Merlfest 2010
Legendary guitarist Doc Watson was presented with an honorary doctor of music degree from Berklee on Saturday 1st May at MerleFest, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
The award was presented by Matt Glaser who is the artistic director of Berklee’s American Roots Music Program. Also on stage was and professor Stephen Webber. and Rusty Williams a Berklee trustee. The audience of some 20,000 people gave the legend a highly deserved standing ovation as the presentation was made on the Watson Stage in the Wilksbro University grounds .
You can read a review of the festival on Ted Lehmann’s blog.
Cindy Baucom has advised that she has posted up some pics of this year’s Merlfest on her blog - www.kneedeepinbluegrass.blogspot.com.
Cindy has a radio show called Knee Deep In Bluegrass and her own facebook site.
Preparations are well underway for MerleFest 2010, which begins next Thursday, April 29, and runs through Sunday, May 2, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Merlfest is now in its 23rd year after being founded in 1988 in memory of Doc Watson’s son, Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College and a celebration of traditional plus music.
Merlfest features four days of performances by over 100 artists on 15 stages. As in previous years, the list of performers fits the traditional plus definition offered by Doc Watson when describing the rich musical diversity that is a hallmark of the event. Sounds of bluegrass, blues, gospel, country and Americana will fill the air. The award-winning lineup represents a group of artists who have collectively earned over 20 Grammy Awards, 46 International Bluegrass Music Awards and 4 Americana Music Association Awards, among many others.
Doc Watson himself was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1988; received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton in 1997; and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences at the 2004 Grammy Awards show.
The complete lineup and stage schedules are posted at www.merlefest.org. Fans at MerleFest can also expect the unexpected, with special surprises, spontaneous jam sessions and one-of-a-kind musical collaborations.
If you’re in North Carolina in April, you need to do Merlfest.
Thinking of Going to Merlfest?
The deadline for Early Bird ticket prices to MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, has been extended to Tuesday, 6th April, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. That is the last day to purchase 4-day and 3-day tickets at the Early Bird price, representing an average 10% discount.
Ticket purchases can be made on the web at http://www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. Free parking is available, and children 12 years of age and younger are admitted free to the festival when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.
MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, will celebrate its 23rd year from 29th April – 2nd May, 2010 on the campus of Wilkes Community College. There will be over 100 acts performing on 15 stages during the course of the event, with a complete list of confirmed performers is available at www.merlefest.org. As in previous years, the list of performers fits the traditional plus definition offered by Doc Watson when describing the rich musical diversity that is a hallmark of the event.
MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College and a celebration of “traditional plus” music.
The submission deadline for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2010 presented by Lowe’s, is fast approaching. All entries must be received by 18th February 2010.
Now in its 18th year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.
Contest entries are now being accepted via the following methods:
Details about entry fees, eligibility and other requirements are available at chrisaustinsongwritingcontest.org.
To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50% of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing. Entries Must Be Received by February 18, 2010.
Holiday Photo Treats III – Merlefest 2009
Ted Lehmann has posted up his third series of Merlfest photos on his blog Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms.
Blog’s 3rd Anniversary
Ted also celebrates three years of blogging. His first blog entry is dated 4th December 2006. Since that time, Ted has contributed over 400 entries the majority of which are reports on bluegrass events.
In the past year, Irene and I attended sixteen bluegrass festivals and twenty-five other events devoted to bluegrass music in some form or other. We went to fewer festivals, I think because the economy, especially through the winter, frightened us…
All told, we spent 216 nights on the road with 200 nights in our trailer. We’re painfully aware that age is slowing us down; we don’t drive as far or as hard, and it takes us longer to recover from a trip. Nevertheless, we spread out geographically and broadened both our circle of bluegrass friends while learning more and more about this world we’ve come to value and love so much - Ted Lehmann.
Read Ted’s anniversary post on Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms.
MerleFest – 29th April to 2nd May
If you’re planning to head over to the US for Merlfest next year, tickets go on sale tomorrow. An early bird ticket discount is available until 12th March 2010.
Ticket purchases can be made on the web at http://www.merlefest.org or by calling international 1-800-343-7857.
MerleFest 2010 will celebrate its 23rd year from 29th April – 2nd May, 2010. A complete list of confirmed performers is available from previous posting on our site.
MerleFest 2010, will once again host the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.
Now in its 18th year, the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. is an opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.
Contest entries are now being accepted via the following methods:
- U.S. Mail to – P. O. Box 121855, Nashville, TN 37212
- Online at American Songspace
- Online at Sonicbids
Details about entry fees, eligibility and other requirements are available at Chris Austin Songwriting Contest . The deadline for submissions is 18th Feb. 2010. To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50% of his or her total income from songwriting or from music publishing.
The contest recognizes winners in four categories—country, bluegrass, gospel and general. First place winners in each category receive: a performance on the Merlfest Cabin Stage (29 April – 2 May), an acoustic guitar, a cheque for $300, two boxes of D’Addario strings and one-year subscriptions to both Acoustic Guitar and American Songwriter magazines. Second and third place winners in each category receive performance slots on the Friday night Songwriters Coffeehouse, as well as cash prizes, D’Addario strings and subscriptions to Acoustic Guitar and American Songwriter.
Recent Comments