Photo Credit: Devin Ulery
The Scene
Thirty years ago, the legendary Doc Watson founded MerleFest to honor the memory of his son who died in a tragic accident. Now 80,000 fans gather every spring on the campus of Wilkes Community College for America's largest roots festival. Legends mix with newcomers to perform surprising collaborations of bluegrass, folk, and Americana.
2017 Artist Lineup
- Alberti Flea Circus
- Todd Albright
- Darin & Brooke Aldridge
- Jim Avett
- Banknotes
- The BattleAxe Band
- Bethel University Renaissance Bluegrass Band
- Roy Book Binder
- The Bluegrass Experience
- Laura Boosinger & The Midnight Plowboys
- Mark
- “Brink” Brinkman
- Zac Brown Band
- Andy Buckner
- Mark Bumgarner
- Sam Bush Band
- Chatham County Line
- Michael Coleman
- The Contenders
- P. Cormier
- Counterclockwise String Band
- Dear Brother
- Pat Donohue
- Jerry Douglas
- John Doyle
- Eric Ellis
- Flando Calrissian
- Scott Freeman
- Front Country
- The Gravy Boys
- The Green Grass Cloggers and Strictly Strings
- Mitch Greenhill
- Virgil Harden & the Appalachian Countdown
- Nate Harris and Spice Creek Ramblers
- Wayne Henderson
- Bob Hill
- David Holt
- The Hook & Bullet
- I Draw Slow
- The InterACTive Theatre of Jef
- Steve James
- Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
- Jim Lauderdale
- Jack Lawrence
- Jeff Little Trio
- The Local Boys
- Locust Honey String Band
- Lydia Luce
- Claire Lynch
- Bill Mathis
- Andy May
- Del McCoury Band
- Pat McInerney
- Mountain Heart
- Megan Nash
- Carol Rifkin and Jeanette Queen
- Roanoke
- Peter Rowan
- Scythian
- ShadowGrass
- Steve and Ruth Smith
- Joe Smothers
- Ed Snodderly
- The Stray Birds
- String Madness with Mitch Greenhill
- Surry Line
- Bryan Sutton Band
- Swift Creek
- 10 String Symphony
- Ken Tizzard
- The Trailblazers
- Happy Traum
- Uncle Joe and the Shady Rest
- The Waybacks
- The WBT Briarhoppers
- Charles Welch
- Pete & Joan Wernick
- Uncle Ted White
- Tony Williamson