Festival organizers for MerleFest have announced updated safety protocol for this year's event which takes place Sept. 16-19 in Wilkesboro, NC. MerleFest prides itself on being a safe environment for music fans to experience the joy of collectively celebrating the very best in Americana, bluegrass, folk, and roots music in a family friendly environment.

Backyard Tire Fire shares "Alejandro Escovedo" (listen/share). An anthemic country-rock rave-up, the track details a surrealistic encounter with the iconic singer/songwriter after whom it's titled. It's the second single to be released from the Midwestern alt-country band's forthcoming EP 'Black Dirt Blue Sky' due September 10 via Black Dirt Records/Royal Potato Family. The five song collection marks the first new music from Backyard Tire Fire in 11 years.

The dynamic instrumental cinematic funk/soul duo, Hot Mustard, is proud to announce the release of their debut album,  Mother Sauce, on Eddie Roberts' (The New Mastersounds) Color Red label. Drawing influence from mid/late 1960s and early 1970s funk and soul, the building blocks of first-generation boom-bap hip-hop, multimedia artist and guitarist/ producer Jack Powell and bassist Nick Carusos successfully work their own distinctive flavors into classic recipes with  Mother Sauce.

Stone Cottage Studios is excited to continue their outdoor, summer series, which featured 12-weeks of live and livestreamed music in Boulder, with two more wonderful shows this August.  Coming up on Saturday, August 21, is a special surprise concert, in partnership with KGNU and the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society, with bluegrass band Lovers Leap featuring Billy Cardine.

Sound Mind Live announces “Un-Heard Mentality Oct. 21, 2021 in celebration of World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10.) This pioneering benefit concert will be hosted by comedian Tristan Miller and feature sets from Langhorne Slim, Fantastic Negrito, Aisha Bardu, and poet/artist Patrick Roche.