Hardly Strictly Bluegrass announces the full lineup of performers for the 2024 edition of the festival to take place at San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Park from Friday October 4 to Sunday October 6. Now in its 24th year, the free music festival with over 70 artists performing on six different stages will once again present an eclectic bill of top performers spanning an array of genres. Today, the festival adds Abby Posner, Alison Brown, Aoife O'Donovan & Hawktail w/ San Francisco Girls Chorus, Buddy Miller, Carsie Blanton, Cedric Burnside, Charlie Overbey, Cunningham Bird, Dom Flemons, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Jackie Greene & Anders Osborne, James Hunter, Jon Langford and the Far Forlorn, Jon Muq, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Lindsay Lou, Marco and the Polos, The Milk Carton Kids, Moonalice, Nigel Wearne & The Spectres, Oakland Rising F: MeloDious & Friends, Patti Smith, Peter Case, Raining Chainsaws, The Red Dirt Boys, The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band, Sam Reider and the Human Hands, Songs from a Gravel Road f: Kelly Willis, Chuck Prophet, Ismay & Steve Earle, Teddy Thompson, Viv & Riley, and Willi Carlisle
Seasoned Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veterans and first-time festivalgoers alike should read this year’s festival guide for the latest Info/FAQ, event policies, and tips on what to expect for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2024. All that information is available on the HSB site here.
“We're extremely excited about this year's lineup in anticipation of our celebration in just a few weeks. This announcement includes celebrated legacy artists like Dry Branch Fire Squad who were good friends of my Grandfather Warren. Plus, we have some amazing first time up and coming artists who I've gotten to see do fantastic performances elsewhere and I am sure our audience is going to love like Willi Carlisle, Viv & Riley, and Jon Muq. This year I'm honored to be part of an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of one of the great Americana artists of our time, who has been amongst my favorite past performers at Hardly Strictly, Lucinda Williams. Over the past 6 years I have been working on a fan documentary with my dad Mick following Lucinda's trail. As much as I love the visual storytelling we've been working on, ultimately I think you can uncover Lucinda's heart and mind most clearly in her songs. I'll be sharing the stage in a songwriter round with some stellar artists who have been influenced by her music, including Chuck Prophet, Kelly Willis, and Steve Earle.” – Avery Hellman PKA ISMAY
The first two episodes of Hardly Strictly’s Portals to the Past are streaming now on HSB TV here and the HSB mobile app (on Apple and Google stores). Episode 2 features incredible duets and duos you won’t want to miss. Stay tuned for future episodes.
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS 24
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
October 4-6, 2024
Friday, October 4:
Cat Power Sings Dylan '66
Charlie Overbey
Devendra Banhart
Glen Hansard
Ibibio Sound Machine
essica Pratt
Lindsay Lou
Matt the Electrician
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Sean McConnell
Sgt. Splendor
Sleater-Kinney
Songs from a Gravel Road: Kelly Willis, Chuck Prophet, Ismay & Steve Earle
The Milk Carton Kids
Viv & Riley
Wonder Women of Country
Saturday, October 5:
Alison Brown
Buddy Miller’s Cavalcade of Stars: The Red Dirt Boys, Jobi Riccio, Teddy Thompson, Dom, Flemons, Carlene Carter, & Buddy Miller
Cunningham Bird
Dave Alvin
Jimmie Dale Gilmore & The Guilty Ones
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Fruition
Greensky Bluegrass
Haley Heynderickx
Jackie Greene & Anders Osborne
John Cooper Clarke
Jon Langford & The Far Forlorn
Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands
Levitation Room
Marco and The Polos
Mavis Staples
Moonalice
Nigel Wearne & The Spectres
Oakland Rising F. Melodious & Friends
Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Robyn Hitchcock
Sam Reider and The Human Hands
Steve Earle F: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Willi Carlisle
Sunday, October 6:
Abby Posner
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Alice Gerrard
Alisa Amador
Aoife O'Donovan w/Hawktail & The San Francisco Girls Chorus
Bobby Rush
Brandy Clark
Big Star Quintet’s “Radio City” 50th Anniversary
Cedric Burnside
Chaparalle
DakhaBrakha
Combo Tezeta
Emmylou Harris
James Hunter
Jon Muq
Patti Smith
Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam
Miko Marks
Raining Chansaws
Rambler Jack Elliott
Songwriter Circle F: Peter Case, Carsie Blanton, Teddy Thompson & Melissa Carper
The Bones of J.R. Jones
The Infamous Stringdusters
The Wood Brothers
Ustad Noor Bakhsh
Wreckless Strangers
Yo La Tengo
The past two decades have seen Hardly Strictly Bluegrass grow from a one-day local attraction to a world-renowned three-day festival. The one-of-a-kind, annual free event boasts more than 70 artists on 6 stages spanning roots and Americana, funk, rock, soul, and more, highlighted by rising stars, countless surprises, and annual favorites such as Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. Since its inception, the festival has become “one of the country’s most beloved live music events” (The San Francisco Chronicle).
Founded by Warren Hellman in 2001, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass marked the late financier/philanthropist’s gift to the City of San Francisco, offering a free outdoor festival in the historic Golden Gate Park to serve as an annual celebration of American music. Honoring the legacy of Warren and Chris Hellman, their four children, who are the directors of the Hellman Foundation, oversee Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. They are guided by a very special mission celebrating American roots music and its many outgrowths in an environment that fosters joy, creativity, freedom, peace, collaboration, love of music, mutual respect, and spiritual community.
