 Every year MerleFest gathers varied musicians and bands that play traditional music as well as myriad other forms. The festival serves as an annual homecoming for musicians and music fans. Held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC, MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of American music legend Doc Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of ‘traditional plus’ music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts numerous artists, performing on 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. Doc Watson explained the origins of MerleFest, "When Merle and I started out we called our music ‘traditional plus’, meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play. Since the beginning, the people of the college and I have agreed that the music of MerleFest is ‘traditional plus'”. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs. MerleFest 2015 takes place from April 23 - 26. This year's performers include Dwight Yoakam, The Avett Brothers, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Kiran Singh, Donna the Buffalo and many more. For full details on the fest visit www.merlefest.org. Comments are closed.
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