MerleFest has added a number of artists to its 2025 lineup including I’m With Her, Leftover Salmon, Stephen Wilson Jr., The Steel Wheels, Tami Neilson, Becky Buller, and more.
Set for April 24th–27th, 2025 at Wilkes Community College, the annual festival dedicated Doc Watson will host headliners The Avett Brothers, Watchhouse, Bonnie Raitt, and The Dead South, as well as up-and-coming artists, including fast-rising country singer Emily Nenni, Colorado newgrass band The Fretliners, blues guitarist Cristina Vane, and many more.
The festival also announced the lineup for the Late Night Jam hosted by Sam Bush, which includes East Nash Grass, Jack Lawrence, Joe Smothers, Peter Rowan, T. Michael Coleman, Tony Trischka, and Woody Platt, with more to be announced. A separate ticket is required for the Late Night Jam, which is making its return in 2025.
“The Late Night Jam was always a unique and fun bonus set of music where you never knew who would show up or what you might hear,” said Lindsay Craven, MerleFest Artist Relations Manager. “We took a pause on this offering so that we could revamp and revitalize it for our fans and bring it back bigger and better than ever. Late Night Jam with Sam Bush and Friends will embody the spirit of MerleFest with unique collaborations that you can only see here and the highest quality musical performances in the roots scene.”
Rounding out the lineup are Wyatt Flores, The War And Treaty, The SteelDrivers, Asleep at the Wheel, The Lil Smokies, Brent Cobb, Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam, Alison Brown, Della Mae, Thee Sinseers, The Altons, Scythian, Donna the Buffalo, Jim Lauderdale, Kruger Brothers, William Prince, The Cleverlys, TopHouse, Big Richard, John R. Miller, John McEuen & The Circle Band, The Secret Sisters, The Waybacks, Andy May, “B” Townes, Banknotes, The Barefoot Movement, Carol Mallett Rifkin, Carolina Detour, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian From China to Appalachia, Charles Welch, Dale Ann Bradley, Damn Tall Buildings, Denitia, Fancy Hagood, Flattop, Florencia & The Feeling, Fog Holler, Full Cord, Gravity Check Juggling, The Hooten Hallers, Humbird, The InterACTive Theater of Jef, Jeff Little Trio, Josh Goforth, Ken Crouse, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Mark Bumgarner, Mattie Schell, Mitch Greenhill & Mitch’s Kitchen, Muireann Bradley, Paul McDonald, Pete & Joan Wernick, Presley Barker, The Resonant Rogues, Rev. Robert Jones, Roy Book Binder, Six String Soldiers, Theo Lawrence, Todd Albright, Tony Williamson, Wayne Henderson, and The Wilder Flower.
New for 2025, the festival will introduce the MerleFest Mobile App. Fans can download the app on Apple and Google smartphones to get the latest festival updates, set reminders for performance times, and discover new artists with the official MerleFest 2025 Spotify playlists.
Tickets for MerleFest 2025 are on sale now, including general admission passes, covered patio seating, reserved seating, camping, parking, passes for the Late Night Jam and more. For more details and to purchase tickets, head here.
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