MerleFest, presented by Window World and slated for April 28-May 1, 2016, is proud to announce the music festival’s initial lineup. The four-day event, an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Tickets for MerleFest 2016 are on sale now, and may be purchased at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. A three-tiered pricing structure will be offered for MerleFest 2016. The Early Bird Tier 1 ticket discount is available starting November 10 through February 15, 2016. An Early Bird Tier 2 ticket discount will run from February 16, 2016, through April 27, 2016. The third price tier will be gate pricing.

The initial lineup reflects the diversity and quality of performers who are the hallmark of the festival. MerleFest is known for its unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented music from the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, Americana, blues, country, Celtic, Cajun, cowboy, zydeco, rock and many other styles that the late Doc Watson referred to as “traditional plus."

“We keep Doc Watson’s ‘Traditional Plus’ spirit alive each year at MerleFest by inviting artists that will showcase a wide variety of music from multiple genres. With artists and bands like John Prine, Dave Rawlings Machine, The Wood Brothers, Scythian, Jerry Douglas and Steep Canyon Rangers, it will be a weekend packed with great music,” said Steve Johnson, MerleFest artist relations manager. “As in years past, the lineup will continue to develop in the coming months. MerleFest fans have grown accustomed to the special ‘moments’ that MerleFest plans each year. And the possibility for ‘spontaneous special moments’ is highly likely given the combination of artists that are known to pull together onstage jams at MerleFest.”
 
“As MerleFest fans have learned, we release up-to-the-minute lineup additions and other festival news through our social media platforms; so staying in touch with us via our electronic newsletter, website (www.MerleFest.org), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter is crucial,” Johnson adds.
 
"It’s a thrill for us to announce the performers at MerleFest each year because we take pride in always presenting a lineup that is dynamic and diverse,” says Ted Hagaman, festival director. “It’s the quality of the artists and performances that our guests see over the four days of the festival that, in turn, creates another important element of MerleFest’s success: people truly feel that the festival is a great value. So many music fans and families return year after year, making MerleFest a regular spring tradition. We will always work to make that tradition continue.”