Folk music festivals are one of the most fun ways to spend your summer vacation or road trip. Here's a look five of the most exciting lineups in folk and Americana music festivals for the summer of 2010.
1. Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Telluride, CO)
photo: Kim Ruehl/About.com
2. Band of Joy Tour (Various)
photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
The Band of Joy was a precursor band to the legendary Led Zeppelin, and this summer it will be reprised, although with a somewhat different lineup. Robert Plant *who was in the original Band of Joy with John Bonham, John Hill, and Mark Strode) will be joined by Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott, Byron House, and Marco Giovino. The troupe has also recorded an album together, which is due out this summer as well. The 12 dates on this July tour are:
7-3 Memphis, TN
7-15 Little Rock, AR
7-16 Tulsa, OK
7-18 Albuquerque, NM
7-20 Phoenix, AZ
7-21 Tucson, AZ
7-23 Dallas, TX
7-24 Houston, TX
7-26 Austin, TX
7-28 Mobile, AL
7-30 Clearwater, FL
7-31 Miami, FL
3. Rocky Mountain Folks Festival (Lyons, CO)
photo: Kim Ruehl/About.com
4. Pickathon (Portland, OR)
courtesy Sugarhill Records
Pickathon is always a major highlight of any summer in the Pacific Northwest, and this year's lineup is one of the best yet. Artists on the bill for 2010 make up one of the most diverse lineups of any strictly-Americana/roots festival. Among them: Decemberists offshoot Black Prairie, Langhorne Slim, Elliott Brood, Red Stick Ramblers, Deep Dark Woods, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Heartless Bastards, Richmond Fontaine, Chatham County Line, and so much more. Pickathon will take place Aug. 6-8, 2010, at Pendarvis Farm in Portland, Ore. For the full lineup and other information, visit Pickathon's website.
5. Newport Folk Festival (Newport, RI)
© John Chiasson
