Skaggs, Hornsby, McCoury, Fleck, Douglas & more slated for Wide Open Bluegrass 2014

As we mentioned last week, the International Bluegrass Music Association will be sticking with Raleigh through 2018. But moving on to more pressing matters, the initial acts for the big Wide Open Bluegrass Festival on October 3 and 4 have been announced and feature a smorgasbord of bluegrass all stars.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder with Bruce Hornsby, the Del McCoury Band with special guests, Hot Rize (who have their first new studio album in 24 years due out this year), Gibson Brothers, local stars Steep Canyon Rangers, and Sierra Hull will play the big event. There will also be the Wide Open Jam featuring Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now via Etix.

Alison Krauss, Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Punch Brothers & more coming for Wide Open Bluegrass

As we first mentioned almost a year ago, the International Bluegrass Music Association is bringing their annual World of Bluegrass festivities to Raleigh for three years starting in 2013. Now we have the first details of the bevy of musicians who will be making their way here this fall.

Performances at the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival on September 27 and 28 at the Raleigh Convention Center and the Red Amphitheater will include a collaboration between Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Del McCoury and Tony Rice in addition to Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers with Edie Brickell and Punch Brothers. Abigail Washburn will serve as the mistress of ceremonies for the event.

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival announces fall lineup, Bela Fleck, Sharon Jones & more

The biannual Shakori Hills Grassroots Music and Dance Festival in Pittsboro is a staple in the Triangle, always sporting an eclectic lineup of performers. The fall festival, held this year on October 6-9, will be no different.

Some of the big names this time around are Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Donna the Buffalo, Brett Dennen, The Duhks and more. There are also many great local bands playing, including The Old Ceremony, Hammer No More the Fingers, The Tender Fruit and more. Check out the full lineup, as it stands now, below.

Carolina Performing Arts announces 2011-12 season, Mavis Staples, Herbie Hancock & much more

With the 2010-11 seasons of college performing arts winding down, it's time for the 2011-12 seasons to roll out, and Carolina Performing Arts at UNC is first up.

The schedule is full of some of the usual classical, jazz and dance performances, including trumpeter Wynton Marsalis returning on March 15, 2012, but it's the more contemporary performers that piqued our interest.

Louisiana pianist and composer Allen Toussaint will team up with legendary soul singer Mavis Staples for a performance on September 14, 2011.