I hope everybody who wanted to submit a song to the Chris Austin song writing contest already got it in, because submissions ended on Feb 1st.


I just got an email today saying that 3 new artists have been added to the lineup... and based on comments from the forum about favorite artists, I think this year's lineup includes several of key interest to forum regulars. Some of the heavy hitters include:

John Prine, Tommy Emmanuel, Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, The Kruger Brothers, Sierra Hull... just to name a few people who have been mentioned here on the forum in the past.

I think some of the lesser known acts are often more entertaining because they go all out to earn a reputation, whereas sometimes the established acts play it safe. (I especially like Scythian... check 'em out on youtube)

Here's the whole list:

http://merlefest.org/lp-v4

anybody from the forum who wants to attend Merlefest is welcome to stay at my place and drive to the festival with me each day (offer limited to people I've known and conversed with for a while)

I'll even feed ya breakfast every morning. You're on your own for dinner.

If the price tag is too high, you can sign up as a volunteer (what I do) and work a few hours each day, having the rest of the day off with the same access to all shows as if you had paid to get in.

If you come to Merlefest but don't stay at my house, you can find me at the Americana stage working on the stage crew. (Noon to 4 every day)

Man! This just looks like all kinds of cool! I'm jealous!

Thanks for sharing Pat! I may have to put this in my budget for next year and decide to make a trip! What a blast that would be!

Keep posting. It motivates me

keep in mind the fact that they don't have the same lineup every year... this year's lineup is the best I've seen in a while.

If you volunteer, the only budget you need is gas money from Wisconsin to North Carolina. But flights are cheap now.. you could probably fly for less than you could drive. Heck, I'll even pick you up at the Greensboro or Charlotte airport if ya come! (or anybody else)

Staying at hotel Marr is free, so no budget needed there...

Just sayin'.

Consider the number of acts that will be appearing over 4 days... then consider what it would cost to see any ONE of them at a coliseum... then consider the fact that for nothing more than travel expenses, anyone willing to volunteer could see ALL of them! Plus have a mini music-related vacation in the south while it's still not warm in the north. NC weather is typically wonderful during the last week of April when Merlefest is held.

self analysis worksheet. Check one.

[__] I'm a big ol' chicken who never steps outside his comfort zone to try anything new and interesting. I'm content to keep on doing the same ol' junk I've been doing until I die. Boring is good. "Darkness was cheap, and Scrooge liked it."


[__] I know there's a 100% mortality rate, and I ain't getting any younger. The years are passing whether I do anything with them or not... but I actively choose to use them advantageously! I choose to seek out activities and adventures that aren't crazy-@$$ foolish, but that are low cost and high benefit excursions


Think about it. Whether you check one of these or not, you will certainly make one of these choices.

Pat, you make me laugh my friend. There is a lot of truth to your worksheet!

I have to say, what an amazing and generous offer for forum members! Everything in me is screaming "do it"...then my wife would scream "you are NOT doing it!" Ok, she's not that way at all...it's just we have a family wedding during those dates...on my side of the family. I just don't see that going over well lol

I am amazed by that line up! Wow! That's A LOT of bands!

Working the event sometimes provides opportunities you wouldn't get otherwise too!

Great post!

Pat,

As you already know, I’ve been to Merlefest at least 6 or 8 times, mostly in the earlier years of the festival. The lineups are always stellar. I’ve played in the guitar contest there a few times too.

One year they had a stage set up for anyone who wanted to jam and we played there for hours with a huge variety of people. A banjo player that joined us was crazy good and he could play every banjo style from Earl Scruggs to Bela Fleck. Not to mention that he could fingerpick a guitar like a pro. We were still playing after the last show was over.

I wish I could make it down but I’ve got too much work to do here at the cabin this year.

I will take you up on your generous offer at some point but not this year. I’d advise catching as many of Sierra Hull's shows as you can.

Enjoy, my friend.

Just one of many highlights from Merlefest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyCPwqRujd4

Even though I don't listen to bluegrass I always have an appreciation and respect for great musicianship.
Cool vid and a damn fine collection of musicians.

Carry on...

Well, I just got back from Merlefest 2016! What a great experience to volunteer and be a part of such a global music adventure! Quite a few of the performers this year were from Canada, and I found myself wondering if the people at PGMusic were familiar with them.

Some of the posts above this one mention the line-up of performers, so I won't repeat that information here... but if you want to know what you missed, scroll up and check it out!

I am very happy to report that one of the forum member from here accepted my offer to stay at my home and commute to Merlefest each day! The forum member who goes by the name "dga" (real name: David Abowd) also lives in NC and is a fan of the same music, so it worked out well for both of us!

David is a very smart man. He used to own a music store and repaired instruments, so he knows all kinds of obscure details about the construction of the instruments the performers had on stage, and his explanations and observations were very enlightening to me!

As a former music store owner and NAMM attendee, he also knew many of the music vendors and performers on a first name basis, so I just faded into the background and let David shine in multiple ways! He is a very people-oriented communicator (unlike me, I try to remain invisible) and it was interesting watching him engage others in conversation for 4 days!

Probably my least favorite part of the festival (working as stage crew) was hauling Donna The Buffalo's Hammond B3 off the stage at the end of her band's performance. It wouldn't have been too bad, but the stage was on a raised platform, and the stairs were too narrow to fit a person comfortably on each corner of the organ.

Anyway, it was a great time.. it was wonderful to meet and bond with David Abowd (dga) and I want to repeat the invitation for next year to others from the forum who may want to attend Merlefest

I was hoping you'd post an update for us. I just watched a short clip of Sierra Hull that she posted on Facebook yesterday just before going onstage for her 3:30 performance on the cabin stage.

Hopefully you were able to catch her show.

Hey Bob! I was hoping to hear from you!
Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of volunteering is that it ties you to one area for 4 hours each day, and you miss whatever is happening on every other stage during that window! Sierra played while I was on duty. I also Missed Tommy Emmanuel... and they were two of the acts I most wanted to see!

I'm starting to suspect that all the volunteer spots anywhere near Watson stage are reserved for inner circle friends and family... and I'm not in that circle. My assignments tend to be the most peripheral stages where the people who barely made it to Merlefest are playing. But then, by the time you get invited to Merlefest, you're worth listening to! Upshot is that I'm missing the established stars, but getting to hear the rising stars

There was this little 12 year old girl named Emi Sunshine who blew me away! She has such confidence and power in her voice...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDyoK87asUU

I want to thank Pat for making my first Merlefest such a wonderful experience. I don't have as much time as I need right now to answer Pat's post. I'll just say that he is a wonderful host, and I certainly want to continue the traditions we started this year. I have to prepare for the Kruger Brother's Academy.

My first time attending Merlefest, enhanced by having my own personal guide. Pat was an ace at navigating the festival. Oriented me to all of my responsibilities as first time volunteer.

I was surprised how many old friends I caught up with in the Expo tent. Even a few offers to rep products, and engage in some wood finishing R and D with a large instrument manufacturer.

I was so lucky to be an usher at the stage while Tommy Emmanuel was playing. I also can't believe how fast his fingers move.

Oh No, I'm sorry Pat I wasn't supposed to mention Tommy.

Insider joke here.

David is referring to my chilly response when he started telling me about Tommy Emmanuel's show... which I didn't get to see because I was busy dismantling a stage elsewhere on the campus. ;-)

Whew... Pretty rough I'd say.

Whatever happened to 'never hit a man while he's down'

But... if only you could've worked faster on that dismantle job!

I didn't mean to hit a man while he is down, but, when you check something off of your Bucket List, I think, it is "required" to PUBLICIZE it. Still, I'm sorry Pat.

I didn't tell Pat I saw Jens Kruger and Tommy talking back stage. So close to them I almost read their lips. Tommy put Jens in a headlock. Julie Macie (The Kruger Brother's Photographer) caught it on film. If I don't share it with Pat I'm afraid he will see it on FaceBook and get mad at me for not giving him the exclusive coverage he deserves.

Oh, you saw Jens Krüger? Was Uwe there also?

I've known them for a long time, haven't seen them since I left Switzerland.

Wow! small world!

Yes, both of the brothers were there! David knows both Kruger brothers personally, and will be at one of their teaching clinics next week. (another reason to hate the guy) ((just kidding.. David is a great fellow))

When Kruger brothers left Switzerland they moved to the same town where Merlefest is held (Wilkesboro NC)... largely BECAUSE of Merlefest.. and they have appeared there every year since their first appearance when they still lived in Europe.

Are you in Switzerland or Germany? When I was still working as a manufacturing engineer I was sent to Rorschach on lake Constance a couple of times because the machines we used to make airfoils are built there. Beautiful place!!

Pat -

When I was stationed in Germany back in the early 1980's, we used to visit Bodensee (Lake Constance) every year. It really is a beautiful part of the country, and the drive to get there is wonderful.

We did it as part of an annual summertime castle excursion - first to Chiemsee to see Herrenchiemsee, which is King Ludwig's version of the Palace of Versailles; then to Salzburg, Austria; then back into Germany to the Linderhof Castle (not far from Oberammergau, the site of the famous Passion Play and wonderful woodworking); then to Hohenschwangau to see Neuschwanstein (which we Americans often refer to as the basis for the Walt Disney Castle); and finally to Bodensee to spend the day there before heading back home. It was always a great time, a great drive, and the folks in Bavaria were wonderful.

the small world is getting even smaller John! Wow!

You know, I think our forum friends in that part of the world should have a BIAB get together over there and invite us so we have an excuse to go there. ;-)

I'm back in Germany since January 2004. (Btw: GHinCH was my first name in an email address with Compuserve -- Guido Haas in Confoederatio Helvetica while I was in Switzerland.)

I agree, the area around lake Constance is a beautiful area, no matter where you are around the lake.

Meanwhile it takes me a day to drive to lake Constance since I live in the very north of Germany, about 110 miles to Denmark, but close to Hamburg. The distance is about 520 miles to the northern shores of the lake.

Hi, Guido -

I lived in Aschaffenburg(50 kilometers east of Frankfurt) for two years, and then in the Wuerzburg area (70 kilometers west of Aschaffenburg, and actually, in the small village of Rottendorf just outside Wuerzburg) for a year and a half. I loved my time in Germany and we travelled all over, both north and south. Spent many hours riding the rails, but also enjoyed getting places pretty quickly via the autobahn (which I understand has slowed down considerably since the early 1980's).

Yes John,

it has slowed down. Too much traffic, but still there is a chance to go from Hamburg to the Swiss Border with an average speed of more than 80 miles per hour in daylight at the right day during the week within the allowed speed limits -- though it is not predictable. (Tuesday is a good day when you start at 9. a.m.)

The Würzburg area has a nice landscape. I like it there.