View Our Performance Schedule
Check out the performance schedule for the Charlie Poole Festival, a meticulously crafted lineup that celebrates the legacy of Charlie Poole. From sun-up melodies to starlit harmonies, our Rockingham County, NC, festival brings together the best of American music.
Friday, June 14, 2024
- 4:00 pm – New North Carolina Ramblers
- 5:00 pm – Laura Boosinger
- 6:00 pm – The Church Sisters
- 7:00 pm – Jon Charles Dwyer
- 8:00 pm – Hubby Jenkins
- 9:00 pm – Liam Purcell and Cane Mill Road
Saturday, June 15, 2024
- 1:00 pm – Twin Creeks String Band
- 2:00 pm – The Church Sisters
- 3:00 pm – Kamara Thomas
- 4:00 pm – Jon Charles Dwyer
- 5:00 pm – Sabine McCalla
- 6:00 pm – Liam Purcell and Cane Mill Road
- 7:00 pm – Hubby Jenkins
Presentation of the Tony Rice Music Scholarship
- 8:00 pm – Brandon Lee Adams and The Time Keepers
- 9:30 pm – Contest Award Presentations
- 10:00 pm – Riley Baugus with Joe Thrift, Mark Olitsky, and Alex Scala
Brandon Lee Adams and the Time Keepers
Singer-songwriter and musician, Brandon Adams is a man of many hats as an artist, songwriter, guitarist, and session player and host of the Emmy Nominated PBS TV series “The Life of a Musician”. Brandon’s roots derive from Kentucky and West Virginia, which you can hear in his tasteful bluegrass meets traditional country repertoire. In celebration and in memory of one of his musical heroes, Tony Rice, Brandon has brought together some of the best performers of today for a set of their hero’s music. Joining Brandon are Alex Edwards on banjo, Jonah Horton on mandolin, Josh Goforth on fiddle, and Austin Brown on bass.
Riley Baugus with Joe Thrift, Mark Olitsky, and Alex Scala
This quartet of the very best in old time music will conclude the Charlie Poole Festival with a rousing set sure to get you up on your feet. Riley Baugus, one of the preeminent old time musicians of today, tours extensively, nationally and internationally, and has recorded with artists such as Willie Nelson, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and was featured on the soundtrack for the movie “Cold Mountain.” Joe Thrift is recognized extensively both as a violin maker and a fiddler. Mark Olitsky is widely regarded for his unusual and driving clawhammer banjo style. And, Alex Scala rounds out the group on bass, providing the rhythm that grounds it all.
Hubby Jenkins
Hubby Jenkins is a talented multi-instrumentalist who endeavors to share his love and knowledge of old-time American music. Born and raised in Brooklyn he delved into his southern roots, following the thread of African American history that wove itself through America's traditional music forms. As an integral member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and later Rhiannon Giddens’ band, Hubby has performed at festivals and venues around the world, earning himself both Grammy and Americana award nominations. Today he spreads his knowledge and love of old-time American music through his dynamic solo performances and engaging workshops.
Liam Purcell and Cane Mill Road
Rapidly rising on the bluegrass scene, the nationally-touring progressive stringband Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road perform internationally and stateside winning both industry awards and the hearts of fans who turn out to see them at some of the industry’s most iconic venues.
Named Momentum Band of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2019, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road have been recognized as one of the fastest growing bands in the industry. Their "Roots" album debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Charts, joining their three previous albums for a total of 12 weeks in the Top 10. In 2023, the group signed a deal with Pinecastle Records leading up to the release of the “Yellow Line” album in 2024.
Named Momentum Band of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2019, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road have been recognized as one of the fastest growing bands in the industry. Their "Roots" album debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Charts, joining their three previous albums for a total of 12 weeks in the Top 10. In 2023, the group signed a deal with Pinecastle Records leading up to the release of the “Yellow Line” album in 2024.
The Church Sisters
The Church Sisters are lifelong country bluegrass singers and songwriters from the heart of Appalachia. These fraternal twins, Savannah and Sarah, specialize in soulful vocal harmonies, and have performed in numerous venues both nationally and internationally, including the Ryman and the Bridgestone Arena.
Kamara Thomas
Kamara Thomas is a singer, songspeller, multidisciplinary storyteller and a Princeton Arts Fellow teaching songwriting, storytelling and performance. Kamara is based in Durham, NC, where she spearheads Country Soul Songbook, an artist-driven media platform and production team rooted in the mission to amplify historically marginalized voices (BIPOC/LGBTQIA+) in country and American roots music.
Jon Charles Dwyer
Jon Charles Dwyer’s songs are a reflection of the Appalachian region where he lives. Both hope and despair resonate against the backdrop of the mountains that help inspire the beautiful music he creates.
A longtime member of the North Carolina underground scene, the Asheville guitarist and vocalist has been developing his solo material for years, producing recordings of real life, stories that need to be told.
Sabine McCalla
Sabine McCalla travels to the festival from New Orleans, where she is ideally suited to the rich musical legacy of that historic place. Her hauntingly beautiful voice is the perfect instrument to interpret her impressive songwriting skills. This is stripped down Americana at its best.
Laura Boosinger
Laura Boosinger has recorded numerous solo albums and is instrumental in maintaining the tradition of shaped note singing in workshops at events such as Merlefest and Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week at Mars Hill University. Proficient in banjo, guitar, and autoharp, she performs and teaches around the region. In her role as Director of the Madison County Arts Council, she helps administer the Junior Appalachian Musican program to elementary and middle school students.
Twin Creeks Stringband
Drawing deeply from local traditions along a southern stretch of the Virginia Blue Ridge, the Twin Creeks Stringband’s sound is one that is rooted and yet singularly unique. Their compelling combination of spirited string band dance numbers with classic song repertoire is a formula well-suited for entertaining crowds at dances and concerts throughout the region - and it doesn’t take long to understand why they are the perennial favorite of so many locals. Twin Creeks Stringband embodies an ideal convergence of the best of Southwest Virginia’s musical traditions.
New North Carolina Ramblers
The New North Carolina Ramblers perform old-time string band music in the tradition of such legendary artists as Charlie Poole, The Carter Family, Kelly Harrell, Roy Harvey, and The Floyd County Ramblers, among others. The band features Wayne Martin on fiddle and banjo; Margaret Martin on guitar and autoharp; Darren Moore on guitar and autoharp and Kinney Rorrer on banjo.