Joyann Parker is an electrifying and versatile musician whose soulful voice, captivating performances, and impeccable songwriting have taken the music scene by storm. Born and raised in a small Wisconsin town, Joyann's deep-rooted passion for music began at a young age, drawing inspiration from the blues, gospel, jazz, and rock genres.

Maygen & The Birdwatcher’s music is Americana that isn’t afraid to embrace eclecticism, but it’s also firmly rooted in folk and country. To achieve their rich, full sound, the band fills out the sonic details, with multi-instrumentalist Nik Pellinen adding banjo, lap steel and electric guitar. Along with bassist Chase Rabideau, who rounds out the bottom, mandolin player Jesse Moravec, who also contributes vocals, fiddle player Evin Haukos, and drummer-percussionist Peter Anderson create a new take on bluegrass-folk-country. It’s a hyphenated hybrid that can come only from a seasoned—and tightly knit—band.

My Grandma's Cardigan is an indie folk group that came together in the heart of Winona, MN in 2014. What started as a folk duo jamming in a living room, has grown into a great group of friends that love playing music together. Their melodic harmonies and fun upbeat sounds have made their way across Minnesota and Wisconsin, hitting up coffee shops, venues, and festivals.

Opening Act: 2pm - 3pm

My Grandma’s Cardigan: 3pm - 6pm

The Barley Jacks are a bluegrass and roots band known for their original music and instrumental virtuosity, featuring Brian Wicklund (fiddle, mandolin, vocals), Mike Cramer (guitar, vocals), Josh Granoski (bass), and Joel Arpin (drums).

Joe Flip - Billboard Charting Blues/Rock Americana Artist
NEW ALBUM "OLD SOUL LIVE"
#6 Top Blues Album on Billboard Chart

Joe Flip’s unique blend of blues-rock and Texas-style flair, played on his handmade oil can guitars, delivers high-energy grooves with a southern twist. His latest album, "Old Soul: Live", reached #6 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart in 2024, following the success of "Home Sweet Home", which was considered for a GRAMMY and charted in the top 40 Blues/Rock radio charts.

With over 2 million YouTube views and 40,000 Spotify listeners, Joe has built a loyal global following. His music has earned multiple award nominations, including the Midwest Country Music Organization and Blues Blast Magazine Music Awards, making him a standout in the Americana and blues/rock scene.

With every performance, Joe Flip brings a fresh and authentic sound, blending the timeless appeal of blues and rock with his unique creative vision. His dedication to the craft is unmistakable, and his music speaks to the soul of Americana.​

The New Feral Cats features; John Garden bass, Sonna Olson vocals, Ross William Perry guitar, and Nick Zwack drums.  Together they make a passionate powerhouse of R&B, Soul, Blues, Cajun, Cuban, and Americana.

Brother Jon Band has been all over the radio with their song Bobby's Blues and their second release Dog. In 2016 The band won Famous Dave's Battle of the bands, Also that year voted best album by Duluth Minnesota's 94x. In 2018 the band was runner up in Minnesota's Road to Memphis competition. 2019 voted favorite band by KFAI and Minnesota Music

The Thomas & James Band - Three guys (Tom, Jim and Bob) who enjoy playing a mix of county, rock and pop music. They play all types of venues in and around the Twin Cities.

Folk, rock, blues, country and more combine to create the iconic sound of Americana grown in the Midwest. With hits like "Wendy Darling," "Wicked Mortals" and "Trainwreck," Samantha Grimes has shown her ability to captivate listeners in all genres.

Her lyricism and storytelling has been praised time and time again.

Samantha Grimes is multiple crowned Best of the Valley in the upper Midwest, as well as a multi-year nominee in many International Singer/Songwriter Association awards. Samantha is also a two-time Josie Music Award nominee for the Rising Star award, nominated in 2022 and 2023.

Harbor & Home is a Minneapolis-based rock band directed by lead singer Kaleb Williams. Described as having a “classic, emotionally gratifying sound that [transcends] time and place,” their music is a blend of roots Americana and classic rock n’ roll.

Opening Act: Faith Boblett

Faith Boblett is a Minneapolis based singer-songwriter with roots in northern Minnesota, and was named one of 2018’s Best New Bands by First Avenue. She began writing her own music at age thirteen, shortly after teaching herself to play the guitar. Though Faith was raised in a musical household, she has been persistent in finding her own voice through songwriting and performing. Her goal? Timeless songs. Boblett brings her own brand of pop, Americana, rock, and alt-country (aka she's "Minnesota's grungy Sheryl Crow" -Jordan Alamat).

St. Paul’s JoJo Green has a hot, fresh, take on a cozy, nostalgic sound best summarized as “roots fusion”. Lauded as “Bombastic!” by Mostly Minnesota Music, and praised as “...a band to see!” by Americana Highways, this powerhouse fusion band will get you on your feet and leave you wanting more. JoJo Green features rich, agile, and daring trios between their bodacious vocalist, diva, and band leader, Sharisse Germain, cheeky and fearless saxophonist, Zach Miller, and smooth, suave guitarist, Conner Allen, braiding through each performance. The JoJo groove is driven by primal, soulful rhythm provided by drummer Nancy Long and bassist/lead songwriter Scott Yonke. JoJo Green has proudly released two internationally praised independent albums since their inception in 2019: “The Summer Tree” (EP 2022) and “The Line” (LP 2021) and continues to break the mold experimenting, writing, and arranging both grandiose and intimate, peculiar and rich soundscapes.

73 Paces in an interactive 3 piece band from Waconia that have been playing for over 25 years. Their high energy show has all 3 musicians on wireless interacting with the crowd in a positive atmosphere. They play hits from the 70's through today. They ALWAYS encourage people to come and sing or play guitar with them.

The Craig Clark Band is a Minnesota band that plays throughout the Twin Cities and beyond.

They deliver a performance and sound that is both emotionally rich and inviting. 

From the powerful  and tight rhythm section to masterful guitar sounds and soulful vocals, this band will catch your attention and keep it!  

Born in Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Craig Clark started singing Gospel music at the young age of five. Listening to the sounds of The Mighty Clouds of Joy and The Gospel Keynotes, Craig started his musical journey singing at churches around his hometown area. 

Since moving from Pennsylvania to Minnesota in the late eighties, Craig has been spreading his soulful sound throughout the state and beyond. Adding his self-taught compelling guitar style to his already dynamic vocals; Craig has constructed a style of his own.

Performing with Big Brother and The Holding Company, The Mississippi Mass Choir with Reverend James Cleveland, Jimmie Van Zant, Big John Dickerson, and playing at the Broken Spoke in Sturgis, South Dakota, are a few of Craig's fondest music memories. Influenced by the the likes of Sam Cook, Bobby Bland, Robert Cray and Buddy Guy, Craig Clark has proven to be a strong force in the musical community, leaving audiences talking long after hearing him perform.

1950's Rock 'N Roll at its finest. Guitar, upright bass, saxophone, keys, and drums. Expect to hear Elvis, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Fats Dominos, Hank Williams, Brian Setzer, The Everly Brothers, and Originals.

Danny Frank & The Smoky Gold combines soulful lead vocals with rich harmonies and virtuosic instrumentalism, into a genre-blending Americana sound that is captivating, invigorating, and sure to get your toe tapping!

Artist/Singer-Songwriter, Monique Smaz is a proud St.Paul, Minnesota native writing and performing as an accomplished vocalist and guitarist, quickly becoming one of The Midwest's most sought after talents. Monique's music seamlessly blends the raw edge and grit of rock-and-roll with the heartfelt, soulful, storytelling and vulnerability of country music. Monique is recognized for her catchy melodies, powerful vocals, and strong stage presence. She has performed to audiences at notable national venues such as US Bank Stadium, Target Center Arena, First Avenue, and at prestigious music events such as The Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival. Making a Midwest impact; Monique is a Midwest Country Music Organization 2024 Female Vocalist of The Year Nominee. Smaz's music has resonated far and wide, earning airtime on esteemed radio stations, such as Minnesota favorites 102.9 The Wolf and 89.3 The Current, as well as nationally acclaimed SiriusXM Radio's The Highway/On The Horizon, where she was hailed as a 2023 “Highway Find”. Monique has shared stages with notable artists such as The War Hippies, Austin Williams, David J, Tenille Townes, Turnpike Troubadours, Lauren Alaina, and Zach Bryan. 

Monique's music is heavily influenced by the sounds, styles, and songwriting of Miranda Lambert, Elle King, Gretchen Wilson, Ashley McBryde, and Janis Joplin. Now living in Nashville, TN, Monique has immersed herself in the city's rich tapestry of songwriting and recording with plans to continue writing songs, releasing music, and performing to audiences around the globe.

Mixing up an unlikely concoction of vintage rock & roll and outlaw country, Cole Diamond is, depending on when you ask, either the stage name for singer/songwriter Ryan Otte or the collective handle for Otte and his Band. For years Otte spent most weekends behind a drum kit playing with too many bands to list. The idea for Cole Diamond came about as a way for Otte to step out from behind the drums and try his hand at the front of the stage. In the years since “Cole Diamond” was conceived he has released two EPS, a string of singles, received airplay on 89.3 The Current, and opened for national acts such as Jenny Don't & The Spurs, Corb Lund and The Wilder Blue. Drawing on influences that range from Waylon and Willie to Brooks & Dunn, Cole Diamond delivers a modern take on a classic sound.

“I’m your huckleberry” That famous phrase meaning I’ve got your back. I’m the one for the job. The Huckleberries are a duo from the Twin Cities and Hudson, Wisconsin. Justin Bell and Sarah VanValkenburg. I’ve been playing together for over a decade. They play a variety of Americana , folk and rock originals and covers. 

Singing, songwriting, sass-bringing Erin McCawley and her Harrison Street Band know how to entertain and energize the crowd with blues styles from Chicago to Louisiana and everything in between. Erin sings with the confidence and soul as if each song was the story she was born to tell and with a voice that seem to rise up from the soles of her feet. Her genuine sense of personal freedom empowers her audience and draws them in to each performance; then with clever lyrics, radiant joy, and raw emotion, she holds them there. She is backed by an incredible band of talented musicians: Tony Houle on Guitar, Robb Stearns on bass, and Bill Whelan on drums. They are often joined by Joey Gagliardi on harmonica, and Paul Wigen on keys. Together, they have released a third album of original music; “Live at A440.” Listen, and you may hear the blues, but you won’t leave with ‘em!”

The Limns were formed in January of '07. Since its humble beginning in St. Paul, MN, The Limns have entertained crowds of all ages, including a performances at outdoor festivals such as Project Earth and Fricke's Freedom Fest in Minnesota; to private parties, philanthropy events and political functions. The Limns have toured around the Midwest and even made it all the way down to Austin, TX to compete in the international talent contest called Famecast. The Limns were the first band in 23 years to win the 2007 MN State Fair Amateur Talent Contest. They have been featured on abc Eyewitness News and were the cover story of St. Paul Illustrated Magazine. The Limns are currently working on their first album and hope to start branching out of the Midwest this year.P.S. We only have two songs up right now but I think you'll really like them. Thank you so much for giving our music a chance. sincerely, The Limns

The band was originally formed in 2001 by Joni (Weston) and Eric Buffalohead. Bluedog released their debut CD “From All Directions” in April of 2005.  The CD was recorded at Oyate Studios in Albuquerque, NM.  The CD received two nominations (Best Blues and Debut Recording) from the Native American Music Awards; and was also nominated for the best blues category for the Indian Summer Music Awards. Bluedog released its second CD “A Little White Lie” in December of 2006.  This CD was recorded in Minneapolis, MN. The recording received a Native American Music Award nomination for Best Blues recording. In 2010 the band released a single called “Get Up & Get Out”; and, nominated in the Best Blues category for the 2010 Indian Summer Music Awards. “Get Up & Get Out” was also nominated in two categories (Best Blues & Group of the Year) for the 2010 Native American Music Awards (NAMMY’s). “Just Living the Blues” was released in December of 2011. This CD was recorded at Untouchable Studios in Grand Forks, ND and produced by blues guitarist Little Bobby and Joni. In 2017, Bluedog’s recording, "Red, White & Blues" was released and all songs were written by Joni, Eric and Alexandra. The recording received a Native American Music Award nomination for Best Blues recording. “Take a Stand” is the latest CD from Bluedog and was nominated for the Best Blues Recording for the 2022 Native American Music Awards. It was recorded at Winterland Studios in Minneapolis, MN. The lyrics to the CD’s 11 songs were written by Joni and Eric Buffalohead with the exception of “Look to the Sky” written by Keith Secola, Eric, Joni and Alexandra Buffalohead. Additional musicians on this CD include: Keith Secola, Ted and Angie Vig, Josh Levi, Jan Michael Looking Wolf and Jordan Carlson.

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The music is influenced by life experiences of Native people.  Joni states that “Native people have experienced the blues too.  For us it reflects a significant part of life for Native people and our relationship with the U.S. government in the past, present and future. All the pain we’ve endured from massacres, boarding schools, and forced removal from our homes, etc… all attempts to erase our culture and our people.  We are still here.  Our music celebrates life, the good and bad.”
 

The band has performed across the United States in support of their original recordings in locations such as: Hollywood, FL (Native American Music Awards), Milwaukee, WI (Indian Summer Music Awards), Toppenish, WA (Yakima Tribal Jam), Minneapolis, MN (Indian Summer Music Festival), The Fargo Blues Festival (2012 & 2014); and Thief River Falls, MN (Last Ride Blues Festival 2009 to 2015). The band has fronted notable blues acts including: The Robert Cray Band, Indigenous, Los Lonely Boys, Corey Stevens, John Mayall, Kenny Neal Band, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Coco Montoya, Ana Popovic, Walter Trout, Shannon Curfman, and the Jerry Garcia Band. The Bluedog band is a five member blues/rock band out of Minneapolis, MN.

The Oatmeal Band is an acoustic/electric group featuring Arthur Andersen, Eric VanValkenburg, David Markson, Mark Anderson.  We play covers and originals leaning on several genres and focus on providing an interactive experience with the crowd.

A band of 5 funky freaks strummin and pickin on acoustic instruments. American | Newgrass

Push & Turn is an energetic Reggae-Fusion band from Rochester, Minnesota that continues to explore new harmonies, melodies, and uplifting lyrics while adding funk, blues, and jam feels to their Reggae music.

Nick Hensley & The Love Songs For Angry Men, The Solo, Duo, Trio & occasional Full Band (with the terrible name) From Saint Paul, Minnesota (The Best City in the Twin Cities!) 

Nick Hensley is the former lead singer and co creator of The District, a regional alt rock act from the upper Midwest, co based out of St. Paul, MN and Chicago, IL.

Hensley created Love Songs For Angry Men shortly after The District called it quits in 2003. Hensley’s alias, stage name and alter ego, Love Songs For Angry Men, originated as a bad joke… similar to other shorter lived band names like Amish Puppy Mill and Billy’s Little Secret. Unfortunately, for Nick and his band members, now approaching 20 years later...THE NAME JUST WON’T GO AWAY!

MAYFAIR 3 is the Twin Cities good time party,  Americana/Rock/Soul/Blues band that brings the excitement and fun like no one else can. Their love of the Groove propels their funky danceable music accentuated by catchy covers that are always crowd pleasers. The musicians include seasoned professional individuals from the Twin Cities best bands. They are committed to hosting the best party with the juiciest music that will make you get up and dance! 

Avey Grouws Band blends blues, roots, rock and soul as powerfully as the Mississippi River runs through their home in the Quad Cities of Iowa & Illinois. Led by powerhouse vocalist Jeni Grouws and ace guitar man Chris Avey, the two-time top ten Billboard charting band are known for their gritty sound and engaging shows. Sophomore album, "Tell Tale Heart", was recorded in Nashville, TN with Grammy award winner, Casey Wasner (Keb' Mo', Taj Mahal). Released September 2021, "Tell Tale Heart" debuted #7 on the Billboard Blues Album chart. Avey Grouws Band also hit #10 on the Billboard with their 2020 debut album, "The Devil May Care". Avey Grouws Band toured the US this past year, including Kansas City, two Florida tours, an East Coast tour and a trip to Las Vegas to play the Big Blues Bender along with acts including Keb’ Mo, Beth Hart, Tab Benoit, Samantha Fish and many more.

Minneapolis based band, Lena & The LoveKills, exist in a musical genre all their own. The band fuses elements of Rockabilly, Danceable Swing, Jump Blues and R&B into an eclectic mix of good music and fun times that can only rightfully be described as “Swingabilly.” Their stage presence, retro look, and often quirky sense of humor delights listeners and gets folks onto the dance floor. 

With “Lena” aka Lori Carter on vocals, Tommy Love on guitar and the rhythm section of Tom Hels on drums and Dan Peterson on bass, the band promises to “get ya hoppin”!

Minnesota-based singer/songwriter Tony Cuchetti is following his debut album, Hid It On The Sly (2020), and performance album, Live From Drum Farm Studio (2020), with 2023’s Freer Street, a collection of original songs punctuated by a couple of beloved cover tunes. Cuchetti returned to home turf at Drum Farm Studio in Menomonie, WI to record, joined by fellow Minnesotan Erik Koskinen, who produced and played both rhythm and lead guitar on the album, as well as co-writing many of the tracks.

Inside Straight Blues Band, a popular band with Twin Cities and regional club audiences, plays Blues, and Blues-Rock in the Chicago, Texas, Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis and New Orleans traditions. Tempered with solid Jazz, Funk, R&B, old Rock & Roll, and some Country influences, the result is a sound unique to Inside Straight Blues Band that is truly a collection of its member's experiences.

Brotherhood of Birds (BoB) is a Twin Cities-based, Minnesota progressive acoustic string band whose original compositions bring together traditional and modern styles.

After hatching in January 2021, the group released 2 EPs entitled “Caged Vol. 1 & 2”. In the same year, they played the historic First Avenue Main Room, Blue Ox Music Festival, Shangri-La Music Festival, and were featured in Bluegrass Standard magazine as well as on 88.5 Bluegrass Saturday Morning. In 2022 they were spotted on on the lineup for Revival, Pickin On Picknic, Boats & Bluegrass, MBOTMAs August Fest, Galactic Get Down, Sioux River Folk Fest, & Palisade Bluegrass Bash to name a few. The bands tag team style lineup makes every show unique while showcasing some of the premier players in the genre that the twin cities has to offer.

BoB’s core lineup consists of brothers Willie Christianson on guitar, & Cole Christianson on banjo, as well as Gavin Haskin on mandolin. The group has a number of rotating local players including fiddlers Chris Forsberg, AJ Srubas, Rachel Calvert, Danny Lentz & John Lane, multi-instrumentalists Mike Hedding, David Robinson, Olivia Quintanilla, Alex Gelking, & Zack Taur, vocalists Jon Sullivan, Hannah Mae, & Ryan Gebhardt, along with upright players Matt Blake, Taylor Donskey, Brian Garrison, Peter Whiteman, Joe Barron, & Joe Sheehan.

Corey Medina & Brothers is a blues rock band with raw emotion and storytelling, delivering powerful performances that resonate with their audience. Their music creates a space where people connect with the band, and with each other, fostering a sense of community and shared experience. WIth a sound that continues to evolve, they bring an energy that is both moving and fun, creating an atmosphere where everyone can let loose, feel the music, and enjoy the moment.

Mean Gene and the Woodticks play acoustic interpretations of rock, blues, and folk music.  

The "Ticks" have a unique style that is a blend of vocal harmonies, melodic acoustic guitar and the creative use of the harmonica.

On a winter night in northern Minnesota, a young woman encounters a stranger at a dive bar. The older woman senses she’s struggling with something and sits her down to tell of her own hard-scrabble life. Shit’s not gonna get any easier, her story implies, but grit and perseverance can carry you through just about anything.

So goes Molly Brandt’s “Old Northern Woman,” an anthemic power ballad that starts with gritty storytelling and grows into a thrilling wall-of-sound crescendo that leaves you breathless.

Brandt gives you that same feeling live on stage and in her studio recordings. You’re pulling up a stool next to her and she’s got tales to tell you—her own, other real-life stories, and fictional fables that ring true no matter how much melodrama and poetic detail they contain. Like the storyteller himself, Tom T. Hall, Brandt knows just what to tell and what to hold back to fire up the listener’s imagination.

With 4 vocalists, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, and an optional horn section, Riverside Hitmen play all the hits.

The Stiffs—who hail not from the Volunteer State but that other roots-music Mecca, Austin, TX—dip their bucket deep into the well of American music. Warped lo-fi folk gives way to frenetic honky-tonk riff rock and gutbucket country; forlorn Americana anthems resound off Texas hillsides, and blazing Southern rock screeches like tires on the last lap of a cup-winning speedway run. Their third and most recent double concept album goes deeper still, dredging up minor-key Southern-gothic circus waltzes, spaghetti-Western vampire shuffles, and the kind of fuzz-drenched blues you’d hear wafting from a Detroit garage.

Formed in late 2011 and fueled by their eclectic musical interests, co-founders-turned-married-couple Ethan Lee and Cara B were determined to create something never heard before.

Straight from the great Mill City comes the Pistol Whippin Party Penguins. Don't let the name fool you! This is not a violent group of flightless aquatic birds looking for a party, but rather 6 self proclaimed gentlemen, 2 guitars, a mandolin, a bucket of fiddles, a bass, a couple drums, and a 4 part vocal harmony. As they prepare to record their 5th album, this group from Minneapolis strives to maintain the original spirit of the "string band" while continuing to play new original music. The combination of folk, rock, blues, bluegrass, and the occasional stage banter will create an experience that anyone can enjoy!

The Bill Koncar Band plays a variety of music including polkas, waltzes, fox trots, swing, Latin rhythms (including rhumbas, cha chas, tangos & sambas), and classic rock & pop tunes.

Grown from traditional bluegrass roots, Blue Hazard began before any member held a driver's license. Their journey started by playing songs by many different artists. That influence has carried over into songwriting that doesn't focus on genre, but on precise arrangements, moving melodies, and stories with intrigue.

The Minnesota-based group supports a traditional bluegrass composition (banjo, mandolin, guitar, and upright bass) but strives to break the bonds that are typical or expected. All members write music that leads to a diverse original catalog of bluegrass, roots, Americana, pop, jazz, and folk.