There’s no denying that Tennessee has its share of fine festivals. Bonnaroo, Americana Fest, Rhythm and Roots, the International Blues Competition… and those don’t even include the gatherings here at home — Big Ears, Rhythm and Blooms, and Blankfest among them. So there’s no reason to be jealous of any festivals that take place anywhere else, even when they occur right next door in our neighbors to the east, North Carolina in particular.
That said, Merlefest, a 32-year old tradition that attracts the faithful each April on the campus of Wilkesboro Community College, is an event that can be genuinely admired. It boasts a picturesque setting on a beautiful campus located just four hours beyond the state border. Easily accessible, it’s reason enough for a road trip, especially when there’s such a stellar line-up of talent consistently involved.
This year’s roster was no exception. Here’s but a sampling — Sam Bush, Jim Lauderdale, Donna the Buffalo, Chatham County Line, Brandi Carlile, Dirk Powell, Joe Smothers, the Del McCoury Band, the Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, Tyler Chiders, The Waybacks, Peter Rowan, the Kruger Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers, and Jerry Douglas, Mark O’Connor, Keb’ Mo’, and Molly Tuttle, among the many.
Naturally, with some 13 stages, it’s practically impossible to catch all the acts , even over the course of four days. Fortunately, most of the artists perform multiple times — Sam Bush, Peter Rowan and Donna the Buffalo in particular are known for making many appearances, often several in a single day. Still, choices need to be made and hustling is often required whenever there’s a need to shuffle from venue to venue.
The most consistent place to catch the headliners is the Watson Stage, the focal point of the festival and one venue where ample seating is provided. With the Cabin Stage situated next door, onlookers need only turn their head to catch successive shows without moving a muscle or forfeiting their chairs.
Named for Merle Watson, the musician son of the festival’s founder, Doc Watson, the four day gathering was originally a magnet for bluegrass bands, although like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, its sister event out west, it now boasts a variety bands in a more Americana mode. Some, like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, John Cowan, and Bela Fleck, are known to play both festivals on a consistent basis and have done so for years.
Regardless of whether an act happened to be a newcomer or a veteran making an anticipated reprise, the quality of the music is… and always has been… the factor that consistently stands out.
Here, then, some of the highlights from Merlfest 32…
- Keb’ Mo’s stunning solo acoustic set blew the crowd away, and as a first time participant, he made it obvious that he fit in from the get-go. The debonair Mr. Mo’ actually singled out a woman in the crowd and invited her to meet him backstage.
- Steep Canyon Rangers’ tribute to North Carolina’s stellar songwriters — James Taylor, Elizabeth Cotton, and, surprisingly enough, Thelonious Monk — was particularly appropriate, given that this year has been proclaimed by official decree as the state’s Year of Music. Not surprisingly, the Steeps offered a strikingly diverse performance, one which was taped for an upcoming live album.
- Scythian’s Celtic rock approach found room for a rousing, if unexpected rendition of “Hava Nageela.”
- Del McCoury’s 80th birthday party on the Hillside Stage gave everyone in attendance cause for a celebration of this veteran band’s own special sound.
- Mark and Maggie O’Connor held the crowd that gathered at the Watson Stage in awe ,with little more than a pair of fiddles and occasional homespun harmonies.
- Peter Rowan’s latest conglomerate, his Free Mexican Airforce and Los Texmaniacs — it ought to be noted that he comes up with a creative new outfit every year — took the audience south of the border with a superb combination of Tejano, Tex Mex and boleros. Likewise, a song sung from the prospective of a border crossing guard called “Mississippi California” resonated especially well given today’s turgid discussion about immigration.
- As always, Donna the Buffalo’s populist appeal was also in evidence, even with multiple performances spread throughout the festival’s four days.
- The Milk Carton Kids may sound like the younger siblings of Simon and Garfunkel, but their onstage patter likens them more to the snider side of the Smothers Brothers. Even a bit of back and forth about Kenneth Pattengale’s cancer scare and romantic travails was played for laughs. “I don’t think he has a heart,” Pattengale said of partner Joey Ryan. For the record, Ryan didn’t disagree…
- Naturally, Sam Bush is always amiable and very present. Last year, he set a personal record by doing more than a half a dozen guest appearances in the same day. This time around, he admitted that he was deliberately holding back so as not to exhaust himself like he did before. Still, that beaming grin Bush always emits just naturally conveys an infectious attitude that consistently makes him a festival favorite.
- Members of the band Yarn expressed their gratitude for fans by sharing multiple hugs at the autograph tent.
- Credit Amos Lee for his very personable conversations with members of the audience during his debut Merlefest performance at the Watson Stage. He performed solo and was absolutely superb.
- Brandi Carlile was absolutely sensational as Saturday’s closing act, and the unbounded energy and her erstwhile bandmates exuded an energy that literally had the audience gasping for breath. A medley of John Denver songs trolled the audience’s emotions, but it was the material from her Grammy-winning album By the Way, I Forgive You that helped amplify the intensity and proved what an exceptional artist she’s become. A surprise encore with Seth and Scott Avett on their troubled ballad “Murder in the City” proved even more affecting, even given the stripped down setting of a single acoustic guitar and three voices shared in harmony.
- Jim Lauderdale’s performance on the Cabin Stage in the company of a backing band brought a freshness and fullness to his well seasoned songs.
- While The Cabin Stage is often thought of as a secondary venue, it provided an ideal setting for the Kruger Brothers’ Friday night show, one in which they were accompanied by a string section for extra effect.
- The Avett Brothers were as energetic as always, and in fact, it’s no exaggeration to describe them as one of the most effusive live acts on the concert circuit these days. The brotherly rapport is evident, even when Scott Avett finds himself rambling on a bit and dependent on his brother Seth to swoop in and rescue him. Nevertheless, when Scott opted to climb off the stage and wander into the audience, he seemed to know exactly when it was time to resume his duties. “I wanted to go further out, but I guess I have to go back to work,” he joked.
And with that, another Merlefest takes its place in history, leaving its audiences with enough great memories and good vibes to carry the crowd over for another year. As Sam Bush told the audience after singing his new song “Stop the Violence,” it’s more important than ever to keep the peace in both music and mindset.
