Hardly Strictly Bluegrass announces second round 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 AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Sleater-Kinney, Emmylou Harris, Sean McConnell, Levitation Room, Ibibio Sound Machine, Jobi Riccio, Dakhabrakha, Tony Trischka's Earl Jam, and Devendra Banhart to the lineup. These artists were teased yesterday with a medley on the HSB site.
Of Earl Jam, the salute to the legendary bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs, Tony Trischka says:
“I really look forward to returning to Hardly Strictly with Earl Jam: my tribute to Earl Scruggs, celebrating his 100th birthday. The last time I played the festival it was a gorgeous, sunny day in Golden Gate Park and Earl was also on the show and played incredibly, so it seems fitting to return to this great festival to honor this great man!”
For the past several years, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has collaborated with local venues to promote “Out Of The Park” shows – nighttime concerts by artists who are also playing the festival during the day. This year, proceeds from these shows will go to Sweet Relief Bay Area Musicians Fund. Concerts with Glen Hansard and Greensky Bluegrass at the Fillmore, Robyn Hitchcock, Fruition and The Bones of J.R. Jones at The Sweetwater, Haley Heyndrickx at The Guild Theatre, and Big Star’s Radio City 50th Anniversary at The Great American Music Hall have been announced. More Out of the Park shows will be announced soon.
Sweet Relief was founded in 1994 by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams and has been providing financial assistance to all types of musicians and music industry workers ever since. Its Bay Area Fund provides emergency financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin Counties.
“During the pandemic, we worked with Sweet Relief to provide assistance for the Bay Area music community,” said Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Executive Director John Caldon. “Knowing the funds go to those struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems, we’re proud to partner with Sweet Relief to support artists, who are the lifeblood of HSB.”
As a lead up to the festival’s 25th Anniversary in 2025, the staff at HSB has been combing the archives to share some of the special moments from the past decades in presenting a web series Portals to the Past. On July 25, in honor of what would have been HSB founder Warren Hellman’s 90th birthday, the first segment Strictly Bluegrass was released on the HSB TV platform. Stay tuned for future episodes.
The performers announced today join the artists from the first line up announce that includes Greensky Bluegrass, Robyn Hitchcock, Big Star’s Radio City 50th Anniversary, The Wood Brothers, Fruition, Bobby Rush, Haley Heynderickx, The Bones Of J.R. Jones, Alice Gerrard, and Glen Hansard.
Additions to the 2024 line up coming soon.
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS 24
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
October 4-6, 2024
SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Sleater Kinney
Emmylou Harris
Sean McConnell
Levitation Room
Ibibio Sound Machine
Jobi Riccio
Dakhabrakha
Tony Trischka's Earl Jam
Devendra Banhart
INITIAL LINEUP
Greensky Bluegrass
Robyn Hitchcock
Big Star’s Radio City 50th Anniversary
The Wood Brothers
Fruition
Bobby Rush
Haley Heynderickx
The Bones Of J.R. Jones
Alice Gerrard
Glen Hansard
ADDITIONAL ARTISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED
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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.
Tune in August 20th and September 3rd to enjoy new medleys, each of which will showcase additional artists performing at HSB 2024.
