Yallwire News

MerleFest 2011, presented by Lowe's and scheduled for April 28-May 1, has announced the initial lineup for the event's 24th year.

The following artists will join host Doc Watson on the campus of Wilkes Community College for a celebration of "traditional-plus" music - a term Doc coined to describe the unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, "plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play."

Doc Watson

Richard Watson

Susana and Timmy Abell

Alberti Flea Circus

Balsam Range

The Banknotes

Rory Block

Roy Book Binder

Alison Brown Quartet

Buffalo Barfield

Sam Bush Band

Cadillac Sky

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper

T. Michael Coleman

Crooked Still

Ken Crouse

Donna The Buffalo

The Doobie Brothers (with newest member John Cowan)

Casey Driessen

Eleanor Ellis

Emmitt-Nershi Band

Paul Geremia

Mitch Greenhill

George Hamilton IV

Harper

Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins

John Hartford String Band

Bob Hill

David Holt

The InterACTive Theater of Jef

Veronika Jackson

Jeff and Vida

Johnson's Crossroad

Catfish Keith

The Kruger Brothers

Sonny Landreth

Jim Lauderdale

Jack Lawrence

Jeff Little

The Local Boys

Lyle Lovett

Lost Bayou Ramblers

Corb Lund

Bill Mathis

Andy May

Del McCoury Band

Nashville Bluegrass Band

The Neighbors

Tim O'Brien

Pauls Creek Band

Red Molly

Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band

Scythian

Shana Banana

The Sigmon Stringers

Sinai Mountain Ramblers

Slate Mountain Ramblers

Steve and Ruth Smith

Joe Smothers

Snyder Family Band

Tut Taylor

Town Mountain

Happy Traum

The Wailin' Jennys

The Waybacks

Charles Welch

Pete and Joan Wernick

Wilkes Acoustic Folk Society

Josh Williams Band

Tony Williamson

Zephyr Lightning Bolts

Dedicated to keeping MerleFest attendees in the loop, new information will be shared immediately through social media venues such as the festival's official website (www.merlefest.org), Facebook and Twitter.

One of North Carolina's public radio stations, WNCW, will air a special devoted to the artists of MerleFest 2011 on November 4 at 8 p.m. EST, and fans anywhere can tune in live at www.wncw.org.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on Tuesday, November 9 at 2 p.m. EST at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. Early bird tickets are available through March 13, 2011.