MerleFest Logo
Wilkes Community College Image Inside
Facebook Image Inside
Twitter Image Inside
imgYouTubeInside.png
|  MerleFest Reflections 2010
Back

2010

 
Steve Martin
 
Taj Mahal
 
Zac Brown Band

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the economic recession had harsh effects on the nation, it also had a bitter impact on the festival. MerleFest 2009 was the first year that more tickets were given away than were sold. This led to a serious evaluation of the festival’s future. It was an extremely rough time for MerleFest as hard decisions had to be made. As a fundraiser, the WCC Endowment Corporation had to assess what to do to get back on track. With the support and understanding from the community, sponsors, vendors and media, the festival was able to turn things around in 2010. And, WOW, did things turn around. The weather was rosy, the lineup stellar, and the fans were destined for fun. A new day awakened for MerleFest.

 
Album Hour 2010

Performers who turned in riveting performances included Doc and Richard Watson, Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, The Avett Brothers, Dierks Bentley, Little Feat, Great Big Sea, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Scythian, The Travelin’ McCourys, and many more. As usual on Saturday, a sea of fans enjoyed another great Hillside Album Hour hosted by The Waybacks who played every song on The Beatles’ album “Abbey Road.” Joining The Waybacks were Sarah Dugas, Shannon Whitworth, Byron House, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale and Elvis Costello. Other significant performers on the lineup included Zac Brown Band, making their first official MerleFest appearance after attending as a fan for a number of years, and Taj Mahal, who MerleFest had courted for years and finally got to Wilkesboro.

 
Elvis Costello enjoys
Album Hour 2010

One special memory from 2010 was Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers ending their set with a bluegrass rendition of Martin’s classic spoof “King Tut.”

At this point MerleFest was receiving so many requests from students wanting to perform on stage that the festival expanded the Youth Showcase at the Little Pickers Stage. This is not a contest; it is an opportunity for youth ages 16 and under to display their skills on stage at the festival.