MerleFest, Presented By Window World, Announces Late Night Jam Hosted By Shinyribs And Music City Roots

Keeping with a longstanding tradition of MerleFest's all-hands-on-deck late night jam, MerleFest, presented by Window World, has announced their 2021 installment of the after-hours jamboree: Gulf Breeze: Songs Of The Third Coast.

Co-presented by Music City Roots and hosted by the eclectic and enthralling Shinyribs, this year's late night jam will focus on music from the broadly varied traditions along our countries third coast. Jim Lauderdale, Hogslop String Band, Brittney Spencer, The Cleverlys, Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan, Los Texmaniacs, and Cordovas are slated to join Shinyribs for this momentous event. Tickets for the Gulf Breeze: Songs Of The Third Coast are available now at merlefest.org. Tickets are still available for MerleFest 2021 which will take place September 16-19 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

"The Gulf Coast region is and continues to be a driver of American culture. When one considers the collective musical history measured from the tip of Florida's Keys to the tip of Texas' Rio Grande Valley - with Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana in between - the very notion fills one with awe," says Shinyribs' front-man Kevin Russell. "Jazz, Blues, Rock 'n Roll, Country, Southern Rock, Soul, R&B, Swamp Pop, Reggae, Tex-Mex, Zydeco, Cajun, Swing, Gospel, Bluegrass, Rap, Hip-Hop, Psychedelia, Conjunto, Tejano, Cumbia, Cuban, Bahamian, and all manner of hybrids made from those sub-tropical, humid, salty elements form an undeniable cultural Fertile Crescent that informs and inspires our American song bag to this day. I've long tried to pay tribute to this vast repertoire of Americana. MerleFest's Late Night Jam is the perfect place to do it. I can hardly wait to experience the pastiche of grooves that will be emanating from MerleFest that night."

With the late night jam as well as the entire festival, MerleFest will continue to prioritize the safety of its artists, attendees, staff, vendors, and volunteers. The festival will adhere to safety protocols set by local and state governments for a safe live music environment. Stay tuned to merlefest.org for safety protocol updates.

The finalists of 2021's Chris Austin Songwriting Contest have been announced. Finalists have been invited to the final round of the competition, which takes place Friday, September 17, during MerleFest. First-place winners will receive $1,000 cash and a performance slot at MerleFest. This year's panel of music industry professional judges includes Dolph Ramseur, Amythyst Kiah, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, and The Milk Carton Kids. CASC is one of the most acclaimed songwriting contests in roots and Americana music and has a reputation for launching careers as well as drawing attention to important new talent.