
Photo: Rob Laughter
Photo Gallery: IBMA's Wide Open Bluegrass 2019 Takes Over Raleigh, N.C.
In case you couldn't make the trek to Raleigh, N.C. for this weekend's International Bluegrass Music Association's Wide Open Bluegrass festival, we've got you covered. The Recording Academy is on the ground in the Tar Heel State to bring you all the action, including exclusive interviews, backstage snapshots and more from what its organizers call the largest free urban bluegrass festival in the world.
*All Photos by Shannon Kelly
Progressive folk upstarts Fireside Collective were all smiles for the third of their three performances throughout the week.
Award-winning Colorado string band Trout Steak Revival took some time to talk with us backstage at Wide Open Bluegrass. Stay tuned for the full interview...
Acclaimed songwriter/bassist Missy Raines and Leigh Gibson of the Gibson Brothers both posed for some quick pics while hanging out backstage.
We caught up with bluegrass phenom Sierra Hull for an exclusive interview backstage.
The great Jim Lauderdale posed for our camera on the Raleigh streets. The GRAMMY winner was busy all week at the IBMAs, hosting the Awards show and performing a tribute to late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.
Folk supergroup I'm With Her, made up of Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O'Donovan, played a stunning set to close out Friday night's festivities.
One of the bluegrass' brightest young stars, Molly Tuttle, treated the Raleigh crowd to tunes from her debut album, When You're Ready. Read our full interview with Molly here.
Denver quintet The Lonesome Days shared their songwriting-forward sound with bluegrass fans and took a beat to pose for our cameras.
Balsam Range delivered a special performance on Friday accompanied by the North Carolina State Symphony Orchestra.
Headliner and GRAMMY-winning headliner Del McCoury Band lent their legendary status to Saturday night's grand finale, complete with once-in-a-lifetime guest appearances from Dierks Bentley, Sierra Hull, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush and more. See for yourself:
Stay tuned for more coverage from Raleigh and the 2019 Wide Open Bluegrass Festival...
Molly Tuttle On 'When You're Ready,' Her Modern Nashville Bluegrass Classic | Newport Folk 2019