Mike McGill and the Refills

FABRURARY 13

Mike has roots in honky-tonk, and rock and roll. By age 12, Mike McGill was on stage in front of big audiences. He grew up singing old-time gospel songs and old-school, classic country, and bluegrass. He was influenced by Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, and Willie Nelson to harness his musical prowess.

REDD & THE PAPER FLOWERS

February 14

Redd Daugherty started her music career as a solo artist during the 2020 pandemic while teaching high school English at L&N STEM Academy in Knoxville, TN. During this period, she appeared on Season 19 of American Idol, released her debut album “Monsters & Mothers,” and eventually left teaching to pursue music full-time. She began working with her mentor, Adam Ivy and soon met band members Gavin Gregg, Katie Adams, and Colleen d’Alelio through friends and open mics. The group quickly formed, with Redd and Gavin founding the band, and they credit their early success to former bassist Will Ross.

BIG PINK

FEBRUARY 20

JOE TROOP & THE TRUTH MACHINE

FEBRUARY 21

Over the years, GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Troop (Larry & Joe, Che Apalache) has carved himself a niche as an “artivist,” entwining music and social justice. He has now recruited some of his favorite festival friends from the oldtime and bluegrass scene to form a political protest powerhouse, the Truth Machine. They play songs for social justice and love songs! Couldn’t we all use a little more of that?ure to be an action-packed night!

EVIE ANDRUS BAND

FEBRUARY 27

Evie Andrus has spent most of her adult life adding tasty licks to other people’s projects, adding just the right ingredient to make a piece of music sound its best. With the release of her first album under her own name, “Evie’s Great Adventure,” the fiddler/vocalist ready to deliver the main course. The new album is flat-out feel-good music delivered with the same heart and soul that’s made Evie a popular performer all across the Southeast. Maybe you caught her bands Barefoot Sanctuary or Buffalo Fiasco, or heard her backing up renowned cellist Dave Eggar, irreverent singer-songwriter Roger Alan Wade, or performing at the Big Ears Festival with improvisational great Lonnie Holley, or maybe you spotted her backing up Foreigner on a short tour. There’s also the possibility that you heard her music on the HBO series “The Outsider” or saw her appearance on “American Ninja Warrior.”

ROMAN REESE AND THE CARDINAL SINS

FEBRUARY 28

Roman Reese is a singer/songwriter out of Knoxville, TN. Moonlighting as an attorney, music is his true passion. He’s been writing songs and singing from barstools since he was 15. Before setting up shop in East Tennessee, Reese served as an officer in the U.S. Army, and much of his music involves his time in the service. The rest is devoted to standard barroom fare. His backing band, The Cardinal Sins, includes two other local lawyers, Michael Davis (vocals, guitar) and Stirling Walsh (bass), as well as honorary barrister Nathan Carter (drums).

MARBLE CITY BAND

MARCH 7

The Marble City Band combines top talent from across the Knoxville area, forming a high energy sound unlike any other. With debut performances in 2023, the much-anticipated band from East Tennessee has high hopes to make a profound impact on the local music scene.

MODAL MOUNTAIN

MARCH 13

Modal Mountain is a trio featuring a variety of Irish, old-time, jazz, bluegrass, and more. The song repertoire pulls from artists Gillian Welch, Sam Amidon, Martin Hayes, Ralph Stanley, and more. Achieving the praise and appreciation of bluegrass heroes such as Gary “Biscuit” Davis (Dolly Parton, 5-time National Banjo Champion), Noam Pikelny (Punch Brothers, Mighty Poplar), Jack Tuttle (Molly Tuttle), Tony Trischka, Jens Kruger (Kruger Brothers), and numerous others, Willow, Jesse and Cody are exceptional ambassadors of American music, combining a rich knowledge of the history of Appalachian, jazz, Irish and popular American traditions with a fresh and original musical identity. The three are highly influential artists, each in their own right, with a deep technical mastery of their craft and a passion for connecting to audiences through an outstanding breadth of musical styles.

TIDALWAVE ROAD BLUEGRASS BAND

MARCH 21

Tidalwave Road Bluegrass Band skillfully blends both contemporary and traditional bluegrass styles, infusing them with a dynamic, hard-driving energy. Their music is a delightful fusion of blues and rock influences, resulting in a vibrant and exhilarating bluegrass experience.