FreshGrass | North Adams Announces Lineup for 10th Annual Festival
Hilary Saunders
Posted On April 29, 2021
The annual FreshGrass Festival — presented by No Depression’s nonprofit publisher, the FreshGrass Foundation — is officially returning to MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, on Sept. 24-26, 2021. And today, FreshGrass | North Adams announced its initial lineup for its 10th anniversary event.
Known for programming innovative and exciting roots, and grassroots, music, this year’s festival features headliners Dispatch and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. The folk-rock jam band Dispatch, from and especially beloved in the Northeast, will be performing an all-acoustic set on the heels of their eighth LP, Break Our Fall, due out in May. And Trombone Shorty, the nationally lauded New Orleanian horn player who was just announced to headline FreshGrass | Bentonville, will bring his skillful playing and joyous live sets to North Adams as well. More information about FreshGrass | Bentonville can be found here.
The FreshGrass Festival is known for surprising collaborations, and this year’s three-day festival will be full of them. Virtuosic banjo player Béla Fleck will perform “My Bluegrass Heart,” a limited engagement run featuring musicians Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz, and Bryan Sutton. Additionally, Felicia Collins will organize a tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Steep Canyon Rangers will be the FreshGrass Artist-in-Residence.
Other performers announced today include Sam Bush, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, Watkins Family Hour, Noam Pikelny, Bonny Light Horseman, Alison Brown, Amythyst Kiah, Darol Anger, Hawktail, Dedicated Men of Zion, Willi Carlisle, and CJ Field, with more lineup additions to be announced soon.
Click to enlarge poster
The FreshGrass Foundation also announces instrumental awards and features performances of commissions each year during the festivals. As No Depression publisher, festival producer, and foundation president Chris Wadsworth said in a press release, “FreshGrass is a singular festival experience supported by a large and vibrant roots community that continues to grow each year. This year’s lineup … displays the breadth of roots music that FreshGrass is known for. And with FreshGrass Awards, commissions, and FreshScores, we’re continuing to support the development of innovative new artists in the field.”
Especially after this prolonged period without live music, everyone associated with the festival and museum is eagerly awaiting this FreshGrass’ return to North Adams. “We’re thrilled to welcome FreshGrass back to MASS MoCA for its 10th anniversary,” MASS MoCA Interim Director Tracy Moore said in a statement. “After the challenges of this past year, FreshGrass reminds us of the pure joy and connection that live music holds.”
For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://freshgrass.com/north-adams/.
