The Jason Carter Band
In Lloyd, Kentucky, along U.S. 23, a sign on the Country Music Highway honors renowned fiddler Jason Carter. It stands as a testament to his remarkable career—Grammy wins, worldwide tours, and a long list of accolades. Deeply rooted in Kentucky’s bluegrass tradition, Carter continues to give back to the genre with unwavering dedication.
For three decades, he has been the fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band, the most awarded group in bluegrass history. A three-time Grammy winner, including 2018’s “Best Bluegrass Album” with the Travelin’ McCourys, which he co-founded, Carter has also earned five IBMA “Fiddle Player of the Year” awards. His influence spans generations, with countless bluegrass legends seeking him out for collaboration.
Over the years, Carter has watched the bluegrass community evolve and expand. With his solo album, Lowdown Hoedown, he brings together a lifetime of road-tested experience, masterful musicianship, and a deep passion for the future of bluegrass.
.
The Barefoot Movement
Granville County, NC natives Noah Wall and Tommy Norris are the founding members of the acclaimed alt-bluegrass outfit, The Barefoot Movement, which has carved out a healthy space in the acoustic scene since their 2010 debut album, Footwork. Their most recent release, 2024’s Let It Out, finds the group exploring new musical territory, while still standing firmly on their barefoot foundation, made up of lush harmonies, thoughtful instrumentation, and memorable melodies. Throughout each incarnation of the band, Noah’s singing, songwriting, and fiddle playing serve as the backbone, while Tommy Norris’s mandolin skills supply musical dexterity to their sound. Their energetic, joyous, and heartfelt performances have garnered them fans nationwide and beyond, and earned them the 2014 IBMA Momentum Award for Band of the Year.
Megan Jean’s Secret Family
Megan Jean’s Secret Family is a fresh blend of the 70’s by way of the 90’s rock, soul, country, and jam, emphasizing vocal-driven danceable original songs that bring together generations of sound.
Firewater Tent Revival
The Firewater Tent Revival is a Psychedelic Outlaw Jamgrass Band from Atlantic Beach, Florida (Jacksonville). Firewater has played more than a thousand shows over the past 14 years! Cutting their teeth in beach towns up and down the Florida coasts, Firewater’s thought-provoking originals and Americana-stylized covers provide pure entertainment to the unsuspecting masses. Folkrock? Punkgrass? Who can say, but you’ll definitely be dancing and jamming all night!
.
Jeremy Short
A little bit Marvin Gaye, a little bit Pink Floyd and a little bit Tyler Childers, Jeremy Short’s jam-fueled Appalachian soul music proves that there’s a lot more than country and bluegrass music radiating from the Eastern Kentucky mountains. Short’s epic tales will leave you dancing with jubilation one moment and crying the next. His unique blend of Appalachian soul music is incredibly effective and authentic because Appalachia is such an integral part of his own soul, and always will be.
Emay
Described by Grassrootsy as “one of the most multi-talented artists you will ever come across,” EMay is a soulful singer, masterful fingerpicking guitarist, and dynamic songwriter. Her music evokes the vastness of nature—both the untamed wilderness outside and the deep, uncharted landscapes within.
With a raw and honest voice, EMay explores themes of human potential, resilience, and healing—delving into the struggles of overcoming addiction and trauma while celebrating our fragile yet enduring connection to the web of life.
.
Tom Batchelor Band
Hillbilly Chic
Hillbilly Chic is an energetic mix of Old Time, Bluegrass, and Country/Folk music. Banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bass, and vocals combine to blend music of different genres into an honest, organic sound that is entertaining, exciting, and joyful. The band is inspired by musicians of grit and substance: think Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers meet Jim Morrison, or Flatt and Scruggs meet Townes Van Zandt.
Black Dog Alley
At the heart of Black Dog Alley lies a simple yet powerful mission: to move you, groove you, and rock your very soul! Based in Easton, Maryland, this dynamic quartet provide sets that span funk, blues, soul, and rock & roll. Their music strikes a perfect balance between light and heavy, creating an exhilarating listening experience. The band has proudly self-released two full albums—Blue Mood (2023) and Heavy Entity (2024)—and is continuously writing and recording new material to keep their sound fresh.
With a proven track record of electrifying performances, Black Dog Alley has entertained audiences across the Mid-Atlantic, opened for Rock & Roll royalty, and were recently featured in Relix Magazine as an Artist-on-the-rise.
The Wild Shoats
Emerging from the in-between realms of Morgantown, WV, and Millheim, PA, The Wild Shoats write an alt-folk soundtrack to the strange times they find themselves in—a time where the old ways feel more relevant than ever. Characterized by the plaintive sound of fiddles, mountain singing, The Wild Shoats call on their collective background of Appalachian old-time fiddling, folk songs, honky tonk, and the high-lonesome to reimagine the songs and sounds of their home through haunting original material and well-loved covers. The Wild Shoats won the Appalachian String Band Music Festival’s Neo-Traditional Band Competition in 2023, just a few months after the band’s formation, and they released their debut album, Yell In The Shoats, in early 2025. The band is comprised of brothers Gus and Huck Tritsch (Millheim, PA), Mary Linscheid (Morgantown, WV), and Alex Heflin (Morgantown, WV).
Red Hawk
Makenna Hope
Makenna Hope is a 19 year old singer-songwriter who grew up in the hills of St. Albans, West Virginia. Her strong alto vocals and wide range make this young artist a force to be reckoned with.
Coming from a family full of music lovers, she was introduced to classic country at a young age and quickly fell in love with artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and Loretta Lynn.
Since first taking the stage at age 8, she has performed with a number of artists that range from country to indie rock. Some of those artists include: Andrew Adkins, John Lilly, Annie Neeley, Ron Sowell, Parmalee, Colt Ford, Dan and Shay, and Hello June.