AURA Music Events just announced that AURA Music & Arts Festival will return to Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida February 14th – 16th, 2014!

Jeff Austin will join The Travelin' McCourys for The Bluegrass Ball at Shoe Fest this year. Shoe Fest is a three day outdoor music and camping event, featuring live music performances, which will take place September 6-8, 2013 at Camp Shaw-waw-nas-see in Manteno, IL.The Giving Tree Band, Henhouse Prowlers, This Must Be the Band, Old Shoe and Chicago Farmer will also be joining the Shoe Fest lineup this year.

Chicago's Great Divide recently released their self-titled, sophomore record full of soul, passion and groove. Performer Magazine attests Great Divide is, “Rock n’ soul custom-made for a sweaty live setting.”  Fitting, as the band is about to head back out on the road in support of their new album.  A full list of tour dates can be found below.

Nationally available in stores and online today, Slightly Stoopid releases a special HD DVD + 2 CD set recorded live at TRI Studios (San Rafael, CA), featuring guest artists Bob Weir, Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, Karl Denson, Don Carlos, and a rare interview segment moderated by Tommy Chong and Weir.

Just as summer is heating up, the folks at Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival are already putting the finishing touches on their fall-time event. Set to take place at Mulberry Mountain in the majestic Ozark Mountains, the music and camping experience will span October 17, 18 and 19 in 2013.

Portland’s Fruition stopped into Shine for a memorable night of strings and songs Friday night, boasting a Naropa vibe and an audience clutching craft brews and camaraderie.

NYC’s summer concert season just got very cool with the Hot Jazz / Cool Garden 2013. Three hot NYC jazz bands will play in Louis’s Garden this summer: Bria’s Hot Five with Bria Skonberg on July 4th – Louis Armstrong’s birthday, Jon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars on July 20th and Peter & Will Anderson Sextet on August 17th.  Each concert is at 2:00 pm. Concerts include complimentary red beans n’ rice (Louis’s favorite recipe) & sweet tea.

Today, Grammy-nominated The Infamous Stringdusters announce their 2013 American Rivers Tour, an epic summer music adventure stopping through, and winding down, some of America’s wildest and most beloved rivers and surrounding communities. Check out the announcement video here.

Already breakout stars in their native Australia, CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES released their debut album BABY CAUGHT THE BUS last week (May 21) on Vanguard Records.

Blues Control released Valley Tangents nearly a year ago, during the summer of our end-of-times, 2012. Luckily for all, the end-of-times proved to be a new age of enlightenment more than anything, with Blues Control at the forefront, extending the meadows of their Valley Tangents with no signs of straying into slate, porous rock, ocean or mountain.