(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC will present MerleFest 2005, the 18th annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson, on its campus on April 28-May 1. Those joining Doc Watson and Merle's son Richard Watson for MerleFest 2005 will include BR549; Sam Bush; The Chieftains; Vassar Clements; Eustace Conway; John Cowan Band; Rodney Crowell; Donna the Buffalo; Jerry Douglas; The Duhks; Bela Fleck; John Hiatt, Corey Harris; John Jorgenson; The Kruger Brothers; Jim Lauderdale; Robert Lockwood, Jr.; Loretta Lynn; Del McCoury Band; Buddy Miller; Allison Moorer; Tim O'Brien; Railroad Earth; Tony Rice Unit; Peter Rowan; Darrell Scott; Earl Scruggs; Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder; Joe Thompson & Bob Carlin; and The Waybacks.
MerleFest 2005 will offer a reunion of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys featuring Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, Bobby Hicks, Roland White, Tater Tate, Roland White, Del McCoury, host Peter Rowan, and others. The festival will also present two nights of The Chieftains with guests from the Down the Old Plank Road sessions including Doc, Douglas, Fleck, Hiatt, McCoury, Miller, Moorer, O'Brien, Scruggs, Skaggs, and more. MerleFest 2005 plans to announce at least two more major artists for its lineup. Tickets go on sdale on November 9. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
