Eric Church, Willie Nelson, The Roots, Modest Mouse, Sheryl Crow & more playing new Raleigh festival

The Triangle is getting another big festival to add to the calendar along with the Hopscotch Music Festival, World of Bluegrass festivites, and Moogfest coming next year.

This fall the first American Roots Music & Arts Festival will come to Walnut Creek Amphitheater on October 17 and 18 featuring an eclectic lineup. Country superstar and North Carolina native Eric Church will headline both nights and the rest of the lineup includes Willie Nelson, The Roots, Modest Mouse, Sheryl Crow, Warren Haynes, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Grace Potter, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chris Stapleton, Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon and Greensky Bluegrass. More performers will be announced later.

Farm Aid is coming to Raleigh in September

After John Mellencamp spilled the beans late last year that he and his Farm Aid cohorts (Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Dave Matthews) were looking at Durham to possibly host the annual benefit concert in 2014, it's been a long wait for confirmation that it was going to happen, but it's finally here.

The massive concert will come to Walnut Creek Amphitheater in Raleigh on Saturday, September 13. In addition to Mellencamp, Nelson, Young and Matthews, who will be joined by Tim Reynolds, other performers will include Jack White, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Jamey Johnson, Delta Rae, Carlene Carter, Pegi Young & The Survivors, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Insects vs Robots.

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 1, via Live Nation for $49 to $175. A pre-sale will begin at noon on Friday, July 25, via Farm Aid but it requires purchasing a $50 "presale pass."

Willie Nelson & Alison Krauss & Union Station announce big 2014 tour

Country legend Willie Nelson and superstar bluegrass group Alison Krauss and Union Station are teaming up for a big spring/summer tour that will bring them to both the Triangle and the Triad.

They'll play the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Monday, May 19. The Devil Makes Three will open. Ticket information is not available yet. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 28, via Etix for $49.50 to $59.50.

[UPDATE: This show was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 4, but postponed "due to an unforeseen and urgent health concern that requires immediate attention," according to a press release. All tickets for the original May 4 concert date will be honored at the May 19 performance. A full refund will be offered at the original point of purchase, etix.com, by phone 1-800-514-3849, or the amphitheatre box office, to anyone unable to attend the rescheduled date.]

Willie Nelson & Family extend 2013 tour, coming to Cary

Country lengend and regular Triangle visitor Willie Nelson has added some new dates to his 2013 schedule in support of his latest album Let's Face the Music and Dance and he'll be stopping in the Triangle in September.

Nelson and the family will return to Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Saturday, September 14. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 12, via Etix for $35 (lawn) or $54.50 (reserved or table seats).

Check out the music video for Nelson's version of the Django Reinhardt song "Nuages" from Let's Face the Music and Dance below.

Willie Nelson announces new tour dates, coming to Durham

Country legend Willie Nelson has announced some new tour dates that will bring him back to the Triangle with his band in early 2013.

Nelson will play his third show at the Durham Performing Arts Center (the previous two shows sold out) on Friday, January 18. Willie's son Lukas Nelson will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 17 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $51 to $78.50.

If you're looking to see Willie in North Carolina before the end of the year, he'll play Charlotte on December 5, Asheville on December 6, and Bolivia on December 7. Check out the schedule below.

Willie Nelson announces fall tour, coming back to Durham

The Red-Headed Stranger, country legend Willie Nelson, is touring steadily this year as he usually does, and his new fall dates will bring him back to the Triangle.

Nelson and Family will return to the Durham Performing Arts Center, which he last played in 2009, on Thursday, October 20. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 29 via the box office and Ticketmaster. Prices are $48.50 to $78.50.

Willie Nelson's latest studio album is 2010's Country Music, which features his take on classic country songs. Check out a live performance of the lone Nelson original from the album, Man With the Blues below.

Bob Dylan announces summer dates with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp

Legendary songwriter Bob Dylan has announced that he will embark on another tour of minor league baseball parks this summer. This year, he will bring Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp along for the ride which is set to stop at the Durham Bull Stadium in Durham on July 28. Pre-sale tickets for the show go on sale on May 4 at 10 am. while the general public on sale date is May 9 at 10 am. All tickets will cost $67.75 and be general admission allowing ticketholders to choose seats or spot on the field.

Dylan will release his new album Together Through Life this Tuesady, April 28. Check out all of the rest of Dylan's US dates below.

Bob Dylan w/ John Mellencamp dates:
07.01.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest @ Marcus Amphitheater * [Tickets]
07.02.09 - Sauget, IL - GCS Ballpark [Tickets]
07.04.09 - South Bend, IN - Coveleski Stadium [Tickets]
07.05.09 - Rothbury, MI - Rothbury Festival *
07.08.09 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Slugger Field [Tickets]
07.10.09 - Dayton, OH - Fifth Third Field [Tickets]
07.11.09 - Eastlake, OH - Classic Park [Tickets]
07.13.09 - Washington, PA - Consol Energy Park [Tickets]
07.14.09 - Allentown, PA - Coca-Cola Park [Tickets]
07.15.09 - New Britain, CT - New Britain Stadium [Tickets]
07.18.09 - Bethel Woods, NY - Bethel Woods Center For the Arts [Tickets]
07.19.09 - Syracuse, NY - Alliance Bank Stadium
07.21.09 - Pawtucket, RI - McCoy Stadium
07.23.09 - Lakewood, NJ - FirstEnergy Park [Tickets]
07.24.09 - Aberdeen, MD - Ripken Stadium [Tickets]
07.25.09 - Norfolk, VA - Harbor Park [Tickets]
07.28.09 - Durham, NC - Durham Bulls Athletic Park
07.29.09 - Sevierville, TN - Smokies Park
08.04.09 - Round Rock, TX - The Dell Diamond
08.05.09 - Corpus Christi, TX - Whataburger Field
08.07.09 - Grand Prairie, TX - QuikTrip Park
08.11.09 - Glendale, AZ - Camelback Ranch
08.12.09 - Las Vegas, NV - Cashman Field
08.14.09 - Fresno, CA - Chukchansi Park
08.15.09 - Stockton, CA - Banner Island Ballpark

* w/o John Mellencamp

Phosphorescent takes 'To Willie' on the road

Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) will take his new album of Willie Nelson songs dubbed To Willie, released earlier this month, on the road starting this week. The extensive tour will see Houck and his band travel all over the country and will include a stop a the Duke Coffeehouse in Durham. That show is on March 26 and Deer Tick will be opening.

Download "Reasons To Quit" from the album via Stereogum.

Phosphorescent US dates:
02.26.09 - Northhampton, MA - Iron Horse
02.27.09 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Upstairs [Tickets]
02.28.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House [Tickets]
03.02.09 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern [Tickets]
03.03.09 - Columbus, OH - The Summit [Tickets]
03.04.09 - Athens, OH - The (Bruce) Manor
03.05.09 - Bloomington, IN - The Cinemat
03.06.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle [Tickets]
03.07.09 - Madison, WI - Memorial Union (University of Wisconsin)
03.10.09 - Seattle, WA - Sonic Boom (in-store)
03.10.09 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge [Tickets]
03.11.09 - Portland, OR - Holocene
03.13.09 - San Francisco, CA - Amoeba Records (in-store)
03.13.09 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord [Tickets]
03.14.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theatre
03.15.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts [Tickets]
03.17.09 - Dallas, TX - Mountain House (house show)
03.18.09 - Austin, TX - SXSW
03.19.09 - Austin, TX - SXSW
03.20.09 - Austin, TX - SXSW
03.21.09 - Houston, TX - Orange Show Center for Visionary Art
03.23.09 - Huntsville, AL - Flying Monkey Arts Center
03.24.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree Cafe
03.25.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn
03.26.09 - Durham, NC - Duke Coffeehouse
03.27.09 - Baltimore, MD - G Spot: Audio/Visual Playground
03.28.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's [Tickets]

Phosphorescent - "Reasons To Quit" (mp3)

Willie Nelson, Ani DiFranco to play Durham

Durham is becoming the place to see bigger shows. Country legend Willie Nelson is the latest addition to the Durham Performing Arts Center schedule. He will play the venue on February 20 according to Pollstar. Tickets will go on sale to the public on December 19 and Willie's fan club pre-sale starts on December 15.

The Red Headed Stranger has three more North Carolina dates on the books as well. Asleep at the Wheel will open all of the dates. Check out the dates below.

Willie's latest album is a duet record Wyton Marsalis titled Two Men With the Blues.

Willie Nelson NC dates:
02.18.09 - Williamston, NC - Bob Martin Agricultural Center
02.19.09 - Boone, NC - The Holmes Center
02.20.09 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
02.21.09 - Greensboro, NC - War Memorial Auditorium

Also, thanks to On the Beat, we know that prolific singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco will play the Carolina Theatre on March 10. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 12, via the theatre box office and at carolinatheatre.org.

Difranco's latest album Red Letter Year was released in September. Download a track from the album below.

Ani DiFranco - "Emancipated Minor" (mp3)

Just some random speculation

For whatever reason, I'm a little obsessed with the state fair. Maybe it's the honey cotton candy, the lure of deep-fried Coca-Cola, or just playing a friendly game of "count the mullets," but I love the fair.

Some of you may remember me expressing some disdain with the selection of performers this year, as well as wondering why they didn't have a bigger name for the final night.

Turns out they may have tried.

Flip to the last page of the fair's program guide to the calendar for Sunday, Oct. 22, and you may see a familiar name blacked out for the concert: Willie Nelson.

The listing has been fixed on the pdf version of the program and hopefully on the ones to be handed out at the fairgrounds, but it's hard not to wonder what happened with that arrangement. Oh well. We may not have Willie's signature braids, but at least I still have my mullets.