Sultana Downrigging 2024

The Gravel Road Band blurs the line between blues and bluegrass for a live show thats unpredictably fresh: blues, bluegrass, folk, and R&B flavored concoctions that pour from the soul and will leave you shaken, stirred and smiling.  Join the party where Bill Withers, Doc Watson, John Lee Hooker, Bill Monroe, Van Morrison mix with a soulful mandolin, soaring fiddle, gritty slide guitar and an earthy acoustic bass and percussion for a very cool acoustic show. Time tested, Nancy Lisi’s super-charged Englehardt bass will be rumbling, for sure. Food for the ears that nourishes the soul. There’s horsepower to spare from the precision-tuned quad string pairs on John Relph’s fiery Mandolin. The Fiddle is flammable, and fires on all cylinders- low or high BPM (think RPM, but cooler).  Janine Lewis will provide the octane. Roger Hart keeps the percussion humming adds a bluesy harp to boot. Matt Slocum, the guitar man, sings, arranges and slides the band into gear to spin the tires- and burn the rubber- that is bluesgrass on the Gravel Road. Matt’s been leading the band, writing originals and arranging covers that speak to the blues with a distinctly grassy accent in the DMV for over 10 years.

Stretching the "grass" concept to the limit and offering a unique sound in the process, the Annapolis/Baltimore based Electric Newgrass band, Swamp Donkey delivers an exciting combination of original songs and unique covers that span many genres in a style they have made all their own. Swamp Donkey pride themselves on a big sound that you will likely not hear anywhere else! The band takes an intense and creative approach to their live performance that is riddled with surprises, mash-ups, and lots of energy!

The High & Wides were formed in 2015, and have roots both in Baltimore and the rural Delmarva peninsula. They draw on a shared background playing straight ahead bluegrass, but weave in influences from new wave to old time to make music that evokes the era before country, bluegrass, rockabilly, western swing, and rock'n'roll broke off into separate and strictly defined genres. The band's music imagines an alternate timeline - if instead of the electric-guitar and drums driven band format that took off in the 50s, the stringband lineup had dominated across genres of popular music in the 20th century, what would be happening now?

They have released two full-length albums of original music, 2018's "Lifted" and 2019's "Seven True Stories". In March 2022 they released their first album of covers, "Blood", which pays tribute to exemplars of the two-part "brother duet" singing style that first inspired the formation of the band.

Members are Marc Dykeman (guitar, vocals), Sam Guthridge (banjo, mandolin, vocals), Nate Grower (fiddle), and Mike Buccino (bass).

Fans of country music and world-class songwriting are in for a special treat as Wendell Mobley and Lee Thomas Miller take the Downriging stage on Friday evening for an extended acoustic performance. Between them Mobley and Miller have penned chart-topping hits (including 17 number one records) for the likes of Randy Houser, Rascal Flats, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, the Brothers Osborne, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton, Trace Adkins and Tim McGraw. They are true legends of Nashville’s “Music Row.”

In this rare joint appearance, Mobley and Miller will perform many of their best known songs while recounting the inspiration for each through stories both humorous and poignant. This is a show for country music fans and anyone who appreciates great music and storytelling.

#1 Records by Wendell Mobley
How Country Feels - Randy Houser
Take Me There - Rascal Flatts
Fast Cars and Freedom - Rascal Flatts
I Melt - Rascal Flatts
Banjo - Rascal Flatts
Changed - Rascal Flatts
There Goes My Life - Kenny Chesney
How Forever Feels - Kenny Chesney
Tattoos On This Town - Jason Aldean 
A Little More Summertime - Jason Aldean 

#1 Records by Lee Thomas Miller
It Ain’t My Fault - Brothers Osborne
I’m Still a Guy - Brad Paisley
Whiskey and You - Chris Stapleton
In Color - Jamey Johnson
You’re Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins
Southern Girl - Tim McGraw

Serene Green is a traditional bluegrass band featuring Quentin Fisher, Michael Johnson, Steve Leonard, Katelynn Casper and Sam Zolla.  Serene Green's desire is to honor the traditional side of bluegrass demonstrated by the pioneers of the genre, while also showcasing its original compositions and uniqueness. Serene Green has toured in three countries, most extensively throughout the United States, sharing stages with many nationally- and internationally-touring bands and artists, including The Del McCoury Band, The Seldom Scene, The Infamous Stringdusters, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, David Bromberg, Dan Tyminski Band, The Travelin' McCourys, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, Sideline, Railroad Earth, and Cabinet, among many others. The band has become an instant favorite at numerous music festivals, winning over audiences at DelFest, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, The Peach Music Festival, NEPA Bluegrass Festival, Musikfest, Watermelon Pickers' Festival, Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, and Podunk Bluegrass Festival where the band was voted winner of the band competition in 2022.

Pictrola's members first played together as a group at the Delfest Academy 2017. Hailing from the Northern Virginia area, the band strives to incorporate modern themes into traditional bluegrass, bringing elements from blues, swing, jazz, and rock into unique covers and originals. Pictrola recently won the Watermelon Park band Competition in 2022 and played as an emerging artist at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in 2023.

Pictrola is:
Josh Ungar: Mandolin
Mike Shade: Guitar
Evan Sands: Banjo
Dan Henderson: Fiddle
Taylor Gerber: Bass

Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere. Their 2020-21 singles have all charted in the Bluegrass Today top 20 including “California” #1 “Irons in the Fire” #2 and “Carolina and Tennessee” #4.
Their 2019 release from Mountain Home Music Company, Myths We Tell Our Young, debuted at #5 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and has seen 5 top-charting radio singles, including a #1 spot on the Bluegrass Today chart for “Dark Side of the Mountain.”
Their material is mostly original and reflects the ever-changing culture of Western and Central North Carolina where they call home. The band has earned a fervent following in the Southeast, selling out shows in Asheville, NC as well as the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, TN. They have also performed twice on the coveted Watson (main stage) at MerleFest. With heavy airplay on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction and ever-growing streaming numbers, Unspoken Tradition is a fast-rising voice of a new generation of roots music artists. Their debut recording, Simple Little Town (2013) saw quick success in radio and with tastemakers. Their follow-up release, Miles Between was featured on the nationally syndicated NPR show The World Cafe. Represented by Advance Artist Support, Unspoken Tradition plays nationwide.

There’s a reason why Ricky Skaggs pulled Eric and Leigh Gibson off the stage at the Ryman two decades ago and offered to produce their debut record.The same thing that led David Ferguson and GrammyAward winning producer and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach to co-write and produce their 14th album “Mockingbird” (2018) and release it on his own label Easy Eye Sound alongside cultural icons such as Hank Williams Jr. and Dr. John: the Gibson Brothers are the real deal.They can pick.They can sing. And they can write a damn good country song. They’ve won about every bluegrass award you can name and released albums on almost every premier Americana label you can think of including Sugar Hill and Rounder, and, if that’s not enough, their songs have been recorded by bluegrass legends including Del McCoury. It’s a resume almost anybody in country music would be proud to have.

Serene Green is a traditional bluegrass band featuring Quentin Fisher, Michael Johnson, Steve Leonard, Katelynn Casper and Sam Zolla.  Serene Green's desire is to honor the traditional side of bluegrass demonstrated by the pioneers of the genre, while also showcasing its original compositions and uniqueness. Serene Green has toured in three countries, most extensively throughout the United States, sharing stages with many nationally- and internationally-touring bands and artists, including The Del McCoury Band, The Seldom Scene, The Infamous Stringdusters, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, David Bromberg, Dan Tyminski Band, The Travelin' McCourys, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, Sideline, Railroad Earth, and Cabinet, among many others. The band has become an instant favorite at numerous music festivals, winning over audiences at DelFest, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, The Peach Music Festival, NEPA Bluegrass Festival, Musikfest, Watermelon Pickers' Festival, Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, and Podunk Bluegrass Festival where the band was voted winner of the band competition in 2022.

Pictrola's members first played together as a group at the Delfest Academy 2017. Hailing from the Northern Virginia area, the band strives to incorporate modern themes into traditional bluegrass, bringing elements from blues, swing, jazz, and rock into unique covers and originals. Pictrola recently won the Watermelon Park band Competition in 2022 and played as an emerging artist at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in 2023.

Pictrola is:
Josh Ungar: Mandolin
Mike Shade: Guitar
Evan Sands: Banjo
Dan Henderson: Fiddle
Taylor Gerber: Bass

Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere. Their 2020-21 singles have all charted in the Bluegrass Today top 20 including “California” #1 “Irons in the Fire” #2 and “Carolina and Tennessee” #4.
Their 2019 release from Mountain Home Music Company, Myths We Tell Our Young, debuted at #5 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and has seen 5 top-charting radio singles, including a #1 spot on the Bluegrass Today chart for “Dark Side of the Mountain.”

Their material is mostly original and reflects the ever-changing culture of Western and Central North Carolina where they call home. The band has earned a fervent following in the Southeast, selling out shows in Asheville, NC as well as the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, TN. They have also performed twice on the coveted Watson (main stage) at MerleFest. With heavy airplay on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction and ever-growing streaming numbers, Unspoken Tradition is a fast-rising voice of a new generation of roots music artists. Their debut recording, Simple Little Town (2013) saw quick success in radio and with tastemakers. Their follow-up release, Miles Between was featured on the nationally syndicated NPR show The World Cafe. Represented by Advance Artist Support, Unspoken Tradition plays nationwide.

There’s a reason why Ricky Skaggs pulled Eric and Leigh Gibson off the stage at the Ryman two decades ago and offered to produce their debut record.The same thing that led David Ferguson and GrammyAward winning producer and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach to co-write and produce their 14th album “Mockingbird” (2018) and release it on his own label Easy Eye Sound alongside cultural icons such as Hank Williams Jr. and Dr. John: the Gibson Brothers are the real deal.They can pick.They can sing.And they can write a damn good country song. They’ve won about every bluegrass award you can name and released albums on almost every premier Americana label you can think of including Sugar Hill and Rounder, and, if that’s not enough, their songs have been recorded by bluegrass legends including Del McCoury. It’s a resume almost anybody in country music would be proud to have.

Mid Shore Voices United is a group of enthusiastic singers from several different religious denominations covering an enormous amount of territory throughout Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

The choir was founded in November 2023, when the Covenant Gospel Choir, Friends For Christ, and the Second Generation Community Chorus of Federalsburg, Maryland, came together to participate in a benefit for a local cause. This group brings together singers from St. Michaels, Wittman, Neavitt, Royal Oak, Bellevue, Easton, Federalsburg, Hurlock, Preston, Denton, Salisbury and Cambridge, Maryland; Dover, Middletown, Milford, Millsboro, Seaford, Laurel and Wilmington, Delaware; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The combined choir is under the joint direction of Leroy Potter (Covenant Gospel Choir) who is currently a music teacher in the Caroline County Public Schools, and Ambia Hooper (Second Generation Community Choir) who is a retired music teacher from Talbot County Public Schools.

This group offers a unique mixture of Negro spirituals and spirited gospel music. The MSVU’s present musicians are Leroy Potter and Chris Barnett, keyboards; Robert Morris, drums; and Thomas Hatcher, bass guitar.

The choir takes great pride in spreading the word and making a joyful noise.

No Festival Village Pass is Required for Sunday - This Show is Free!

Flatland Drive began, not as a joke, but as a serious effort to blend traditional, hard-driving bluegrass with modern stylings, on April Fool's Day in 2009.  The members of the band hail from either Caroline County, Maryland or Kent County, Delaware, and their proximity is alarmingly close.

In their time together, the band has shared the stage with the likes of bluegrass giants such as The Seldom Scene, The Lonesome River Band, Dailey and Vincent, The Boxcars, and many other stellar bands in the world of bluegrass. They have worked very hard to write, find, and sharpen a wide array of material that showcases the instrumental prowess of their players and the respected harmonic talents of their vocalists.

No Festival Village Pass is Required for Sunday - This Show is Free!

The United States Navy Band Country Current is the Navy's premier country-bluegrass ensemble. The group is nationally renowned for its versatility and "eye-popping" musicianship, performing a blend of modern country music and cutting-edge bluegrass. This seven-member ensemble employs musicians from diverse backgrounds with extensive high-profile recording and touring experience in the music scenes of Nashville, New York, New Orleans and more. In the tradition of country music, each member is a skilled performer on multiple instruments.

No Festival Village Pass is Required for Sunday - This Show is Free!