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Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

The Barefoot Movement delivers powerful, heart-rending, inoculation against lifelessness in any of its forms.

Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Omar Ruiz-Lopez (he/him) is a distinguished musician and educator currently based in Durham, NC, with a remarkable command over multiple instruments, including violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin. His roots lie in North Carolina, having been a part of the burgeoning Triangle music scene for 13 years until his move to Nashville in 2023 and back in 2025.

Since his time in Nashville, Omar has played and recorded with artists such as the GRAMMY-nominated band War and Treaty, Franklin Jonas, Lizzie No, Harper Grace and Langhorne Slim, and cowritten with songwriters such as Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-nominated Melody Walker (Sierra Ferrell, American Dreaming). He is currently working on an EP with Willa Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing.

Born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico, Omar’s early exposure to traditional Caribbean folk songs, courtesy of his father, laid the foundation for his deep appreciation for music. Spanish is his first language, and it remains an integral part of his cultural identity.

Musician and storyteller Appaloosa Redd explores the powerful ties between spirituality and blues culture, drawing on his family’s deep gospel and community legacy rooted in North Carolina and beyond. Colin Cutler, Greensboro-based singer-songwriter and folk musician will host the session.

American Sign Language interpretation provided.

Slippery Hill featuring Fiddlin’ Al McCanless specializes in Bluegrass and Folk music, performed by Chapel Hill, NC’s own Charles Pettee (guitar, mandolin, vocals) with his son Jackson Pettee (guitar, vocals), along with guests such as Al McCanless. Their repertoire is enhanced by original pieces composed by Charles during his tenure as a member of The Shady Grove Band and across his 30-year career as a professional musician. Charles has logged over 6,000 performances throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, and currently performs as a teaching artist in schools throughout the southeastern US,

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Phil Jamison is nationally-known as a dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. He has called dances, performed, and taught at music festivals and dance events throughout the U.S. and overseas since the early 1970s, including over forty years as a member of the Green Grass Cloggers. His flatfoot dancing was featured in the film Songcatcher for which he also served as Traditional Dance consultant. Over the last thirty years, Phil has done extensive research in the area of Appalachian dance, and his book Hoedowns, Reels and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance (University of Illinois Press, 2015) tells the story behind the square dances, step dances, reels, and other forms of dance practiced in southern Appalachia.

In Lloyd, Kentucky, on U.S. 23, there’s a sign on the Country Music Highway dedicated to renowned fiddler Jason Carter. It was placed there because of his other accomplishments—the Grammy awards, the worldwide tours, and the many other accolades he’s earned through his music. But for Carter, joining the legendary names honored on that stretch of highway just might mean the most. “There’s a certain sound that’s up there that you just don’t hear anywhere else,” he says. “I think that played a big part in how I sound today.”

True to those Kentucky roots, Carter continues to pour all he has back into bluegrass. For thirty years, he has been the fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band—the most awarded group in bluegrass history. He’s won three Grammy awards, including 2018’s “Best Bluegrass Album” with the Travelin’ McCourys, of which he is a founding member. And he’s taken home five IBMAs for “Fiddle Player of the Year,” a staggering number that isn’t quite so crazy once you realize just how many bluegrass greats have turned to Carter for collaboration.

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

A leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences around the world to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music. A student of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee, Joseph draws on a deep well of creativity and repertoire to create fresh sounds. His performances are inviting and nourishing, connecting audiences to the music’s transcendent beauty. Joseph performs in a trio with Cleek Schrey and Luke Richardson as well as the Bucking Mules. He also works outside of the traditional music world. His playing can be heard on recordings by fellow Durham, NC artists Hiss Golden Messenger, Wye Oak, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Elephant Micah, and others.

The Legacy Chorale is led by its founder, Jared L. Payton. Based in the Fayetteville area its members draw from a wide range of North Carolina gospel traditions in creating the ensemble’s choral arrangements.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

JJ GREY & MOFRO: From his early days playing cover music behind chicken wire at a west side Jacksonville juke joint while still working at a lumberyard, to playing sold-out shows at some of the largest venues and music festivals in the world, JJ Grey has always delivered his soul-honest truths. Since his first album, Blackwater, back in 2001, Grey has been releasing deeply moving, masterfully written, funkified rock and front porch Southern soul music. Learn more about JJ Grey at jjgrey.com.

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS: A string band with a big, expansive sound, Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass rode their regional D.I.Y. roots to national success in the late 2000s after years of hard touring and a succession of finely crafted independent releases. Approaching classic Americana styles with an exploratory, progressive spirit, the group’s members claim to have come to bluegrass through the back door, citing rock influences as their gateway into more traditional acoustic styles. Through releases like 2014’s bluegrass chart-topping breakout If Sorrows Swim and 2016’s Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, Greensky Bluegrass have continued to fuse the energy of rock with the earthy spirit of string music. Following an outpouring of archival live releases, the group returned in early 2022 with the eclectic Stress Dreams.

Scholar and performer Kendall Kent explores the gospel quartet tradition through the powerful role of the bass voice, highlighting his inspirations and mentors Warren Baldwin of Raleigh’s Capital City Five and William Bobo of the legendary Dixie Hummingbirds.

This FREE presentation is part of a partnership between the North Carolina Folklife Institute (NCFI) and PineCone. It’s funded in part with support from the North Carolina Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. NCFI is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting the diverse folklife and traditional arts of North Carolina.

American Sign Language interpretation provided.

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn- driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin-based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on- stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd.

Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Town Mountain is the sum of all its vast and intricate influences — this bastion of alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude pushed through the hardscrabble Southern Appalachian lens of its origin. “For us, it’s all about the interaction between the audience and the band — doing whatever we can onstage to facilitate that two-way street of energy and emotion,” says mandolinist Phil Barker. “Whether it’s a danceable groove or a particular lyric in a song, we’re projecting what we’re going through in our daily lives, and we feel that other people can attest to that, as well — it’s all about making that connection.” Amid a renewed sense of self is the group’s latest album, Lines in the Levee, a collage of sound and scope running the gamut of the musical spectrum in the same template of freedom and focus found in the round-robin fashion of the musical institution that is The Band — a solidarity also found in the incendiary live shows Town Mountain is now revered for from coast-to-coast, this devil-may-care gang of strings and swagger. “This is the sound we’ve been working towards since the inception of the band,” says guitarist Robert Greer. “We realized we needed to do what’s best for us. We’re being true to ourselves. It isn’t a departure, it’s an evolution — the gate is wide open right now.”

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Omar Ruiz-Lopez (he/him) is a distinguished musician and educator currently based in Durham, NC, with a remarkable command over multiple instruments, including violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin. His roots lie in North Carolina, having been a part of the burgeoning Triangle music scene for 13 years until his move to Nashville in 2023 and back in 2025.

Since his time in Nashville, Omar has played and recorded with artists such as the GRAMMY-nominated band War and Treaty, Franklin Jonas, Lizzie No, Harper Grace and Langhorne Slim, and cowritten with songwriters such as Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-nominated Melody Walker (Sierra Ferrell, American Dreaming). He is currently working on an EP with Willa Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing.

Born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico, Omar’s early exposure to traditional Caribbean folk songs, courtesy of his father, laid the foundation for his deep appreciation for music. Spanish is his first language, and it remains an integral part of his cultural identity.

Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer of Americana and Bluegrass. He’s a North Carolina favorite and longtime collaborator with the festival in Raleigh.

Established in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Palmyra captures the collective spirit of three Virginia natives: Teddy Chipouras, Mānoa Bell, and Sasha Landon.

Palmyra straddles at least two musical worlds. They are, on one hand, a band from the South that plays traditional instruments and indeed once lived in the old-time locus of Floyd, Virginia. Comparisons to and a kinship with The Avett Brothers and even Old Crow Medicine Show are inevitable. On the other hand, Palmyra writes about grief, gender dysphoria and identity, and coming of age in songs that flirt with soul, post-rock, and even emo; the South, too, is the place of My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Cat Power, and now, Palmyra.

Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Eliza Meyer is an “old soul,” singing and playing traditional string band, old time and classic country music reminiscent of Hazel and Alice, The Carter Family, and Tommy Jarrell. Influenced by traditional ballads of Madison County and the round peak music of Surry County, Eliza plays fiddle, banjo, guitar and autoharp.

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, NC, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes. She is passionate about raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped, underserved, and marginalized communities.

Since her teenage years, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter with unique passion and voice.

While she may be familiar to some from her success as a semi-finalist on American Idol, she has maintained close ties to her Native American roots, culture, and music.

Trace the beginnings of gospel radio in North Carolina, from pioneering broadcasts at HBCUs to the partnerships between Black churches and local stations that gave rise to legendary DJs and voices.

PineCone is proud to present this session in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

American Sign Language interpretation provided.

Cabin Creature, a folk duo from Raleigh comprised of Reese Mayfield and Silas Mann, focuses on traditional southeastern folk music with some modern influence.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Big Fat Gap is a Chapel Hill based bluegrass band that’s as much a group of friends as it is a formal band. They have what’s been described as a “revolving door” policy for band members who come and go as life allows. No mater the membership they’re energetic and fun. 

Discover how gospel radio became both soundtrack and lifeline, amplifying Black voices, spreading vital news, and preserving the living history of a community in motion.

PineCone is proud to present this session in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

American Sign Language interpretation provided.

Dom Flemons “The American Songster” is a GRAMMY Award Winner with four GRAMMY nominations, Two-Time EMMY Nominee, International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize Winner, and was a United States Artists Fellow. He is a musician based in the Chicago area and he is famously known as “The American Songster” since his repertoire covers over one hundred years of American roots music; including country, folk, bluegrass, Americana, and the blues. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, narrator, host, slam poet, record collector, podcaster, and the creator, host, and producer of the American Songster Radio Show which was created at WUNC-Chapel Hill and now airs on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. He is the Co-Founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Founder of American Songster Productions.

The Carolina Bluegrass Band performs traditional and contemporary bluegrass, steeped in local tradition. The band debuted in November 2016, opening for the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers in Memorial Hall. The band enrolls 10 to 20 UNC-Chapel Hill students by audition.

Chris Johnson was born on April 20, 1976, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. While growing up in the church, Chris discovered his love for music and singing. He attended Terry Sanford High, where he was a leader in the marching band and later marched in college at UNC Chapel Hill. In 2007 he decided to start his own music organization called Unbridled Praise. Like anything else, it came with its ups and downs. So with direction from God, the group later became Freedom. Freedom, a gospel ensemble that is free to sing, praise, and worship God, has ministered throughout the region and has had opportunities on some major platforms.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Look ahead as innovators explore streaming, podcasts, and digital platforms, charting how gospel radio continues to inspire and connect new generations.

PineCone is proud to present this session in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

American Sign Language interpretation provided.

Jalessa Cade is a passionate vocalist from Dunn, North Carolina, known for her heartfelt delivery and strong roots in gospel music. She draws inspiration from her faith and community to uplift and connect through song.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Justin Osborne has been performing as ‘Susto’ since 2013, when he formed a collective of fellow musicians and artists in coastal Charleston, South Carolina. Now a bona fide emissary of alt rock and treasure to the indie crowd, a lifelong calling coupled with a cosmic push of serendipitous happenstance led to his latest venture: ‘Susto Stringband’ joined by Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose, and upright bassist Joey Brown (now Holler Choir).

The Loblollies are a youth band that formed out of PineCone’s summer bluegrass camps and monthly youth jams. The Raleigh area band features Alanabeth Duncan (banjo), August Sanchez (guitar), Hattie Casper (guitar), Wasswa Meyers (fiddle) and Jorja Cornwell (mandolin). The band is mentored by bass player Jef Walter and fiddler Sam Stage. The band plays traditional and contemporary bluegrass and are sought after as performers at local events.

“…her right thumb plunks the bass part while her forefinger upstrokes notes and chords, leaving the other three fingers unused. A banjo technique, it’s also used by acoustic blues guitarists. Her fingers are long and strong – Robert Johnson hands – in jarring contrast to the waif they’re attached to. The walking bass line sounds like a hammer striking piano keys in perfect meter, while the fills are dynamic flurries – like cluster bombs. I haven’t heard a young guitarist this dexterous and ass-kicking in eons.” – Michael Simmons, L.A Weekly

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Flat-picking bluegrass from the Piedmont.

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

Balsam Range is a PineCone favorite. The band is Dr. Marc Pruett (banjo); Alan Bibey ( Mandolin, vocals) Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, baritone and lead vocals); and Caleb Smith (guitar, lead & baritone vocals). The original members are all acoustic musicians and singers from Western North Carolina. Their name comes from the spot in Haywood County where the Great Smoky Mountains meet the Blue Ridge, the Great Balsam Range.

Led by the lyrical craftsmanship of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts, the distinctly Appalachian, old-time sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir combines haunting harmonies, stirring string compositions, and heart-wrenching ballads, yet hardly conforms to a stereotypical genre. Call it a confluence of old-time, Americana, and bluegrass, but, by its own exceptional design, the sound and atmosphere of Holler Choir are singular. Robert’s wordcraft and explosive vocal range is met with the dulcet clawhammer banjo plucking of long-time collaborator Helena Rose and the sturdy timekeeping of upright bassist Norbert McGettigan. With a rotating cast of gifted musicians featured on Holler Choir’s recordings and electrifying live performances, it’s no wonder they are the band to watch in 2023.

It took four quick years for Stokes County’s Mason Via to become one of the newest leaders of modern-day American roots music. During that whirlwind period, he toured the world as a member of Old Crow Medicine Show, earned a Grammy nomination for his work on the band’s chart-topping album Jubilee, contributed songs to Grammy Winning and Nominated records by Molly Tuttle and Del McCoury Band, and released his solo debut, New Horizons.

Traditional Bluegrass Brother duet from Siler City, NC featuring Tony & Gary Williamson

“…her right thumb plunks the bass part while her forefinger upstrokes notes and chords, leaving the other three fingers unused. A banjo technique, it’s also used by acoustic blues guitarists. Her fingers are long and strong – Robert Johnson hands – in jarring contrast to the waif they’re attached to. The walking bass line sounds like a hammer striking piano keys in perfect meter, while the fills are dynamic flurries – like cluster bombs. I haven’t heard a young guitarist this dexterous and ass-kicking in eons.” – Michael Simmons, L.A Weekly

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, NC, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes. She is passionate about raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped, underserved, and marginalized communities.

Since her teenage years, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter with unique passion and voice.

While she may be familiar to some from her success as a semi-finalist on American Idol, she has maintained close ties to her Native American roots, culture, and music.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Brimming with cracked-open honesty and electrified twang, BELIEVER cements North Carolina’s Blue Cactus as a leading force in modern country and roots music.

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Progressive North Carolinian R&B artist with an askew mix of gospel, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Kingdom Voices United was established in spring 2023 by Visionary Minister La’ Wanda Leggett. This community choir is comprised of members from diverse denominations within Harnett County. Throughout 2023 and into 2025, the choir actively ministered at various community events, consistently maintaining a membership of at least 25 singers whose mission is to unite and uplift the community through music.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Kingdom Voices United was established in spring 2023 by Visionary Minister La’ Wanda Leggett. This community choir is comprised of members from diverse denominations within Harnett County. Throughout 2023 and into 2025, the choir actively ministered at various community events, consistently maintaining a membership of at least 25 singers whose mission is to unite and uplift the community through music.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Justin Osborne has been performing as ‘Susto’ since 2013, when he formed a collective of fellow musicians and artists in coastal Charleston, South Carolina. Now a bona fide emissary of alt rock and treasure to the indie crowd, a lifelong calling coupled with a cosmic push of serendipitous happenstance led to his latest venture: ‘Susto Stringband’ joined by Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose, and upright bassist Joey Brown (now Holler Choir).

A leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences around the world to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music. A student of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee, Joseph draws on a deep well of creativity and repertoire to create fresh sounds. His performances are inviting and nourishing, connecting audiences to the music’s transcendent beauty. Joseph performs in a trio with Cleek Schrey and Luke Richardson as well as the Bucking Mules. He also works outside of the traditional music world. His playing can be heard on recordings by fellow Durham, NC artists Hiss Golden Messenger, Wye Oak, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Elephant Micah, and others.

Dom Flemons “The American Songster” is a GRAMMY Award Winner with four GRAMMY nominations, Two-Time EMMY Nominee, International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize Winner, and was a United States Artists Fellow. He is a musician based in the Chicago area and he is famously known as “The American Songster” since his repertoire covers over one hundred years of American roots music; including country, folk, bluegrass, Americana, and the blues. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, narrator, host, slam poet, record collector, podcaster, and the creator, host, and producer of the American Songster Radio Show which was created at WUNC-Chapel Hill and now airs on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. He is the Co-Founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Founder of American Songster Productions.

Big Fat Gap is a Chapel Hill based bluegrass band that’s as much a group of friends as it is a formal band. They have what’s been described as a “revolving door” policy for band members who come and go as life allows. No mater the membership they’re energetic and fun. 

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

The Gravy Boys hail from Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina and perform Acoustic Americana music that draws deep from the well of our country’s diverse musical heritage. Their high energy shows feature heartfelt vocal harmonies, boot-stomping rhythms, lively stage banter, and honest musicianship.

The Gravy Boys are story tellers who spin their tales through tight, brother-duet vocals over a vintage acoustic backdrop. They take classic American themes and bring them into the present day, with an authentic passion that resonates with all who listen.

Redbud is a bluegrass band based in Boone, NC, honoring traditional bluegrass while blending in a fresh, modern style. As a group of young musicians, they create a warm, inviting sound that reflects both their deep respect for the genre’s roots and their passion for innovation.

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jerron Paxton’s music is steeped in the rich cultural heritage of the Great Migration. His family’s journey from Shreveport, Louisiana, to the Athens neighborhood of South LA in the 1950s laid the foundation for his appreciation of Southern Black culture.

Brek plays original folk music with influences from various directions, seeking to create their own soundscape and break down barriers between musical styles. They connect Icelandic folk music with other types of folk music. Brek won Icelandic Music Awards honors for Album of the Year in Folk and World Music.

A skilled multi-instrumentalist, Luke is also a composer and songwriter whose work reflects his deep roots in bluegrass tradition while embracing a personal and evolving artistic voice.

Old-time bluegrass from North Carolina’s Piedmont.

Brek plays original folk music with influences from various directions, seeking to create their own soundscape and break down barriers between musical styles. They connect Icelandic folk music with other types of folk music. Brek won Icelandic Music Awards honors for Album of the Year in Folk and World Music.

Flat-picking bluegrass from the Piedmont.

Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer of Americana and Bluegrass. He’s a North Carolina favorite and longtime collaborator with the festival in Raleigh.

GRAMMY Award winning American Roots artists Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer join with Chinese classical hammered dulcimer player Chao Tian in a show that combines music from China to Appalachia and beyond.

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

The Asheville Mountain Boys are on a mission to capture not just the style but the spirit of traditional bluegrass. A group that firmly stakes its claim to the tradition of the music from the area, the Asheville Mountain Boys spring onto the scene with a thought, ”What happened to bluegrass?” It’s not a disparaging one that condemns current styles in the genre but rather asks, “Why do we love this music in the first place” and answers with an approach that is true to the originators of the genre in the sense of both style and philosophy. Bluegrass is raw emotion, excitement, drive, and authenticity. It is not sanitized or compromised but a reflection of the lives of those who play it. It’s storytelling that follows a throughline of tradition.

The story of the Fairfield Four is one of survival and soul. The Fairfield Four was first organized as an a cappella gospel ensemble of young African American men in Nashville in the early 1920s. The group weathered decades of personnel changes and financial challenges until 1960, but revived in the 1980s to continue its tradition of gospel quartet singing. Since then, they’ve been designated National Heritage Fellows, won three Grammy Awards, and were featured on the soundtrack for the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Carolina Bluegrass Band performs traditional and contemporary bluegrass, steeped in local tradition. The band debuted in November 2016, opening for the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers in Memorial Hall. The band enrolls 10 to 20 UNC-Chapel Hill students by audition.

Brek plays original folk music with influences from various directions, seeking to create their own soundscape and break down barriers between musical styles. They connect Icelandic folk music with other types of folk music. Brek won Icelandic Music Awards honors for Album of the Year in Folk and World Music.

This open jam session is hosted by regulars from the Marathon Jam in Chapel Hill. It’s an annual fundraiser that brings together musicians of all ages and styles to play music for 12-straight hours while raising money for area veterans and military families. Look for it in February of next year.

Marathon Jam organizer Bruce Day also hosts regular jam sessions at The Hibernian Pub, 601 North St, Raleigh, NC.

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Son de Carolina is a Durham-based community music collective dedicated to building community through son jarocho, the participatory music, dance, and poetic tradition of Veracruz, Mexico. Rooted in the spirit of the fandango, the group brings together musicians, dancers, families, and community members to celebrate the African, Indigenous, Spanish, and Caribbean influences that shape the tradition. Through performances, workshops, and community gatherings, Son de Carolina creates joyful spaces for cultural exchange, collective music-making, and connection across North Carolina.

Characterized by No Depression as “the future of bluegrass”, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road combine innovation, tradition, and excellence into a unique musical experience.

Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer of Americana and Bluegrass. He’s a North Carolina favorite and longtime collaborator with the festival in Raleigh.

Big Richard delivers ferocious, unapologetic acoustic music with big energy and even bigger chops. Their live shows are raucous, emotional, and irreverent — mixing ripping instrumentals, dark humor, and raw, socially charged songs

GRAMMY Award winning American Roots artists Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer join with Chinese classical hammered dulcimer player Chao Tian in a show that combines music from China to Appalachia and beyond.

The story of the Fairfield Four is one of survival and soul. The Fairfield Four was first organized as an a cappella gospel ensemble of young African American men in Nashville in the early 1920s. The group weathered decades of personnel changes and financial challenges until 1960, but revived in the 1980s to continue its tradition of gospel quartet singing. Since then, they’ve been designated National Heritage Fellows, won three Grammy Awards, and were featured on the soundtrack for the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Larry Bellorín hails from Monagas, Venezuela, and is a legend of Llanera music. Joe Troop is from North Carolina and is a Grammy-nominated bluegrass and old-time musician. Both are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. As a duo they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van.

Viv & Riley’s sound is old-soul roots music to its core, elegantly combining a traditional backbone with the fresh iconic melodies of future-leaning indie-folk, and the tightly wound vocal harmonies of the old-time and classic country music they came from. Although they grew up on opposite sides of the country, Riley Calcagno in Seattle, Washington, and Vivian Leva in Lexington, Virginia, the two had an instant musical connection upon meeting in 2018 and since have played hundreds of shows across the US, UK, and Canada.

Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer of Americana and Bluegrass. He’s a North Carolina favorite and longtime collaborator with the festival in Raleigh.

Born and raised in North Carolina, the Tan and Sober Gentlemen began taking in the songs, stories, and tunes that make up their beloved state’s musical tradition before they could talk.

Progressive North Carolinian R&B artist with an askew mix of gospel, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Singer-songwriter Caleb Caudle’s body of work is shaped from the ground up. His artistry has emerged through endurance and the steady momentum of a life in motion, carrying him from small stages in the North Carolina foothills he calls home all the way to the Grand Ole Opry. On his new album, Heavy Thrill, he takes full creative control, releasing via his own label, Handplow Records, and self-producing for the first time while recording at the storied Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tenn., where reverence for tradition meets his singular artistic vision.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) is a nonprofit organization that teaches children to play and dance to traditional old time and bluegrass music

This open jam is lead by regulars from the Old-Time Jam that PineCone hosts on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 7-9 pm at the Riparian Provision Company (1408 South Saunders Street, Raleigh). They usually start in the key of D, then move to A and G. This is an “up to speed” jam, lead by great players who work to make sure there’s space for everyone in the tunes.

The Podunk Ramblers are a five-piece bluegrass band based out of Columbia, South Carolina. They play a mix of traditional bluegrass and modern jamgrass with a goal of bringing high-energy performances and fast pickin’ to every show they play.

Trio Huasteco 2020 are from North Carolina and play music with roots in Hidalgo, Mexico. They’re part of a long tradition of son huasteco, a stringband style known for soaring fiddle parts, infectious rhythms, and rich vocal harmonies. The trio features Alejandro Sanchez on fiddle, jarana player Migues Alacron, and huapanguera player Magdaleno “Santana” Ramirez.

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Hubby Jenkins is a talented multi-instrumentalist who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he delved into his Southern roots, following the thread of African American history that wove itself through America’s traditional music forms. As an integral member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and later Rhiannon Giddens’ band, Hubby has performed at festivals and venues around the world, earning himself both Grammy and Americana award nominations. Today he spreads his knowledge and love of old-time American music through his dynamic solo performances and engaging workshops.

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves are an old-time banjo and fiddle duo that respects the past while propelling the pairing into the future. At times, their songs purposefully fly off the rails into noise, spacey bridges, and ripping hoedowns, bow strokes and frailing giving way to scratches and honks, wails and trills. It’s old-time and it’s jamgrass, it’s rehearsed and it’s improvised, it’s electric and goosebump-raising. It’s also tight, tidy, and professional and while demanding that you remain on the absolute edge of your seat.

The 2019 Piedmont Laureate, David Menconi is a journalist and author in Raleigh, North Carolina. He spent 34 years writing for daily newspapers, 28 of those years at the Raleigh News & Observer. Before that, he spent five years at the Boulder (CO) Daily Camera. His fifth and newest book is Oh, Didn’t They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music, a history of the venerable folk/bluegrass label that has been home to everyone from Alison Krauss to Buckwheat Zydeco.

This open, old-time jam is lead by the folks that organize the regular jam at Nomadas Coffee and Wine Shop (1105 South Roxboro St, Durham). It’s held on the 2nd Sunday of each month, usually from 10:30am – 1:00pm (or so). There’s an active Triangle Old Time chat on Discord where they announce the schedule for jams, events and share ideas for new tunes to learn.

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

In a career spanning more than 50 years, Alice Gerrard has known, learned from, and performed with many of the old-time and bluegrass greats and has in turn earned worldwide respect for her own important contributions to the music. Her groundbreaking collaboration with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and ’70s, Hazel and Alice, produced four classic LPs and influenced scores of young women singers. The duo was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Gerrard founded and edited the Old-Time Herald and is the subject of the documentary You Gave Me a Song.

Over the years, North Carolina native Joe Troop has carved himself a niche as an “artivist,” entwining music and social justice. He recruited some of his favorite festival friends from the old-time and bluegrass scene to form a political protest powerhouse, the Truth Machine.

The Onlies are a longstanding collective of young friends defining a powerful new generation of stringband music. Described as “the best old-time stringband out there” (Songlines), they “make old-time music sound fuller and richer and more dense than most bands of a similar ilk” (Bandcamp Daily). Their music moves with a pulsating drive, sharp arrangements, and rich vibration — it resounds with the present.

Phil Jamison is nationally-known as a dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. He has called dances, performed, and taught at music festivals and dance events throughout the U.S. and overseas since the early 1970s, including over forty years as a member of the Green Grass Cloggers. His flatfoot dancing was featured in the film Songcatcher for which he also served as Traditional Dance consultant. Over the last thirty years, Phil has done extensive research in the area of Appalachian dance, and his book Hoedowns, Reels and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance (University of Illinois Press, 2015) tells the story behind the square dances, step dances, reels, and other forms of dance practiced in southern Appalachia.

Eddie Huffman, author of Doc Watson: A Life in Music and John Prine: In Spite of Himself, has written for Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and many other publications.

Joseph Terrell grew up in a big Quaker family in the North Carolina Piedmont and, with friends at the University of North Carolina, formed and toured the world with folk band Mipso. Now a solo artists, Terrell has gained a large social media following with fiery, timely songs that address the modern world in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Hubby Jenkins is a talented multi-instrumentalist who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he delved into his Southern roots, following the thread of African American history that wove itself through America’s traditional music forms. As an integral member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and later Rhiannon Giddens’ band, Hubby has performed at festivals and venues around the world, earning himself both Grammy and Americana award nominations. Today he spreads his knowledge and love of old-time American music through his dynamic solo performances and engaging workshops.

The PineCone Bluegrass Jam is a monthly jam session that happens 7-9 pm on the 4th Monday of every month at Transfer Co. Food Hall (500 E Davie St, Raleigh). This is an up to speed jam for musicians of all levels and is focused on songs from the standard bluegrass repertoire.

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves are an old-time banjo and fiddle duo that respects the past while propelling the pairing into the future. At times, their songs purposefully fly off the rails into noise, spacey bridges, and ripping hoedowns, bow strokes and frailing giving way to scratches and honks, wails and trills. It’s old-time and it’s jamgrass, it’s rehearsed and it’s improvised, it’s electric and goosebump-raising. It’s also tight, tidy, and professional and while demanding that you remain on the absolute edge of your seat.

The Blue Ridge Girls, comprised of Jamie Collins, Martha Spencer, and Brett Morris, is a trio with deep roots in Appalachian folk music, a sound they are bringing into the 21st century kicking and clogging. Showcasing skillful musicianship and honey-sweet vocal harmonies, they perform a mix of standards and originals.

Throughout their two-decade partnership, the Honey Dewdrops’ Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish have highlighted the power and intimacy of two voices and two instruments in both live performances and recordings. Virginia natives Laura and Kagey constantly push the boundaries of their experimental folk sound — blending electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin and clawhammer banjo — while weaving in tight vocal harmonies. They remain committed to deepening their understanding of the world through songwriting and music.

The PineCone Bluegrass Jam is a monthly jam session that happens 7-9 pm on the 4th Monday of every month at Transfer Co. Food Hall (500 E Davie St, Raleigh). This is an up to speed jam for musicians of all levels and is focused on songs from the standard bluegrass repertoire.

Banjo master Tony Trischka is a pioneering force in progressive bluegrass and an essential link between generations of players. His EarlJam project stems from a thumbdrive he received during COVID lockdown of recordings of Earl Scruggs and John Hartford jamming at Scruggs’ house from the 1980s and ‘90s. Trischka set out to transcribe Scruggs’ solos note-for-note and to find a way for the larger community to hear them, with new recordings in collaboration with some of current bluegrass’s greatest pickers. It’s a continuation of what Trischka has become known for in his six-decade career: collaborating with artists across the musical spectrum, teaching countless students, and challenging himself creatively while honoring the tradition that continues to shape his musical path.

In a career spanning more than 50 years, Alice Gerrard has known, learned from, and performed with many of the old-time and bluegrass greats and has in turn earned worldwide respect for her own important contributions to the music. Her groundbreaking collaboration with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and ’70s, Hazel and Alice, produced four classic LPs and influenced scores of young women singers. The duo was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Gerrard founded and edited the Old-Time Herald and is the subject of the documentary You Gave Me a Song.

Jacob Sharp grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina, surrounded by music and obsessed with bands. He was mandolin player, singer, songwriter, and founding member of genre-bending stringband Mipso, and he’s continuing the tradition of making music with friends in his solo career. His solo debut album, Middle Kid, celebrates the musical community Sharp made while living in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and more recently as he’s returned to living in North Carolina. The indie-folk songs are full of the emotional directness and pop hooks that have become the calling cards of Jacob’s writing and songs.

The Five Points Rounders are a string band from in and around Durham playing the traditional old-time music of the Appalachian Southeast.

In more than a decade as a band, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have covered a lot of miles sharing their love of bluegrass with audiences drawn to their hard-charging, true-blue sound. “We live what we play and sing about,” says bandleader C.J. Lewandowski. Indeed, hard work and deep feeling are baked into their songs, which have been celebrated with a Grammy nomination and International Bluegrass Music Association recognition ranging from the Emerging Artist of the Year award to a nomination for Entertainer of the Year. Now the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are barreling into their second decade with renewed energy. You can see it onstage and feel it in their recordings. And sooner or later, it’s coming your way. “We take bluegrass and put it where bluegrass isn’t,” says Lewandowski. “It’s not about putting music that is different into bluegrass music to attract more people.”

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

Skyrie, based in Fife, Scotland, is an electrifying contemporary Celtic music trio renowned for their dynamic performances and innovative sound. Their music blends traditional Scottish and Irish tunes, poignant original songs, tunes, and soundscapes with modern influences from rock to funk.

The Onlies are a longstanding collective of young friends defining a powerful new generation of stringband music. Described as “the best old-time stringband out there” (Songlines), they “make old-time music sound fuller and richer and more dense than most bands of a similar ilk” (Bandcamp Daily). Their music moves with a pulsating drive, sharp arrangements, and rich vibration — it resounds with the present.

Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn- driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin-based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on- stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd.

Mattie & Debbie is a duo comprised of two of the most unique talents to come out of the acoustic music scene: drummer/singer Sean Trischka and bluegrass guitarist/singer Stash Wyslouch. And together they’re a whole greater than the sum of their parts. Their debut album, Satan’s Junction, released earlier this year, weaves intimate space and luscious harmonies with bluegrass pickin’, top-40 hooks, and a slew of powerful anthems to get the whole family singing.

Brek plays original folk music with influences from various directions, seeking to create their own soundscape and break down barriers between musical styles. They connect Icelandic folk music with other types of folk music. Brek won Icelandic Music Awards honors for Album of the Year in Folk and World Music.