Chieftains and Loretta Lynn Heading For Merlefest 2005

Ticket sales for MerleFest 2005 will begin on Tuesday, November 9, 2004 at 2:00 PM EST. Wilkes Community College will present MerleFest 2005, the 18 th annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson, on its campus in Wilkesboro, NC on April 28 - May 1, 2005. Those joining Doc Watson and Merle's son Richard Watson for MerleFest 2005 will include BR549; Sam Bush; The Chieftains; Vassar Clements; Eustace Conway; John Cowan Band; Rodney Crowell; Donna the Buffalo; Jerry Douglas; The Duhks; Bela Fleck; John Hiatt, Corey Harris; John Jorgenson; The Kruger Brothers; Jim Lauderdale; Robert Lockwood, Jr.; Loretta Lynn; Del McCoury Band; Buddy Miller; Allison Moorer; Tim O'Brien; Railroad Earth; Tony Rice Unit; Peter Rowan; Darrell Scott; Earl Scruggs; Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder; Joe Thompson & Bob Carlin; and The Waybacks. MerleFest 2005 will offer a reunion of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys featuring Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, Bobby Hicks, Roland White, Tater Tate, Roland White, Del McCoury, host Peter Rowan, and others. The festival will also present two nights of The Chieftains with guests from the Down the Old Plank Road sessions including Doc, Douglas, Fleck, Hiatt, McCoury, Miller, Moorer, O'Brien, Scruggs, Skaggs, and more.

MerleFest 2005 has also confirmed appearances by Timmy Abell; R.G Absher & Extra Measure; Scott Ainslie; Alberti Flea Circus; The Avett Brothers; Etta Baker; Balfa Toujours; Roy Book Binder; Laura Boosinger; Henry Butler; CanJoe John; Hayes Carll; T Michael Coleman; Crooked Jades; Daybreak; Deer Clan Singers; Dixie Dawn; Gigi Dover; Tony Ellis and the Musicians of Braeburn; Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer; Mary Flower; Pat Flynn; Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble; Gospel Jubilators; The Greencards; George Hamilton IV; George Hamilton V; Caroline Herring; Bobby Hicks; Bob Hill; Clyde Hollifield; David Holt & the Lightning Bolts; Hushpuppies; Billy Jonas; Carl Jones & Beverly Smith; Mel Jones; Si Kahn; Jack Lawrence; The Little Rascals; Jeff Little; Brack Llewellyn; The Local Boys; Bill Mathis; Andy May; John Mooney; Nashville Bluegrass Band; NC Thumb & Finger Style Guitar Players; Mollie O'Brien; Old School Freight Train; Josh Pinkham & The Pinkham Family Band; Shana Banana; Joe Smothers; Stillhouse Bottom Band; Tater Tate; Happy Traum; Wayfaring Strangers; Charles Welch; Pete & Joan Wernick; Roland White; The Wilders; Robin & Linda Williams; Tony Williamson; and Zoe Speaks.

We will have full previews of many of the artists and of course news of the various competitions that are such a huge part of the Merlfest experience in the coming months. In the meantime feel free to visit the official MerleFest Site