The Long Road Festival, at Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, remains a favourite festival for americana fans – combining country, Americana and roots music. Running this year from Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th August, the festival lineup combines top artists from both across the pond, in the USA and Canada, and homegrown talent. More of the latter shortly, but one look at the programme confirms that Sunday night will be one hell of a festival closer, with Emmylou Harris making a rare festival appearance, followed by Maren Morris on the headline Rhinestone stage.
The same stage offers a fine opening night lineup too, on Friday, with an acoustic set from none less than Steve Earle, followed by the 502s, an indie folk lineup from Florida who’ll be new to some readers. Homegrown talent closes the main Rhinestone stage on both Friday and Saturday nights, with UK duo The Shires appearing on Friday night, and Ronnie Wood and his band featuring Imelda May closing the stage on Saturday night, having replaced Bailey Zimmerman, who cancelled his Festival appearance, and European tour last month.
The festival offers a strong lineup across all its stages, the Interstate, Front Porch and Buddy’s stages kicking off from noon or 1 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include Brennen Leigh, who plays both the Interstate and Front Porch stages on Saturday; The Felice Brothers, playing the Interstate on Sunday, and of course Jim Lauderdale, on the Front Porch on Sunday, who needs no introduction to Americana UK readers.
Muireann Bradley, from County Donegal, is an exceptionally talented young country blues, ragtime and roots guitarist, who you can catch when she headlines the Front Porch stage on Friday night. And her headlining counterpart on the same stage on Saturday night, Ken Pomeroy, comes with a fine reputation too, a Cherokee singer-songwriter from Oklahoma. Austin-based roots band Uncle Lucius look promising, appearing on the Rhinestone stage on Saturday, and Buddy’s later the same night; where at the same stage earlier you can catch Dylan Earl.
Returning to homegrown talent, First Time Flyers have a big headline main stage appearance at the Rhinestone on Saturday, and The Hanging Stars – a big hit from last year‘s lineup, appearing with Bonnie Dobson, are sandwiched between Dylan Earl and Uncle Lucius on Saturday at Buddy’s, part of the Loose Music takeover. Tim Prottey-Jones of the First Time Flyers, and Richard Olson of The Hanging Stars feature in pre-festival interviews with AUK’s Dave Jarman, to follow on our site in the next few days.
Sticking with home grown talent don’t miss harmonica great Errol Linton’s set opening on the Interstate on Sunday, and Kezia Gill’s set on the Rhinestone on Sunday. You’d be sorry to miss Jonny Morgan and the Moral Support at the Front Porch on Sunday, when Emmylou Harris and Maren Morris beckon, but that’s always a challenge at the Long Road, an abundance of riches!
For early arrivals on Thursday, the Front Porch starts at 5.30 pm, with emerging UK artist Amber Saqladi, with long time favourites Ferris and Sylvester closing the evening, before their appearance at Buddy’s the following evening.
And doubtless there will be other names new to me to discover – see our festival review in a few weeks time!
