April 03, 2008 issue
The Beginning of MerleFest Madness 
21st Annual Americana Music Fest Only Three Weeks Away
Story by David Brewer
The NCAA’s March Madness may nearly be over, but for music lovers, a similar condition known as MerleFest Madness is just beginning. The world’s best Americana music festival, named in honor of the late Merle Watson, is set to take place from Thursday to Sunday, April 24 to 27.
For people such as Festival Director Ted Hagaman, MerleFest Madness is truly at its peak. The logistical concerns surrounding an event that welcomes nearly 100,000 music fans, hundreds of volunteers and nearly 100 artists to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro is enough to make your head spin.
“Everything is coming together nicely,” said Hagaman. In his eighth year with the festival, Hagaman insisted that organizers’ attention to detail along every step of the way keeps MerleFest running smoothly each year. “That’s the difference between a good festival experience and a great festival experience,” he added.
From the shuttle buses to the food providers, festivalgoers are constantly making mental notes about the operation itself. However, at the end of the day, it’s the music that keeps people coming from around the world to Wilkesboro over the last weekend in April every year.
While not boasting a headliner with the drawing power of 2007 act Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Tony Rice, the 21st MerleFest is packed from top to bottom with world-class players, up-and-coming artists and perennial favorites who have been honoring Merle for more than two decades.
Some of this year’s most anticipated acts include the return of both Old Crow Medicine Show and the Avett Brothers, Bruce Hornsby with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Levon Helm & the Ramble on the Road, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, The Waybacks, Tony Rice, Sam Bush, and of course, Doc Watson.
“You always kind of put together a list when you first start to plan for the year,” said Hagaman.
According to Hagaman, putting together the lineup each year is no small task. Starting in July, the booking kicks into overdrive six months out from the start of the festival. After the first few years, MerleFest organizers began using a formula, adding a certain number of acts from blues, bluegrass, Americana and Cajun fields. Staffers also weigh the number of newcomers against the number of festival veterans that fans expect to see from year to year.
And then there’s the scheduling. No amount of planning guarantees the availability of the artists.
“When you’re looking at 50-plus artists and trying to put together a schedule that works with their schedule, things can get interesting. It’s a constant cycle,” said Hagaman.
Much like the aforementioned NCAA tournament, each MerleFest seems to have its Cinderella story players—performers who arrived at the festival virtual unknowns and left with thousands of new fans and industry buzz capable of propelling acts into the next level of success and recognition. Artists such as Gillian Welch, Nickel Creek and the Carolina Chocolate Drops have all reaped the benefits of successful MerleFest performances, transitioning from small stages around the campus to coveted spots on the Watson Stage.
According to Hagaman, organizers are proactive in finding the festival’s biggest success stories each year. But in the end, the numbers tell the story.
“We do a rough count on all of our stages for each act and we do post-festival surveys,” said Hagaman. “We can tell a lot about which artists the fans liked the most by their CD sales.”
As MerleFest Madness swings into a fever pitch during the next three weeks, fans from the High Country will be gathering their festival survival supplies, readying for long days and chilly nights with some of the finest musicians in recorded history. As the festival continues its successful run, Hagaman hopes that MerleFest can continue to improve in ways that will have a positive effect on attendees and the environment.
“We will not being offering any kind of alcohol,” said Hagaman. “We want to continue to be a family-friendly festival.”
In addition to making “dramatic strides” to reduce traffic in and out of the campus, festivalgoers will benefit from organizers’ increased recycling efforts. WCC students are working to use grease from the food tent to create biodiesel, and the MerleFest Mall is offering an organic t-shirt.
“We’re doing some things to do our part with the environment,” said Hagaman.
Whether you’re planning for an entire weekend of MerleFest Madness or are just going to head down for a day or two, it’s the best time of the year to be a music fan in the High Country.
For a complete list of artists, camping details, stage schedules and much more, click to www.merlefest.org.
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