April 26, 2017 11:00 AM
For 30 years, MerleFest has featured the very best of acoustic and Americana music honoring the life of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of Doc Watson (Merle Watson died in 1985 at age 36; Doc Watson passed away in 2012 at age 89). The internationally-renowned gathering runs Thursday through Sunday, April 27-30, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. It opens strong on Thursday with The Avett Brothers, Del McCoury Band, Mandolin Orange and others. Friday features Steep Canyon Rangers, Leftover Salmon and the Transatlantic Sessions tour with Jerry Douglas, James Taylor and others. IBMA top female vocalist Claire Lynch, Jorma Kaukonen and The Bluegrass Experience are among Saturday’s notables. On Sunday, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will rock the stage, and Jim Lauderdale and Mipso will also perform. For more information, go to merlefest.org.
Other highlights
- Friday night, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers will honky-tonk the Cat’s Cradle Back Room in Carrboro along with Two Dollar Pistols.
- Thursday (May 4) brings the Grassroots Festival at Shakori Hill just outside Pittsboro, while the Nash Street Ramblers play the Blue Note Grill in Durham.
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