BRISTOL,Tenn./VA - " The Birthplace of Country Music announced the lineup for its 18th annual BristolRhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, slated for Sept. 21-23, in historic downtown Bristol, Tenn./VA.
The festival runs the gamut of edgy rock, alternative country, blues, honky-tonk, old-time, bluegrass and Americana, and relishes in the unexpected with under-the-radar acts that are destined for distinction.
“It’s important to us that Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion remains unique. We stay true to our mission, but continue to innovate with our lineup,†said Leah Ross, BCM executive director. “BCM is the parent nonprofit of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and Radio Bristol. Younger audiences get excited about artists that are more progressive, but that leads them to engage with our more traditional acts and we hope that sparks an interest to seek outthat history. After all, even Nirvana recorded a song from the ‘1927 Bristol Sessions.’â€
Headlining Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in 2018 is Grammy Award-winning sextet Old Crow Medicine Show. The Americana/old-time/folk hybrid was considered to be among those edgier andmore progressive acts when they first performed at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion back in 2004 asa star-on-the-rise. It was the same year that Old Crow released the album “O.C.M.S.,†which included the band’s signature anthem “Wagon Wheel.†Old Crow Medicine Show is among the bandsmost requested to perform at Bristol Rhythm. 2018 marks the act’s third appearance at the festival,having last performed at the event in 2005.
Progressive jam band Railroad Earth also makes a Bristol Rhythm 2018 trifecta, the festival alumni performed in 2006 and 2011 to wide acclaim - another act on the most requested list.
Two-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, film composer and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal has been performing for more than 50 years, earning him the Lifetime Achievement for PerformanceAward at the 13th Annual Americana Honors and Awards in 2014. The groundbreaking artist reshaped the definition and scope of the blues by infusing elements of Caribbean, African and SouthPacific influences into his sound. This is the artist’s first appearance in Bristol, performing as the TajMahal Trio.
The SteelDrivers make their fourth appearance at the festival, if history repeats, this will be oneof the most attended sets by the bluegrass and Americana-loving crowd.
Following a headlining bill at last year’s RTE 23 Music Festival, the Marcus King Band makes its debut at Bristol Rhythm ’18. The 21-year-old prodigy is making his rounds on national TV and at major festivals and venues across the country with a horn section and the guitar prowess of a seasoned musician well beyond his years.
The Lone Star State is well-represented at the festival, as legendary Texas swing icon Asleep at the Wheel share billing with alt-country pioneers Old 97’s and honky-tonk heroes Dale Watson &His Lonestars. Though Watson is a festival fave, this will be the inaugural performances for both Asleep at the Wheel and Old 97’s at Bristol Rhythm.
More lineup additions include festival alumni The Waybacks and Scott Miller & the Commonwealth, Twin Peaks, the Ruen Brothers, and British rocker Barns Courtney.
Chris Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds. Herb Pedersen began his career playing with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. The duo comes together with gypsy jazz pioneer JohnJorgensonand Grammy-winner Mark Fain for a combination that crosses the boundaries of country-rock, bluegrass, honky-tonk and Tex-Mex at Bristol Rhythm 2018.
More than 900 volunteers are needed to help with the festival. If you are interested in signing up fora shift, visiBristolRhythm.com to apply. Each volunteer will receive a single day pass for each shift they work.
To view the entire 2018 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion artist lineup or to purchase weekend wristbands visit BristolRhythm.com. Weekend wristbands are $80 through April.
2018 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Lineup:
Old Crow Medicine Show, Railroad Earth, Taj Mahal Trio, The SteelDrivers, Marcus King Band, Twin Peaks, Barns Courtney, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Asleep at the Wheel, Ruen Brothers, Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Old 97's, The Waybacks, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen ft., John Jorgenson & Mark Fain, The War and Treaty, Low Cut Connie, Sierra Hull, Seldom Scene, Acoustic Syndicate, Balsam Range, Larry Keel Experience, BlueHighway, The Cleverlys, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Molly Tuttle, Folk Soul Revival, Amythyst Kiah. Bill & The Belles, The Whiskey Gentry, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, The New Familiars, Goodnight, Texas, Mt. Joy, The Commonheart, The New Respects, Annabelle's Curse, C2 & the Brothers Reed, Mile Twelve, The National Reserve, The Pigeon Kings, Birds of Chicago, Lilly Hiatt, Ed Snodderly, Blank Range, The Wooks, Devon Gilfillian, Zephaniah OHora, Beth Snapp, Virginia Ground, Jonathan Byrd & The Pickup Cowboys, The Last RevelSarah Shook & The Disarmers, Breaking Grass, High Fidelity, The Amanda Cook Band, Cordovas, Daddy Duo Revel in Dimes, Tony Williamson, Missy Raines & The New Hip, Annie Robinette, Trisha Gene Brady, After Jack, The Church Sisters, Sally & George, JP Parsons & The American Bandwagon, McKay & Leigh, DownTown Abby & The Echoes, Ancient Cities, Andrew Alli, Circus No. 9, Hello, Stranger ft. Dale Jett, Fritz & Co., If Birds Could Fly, Guy Marshall, Young Mister
Adam Bolt & The Bevy, Adam Lawson, Andy Buckner, Andy Ferrel l, T io , The Baker Fami ly, Bella Raye, Ben Gilmer, Billy Crawford Band, The Boys, Breaking Tradition, Buffalo FiascoChris Jamison, Cookin' With Grass, The Corklickers, Dan Deel Daniel Miller & the High Life, Duty Free, Empty Bottle Stringband, ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band, ETSU Old Time Pride Band, The Floorboards Folk Alt., Gary Reid, Glen Harlow & North Fork, Gracie Lane, The Green Fingers, The Honey Badgers, Indian Run Stringband, Indighost, Jackdaw's 7, Jake Quillin BandJames Meadows, Jason "Hoss" Hicks & His Southsiders, Joy BlairJustin Crider & The Usual Suspects, Kristy Cox Trio, Lodi, Loose Leaves, The Maggie Valley Band.
Mark Brinkman, Marshall Ballew, Milan Miller, Monster Atlantic, My New Favorites, Possum Creek Playboys, The Pythia, Rex Montgomery & Mike Jessee,Rhythm & The Roosevelts, Ron Short & The Possum Playboys, The Royal Hounds
The Sammy Guns Band, Saw Black, Scotty Melton, Sean McConnell, Sigean, Soulfinger Southern Cities, Tim Easton, Todd Day Wait's Pigpen, and Trifecta of Jam.
