also accurately illustrates the dilemma facing the average Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion attendee amid all the amazing musical and cultural offerings. This year’s lineup includes longtime stars like Bruce Hornsby; currently reigning popular roots acts like Amythyst Kiah and Margo Price; rising stars like Daniel Donato; festival fixtures like cello impresario and winking musical mischief-maker Dave Eggar; and longtime regional fixtures like The Corklickers and Annabelle’s Curse.
Anticipation is high for this year’s iteration of the festival, the 22nd installment since its inception in 2001.
Hundreds of generators, propane tanks, tents and traffic cones will all see their glory in Bristol this weekend, as well, as funnel cakes will fry, beers will flow and the best roots rock from around the country will emanate from stages across downtown.
Folks will be dusting off their cutest roots-flavored duds, packing up their folding chairs and migrating to State Street for a weekend unlike any other.
A few highlights you should check out over the weekend are described in the following blurbs, which are primarily authored by my Professional Communications I class in Kingsport, Tennessee, at STEM high school Dobyns-Bennett EXCEL. We’ll have one student field reporter onsite all weekend taking pictures that may end up here, as well as in some other outlets in the Tri-Cities. Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this article are by Bill Foster.
Hope to see you all in Bristol! – Luke Brogden, BLANK Newspaper Music Editor
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek, an American bluegrass band that broke out in 2000, will be playing at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in 2023. The band is made up of three members: Chris Thile on the mandolin and siblings Sara and Sean Watkins who play the fiddle and guitar, respectively.
The group formed in 1989 in South Carolina and released many albums between 1993 and 2006. In the ‘90s, Nickel Creek played several songs at multiple bluegrass festivals, but it wasn’t until 2000, 11 years after their formation, that they really broke big. That summer, the band went on tour and opened 11 shows for Lyle Lovett. They were even invited by Dolly Parton to be a part of her backup band at the Grammy Awards the following year.
By 2005, Nickel Creek had released their fifth album and, by the end of the next year, had performed at several music festivals. However, in 2006 they announced they would no longer perform together as a band for a period of time; in 2007, the group had their Farewell (For Now) tour, a grand jaunt that that extended for a course of seven months.
In 2014, the band announced a long-anticipated new album would be coming later in the year. When the album was released in April 2014, Nickel Creek went on a tour that included over a dozen stops. In 2021, the band had multiple live performances, and by 2023 had released another album and had started a tour in early February. They will be playing on the State Street Stage at 9:30 on Saturday night. – Colt Lark, D-B EXCEL sophomore
Margo Price
Want to experience some throwback country? Well, Margo Price will be at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion this year to serve it up!
Price’s music hearkens back to warm, smooth AM country artists of the 1970s, and she has a knack for distinct details that help to develop emotions in her music that display her love for her own take on traditionalism.
Price took Americana by storm and made a name for herself in the industry with her debut studio album, “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” in 2016. She’s been labeled “country’s next star” by The Fader and is a Grammy winner, earning Best New Artist at the 61st edition of the awards. She’s appeared on multiple television broadcasts, including “Saturday Night Live” and the U.K. broadcast “Later … With Jools Holland.”
You can catch Price at the Piedmont Stage at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in beautiful downtown Bristol on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 8:15 p.m. – Addison Perry, D-B EXCEL junior
Thrift Store Cowboys
Bristol is known for its music culture, as well as embracing new kinds of music into its welcoming atmosphere. The annual Rhythm & Roots Reunion festival hosts multiple bands on stages across downtown Bristol. The lineup consists of veteran roots stars, sure, but it also boasts a healthy smattering of locals from the Tri-Cities who are making an impact in the industry.
One of these bands falling into the former category is Thrift Store Cowboys. Coming from Knoxville, TSC have been a mainstay of the national roots scene ever since they formed in 1999 in Lubbock, Texas. Thrift Store Cowboys is led by founding members Daniel Fluitt and Kris ‘Tugboat” Killingsworth. They create alt-country/rock music featuring cconsistent lyrical themes of death, loss and fear. After over a decade together, this band has performed at Rhythm & Roots Reunion multiple times.
Their debut album, “Nowhere With You” had almost 43,000 listeners, with the most popular song being the 10th track, “Amanda.”
If you enjoy deep country music with an alternative flair, Thrift Store Cowboys is the band for you. Come see them on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 8:30 p.m. on Machiavelli’s outdoor stage. How will they top Fluitt’s stageside proposal to business partner and now-wife Jess Hale in the same tent last year? Come find out! – Felix LaFollette, D-B EXCEL sophomore
Sons of the East
Sons of the East are an Australian indie-folk trio from Sydney. Nic Johnson, Dan Wallage and Jack Rollins, who formed their band in 2011, have garnered over 350 million streams/views and have sold out shows across their native land, Europe and even North America.
Some of the group’s notable songs include “Millionaire,” “My Repair,” “California” and “Miramare.” Critics have said, among other things, “It’s impossible not to be moved by this exuberant sound” and that “Sons of the East will instantly turn heads with this glorious debut album.”
You can find this band on most streaming platforms, like Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud. While this band has not received any awards as of yet, it is said to have a euphoric sound that calms the mind. They play at the State Street Stage at 5 on Friday evening and at the Piedmont Stage at 3:45 Saturday afternoon. – Riley Mars, D-B EXCEL junior
The Mavericks
The Mavericks, the eclectic rock and country group known for crisscrossing musical boundaries with abandon, has gone through three distinct phases since it was founded in Miami in 1989: an initial period of heady success marked by big hits and critical acclaim in the ’90s; a long hiatus sstarting in 2003 when the musicians each went their own ways; and, finally, a triumphant reunion in 2012 which held long enough for them to have just recently celebrated their 30th anniversary.
Now, The Mavericks are releasing a new album that ushers in the fourth phase of their evolution. “It’s like we’ve had three different lives,” says Raul Malo, the band’s lead singer and principal songwriter. “And now this is a whole new beginning. We’re sort of going into uncharted territory. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m kind of nervous about it, too. It’s certainly a new adventure.”
The Mavericks will hit the State Street Stage at 9:30 p.m. on Friday. – Kyan Sensebaugh, D-B EXCEL freshman
Illiterate Light
You won’t find this dynamic duo from Virginia hidden and tucked away in the corner of a library. No, Illiterate Light’s eclectic, energetic, indie-rock music will inspire you to find yourself – wherever that might happen to be. The group’s music evokes and ignites emotion; their various styles and poetically grouped words take listeners on a musical journey.
No matter the age or generation, this band’s music will speak to your soul. If you haven’t heard of Illiterate Light or seen them, you are truly missing out on a hidden musical note ready to be shared and enjoyed for your listening ears. Their music won’t be hidden in books, but instead it will be showcased on your playlist. Come see one of our personal favorites and a past Second Bell Festival headliner as they continue to come into their own. Illiterate Light will perform on the 6th Street Stage at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday. – Riley Grace Bridges, D-B EXCEL sophomore
