Merlefest Offering Even More This Year
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2 • MerleFest • Wilkes Journal-Patriot • April 2014 MerleFest offering even more this year MerleFest is always a great value with Creekside Stage, including “Memories of many of the top artists in multiple musical Doc and Merle” with T. Michael Coleman, genres, but this year it has even more. David Holt, Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Rich- MerleFest 2014 has more performers than ard Watson and others; ever - over 130 appearing on 13 different • Dr. Ralph Stanley with Ricky Skaggs stages during the course of the four-day and Jim Lauderdale on the Watson Stage festival (April 24-27) at Wilkes Community Saturday; College in Wilkesboro. • Keller Williams and Larry and Jenny There are also more special collabora- Keel on Saturday on the Hillside Stage; tions of artists planned this year, not to • Keller Williams on the Watson Stage mention the ones that occur spontaneously. Friday night with the Travelin’ McCourys; The MerleFest Midnight Jam in the Walker • the Waybacks will again host the Hill - Center on Saturday night of the festival isn’t side Album Hour on Saturday. Every year, new, but it’s always the festival’s biggest a revered or iconic album is performed (but melting pot of talent. not announced in advance) from start to Participants in this year’s Jam, hosted finish. Many surprise guests will join in again by Scythian, include Keller Williams, the performance. Nora Jane Struthers and the Party Line, Other highlights, day by day, include: Peter Rowan, Frank Solivan and Dirty • Thursday, performances by the Carolina Kitchen, Steep Canyon Rangers, Della Mae, Chocolate Drops, Holly Williams, Scyth- 1430 Second Street 1838 Winkler Street Moore Brothers, Steel Wheels, Donna the ian, The Duhks, Junior Sisk and Ramblers North Wilkesboro Wilkesboro Buffalo, I Draw Slow, Waybacks, Pete and Choice, Josh Farrow and others. Friday Joan Wernick, the Deadly Gentlemen, Jim afternoon, participants in Pete Wernick’s Lauderdale, SC Broadcasters, Mandolin MerleFest Bluegrass Jam Camp will perform Orange, Mark Newton and Steve Thomas on the Cabin Stage. Legendary Dobro player and Town Mountain. Tut Taylor will kick off performances at the Welcome A separate ticket is required for the Mid- Plaza Stage at 2:30 p.m., and the Opening night Jam and can be purchased by four- Night Dance with The Duhks will take place day ticket holders and Saturday-only ticket starting at 10 p.m. at the Dance Stage. holders. • Friday, performances by Old Crow to MerleFest Other collaborations and special features Medicine Show, Keller Williams and the planned ths year include: Travelin’ McCourys, Tim O’Brien and Dar- • country star Alan Jackson’s Thursday rell Scott, Balsam Range, Lonesome River Enjoy the festival night performance of his recent all-blue- Band, Peter Rowan Band, Sutton, Holt & grass album, featuring heavy hitters in the Coleman, Missy Raines and The New Hip, bluegrass world; Todd Snider, Donna the Buffalo, The Steel COUPON • “BanjoRama” on Friday on the Watson Wheels and others. Stage, hosted by Pete Wernick and featuring • Saturday, performances by Dr. Ralph Jens Kruger, Sammy Shelor, Alison Brown, Stanley, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thun- Buy one, get one Mark Johnson, Jim Mills, Rob McCoury, der, Steep Canyon Rangers, Sam Bush Band, Terry Baucom, Ned Luberecki and Gra- Town Mountain, Alison Brown Quartet, ham Sharp. “BanjoRama, Part Two” on the Peter Rowan, The Steel Wheels, Della Mae, Creekside Stage Saturday afternoon; Claire Lynch Band, Nora Jane Struthers and • culmination of the Chris Austin Song- the Party Line, Frank Solivan and Dirty FREE writing Contest on Friday. After contest Kitchen, Niall Toner Band and others. chairman Jim Lauderdale announces the • Sunday opens with the “Spirit of Sunday” winners, the songwriters perform the win- with the Nashville Bluegrass Band and Avett Any large ning entries on the Cabin Stage at 9:30 p.m. Family Gospel Hour at Creekside Stage. • Doc and Merle Watson Performing Arts Sunday also features performances by Merle Showcase, hosted by Joe Smothers and Bob Haggard, Dailey & Vincent with Jimmy For- sandwich Hill, is Friday on the Austin Stage. This will tune, Jerry Douglas, Deadly Gentlemen, be a diverse sampling of local and regional Claire Lynch Band, Jim Lauderdale, Mando- This offer is good for the purchase of one large sandwich and one talent in a more intimate setting; lin Orange, Donna the Buffalo, Overmoun- free sandwich. Please limit one coupon per customer per visit. • Steep Canyon Rangers with several tain Men and more. A blues set Sunday Offer excluded $1 menu items. “special guests” as part of a Saturday night afternoon has Roy Book Binder, Richard Offer good through October 31, 2014 set on the Watson Stage; Watson,Mitchell Greenhill, Del Rey, Rory • several special events Saturday at the Block, Eleanor Ellis and Charles Welch. MerleFest • Wilkes Journal-Patriot • April 2014 • 3 Some basics on MerleFest The core mission of MerleFest is to honor the memory of music legend and MerleFest co-founder MerleFest Bound? Doc Watson and his son, musician Eddy Merle Watson; offer the best in “traditional plus” music and raise funds for Wilkes Community Get Geared Up at Cooks! College (WCC). The festival is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation. Come check out our store while you’re at MerleFest! A few basics about the festival follow, but for full details on tick- We have sandals… ets, rules, programming and more Chaco • Keen • Teva • Sanuk • Merrell and more go to http://www.merlefest.org. • Gates open on MerleFest’s first day at 2:30 p.m. and on the next We have hats… three days at 9 a.m.; Tilley • Western Hats • Shady Brady • Tula and more • Free parking and shuttle ser- vices are provided from the Blue Lot, located off N.C. 268 West We have Western wear… about a half-mile from the festi- Ryan Michael shirts • Double D Ranchwear and much more val grounds. • Four-day reserved seats are in front of the Watson Stage with We have Life is Good chairs provided and set up in advance. Unoccupied reserved apparel and hats… seats may be used by anyone before 5 p.m. or until owners return. Spe- We have camping supplies… cial wristbands are required for We have The North Face • Mountain Hardwear admission or re-admission to the reserved seating area after 5 p.m. backpacks • tents • General admission seating is on a first-come, first-served basis at We have rain gear… all stages. At the Watson Stage, gen- The North Face • Mountain Hardwear • Columbia eral admission seating is located directly behind the reserved seat- ing area. Children 12 and younger We have Western boots… are admitted free when accompa- Old Gringo • Ariat • Corral nied by a paying adult, except in the reserved seating area where a four-day reserved seating wrist- We have great band is required. • The Shoppes at MerleFest Smartwool socks… includes the MerleFest Gift Shop with official MerleFest memora- bilia, commercial vendors, heritage Visit us online at crafts demonstrations, first aid, www.cookssports.com overnight storage/lost & found, Internet access and more. www.escapetheordinary.biz • In the Watson Stage area are two large food tents operated by If you haven’t visited our store, please come by… You’ll be glad you did! Have a great festival! and benefiting nonprofit organiza- tions. They offer entrees, desserts and drinks. Snacks and other food are elsewhere at the event. Willow Lane • The Pickin’ Place is an area in West Park for musicians of all levels and North Wilkesboro genres play their instruments. It’s between the Traditional Stage and the Dance Stage. 667-4121 4 • MerleFest • Wilkes Journal-Patriot • April 2014 3 FIRST CITIZENS LN Daniel Hall 1 2 Randolph Hall MerleFest Mall CHRISTIE LN Walker Center 13 Lovette Hall 5 MEADOWVIEW DR. Hayes Hall Flattop’s Getaway R & R Tent 12 MerleFest Thompson Hall Little Pickers Gift Shop Family Area 4 The Shoppes Lowe’s Hall at MerleFest 6 9 11 7 10 Heritage Crafts Legend Alumni Hall COLLEGIATE DR 8 • ATM • Lost & Found 1• Watson Stage 10• Austin Stage CYNTHIA LANE POND RD Cooler/Bag • Autographs • Overnight Storage 2• Cabin Stage 11• Plaza Stage Check • People w/disabilities • Playground 3• Creekside Stage 12• Hillside Stage • Elevators • Raffle/ Silent Auction 4• Little Pickers Stage 13• Walker Center Box Office/ Will Call • Expo • Restroom 5• Americana Stage • Eddy Merle Watson • Security 6• Traditional Stage Shuttle Stop Garden for the Senses Volunteer Check-In • First Aid • WiFi Hotspot 7• Pickin’ Place CAROLINA REALTY LN Access Festival Check-In and RV Lot via Meadowview Drive • Food 8• Dance Stage April 24-27, 2014 • Information 9• Mayes Pit ©2014 by Lowe’s. All rights reserved. Lowe’s and The gable design are registered trademarks of LF, LCC. and The gable design are registered trademarks of LF, All rights reserved. Lowe’s ©2014 by Lowe’s. Music of MerleFest (and more) featured on 13 stages The stages of MerleFest are: featuring traditional music at its best; spot for performances; venue. Home of the Midnight Jam; • Watson Stage, with some of the largest • Dance Stage, beneath a large tent, with • Little Pickers Family Area, offering • Americana Stage, offering a relaxed acts and collaborations; everything from clogging to Cajun dances, activities, games and live music for the venue on the lawn near the Visitors Center; • Cabin Stage, next to the Watson Stage, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; young and the young at heart; • Lounge, with guitar, banjo, and mando- with some of the best acoustic music; • Chris Austin Stage, with some of the • Hillside Stage, with MerleFest artists lin contests and songwriter’s coffee house, • Mayes Pit Learning Stage, with instru- best songwriting and blues music; up close and jammin’.