For fans of Americana music, the end of April brings but one thing – the annual pilgrimage to the mountains of North Carolina for Merle Fest, the granddaddy of all roots music festivals.  What began in the late 1980s as a fundraiser for gardens on the grounds of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, has grown in to the seminal festival for most any band or musician playing acoustic music.

This year’s line up includes some fantastic performers, including Vince Gill, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and Doc Watson, and a reunited Bela Fleck & The Flecktones.

Perhaps more exciting to us here at Blue Ridge Outdoors, though, is the love the organizers of Merle Fest gave to bands from Asheville, one of our two hometowns.  Playing Merle Fest this year – and featured on this month’s Trail Mix – are Johnson’s Crossroad, Red June, The Honeycutters, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, and Dehlia Low, all of whom call Asheville home.  We have brand new tunes from Red June and The Honeycutters, as well as new cuts from Steep Canyon Rangers, The Steel Wheels, Enter The Haggis, Marty Stuart, Casey Driessen, and The Wild Rumpus, and favorites from Donna The Buffalo, Sierra Hull and Roy Bookbinder on the mix this month.

Merle Fest is a yearly reminder of how amazing Americana music can be.  Enjoy this Trail Mix and, as always, get out and grab a disc or two from these artists who let us share their music with you.  And get down to Wilkesboro between April 26^th and 29^th to catch all these artists – and more – live.

Download Trail Mix April 2012 here.

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Download more music from month’s past here! They never go out of style.

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