I’m so grateful that I can share this part of myself. “That’s also sort of the ethos of bluegrass I guess, people just circle up and jam, call out tunes, and everbody knows them. Just ask Ed Helms, whose Bluegrass Superjam Situation performed at the festival for its fifth time this year: “Bluegrass music, as joyful and as jovial of the sound of bluegrass, there’s also a lot of realness to it, where you’re talking about heartache, and hardship and loss, death, and a lot of very morbid topics, which also explains a lot of Southern Appalachian culture when it comes to economic strife, poverty, being pushed out by the government.”īut at the end of the day, it’s the energy of mountain music that attracts so many to it, either as audience or performers. It features Steep Canyon Rangers, Balsam Range, Yonder Mountain String Band, and several other acclaimed groups from the mountains. Woodward just released If You Can’t Play, Get Off The Stage, a collection of cover stories, profiles and interviews on bluegrass musicians. "The more they change, the more people hold onto bluegrass as not only a memory of what the area used to be, but also something that’s evolving with the culture.” “We’re so bombarded with technology and globalization that people look at bluegrass as one of the last vestiges of Southern Appalachian culture that’s alive and really vibrant," said Woodward. It’s kind of nice to be in a smaller group I guess.”Īccording to Garrett Woodward, Arts and Entertainment editor for the Smoky Mountain News, the growing appeal of genres like bluegrass has everything to do with offering audiences a reprieve from inorganic music.
“I noticed it was heavy on the electronica and some other stuff that isn’t so acoustic or songwriter-like, I think we’re one of a small number of other bands that sort of fit in that genre," said Dunham.
Guitarist Jeremy Dunham felt bands like his certainly had their place at the festival this year. South Carolina indie group Sweet Sweet, with its warm combination of cello and guitar, attracted thousands to its set as well. I feel like there is a popularity, there is a certain devotion to people writing quality songs.” "I think that loyalty’s become more fierce recently, almost to protect what we have. “There’s a loyal group of people in the country and world that really like this kind of music," said O'Keefe. According to guitarist and vocalist Ryan O’Keefe, there was much love at the festival for the more acoustical performances of bands like his. This year’s Bonnaroo sold an estimated 65,000 tickets to people across the globe-and so with the poppier sounds of major headliners like Chance the Rapper, U2, Lorde and Major Lazer attracting the bulk of festival-goers, attendance to River Whyless sets easily reached into the thousands.