CHARLESTOWN — Emmylou Harris, a 14-time Grammy Award winner, Billboard Award winner and regarded as one of the most influential women in music today, a much-respected performer known for her unique, ethereal, soulful voice and collaborations with the likes of Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, will headline the 26th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival, kicking off on Friday, Aug. 30, at Ninigret Park.
Harris, who is scheduled to perform Saturday, Aug. 31, will join a three-day festival featuring a lineup of musicians that includes Nashville organic rock/country band Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country (scheduled to perform Friday, Aug. 30), Grammy-nominated Old Crow Medicine Show (Sunday, Sept. 1) and Westerly native Will Evans (scheduled to perform Friday at 6:15 p.m.).
According to festival organizers, this year’s lineup will feature “established roots and emerging artists representing the diverse musical genres that fans have come to expect.”
This year marks the festival’s first since the death of longtime producer and partner Chuck Wentworth, and the team at GoodWorks Entertainment plan to “keep that vibe alive” and honour his legacy through the music of some of Wentworth’s favourite artists, including Harris.
Headliners include soul rockers Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on Friday, roots sister band Larkin Poe and New Orleans acclaimed Rebirth Brass Band on Saturday, Southern country rockers Drive-By Truckers and indie folk artists The Strumbellas on Sunday.
“But these artists only make up a small portion of the music available, with folk-inspired singer-songwriter Will Evans, a South County native, joining more than a dozen artists performing over Labor Day weekend,” organizers said in an email.
Known as much for his eloquent, forthright songwriting as for his incomparably expressive singing voice, Harris has been acclaimed for his talents as both an artist and a song connoisseur throughout his career.
She rocked country radio in the 1970s and established herself as one of the defining songwriters of a generation, selling more than 15 million records and winning 14 Grammy Awards, three CMA Awards, and four Americana Awards.
The full lineup, which includes more than a dozen bands showcasing the breadth of roots music, from blues to bluegrass, Cajun to country, gospel to southern rock, R&B, Americana and zydeco, is available on the festival website. A Spotify playlist is also available.
Rhythm & Roots music will be performed on three stages: the main Rhythm Stage with standing room and lawn seating, and the tented Roots & Dance Stage.
Visitors are invited to enjoy the park’s 227 acres, complete with a swimming pond with a public beach, playgrounds, disc golf, tennis, basketball, walking trails, and a brand new, almost too-giant, wooden troll. Children under 12 years old are admitted free.
The festival also features crafts from local artisans, more than a dozen food stalls, beer and wine, and a huge dance floor that draws dancers from all over the country. The festival attracts more than 5,000 visitors per day to the grassy, seaside Ninigret Park, including 1,500 who camp over the weekend.
The festival grounds will open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Performances begin one hour after doors open and run until 11 p.m. See the full lineup, read artist profiles, buy tickets, and get answers to questions about parking, camping, accessibility, volunteering and more at rhythmandroots.com.