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.

Best of 2011: Allison's top albums, songs and concerts

It's that time of year where we share our favorite albums, songs and concerts of 2011. You can join in by taking our 2011 Triangle Music Readers' Poll. Voting ends at midnight on Dec. 22. We'll share the results with you next week.

It seems like 2011 hardly happened. Over the past few months, my life has been going at a breakneck speed, and music is really the only thing that helps me stay sane. This year in particular has had some excellent records on so many different levels. I got to see the return of Bombadil and got two new records from two of my other favorite local acts, Megafaun and Mandolin Orange. I feel like I should be at least a little ashamed of my love for Beyoncé, but her record is just too catchy and danceable to leave it out.