The Sisters Folk Festival announces the artist lineup for the annual Festival, September 11-13, 2015. This is the 20th anniversary celebration of the region’s most well-respected acoustic music festival. Produced in beautiful Sisters where “All the Town’s a Stage,” Festival passes are $120 for adults and $60 for those 18 and under.
Sisters welcomes festivalgoers for three days of world-class performances by artists including The Subdudes, a New Orleans blues-rock and soul band; the 2014 encore artist Eric Bibb; songwriter Tift Merritt; and last year’s crowd favorites Darlingside.
Festival organizers are proud to bring Boston-based bands Session Americana; Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards; Ryan Montbleau; and the duo Tall Heights. Other acts on the bill are: Mandolin Orange; The Bills; Shinyribs & the Tijuana Train Wreck Horns; Gretchen Peters; Zydeco master Andre Thierry; Beth Nielsen Chapman; Canadian roots band New Country Rehab; Liz Longley; Australian-songwriter Jordie Lane; Austin-based Luke Wade and No Civilians; Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboys; Western swing and award winning fiddler Katie Glassman and Snapshot; bluegrass rockers Mountain Heart; Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer; The Weather Machine; Freddy & Francine; Beth Wood; Dennis McGregor and many more.
“For the festival to continue to grow and thrive we need to bring in new acts that are introduced to our audience and become fan favorites. We also get requests to bring folks back, so we selectively choose when the right time is for both the festival and the artists,” says Creative Director Brad Tisdel.
There will be performances on 10 stages over three days, and this year will include the Fir Street Park hosting Festival performers to play on a free community stage. “We get such tremendous support from the community, we want to be sure folks in Sisters get to appreciate and experience some of the music the Festival offers, including the Fir Street Park and the annual free Community Show, Sunday morning at the Village Green, hosted by Beth Wood, “ says Tisdel.
The Festival also hosts the fourteenth annual Americana Song Academy at Caldera, Sept. 8-11, which has become a pilgrimage for songwriters to learn from the pros and build community around music. Teaching artists for 2015 include Beth Nielsen Chapman; Buddy Mondlock; Gretchen Peters; Ryan Montbleau; Tift Merritt; The Ballroom Thieves; Darlingside; Chris Rosser; Mandolin Orange; Jefferson Hamer; Liz Longley; Jordie Lane; and Jonathan Byrd. The Academy is already sold out for this year, but registration for the 2016 Academy will open in early November.
“The entire Festival is presented in Sisters — a tight-knit community nestled in the Cascades — and places exceptional performances in unique, intimate venues, where each artist and stage has its own special quality. We encourage folks to buy tickets soon, as the past 3 years have sold out well in advance,” says Tisdel.
For tickets and artist information, please visit sistersfolkfestival.org or call the office at 541-549-4979. A complete listing of the initial lineup is available at their website.