Spring is already returning to Texas’ hill country, which means the 30th annual Old Settler’s Music Festival is coming right up — April 20-23, to be exact. And this 30th-anniversary edition couldn’t be more packed with beloved icons and new favorites, from Grammy-winning hometown girl Sarah Jarosz to East L.A. legends (and festival first-timers) Los Lobos. The official schedule for the four-day event — widely praised as one of the country’s best roots-music festival experiences — features over 30 first-time and returning performers on four picturesque stages at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch in Driftwood, just south of Austin. Ticket packages and single-day wristbands are still available at advance prices, which are below gate admission rates. To purchase tickets, go to oldsettlersmusicfest.org.
Artist profiles, customizable schedules and useful info can be accessed on the new Old Settler’s app for iPhone and Android users, launching mid-March; download the free app via iTunes and Google Play stores.
Veteran festival-goers will likely beam like proud parents when Wimberley native Jarosz takes the stage on the heels of her first two Grammys wins — Best Folk Album for Undercurrent and Best American Roots Performance for the song “House of Mercy” — a mere 15 years after she became the festival’s first Youth Talent Competition winner in 2002.
She joins several other top Texas talents, including campground conga-line leader Shinyribs; good-time Americana guys Reckless Kelly; young bluesmen the Peterson Brothers; bluegrass pickers Wood & Wire (who formed at Old Settler’s); and, making his official festival debut, Shakey Graves — the nom-de-stage belonging to Alejandro Rose-Garcia, who picked it up while volunteering at Old Settler’s. Of course, we can’t forget Dallas-born Old 97’s, who’ve been cranking out alt-country with a punk edge and impish joy for decades now, or rising Austin orchestral folk band American Dreamer, or Gaelic Storm, whose co-founder, Steve Twigger, also resides in the capital city.
Folk-lovers will want to check out Gregory Alan Isakov, Sweden’s Väsen, River Whyless, the Lone Bellow and Mandolin Orange. Bluegrass and jamgrass fans undoubtedly will gravitate toward Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush, the Del McCoury Band, Peter Rowan & Friends, the Travelin’ McCourys, Lil’ Smokies, Elephant Revival and Billy Strings. Country darling Nikki Lane and country roots act the Honeycutters, bluesman Anders Osborne, Tex-Mex charmers the Last Bandoleros, roots rockers Session Americana, blues/R&B groovers the California Honeydrops and Chicano rockers Los Lobos round out the roster of award-winning artists.
From its origins as a one-day bluegrass festival, Old Settler’s has grown into a nationally renowned four-day affair attracting 16,000 roots music-lovers. As No Depression observed, “Old Settler’s is what a festival should be: simple, properly sized, stocked with excellent bands, and held in an environment where it is nearly impossible not to enjoy yourself.”
For the second year, the nonprofit festival will award scholarships to music majors attending two area colleges. To learn more, click oldsettlersmusicfest.org/scholarship-application.
2017 OLD SETTLER’S MUSIC FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
(Artists and times subject to change)
THURSDAY, APRIL 20
Camp Ben McCulloch Stage (Campground)
4-5:15 p.m. – American Dreamer
5:35-6:50 p.m. – Session Americana
7:15-8:30 p.m. – Mandolin Orange
9-10:15 p.m. – The Peterson Brothers
10:45 p.m.-midnight – Billy Strings
FRIDAY, APRIL 21
Hill Country Stage (Salt Lick Pavilion)
4-5:20 p.m. – Lil’ Smokies
5:45-7 p.m. – Gaelic Storm
7:25-8:40 p.m. – Sam Bush
9:05-10:20 p.m. – Gregory Alan Isakov
10:45 p.m.-midnight – Shakey Graves
Friday – Bluebonnet Stage (Salt Lick Pavilion)
4-5 p.m. – Session Americana
5:20-6:35 p.m. – California Honeydrops
7-8:15 p.m. – Reckless Kelly
8:40-10 p.m. – Anders Osborne
10:30 p.m.-midnight – Leftover Salmon
SATURDAY, APRIL 22
Hill Country Stage
11-11:45 a.m. – Griffin Carter
12-1 p.m. – Väsen
1:20-2:10 p.m. – Peter Rowan Bluegrass Jam with Wood & Wire
2:30-3:40 p.m. – California Honeydrops
4-5:15 p.m. – Elephant Revival
5:35-6:50 p.m. – The Lone Bellow
7:10-8:25 p.m. – Del McCoury Band
8:45-10 p.m. – Sarah Jarosz
10:30 p.m.-midnight – Los Lobos
Discovery Stage
1-5 p.m. – workshops (TBA)
Bluebonnet Stage
10:30 a.m.-1:10 p.m. – Youth Talent Competition
1:30 -2:30 p.m. – The Honeycutters
2:40-3 p.m. – 2017 Youth Competition Winner
3:20-4:20 p.m. – Wood & Wire
4:40-5:50 p.m. – The Travelin’ McCourys
6:10-7:15 p.m. – Peter Rowan & Friends
7:40-8:50 p.m. – Nikki Lane
9:15-10:30 p.m. – Old 97’s
11 p.m.-midnight – Shinyribs
SUNDAY, APRIL 23
Camp Ben McCulloch Stage
10-10:45 a.m. – Sunday Service
11 a.m.-noon – Väsen
12:20-1:20 p.m. – River Whyless
1:40-2:40 p.m. – The Last Bandoleros
3-4 p.m. – Elephant Revival
4:30-5:30 p.m. – Shinyribs
