​Del McCoury Band - In the early ‘60s, Del McCoury was the guitarist and lead singer in one of Bill Monroe’s greatest lineups. After playing in groups including the Golden State Boys, the Shady Valley Boys and Dixie Pals, the North Carolina native founded the Del McCoury Band in 1987. The group has included Del’s sons Ronnie (on mandolin) and Robbie (on banjo). Through collaborations with Steve Earle, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, and The Preservation Hall Band; appearances at Telluride and Bonnaroo festivals; and jams with Phish and Yonder Mountain String Band, McCoury has continued to broaden his fan base. The Del McCoury Band is the most awarded group in bluegrass history, with more than eight “Entertainer of the Year” honors and numerous other awards. After a half-century of performing, McCoury finally earned his first Grammy in 2006, with “The Company We Keep” winning for “Best Bluegrass Album.” His latest release, “The Streets of Baltimore,” draws on material that Del played in Baltimore honky-tonks in the ‘50s.

Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion  - The youngest daughter of Arlo Guthrie and the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, Sarah Lee Guthrie was surrounded by singer/songwriters like Pete Seeger, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Hoyt Axton throughout her childhood. Blending alternative folk and country with a hint of rock and soul, Sarah Lee made her singing debut in 1991 on the Grammy nominated recording “Woody's 20 Grow Big Songs.” Her first live performance was at Carnegie Hall where she shared the stage with family and friends. In 1999, Sarah Lee teamed up with South Carolina indie rocker - and future husband - Johnny Irion (ex Queen Sarah Saturday and Dillon Fence) Since the couple’s debut in 2005, the couple has toured extensively both as a duo and as part of the “Guthrie Family Rides Again” tour (with Arlo Guthrie), released the children’s album “Go Waggaloo” on Smithsonian Folkways, a live DVD “Folk Song,” Irion’s solo debut “Ex Tempore,” and parented two young daughters. Their current release, “Wassaic Way,” was co-produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and finds the duo exploring adventurous new sonic settings.

Susan Werner - An talented and versatile artist who “The Chicago Tribune” called "the most innovative songwriter working today," Susan Werner’s influences range from Nanci Griffith and Thelonious Monk to Joni Mitchell and Sting. Born into a family that has farmed for four generations, she was raised on her family’s farm in Iowa. After earning a degree in voice, she studied opera at Temple University. Her 1995l debut featured cameos by an eclectic assortment of fans including Zachary Richard, Marshall Crenshaw and Mitchell Froom. Her 2004 release, “I Can't Be New,” featured a collection of originals written in the style of Gershwin and Cole Porter - from a present-day woman’s point of view. In 2008, Werner was named “Best Contemporary Folk Artist” at the International Folk Alliance music conference. She followed up 2009's “Classics,” a pop-meets-classical album of contemporary standards supported by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with the Rodney Crowell-produced “Kicking the Beehive.” Her current CD, “Hayseed,” focuses on farming, rural America, “locavores,” food safety, and “the comic potential of herbicides.” Born into a family that has farmed for four generations, Werner In a review of her new release, “Newsday” wrote, “Pay attention. Werner might just be the most original folk voice to emerge from the Plains since that Zimmerman kid. And funny, too.” 

The Travelin’ McCourys with special guest Keller Williams - Led by Ronnie McCoury, The Travelin’ McCourys continue the family tradition that has made the McCourys the first family of modern bluegrass. Cutting his teeth in his father Del’s band, Ronnie has similarly taken the genre into new territory. The band includes brother Rob on banjo, fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram. The group has performed with Phish and the Allman Brothers, and its jam with The Lee Boys, brought the house down at Warren Haynes’ Annual Christmas Jam. The Travelin’ McCoury’s latest collaboration is with experimental acoustic guitarist Keller Williams. Williams’ latest CD, “Pick,” is his 18th release and his debut with The Travelin’ McCourys.

Mandolin Orange - This North Carolina duo is comprised of singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Marlin and violinist/guitarist Emily Frantz. The two met in 2009, at a local jam in Chapel Hill, NC, and found they shared a love of traditional Appalachia music. With touchstones like The Civil Wars and Gillian Welch, they released the self-produced debut, “Quiet Little Rooms,” in 2010, followed by the double set “Haste Make/Hard Hearted Stranger” in 2011. The group’s latest, “This Side of Jordan,” is on NC’s Yep Roc label.