For 25 years now, MerleFest has been bringing good times and great tunes to Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and it’s ready to do so again this April 26 to 29. Initially intended to keep the memory of Eddy Merle Watson alive, and as the primary fundraiser for the college, the festival has now grown into a gathering of talent and musical variety that is unmatched by some festivals to this day.
Some of the headliners include Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Tony Rice, The Punch Brothers, Doc Watson (the son of Merle), and many more.
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased through the festival’s website. A four-day pass will run you about $140.00 while a three-day, Friday to Sunday pass goes for about $125.00. But be careful, if you wait till March 3, 2012 prices go up significantly and they might even sell out. RV and tent camping are available too, but again, space is limited and special conditions apply.
So be sure not to miss out on this special event that gets better every year, because this one looks like it’s going to be the best one yet.
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Full MerleFest 2012 Lineup
Richard Watson
Timmy and Susana Abell
Alberti Flea Circus
Banknotes
Benedict College Gospel Choir
Blind Boy Chocolate & The Milk Sheiks
Roy Book Binder
Laura Boosinger
The Boxcars
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
Brooke and George Buckner
Buffalo Barfield
Sam Bush
T Michael Coleman
Dailey & Vincent
The Deep Dark Woods
Dehlia Low
Donna the Buffalo
Casey Driessen
Sarah and Christian Dugas
Enter The Haggis
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones
Mary Flower
The Gibson Brothers
Vince Gill
The Greencards
Mitch Greenhill
Stefan Grossman
John Hammond
Wayne Henderson
Bob Hill
David Holt
The Honeycutters
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
The InterACTive Theater of Jef
Fruteland Jackson
Johnson's Crossroad
Jubal's Kin
Kickin Grass Band
Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
The Kruger Brothers
Jim Lauderdale
Jack Lawrence
Jeff Little
The Local Boys
Lost Bayou Ramblers
Claire Lynch Band
Dougie MacLean
Bill Mathis
Andy May
Cliff Miller
Misty River Band
Nashville Bluegrass Band
The Neighbors
Paul's Creek Band
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
Joe Sam Queen
Red June
Tony Rice Unit
Carol Rifkin
Michael Roach
Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican Airforce
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
Scythian
The Sigmon Stringers
Sims Country Cloggers
Steve and Ruth Smith
Joe Smothers
Snyder Family Band
The Steel Wheels
Steep Canyon Rangers
Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives
Tut Taylor
Tedeschi Trucks Band
The Tone Blazers
Happy Traum
The Waybacks
Charles Welch
Pete and Joan Wernick
The Wild Rumpus
Tony Williamson
Wylie & the Wild West
The Zephyr Lightning Bolts
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Source: MerleFest
