Merlefest 08

I have just been getting into the fall swing of things. But today's announcement of the Merlefest 2008 line-up suddenly has me excited for spring. If you live in the South, and you have a musical bone in your body, you need to check out this festival at least once. Details below:

Once again Doc Watson will host the four-day festival to be held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC on April 24-27, 2008. Tickets will go on sale November 13.

Doc and Merle's son Richard Watson will be joined by The Avett Brothers; Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, Casey Driessen, & Ben Sollee; Sam Bush; The Carolina Chocolate Drops; Jerry Douglas; Levon Helm & The Midnight Ramble on the Road with Special Guests; Tim O'Brien; The Waifs; The Waybacks; Old Crow Medicine Show; Solas "Reunion,"with Karan Casey & John Doyle; Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder; Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mtn Boys; Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives; Dan Tyminski Band; Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven; Donna The Buffalo; Blue Highway; The Claire Lynch Band; Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus; Tony Rice; Peter Rowan; Ollabelle; Sally Van Meter; Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Pete Wernick & Flexigrass; The John Cowan Band; David Holt; The Infamous Stringdusters; Jorma Kaukonen; Hot Buttered Rum and many more.

-J.F.