Merlefest in NC is off kilter....I think

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Feb 2011 4:48 am

Of course this is only my opinion, but the famous and largest Bluegrass Festival in NC ..get this, this year

features Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant , and the Doobie Brothers...

No, I'm not going this year...I don't want to see a 62 year old Patrick Simmons with hair down to his butt playing his 335...Interesting though, Tom Johnston is in the photo...and yes, this is at the Watson stage and requires a big bucks ticket to get into the main seating area.

This year there are no big time Bluegrass acts on the bill..historically it was well balanced. It's kinda like a Steel guitar convention, most of the acts are the same as last year , No Rhonda, No Allison etc...

t

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 24 Feb 2011 5:31 am

Didn't Robert Plant do an album with Alison Krause recently? I know Plant has a huge respect for tradition american music.

Mitch Adelman · Post by **Mitch Adelman** » 24 Feb 2011 6:33 am

Many of these "bluegrass" festivals have bands that are not bluegrass as we know it. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival has had many rock bands over the years including The Band, Little Feat, James Taylor and many others. You can "blame" the affection some "dead heads" have for bluegrass (thanks to Jerry's Old and in the Way record) and how jamgrass has morphed the music towards improv rock. Its all good as long as people show up!It brings them in!Lots of "old timey" string bands are considered "bluegrass" now as well. The definition of bluegrass has changed alot in last 20 years.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 24 Feb 2011 7:43 am

I think Mitch is right - bottom line is putting a$$es in seats. If that doesn't happen, bye-bye festival. I also agree with Tony in that it's sad that these things get reduced to old rockers becoming the draw, much as I loved some of them way back when.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 24 Feb 2011 8:31 am

Touring (and self-promoted CDs) are where the money is, and I get the sense that nobody is really sure what's going to work - for the artists, or promoters. Several of the bigger summertime festivals have died off, and the rockers may come pretty cheap - would you pay $40 to see the Doobie Brothers alone?

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 24 Feb 2011 9:05 am

If you've heard Robert Plant's new album, "Band Of Joy", and saw the list of players touring with him, then it makes perfect sense for him to be playing Merle Fest. Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott, Patty Griffin, and Byron House make up the band for this Robert Plant tour, and each of them have played Merle Fest a dozen times.

As for the Doobie Brothers their current bass player and lead singer, John Cowan, is the former lead singer and bass player from "New Grass Revival". I would guess that Cowan has played all but 3 or 4 Merle Fest.

You forgot to mention that Joan Osborne is also performing at Merle fest this year.

Mitch Adelman · Post by **Mitch Adelman** » 24 Feb 2011 9:50 am

As Alvin said now that John Cowan is with the Doobies it makes perfect sense for them to play there. John was a regular at Telluride and Merle fest and High Sierra (every big "bluegrass" festival for 20 years)and one of the best male singers I've heard. Its kind of sad that he had to leave bluegrass (in his own band) to join whats left of the Doobies. He's also a really great bass player. I've been a big fan of his since he joined New Grass Revival in the 70's. I always thought he'd break through into the big time as a solo artist with that voice!Such is the biz...

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 24 Feb 2011 12:14 pm

Although not exactly bluegrass, but Pat Simmons and John McFee on acoustic guitars doing instrumentals from the Doobies' back catalogue are worth hearing.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Feb 2011 1:46 pm

I would pay $50, maybe more, to see the Doobies, but when I pay $50 to go to a Bluegrass Festival I want to see the top line up of Bluegrass bands...ya know, fiddles, Dobro, high harmonies...

If John Cowan is the draw for the Doobies, then they should say "The Doobies Featuring John Cowan"..I doubt the Doobie brothers with Tom Johnston in the lineup( photo) are not going to play China Grove !

Don't get me wrong I love the Doobies, but not at this venue.

Hard as some may try to defend, The Doobie Brothers and Robert Plant are not favorites on the Bluegrass circuit....Merlefest is historically a very well attended show so I don't know whats up with this line-up on the big stage.

here's what probably bugs me more.. there are countless great Bluegrass acts trying to get on the big stage...neither Plant not the Doobies have paid any Bluegrass dues...

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 24 Feb 2011 2:11 pm

In the real world of "Bluegrass", Merle Fest isn't considered a Bluegrass Festival. So I don't have much of a problem with them have Elvis Costello, Little Feat, Robert Plant, Doobie Brothers, Joan Osborne, Linda Ronstadt, Randy Travis, Emmylou, Travis Tritt, Levon Helm, George Hamilton VI, Bruce Hornsby, Pam Tillis, The Flecktones, Hot Tuna, Hayes Carl, Donna The Buffalo, Corey Harris, John Hiatt, Loretta Lynn, Buddy Miller, Allison Moorer, BR549, or the hundreds of other non-bluegrass groups that have played there just in the past few years. (All of those I mentioned above have played at Merle fest in the past four years)
Merle Fest has always been billed as a "Tradition-plus" music festival, never has been a "Bluegrass Festival".

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Feb 2011 4:00 pm

Alvin, you are correct, it is billed as an Americana/Folk Festival but to say it is not recognized and also listed as a major Bluegrass festival is not correct, it is listed in every major Bluegrass directory across the nation. Including the NC major Bluegrass festival websites. I get it, they have other acts, I guess I was surprised with the Doobie Brothers as they are about as far away from Americana as one can get ! I'm sure it will be a good show...

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 24 Feb 2011 4:46 pm

Merlefest has veered from the traditional path for years now with the likes of John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Hootie, and many more.

In fact, was it ever billed as a "bluegrass" festival? Doc and Merle never considered themselves bluegrass musicians anyway, so I don't really see what the problem is.

And I would say Robert Plant's recent releases sound way more traditional than Donna the Buffalo or any number of Merlefest regulars.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 25 Feb 2011 1:59 am

In NC it is considered the largest Bluegrass festival of the year, even though it is not specifically BILLED as a Bluegrass festival by Merlefest. It is listed on every Bluegrass calender across the region as a Bluegrass festival.

As you tour the campus of Merlefest it is filled with Bluegrass folks, flat tops ,banjo's ,fiddle, mando's jamming etc. All of the workshops are Flat Picking, banjo, Mando, Fiddles etc...all of the contests are Flat tops, banjos, fiddles, mando's etc...

Maybe I am wrong but the attendees think this a Bluegrass Festival !

Ok Americana, works for me. Maybe I'm just real tired of the crossover now..maybe next year Kid Rock will be on the big stage. Can't wait...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 25 Feb 2011 2:54 am

Kid Rock will be on after Snoop Dogg.

Doug Palmer · Post by **Doug Palmer** » 25 Feb 2011 7:25 am

I agree with you Tony. After 'Kid' & 'Snoop' maybe they raise the ticket price to $100 and get Lady GaGa!

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 25 Feb 2011 7:40 am

If you want bluegrass in N.C., you need to go to the "camping and picking" festivals, ie, Denton, Little John's (Bass Mtn.), Preddy Fest, plenty more.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 25 Feb 2011 8:34 am

scott murray wrote: In fact, was it ever billed as a "bluegrass" festival? Doc and Merle never considered themselves bluegrass musicians anyway, so I don't really see what the problem is.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 25 Feb 2011 10:12 am

Richard Sinkler wrote:Kid Rock will be on after Snoop Dogg.

The reason they have artist like Robert Plant, Doobie Brothers and Elvis Costello is because they have made albums with some bluegrass musicians and are doing tours using those musicians. They are crossing into the Americana/roots genre.
I highly doubt Kid Rock or Snoop Dog will be recording with Stuart Duncan and Mike Compton then doing a festival that might pay $10K to $20K for a top name act, when they are making over 10 times that for a show.

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 25 Feb 2011 10:37 am

For at least the last 15 years Merlefest has billed itself as an Americana festival. I have been going since the first one in 1988.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 25 Feb 2011 11:24 am

Grey Fox is a similar type event. I saw David Grisman play there and he was of course fantastic but there was a contingency that kept shouting "bluegrass" between his songs (incredibly rude if you ask me). Annie Defranco also played and gave one of the most amazing sets by a solo performer I've ever seen.

Bluegrass police are everywhere. But without these "non bluegrass" acts, the festival would have been greatly diminished.

How many G runs can you listen to?

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 25 Feb 2011 12:57 pm

Tony Prior wrote:In NC it is considered the largest Bluegrass festival of the year

Tony, you should check out the Red, White and Bluegrass festival in Morganton, NC. It's actually the biggest Bluegrass Festival out that way with only Bluegrass Bands on stage for 12 hours a day, 5 days straight. With more jamming than anyone can handle. All the biggest names in Bluegrass are there and the show ends with a big 4th of July fireworks show. It's not only the biggest Bluegrass Festival in NC, but one of the biggest in the nation.

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 25 Feb 2011 4:13 pm

Merlefest was started to honor Merle Watson who enjoyed many other styles of music than what he played with Doc.
Here's a very nice clip with Nokie Edwards playing with Thom Bresh and then meeting Doc for the first time at Merlefest from a few years back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDHV2Th1nHo

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 26 Feb 2011 1:47 pm

Thank you, Dave. I was about to ask, "Who's Merle, and what does he think about all this?"

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 26 Feb 2011 1:55 pm

An old friend of mine owns a well-used studio in Minneapolis and is one of the organizers of the Resophonic Festival there, and he considers the bluegrass nazis to be even more of a pain-in-the-butt for their purism than the heavy metal nazis - Jerry Douglas would have to make a public apology and rend some vestments to ever get back in their graces, for all the selling out he's done.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 27 Feb 2011 6:28 am

I saw Merle and Doc play in the early 70's a number of times. Merle would always get Doc to play "non-traditional" material. He'd have Doc play Elvis Presley tunes, rock tunes of the time, and everyone seemed to love it: both the audience and Doc (and certainly Merle). We must remember that Doc used to play electric guitar pretty exclusively until someone came down and "discovered" him.