First Quarter...

I know we're approaching a new moon, but tonight marked the first quarter of the 22nd annual MerleFest in the Carolina foothills.  Spring is at its young and tender best down this way and being back here for my 20th year brings a warm and intense sense of deja vu.  Travis Tritt (above) capped the first day in an engaging acoustic set with Jerry Douglas on the Watson Stage.  It was indeed a great day to be alive with old friends, perfect weather and such well-made music.

Raleigh's Tift Merritt made a magical return to the scene of her career's genesis with a sincere solo set on the Cabin Stage, where she'd won the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest eight years ago.  She was genuinely glad to be back.

 

Earlier in the day, the world was set right again as Jens and Uwe Kruger and their 'brother' Joel Landsberg made a long-overdue return to the MerleFest lineup with a short but sweet Cabin Stage appearance.  They're back and sounding so great, with a new CD Between the Notes just out, and a special replay of one of their past JAMinc/In Your Ear concerts on Page Wilson's show this coming Saturday night on WCVE-FM.  If you're not in the Richmond area, you can listen online here.

Rugby, Va's resident guitar hero Wayne Henderson rendered a couple of choice tunes with keyboard king Jeff Little and bassist Billy Gee at the Cabin after revealing he and Robbin Thompson have found some George Washington-era walnut at Mt. Vernon for his all-Virginia-wood guitar project.  Wayne and his partner Helen White will return to Richmond in October for a Crooked Road concert with the Dixie Beeliners at the Virginia Historical Society presented by JAMinc.  We'll let you know when tickets become available.

This shot is for ol' pal Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous Stringdusters, who tore it up at their full-house Modlin Center show Monday night.  The Dusters are now on the west coast, not at MerleFest, where Chris could otherwise be with his fiddler friend Odessa Jorgensen, former Biscuit Burner, and now with the talented Alaskan bluegrass band Bearfoot.

Thursday began on the Cabin Stage with Wyoming sweethearts Anne & Pete Sibley, who deliver close Welch & Rawlings-style harmonies with earnest affection.  We almost had them for an In Your Ear show this month, but scheduling didn't work out.  We'll try again in the fall...it'll be worth the wait.  Tomorrow, I'm anticipating a couple of strong previews of our upcoming May 2nd Richmond appearance by Cadillac Sky at IYE.  Tickets are almost gone. They're at MerleFest with both Hillside and Creekside sets.  All that plus the Dixie Beeliners, Ollabelle, the Duhks, John Cowan and the Waybacks...almost too good to be true.  And there are two more full days after that!  Stay tuned.

TT