The goth-to-country pipeline is real, and the Laurel Hells Ramblers keep it well-fed with their signature “gothic bluegrass.” This band’s distinct sound comes from the combined efforts of Clover-Lynn, a banjo player from Southwest Virginia, and Jade Louise, a fiddler who cut her teeth performing in the punk and metal scenes before returning to her Carolinian roots. The Laurel Hell’s Ramblers are coming to Durham April 25th and performing at The Pinhook, one of the city’s most iconic venues. If you’re unfamiliar with the Ramblers, here’s what you need to know: Sounds from the Mountains Laurel H ..read more

Sarah Shook (with a Disarmer behind them) John keeps the memory of Tony Rice alive Jim Lauderdale Mavis Staples and Rick Holmstrom Sarah Shook and the Disarmers R-SON the Voice of Reason of Ganstagrass Three generations of flatfooters Mavis <3 Cordovas Melissa Etheridge joins Mavis Staples Dolio the Sleuth of Gangstagrass The Old Time Pickers Tent Merlefest 2021 took place September 16-19 and WKNC, at long last, had representatives taking part in the festival. The headliners were amazing, but some of the most magical moments of Merlefest were in between the big events – meeting the people ..read more

Merlefest is back after a year off (there was some kind of virus last year?) and it’s a packed four day weekend with plenty of local bluegrass and big country names. Sturgill Simpson opens the festival this Thursday night, but WKNC coverage begins Friday afternoon – here’s what we’re most excited for (listed in bullet form, not numerical, because we refuse to rank): Amythyst Kiah: Wary + Strange, Kiah’s third album, came out earlier this year and we’re more than ready to hear it live. We’re most excited to hear the new electrified version of her song Black Myself, previously released in 2019 ..read more

Continuing with my series about Black contributions to music, I am highlighting a genre especially important to those of us who are Southerners: bluegrass. This genre of music is another that is often dominated by White men, but it has been influenced by Black musicians who are typically not recognized for their achievements.  Many features of Appalachian bluegrass were influenced by or originated from African musical traditions, brought to America by African slaves. A key feature of bluegrass music is its instrumentation, including the fiddle, banjo, guitar, and more. The four-stringed b ..read more

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance takes place October 6-9 in the beautiful Chatham County, NC. Shakori Hills features 50 bands on 4 stages across 4 days, with genres varying from indie to bluegrass, and indie to electronic. This is a family friendly event that not only includes live music, but crafts, food/art vendors, dance & music workshops, and sustainability education.  More information on the festival can be found here. Schedule of events: The post Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival appeared first on WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Rad ..read more

Old Crow Medicine Show along with special guests, Shovels & Rope, will be coming to the Red Hat Amphitheatre on August 20th. WKNC will be giving away tickets for the show until Tuesday, August 19th. All you have to do is be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it and you could win yourself a night of great music. So don’t miss this golden opportunity! All of your friends will think you are so cool once you tell them you won free tickets from WKNC. That girl/guy will be highly impressed by your resourcefulness and finally agree to go out on a date with you. Basically, these tickets will ..read more