It began with a tragic death, but has turned into a celebration of life and music. Since its inception in 1988, MerleFest, which takes place this weekend, has become the goddaddy of North Carolina roots music festivals. A year after Arthel “Doc” Watson’s son Merle was killed in 1985, the folk guitar legend was approached by a group of friends and asked if he would do a concert to fund a memorial garden for his son. Watson’s daughter, Nancy, and wife, Rosa Lee, suggested that Merle’s musician friends should come and perform as well.
Since the spring 1988 gathering of 4,000 souls, MerleFest has grown to attract 100,000 plus crowds during the festival held over four days on the grounds of the 150-acre Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC.
Roots music has always been the festival’s focus. But that doesn’t mean that strictly traditional music is the only thing you’ll hear. Newgrass, for instance, was well established when the festival began. Former New Grass Revival members Sam Bush and John Cowan have shown off their experiments in bluegrass there. Other practitioners who have taken things a bit farther out — like Bela Fleck — also appear. Country stars, including Loretta Lynn, Roseanne Cash and Dolly Parton, have dropped by in recent years.
Bluesmen have attracted a large following, too — as when former Jefferson Airplane rockers Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady show up as Hot Tuna.
MerleFest Artistic Director Claire Armbruster says the best things about the festival are its diversity, and its selection of music. “You can pretty much like any kind of music and come here and find it. Or if you’re open-minded enough, you’ll find new music that you’ll love.”
Last year, Canada’s the Duhks opened things up a bit with their mix of Celtic, pop and folk, which has been described as Destiny’s Child meets the Chieftains. This spring, some acts closer to home are also shaking the roots a bit.
Concord’s Avett Brothers, who are slated to play at least four times during this year’s program, mix rock with a healthy dose of bluegrass, throwing in some pop and grunge as well. “We don’t deny it,” says singer-guitarist Seth Avett. “It was a big time in our lives during the grunge era. We love Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Nirvana — we’re big fans of a lot of stuff that came out of Seattle in the early ’90s.”
This will be the Avetts’ third trip to MerleFest. Although Avett says the band’s first visit was overwhelming, they’d settled down enough last year to do vocal and songwriting workshops. They also took part in the Fest tradition of jamming onstage with friends. Adrienne Young of the Sadies got invited up last year. But there are limits. “At MerleFest, we’re less of a jam kind of bluegrass band; we’re more of a songwriting band,” Avett explains. “We write a song and we play ’em, folks. While we love to play with other people, we normally don’t just step in and do that sort of thing.” But there is one artist Avett wouldn’t say no to jamming with. “When I was 14, I got to go to Doc’s house and hang out with him, and that, of course, was a big turning point for me and my music. I think we would not turn that one down.”
Hurtin’ country will be well represented by former Starlite Country Band’s Thad Cockrell and ex-Whiskeytown member Catlin Cary (currently of Raleigh’s Tres Chicas). Their duet debut, Begonias, just came out on Yep Roc last year. But the pair had been getting together to sing at Cary’s house on Sundays for six or seven years. Cary says that the thing she admires about Cockrell’s songwriting is that he’s unafraid to say the simplest things. “He’s a very, very poetic writer. I find that when I’m writing with him, I stretch out and do things I wouldn’t do when I’m writing for myself.”
Cockrell praises Cary’s musical sensibilities and her knack for melodies. “I’m all about singing with Caitlin as much as I can.”
And if you’re looking for rare roots, check out Mebane’s fiddlin’ Joe Thompson, one of the last African-American square dance musicians.
If your festival tastes are a bit more worldly or you just want more funk in your roots, try the Lake Eden Arts Festival (aka Spring LEAF) in Black Mountain, NC. As its name implies, things are a bit more arty — it does take place on the site of the former Black Mountain College, a fabled mid-20th century arts retreat.
The LEAF sports a new age vibe, with a smidgen of old school hippie on the side. This year’s lineup features two Neville Brothers spinoffs: second generation funk with Aaron’s son Ivan’s band Dumpstaphunk and former Meter Cyril Neville’s Tribe 13.
Merlefest runs April 27-30 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. www.merlefest.org. LEAF takes place May 12-14 at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain. www.theleaf.com.
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 2, 2006.
