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NARAS Honors Doc Watson
With Lifetime Achievement Awards
More Artists Added to MerleFest 2004 Line-Up
WILKESBORO, NC: On December 22, 2003 the Recording Academy (NARAS)
announced that MerleFest host and six-time Grammy winner Doc Watson
would receive a 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award. Formal
acknowledgment of the awards will be made in conjunction with the
46th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony, which will be held in Los
Angeles on February 8, 2004. The show will be a prime-time
television special on CBS. Recording artists Van Cliburn, The
Funk Brothers, Ella Jenkins, Sonny Rollins, and
Artie Shaw will also receive Lifetime Achievement Awards. Jazz
producer Orrin Keepnews, songwriting team Gerry Goffin and
Carole King, and pianist/radio host Marian McPartland will be
honored with Trustees Awards. According to a Recording Academy press
release, “The Lifetime Achievement Award honors lifelong artistic
contributions to the recording medium while the Trustees Award
recognizes outstanding contributions to the industry in a
non-performing capacity.”
MerleFest Talent Coordinator Claire Armbruster has announced several
late additions to the MerleFest 2004 line-up. These include the
Acappella Fellas, George Hamilton IV, Charles Pettee & FolkPsalm,
and Southern Accent. MerleFest 2004 will also host the world premier
of “Beautiful Thing,” a BrownPenny Films release of a film by
James Ryan Gielen. “Beautiful Thing” provides a glimpse into the
life and spirit of a true artist, Larry Keel, during his many tours
and performances of 2002. Artists appearing in the film include
Curtis Burch, Tony Rice, David Via, Rex McGee, and Vassar Clements.
Wilkes Community College will present MerleFest 2004, the 17th
annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson
and his father Doc Watson, on its campus in Wilkesboro, NC on April
29 May 2, 2004. Those joining Doc Watson and Merle’s son Richard
Watson for MerleFest 2004 will include the Sam Bush Band, Rosanne
Cash, John Cowan Band, the Derailers, Donna the Buffalo, Dry Branch
Fire Squad, Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer, Vince Gill, the Gourds,
David Grisman Quintet, Hot Tuna, Jeannie Kendall, the Kruger
Brothers, Patty Loveless, Natalie MacMaster, Nickel Creek, Tim
O’Brien, Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing Trio, Old Crow Medicine
Show, Reeltime Travelers, Tony Rice Unit, Savoy Doucet Cajun Band,
Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends, the WAiFS, Gillian Welch,
Lucinda Williams, and Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison.
MerleFest 2004 has also confirmed appearances by R.G. Absher &
Extra Measure, Alberti Flea Circus, Darol Anger, Lloyd Arneach, the
Avett Brothers, Etta Baker, Russ Barenberg, Barenburg, Douglas &
Meyer, Bering Straight, Big Country Bluegrass, Roy Book Binder,
Laura Boosinger & Timmy Abell, the Alison Brown Quartet, T.
Michael Coleman, the Deer Clan Singers, Dixie Dawn, the Jerry
Douglas Band, the Gospel Jubilators, Mark Graham, Mitch Greenhill,
Ernie Hawkins, Violet Hensley, Bob Hill, Clint, Clarence, &
Garet Howard, Billy Jonas, Carol Elizabeth Jones & Laurel Bliss,
Catfish Keith, Spider John Koerner, Kim & Jim Lansford, Jim
Lauderdale, Jack Lawrence, the Lazybirds, Brad Leftwich, Brack
Llewellyn, the Local Boys, Mike Marshall, Bill Mathis, Andy May,
Nashville Bluegrass Band, Pine Mountain Railroad, Ann Rabson,
Reckless Kelly, Jerry Ricks, Peter Rowan & Crucial Reggae, Shana
Banana, Bob Sinclair, Mindy Smith, Joe Smothers, Tut Taylor, Joe
Thompson, Tom, Brad & Alice, Two High String Band, Charles
Welch, Pete & Joan Wernick, Wise Child, Adrienne Young &
Little Sadie, and Zoe Speaks. All bookings are subject to change
without notice due to circumstances beyond our control.
Participants may acquire their tickets easily by visiting www.merlefest.org
and, if purchasing assigned seats at the Watson Stage, actually pick
their seat location on line. Those without Internet access may
purchase tickets by calling 1-800-343-7857 (US only) or 336-838-6267
(non-US) from 10 AM through 4 PM, EST, weekdays. Tickets may also be
ordered by fax (336-838-6263) and mail (MerleFest; P.O. Box 120;
Wilkesboro, NC 28697). Those interested in volunteering for
MerleFest should call 336-838-6292. Vendor info: 336-838-6291.
Sponsorship inquiries: 919-542-3997.
Major MerleFest 2004 sponsors include Charter Communications, Tyson
Foods, Gibson USA, Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouses, Curtis
Media, Pepsi, Burger King, Hardees/Dermox, iBluegrass & the
Acoustic Network, G&B Energy/C&J LP Gas, JBL, REDGUM Audio,
J D’Addario, Fishman Transducers, Sugar Hill Records, AC Phelps
Mandolin & Guitar Co., WNCW Public Radio, John Pearse Strings,
The Musik Room, Stelling Banjo Works, Taylor Guitars, Collings
Guitars, This Week in Americana, Western Beat Entertainment, Fender
Musical Instruments, Sprint, Cedar Creek Custom Case Shoppe, and
Homespun Tapes.
January 8, 2004
MerleFest Information: 800-343-7857, merlefest@wilkescc.edu,
or www.merlefest.org
For more media information:
Print: Traci
Thomas, Grassroots Media (traci@grassrootsmedia.com; 615-340-9596);
Non-print:
Art Menius (artmenius@mindspring.com; 919-542-3997, Fax:
240-250-7229).
Media credentials for MerleFest 2004 should be requested no later
than March 20, 2004.
Art Menius
Partnership and National Marketing Coordinator, MerleFest
2069 Andrews Store Rd
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-3997
Fax: 240-250-7229
www.merlefest.org
www.mindspring.com/~artmenius/
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