"The Most Laid Back Festival in America" is about bringing together the very best Americana/Roots Music we can find, along with like-minded music lovers and jammers, all in a beautiful setting, to become one big family with the intentions of paying tribute to the Father of Newgrass, the rule breaking game changer, John Hartford.
Spring will have sprung before we know it and that means the 2017 preparations are well under way. John Hartford Memorial Festival is tickled and excited to announce our final lineup! Always expect a surprise here and there especially since we just added another twenty bands and doubled the amount of talent on the roster.
Added Bands Include Vince Herman & Friends, Jesse McReynolds, Molly Tuttle, Dead Winter Carpenters, The New Old Cavalry, Giri & Uma Peters, Bigfoot Yancey, Off The Wagon, Chicago Farmer, Edward David Anderson, Flatland Harmony Experiment, Avocado Chic, Frank Lee & Allie Burbrink, Betse & Clarke, O'Brien & Burch, Miles Over Mountains, The Idea Men, The Aching Hearts, Ernie Hill, Ginger Boatwright, Feathered Mason.
We've listened to our crowd and reduced the amount of Full Festival Passes being sold from 2,500 to 2,000. We are capping attendance so you can have wiggle room, and know your kids and dogs (on a leash at all times) are going to have a great time too. This event is not about overgrowth and overbooking. The event is about making things right for all of us and just like you we love the atmosphere and expect a relaxed party.
We don't spend a heckuva lot on advertising, especially now that our family is taking root and sprouting. Each year we've asked you to bring someone you love, and you have. We all know each others faces and the opportunity to learn each others names is there too because we all walk the same ground for four days, loaded with smiles. It's a great time to be in such a close knit, albeit, temporary community to make beautiful music and memories. You make this festival.
Interested in single day tickets? They will be available around the first of March.
The John Hartford Memorial Festival is proud to announce the winner of their 2017 John Hartford Songwriter’s Challenge. 16 year old Micahan Boney from Claxton, GA, won first place with her song “Gone Too Soon”. A song about how the late Father of Newgrass, John Hartford inspired her.
Ernie Hill, JHMF contest coordinator said, “We require our contestants to write a song, less than 4 minutes long, that either mentions John Hartford or uses at least one of thirty original John Hartford song titles that we provide. Michahlan not only used several of our required components, but she crafted a soulful, inspirational song with a beautiful melody.”
Micah was introduced to the music of John Hartford by her banjo teacher, noted musician, Bob Carlin, who had produced an album by John Hartford.
“John had a playfulness to his craft, especially seen in his songwriting. Although I understand he was a very driven person, he had to be, in order to accomplish all he did in his life. His songwriting always had the perfect combination of heart-felt sentiment, and whimsy. His creative lyrics and performances touched the souls of others which after all is what music is all about.” Micahlan Boney
Micahlan will perform her winning song and another of choice at the 2017 John Hartford Memorial Festival held the first week of June at the Bill Monroe Music and Camping Park in Bean Blossom, IN.
Read an exclusive interview with Micahlan and hear all top ten songs, and learn about how you can enter the 2018 contest and attend the 7th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival at www.hartfordfest.com
The 7th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival is in the books. We thought year 6 was great, well folks, you outdid yourselves. You brought friends that you love, and we grew. The general feeling was one of family and safety, and always, "laid back". Factor in the reason why you came and the reason why we do this. Music. The music of our namesake John Hartford, the music of our performers, our contestants, and your music. Jams were abundant, and we think this is in part due to The Pete Wernick Jam camp taught by Jeff Burke, which Jeff says was once again "a great success". Folks wandered the campgrounds with instruments and found jams amongst old friends and new friends. Festival Founder John Hotze called this year "Lucky 7", mainly because the weather was superb. Temperatures were moderate and comfortable and there was no rain issue at all. Youngsters everywhere enjoyed The Kids Lot. Thanks to Molly and Darren Gross and Sarah Kenny for making sure the kids lot was packed with fun, creative and educational activities. According to Co-Producer Tom Burkhart, "This is what we wanted. Everyone was happy, everyone was family. This is what we work year-round for. This is good."
Workshops were well attended and entertaining as Betty Harford, Ginger Boatwright and Vince Herman bonded with the audience and had fun remembering and relating tales of John Hartford and some of their own. Ginger Boatright told a most touching story about her bout with cancer, about the same time John Hartford was dealing with his diagnosis and the ensuing sickness. After Ginger telling him about her outlook and optimism, Hartford wrote "Learning to Smile All Over Again".
Contest Winners Announced:
Congratulation to our 2017 contest winners in the Songwriting, Band, Banjo and Fiddle categories. Our contestants continue to represent some of the most proficient pickers, performers and songwriters in the country. Get ready for JHMF8 and check back for the dates of our online kickoff for our popular songwriting and band contests. Remember you can listen to five years of top ten John Hartford inspired songs at our website by clicking here. We do consider our contestants for booking whether they win or not. Our Band contest winners are guaranteed a Hartford Stage set for the following year. Our Songwriter's Challenge winner is also invited back to perform their winning song on the Hartford Stage as part of the Songwriter's Showcase
Songwriting:
1st Micahlan Boney - Claxton, GA (16 years old)
2nd Aubry Eisenman - Asheville NC
3rd Scott Nelson - Noblesville IN
Band Contest:
1st Ida Clare - Louisville, KY
2nd Tangleweed - from Chicago, IL
3rd Big Sadie - Chicago area
Fiddle:
1st Eleanor Hitchings - Bloomington, IN
2nd Emma Wilkie - Louisville, KY
3rd Nolan Strupeck - La Point, IN (6 years old)
Banjo:
1st Marc Harris - Cincinnati, OH
2nd Elvin Deckard - Bloomington, IN (13 years old).
3rd Tyler Frank - St Louis, MO
Where in the world can you go to sit back, relax, leave your worries at the gate, enjoy the campground atmosphere and participate in campfire jamming? Where can you go to experience the most exciting, thoroughly entertaining bunch of pickers and singers ever assembled in the most laid-back atmosphere in the country? Join us May 30 - June 2, 2018 at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in Bean Blossom Indiana, for the 8 Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, "The Most Laid-Back Festival in America!" That's where it all takes place.
Our dedicated staff kept their promise to bring the highest quality Bluegrass, Americana and Roots music to JHMF. We strive to present (and participate in) a cool family reunion vibe that is filled with top-notch pickers. This Steam-Powered-Aeroplane is maintaining its course, full speed ahead towards the mission of "preserving and continuing the legacy, music, and ideals of John Hartford; one of America's most beloved songwriters, performers, and musicians." So here we go! Folks, we are tickled to announce our initial lineup of entertainers for the 2018 John Hartford Memorial Festival.
Lineup:
The Infamous Stringdusters, Jeff Austin Band with special guests Darol Anger and Jay Starling, Split Lip Rayfield, Billy Strings, Hot Buttered Rum, Danny Barnes Trio, John McEuen "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", The John Hartford Stringband, Jon Stickley Trio, Town Mountain, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Forlorn Strangers, Mark Lavengood Band, Grassfed, Ida Clare, Flatland Harmony Experiment, The Wheelhouse Rousters, Urban Pioneers, The Mighty Pines, Sloppy Joe, Tangleweed, Chain Station, Sheriff Scott and the Deputies, Darol Anger - Artist At Large. Many more to be announced.
Tickets are now on sale and today we released the first tier of 500, Discounted 4-Day Early Bird tickets. We suggest you get 'em now before they sell out and then the price increases. This tier of tickets has sold out quickly the past three years. Our ticket prices are structured to give a break to the first 500 sold. Once a tier sells out ticket prices increase to the next tier.
"Festival Family". You see the term used in practically all fest promo, and here at John Hartford Memorial Festival we are proud to live it, with you. Hopefully by now you have attended JHMF, maybe even all previous 7 years. We are a family friendly, kid friendly, dog friendly, jam friendly, just plain friendly festival and we strive to reach the right number of folks for your maximum comfort.
This year we've booked a line-up that promises to entertain and inspire you. Each year we ask you to bring someone you love, and you do. Every year you attend you see folks that are familiar, and you make new friends. So, lend a helping hand and tell folks you love what they are missing out on, tell them to join the JHMF Family. Our event is an annual reunion of folks who know what's going on. Fill your life with family and follow your friends to Bean Blossom, IN, May 30 - June 2 and enjoy The John Hartford Memorial Festival "The Most Laid-Back Festival In America".
Recently added bands include: Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, The Tillers, Dead Horses, The Wooks, Henhouse Prowlers, Chicago Farmer, Robert Ellis and Courtney Hartman, Giri and Uma Peters, Circus No.9, Fox Crossing Stringband, Bluegill in the Slaw, Lizzy Plotkin and Natalie Spears, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Micahlan Boney and Sean Clark, The Misty Mountain String Band, White Lightning Boys, Rachel & Matt Combs, Ernie Hill and Jeff Daugherty, Short Round Stringband, and Fireside Collective.
To Purchase Tickets and Camping Passes, click here.
A few months ago we announced our full lineup, and the John Hartford Memorial Festival Family answered with record ticket sales! We announced early so you could plan that special week to come to Bean Blossom and re-unite with your festival family. Now we are tickled to announce the Hourly Stage Schedule. Every stage will soon be brimming with fantastic folks plying their musical wares for you. Now is the time, so start planning your festival fun with the help of the hourly stage schedule. Over forty bands will be spread over three stages (Hartford, Boogie, Hippy Hill) throughout the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in beautiful Bean Blossom, IN May 30 - June 2.
Join us this summer at the @John Hartford Memorial Festival! Today the initial lineup has been announced and the first tier of Discounted Early Bird 4-Day Tickets are now on sale. Get your tickets to "The Most Laid Back Festival in America" before they are gone. See you May 29 - June 1, in Bean Blossom, IN. #JHMF9 #HartfordFest www.HartfordFest.com
The 9th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival Songwriter's Challenge will begin accepting entries Jan 1, and will accept up to 35 entries through midnight, March 31st, 2019. Held at the Bill Monroe Music and Camping Park in beautiful Bean Blossom, IN, May 29th-June 1st, the 9th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival is genre busting, family friendly event honoring the life and legacy of the late John Hartford, one of America’s most beloved and ground-breaking musicians. Win tickets to “The Most Laid Back Festival in America”, $200, a hand-made trophy, signed poster by the artist Jon Griffin and perform in our Songwriter's Showcase on the Hartford Stage, the House that Bill Monroe built! We do consider all compliant entrants for booking. Our 1st place winner gets $200 and two full fest passes (camping not included) making that prize around $400! Our top five winners will perform in our Songwriter's Challenge on the Hartford Stage, the House that Bill Monroe built! Our top 10 will be added to our digital playlist showcase!
Visit the following link to learn how to enter. Read the guidelines and an interview with last year’s winner, Will Kimble from Cincinnati OH. Listen to his winning song and hear all our previous winners!
The John Hartford Memorial Festival, “The Most Laid-Back Festival in America”, is completely tickled to announce our final line-up along with the kick-off of our John Hartford Band contest and Songwriter’s Challenge. We will begin accepting entries on January 1, 2019. Win cash, booking opportunities, and perform on the Hartford Stage, a.k.a. The House That Bill Monroe Built! Visit the website to read interviews and hear music from past winners, and learn all about “The Most Laid Back Festival in America”.
Headliners this include Sam Bush, The Tim O’Brien Band, Laurie Lewis, Della Mae, Great American Taxi, Larry Keel Experience, The Special Concensus, Rumpke Mountain Boys, The Way Down Wanderers and many more! Read all about the 9 th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival held each spring in historic Brown County, at the Bill Monroe Music and Camping park, located in beautiful Bean Blossom, Indiana.
Heading into its ninth year, the John Hartford Memorial Festival, a family friendly event, is on a mission to preserve and continue the legacy, music, and ideals of John Hartford; one of America's most beloved songwriters, performers, and musicians.
Here we go! It's hard to believe that in less than 90 days our John Hartford Memorial Festival family will be gathering in the hills and hollers of Bean Blossom, IN to celebrate life with music and to honor our namesake, John Hartford, for the 9th consecutive time.
Year after year the John Hartford Memorial Festival has promised and delivered a fun, peaceful musical event. Word has spread far and wide about our genre busting Americana/Roots music lineup. Folks are talking about the legendary jams and our family atmosphere, all happening on the hallowed ground where Bill Monroe and John Hartford walked along with so many other groundbreaking names in Bluegrass and Americana music. The campground air is filled with incredible wave after wave of acoustic music. It is an awesome experience to simply pick a spot on the grounds of the Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground, any spot, and imagine standing in the middle of a jam with practically any bluegrass icon you can think of. You only need to close your eyes and you will feel the energy. We want you to attend and don't forget to bring your closest friends.
As of Friday, March 1, Single Day Tickets are now available. Can't make the whole shindig? Never attended but you are curious? Single Day tickets are the perfect answer. Click Here to purchase tickets.
We are tickled to announce the Hourly Stage Schedule! In a little over a month every stage will soon be overflowing with folks plying their musical wares for you. Over forty bands will be spread over three stages (Hartford, Boogie, Hippy Hill) throughout the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in beautiful Bean Blossom, IN. Start planning your festival fun with the help of the hourly stage schedule. Click here to see the schedule on our website. *Schedule times are subject to change.
Tickets to the festival are sold in four tiers. Pick 'em up while you still can as the first two tiers have already sold out. Tickets will be available at the gate unless we sell all 2,000 passes in advance. Just like previous years we are capping attendance. Get your tickets now, save a few bucks, and get ready to kick back and relax. Full Festival and Single Day tickets are on sale and available by clicking here. Don't forget to look over your JHMF Family tree. Something missing? Maybe it's someone you love. Share the love and bring your family, friends and (happy and leashed) dogs.
Follow your friends to the historic Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in beautiful Bean Blossom, IN, for the 9th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, "The Most Laid Back Festival in America" May 29 - June 1, 2019.
The last day to purchase tickets online is Monday, May 27th. Multi-Day and single day tickets, along with camping passes, will be available for purchase at the gate. Tickets will be more expensive at the gate, so save now and purchase by clicking here. Full festival tickets at the gate will be $15 more. Just like previous years we are capping attendance. Get your tickets now, save a few bucks, and get ready to kick back and relax. Can't make the entire event? Single Day Tickets are also available. Click here to purchase tickets.
In keeping with our mission to enlighten the public and continue the legacy of our namesake, John Hartford, many of our artists will be performing songs by John Hartford and each day the Hartford (main) stage will open with an all John Hartford set!
Wednesday: Flatland Harmony Experiment. Thursday: Chris Dollar. Friday: The Matchseller. Saturday: The Mighty Pines.
Back by very popular demand we are offering a digital download of the official JHMF9 Program Guide. We print these in limited quantity and now you can go to our web site and download the complete PDF to your phone or view the program in your phone browser. You can even zoom in and read it in the dark. Click here to view and download.
The family of the late John Hartford has been busy! Starting with a newly re-tooled website, www.johnhartford.com, that features a unique timeline chalk full of John Hartford history and notes, the site is loaded with music and Hartford merch. The family of John Hartford manages the site and are steadily researching and releasing newly discovered music, and also re-mastering and re-releasing many old John Hartford recordings. While pouring through the archives, the family unearthed over 60 handwritten music journals he had been using to compose fiddle tunes since the early ‘80s. Katie Harford Hogue tell us, “I suspect the journals contain over 1,000 tunes. It’s fascinating to look through them. Jamie worked with Dad in reading and writing music and Dad got busy right away. Dad amassed a lot of research and stuff, and he was a prolific creator. One of the interesting challenges we’ve had over the years is figuring out how to take his unfinished projects and ideas and develop them into ‘new’ material to continue his legacy. The fiddle book idea has been bouncing around in our heads ever since we discovered the journals.” John Hartford’s Mammoth Fiddle Tune Collection came to fruition in 2018 and was released at the 8th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, held each spring in Bean Blossom, IN. (hartfordfest.com)
Complete details, along with 176 solo tunes from the book, recorded by original John Hartford Stringband member, Matt Combs, can be found at http://hartfordsmammothcollection.com/. Moving forward, Eric Hogue and Katie Harford Hogue (John’s daughter), are completing a recording of songs featured in the book. The CD will be released this spring. It features the likes of -Tim O’Brien -Chris Eldridge -Alison Brown -Noam Pikelny -Ronnie McCoury -Brittany Haas -Former members of the Hartford String Band, including Matt Combs, Chris Sharp, Mike Compton, Mark Howard, and Dennis Crouch -Tristan Scroggins -Megan Lynch Chowning, Paul Kowert, Jordan Tice, and Dominick Leslie. This project is currently a part of a Kickstarter program. To learn more and pre-order, visit hartfordsmammothcollection.com
Ten years ago festival founder John Hotze gathered in Bean Blossom, IN with a hundred of his friends and family and celebrated the life of his childhood friend, John Hartford. This inaugural gathering took place in the most appropriate form of jubilation, that of a festival. The first year included performances from people who worked with, and were inspired by Hartford, and ten years later we are delighted to continue that same tradition. John Hartford was a trend setting, genre bending, creative force that left a culturally rich legacy of musical history. We hope that our event, your event, honors this legacy and continues to inspire the next generation of pickers and grinners.
Speaking of pickers and grinners, we are so proud and happy to have felt the love from all of you, our loyal festival family. We ask you each year to bring someone you love, and you do. Just imagine who you would love to see dancing, jamming, camping next to you, tell them that you'll be in Bean Blossom, IN from May 27 - May 30, 2020.
We've got a major announcement about tent camping. For the first time in our 10 year history, free primitive tent camping at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground is included with all 4-Day Full Festival tickets! The Voils family (owners of the campground) have also re-opened the museum and cleaned up the lake to create a "Hillbilly Water Park" complete with a beach, rope swings, swim platform and a water slide. As the Hartford lyric goes, "Just when you think it can't get no better then it does."
Without further ado, we are tickled to announce the first wave of entertainers for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival "The Most Laid Back Festival in America". Stay tuned, as more bands will be added to the lineup.
Sam Bush, The High Hawks, The Dillards, Bad Livers, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Great American Taxi, The Freight Hoppers, Kind Country, Henhouse Prowlers, Damn Tall Buildings, The Slocan Ramblers, The Lonesome Ace Stringband, Julian Davis and the Situation, Never Come Down, David Davis & the Warrior River Boys, The Sweet Lillies, Good Morning Bedlam, The Whipstitch Sallies, Phillip Steinmetz and His Sunny Tennesseans, Short Round Stringband, Avocado Chic, One Way Traffic & More TBA
Nestled in the beautiful hills of Brown County in Southern Indiana, in a little slice of heaven called Bean Blossom, the park is located on a 55-acre tract of land. Bill Monroe fell in love with this small town, and the property he owned, calling it his home away from home for more than forty years. Once you visit, you too will experience the magic of Bean Blossom. Come experience the history, become a part of tradition and find out why so many call this the Mecca of Bluegrass Music. The facilities are complete with hot showers, clean restrooms, coin laundry facility, two dump stations, a water park complete with a beach, rope swings, swim platform and a water slide; walking trails, assorted picnic tables, fire rings, and barbecue grills; large covered pavilion, camp store, gift shop, and museum (your festival wristband gets you in the museum).
We just added the following sixteen bands to the 2020 roster - John Cowan & Songs From The Road Band Featuring Andy Thorn, Vince Herman as Artist at Large, Chicago Farmer & the Field Notes, Clare Brown, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Dan Andree Band, Ernie Hill's Story Songs, Fox Crossing Stringband, Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke, Miles Over Mountains, Relic, Stillhouse Junkies, The Kay Brothers, The Misty Mountain String Band, White Lightning Boys, Will Kimble and Trina Emig. To view all the artist photos and bios click here. The Daily Lineup will be announced at a later date.
Here we go! Fuel up the "Steam Powered Aereo-plain", shout from the top of" Tall Buildings" and most importantly come to the place where there is "No End of Love". We just added sixteen bands to the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, bringing the grand total of bands to thirty eight! We're proud to be known as a genre busting event that features bluegrass, old time, jamgrass, newgrass and every other type of music that you can put a "Vamp in the Middle". In addition to announcing the final lineup we also opened up applications for both the John Hartford Memorial Band Contest and The Songwriter's Challenge. Keep reading for all the details.
Family, thanks to you we are going into our 10th year. You have shown the love and have helped get the word out. You are this event. We always ask you to bring someone you love, and you have. Please keep this up. Our laid back groove and loving spirit has maintained because this is what we all strive for. We have an attendance cap because we do not want chaos. Happiest New Year to you. Make plans to be together this spring in Bean Blossom, IN May 27 - 30, 2020 at "The Most Laid-Back Festival In America". Here we go! Click Here to Buy Tickets.
Hey songwriters and musicians! The John Hartford Memorial Festival invites you to give us your best John Hartford inspired original song for the JHMF10 Songwriter’s Challenge, or/and enter your ensemble in the John Hartford Band Contest! You can win stage time, be considered for booking, $$$ and other cool stuff, but overall, the top four in each category will perform at the historic legendary Bill Monroe Music Park in Bean Blossom IN. Read all about what you can win and get your name out there at www.hartfordfest.com. You’d better hurry, the deadline for entries to both contests is midnight, Feb 28th, 2020.
Tune up your banjo and fiddle and dust off the hammock because festival season is just around the corner. In less than 90 days the sound of music floating over the hills of beautiful Bean Blossom, IN at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground will be upon us. Folks are talking about the genre busting lineup, the legendary jams and our family atmosphere, all happening on the hallowed ground where Bill Monroe and John Hartford walked along with so many other groundbreaking names in Bluegrass and Americana music. Join us May 27 - May 30, for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, "The Most Laid Back Festival in America!" That's where it all takes place. Click Here to Buy Tickets.
Wondering who is playing each day of the festival? We just announced the daily lineup. The hourly stage schedule will be announced at a later date.
It was different being home this year when we should've been at Bean. The wise call was made to postpone due to pandemic. Fest family came to the rescue with videos, photos, stories, encouraging well wishes and donations. But man, the last nine festivals- they all just go by so darned fast! Sort of like baking the perfect cake and inviting friends over to help you eat it. It’s gone before you know it. We all plan year round to make this festival happen and to attend. Our rag-tag team, consisting of and assembled by our festy creator/promoter John Hotze and co-promoter Tom Burkhart, and the rest of us, labor and parlay, each bringing something unique to the table and pass it around to be sampled, flavored, spiced, cut up or whatever it takes to become a presentable part of our big little party in memory of John Hartford. Then we happily serve the results, laid back, piping hot and fresh, to you, our fest family.
The John Hartford Memorial Festival, "The Most Laid Back Festival in America", is just right. Each year it has gotten a little bigger, but not too big- just right. The weather overall has been perfect! The mood is what each of us had hoped for and preached about, “Laid Back”. The entertainment is feeling it too, in the groove with each performance. Jams evolve and revolve around the clock. Familiar faces greet; many of whom only see each other once a year at this reunion of happy, kindred, music loving folks. Unfamiliar faces become familiar. It is easy to see that everyone checks their politics, religions, attitudes and worries at the gate, exchanged for wristbands that transform each recipient into a testimony of living, breathing, laid back musical vessels. Whether we dance, sing, pick, bow, clap, nod, toe-tap or rock our little ones, “Laid Back” happens for four endless, way too short days and nights! How does it go by so quickly, or is it just me?
Looking back at previous festivals, I see I missed so many acts and activities that I’d hoped to partake in. You can”t be everywhere at once. One previous Songwriter's Challenge Contest finalist, Tom Poley, from Tucson, AZ summed it up by saying, “That’s just Festival time!”
I think about all the tunes I’d hoped to jam on and the folks I’d hoped to jam with. I realize, now, I didn’t jam much at all, but man do I ever soak up the spirit! The early-bird, Wednesday evening Main Stage shows amplified and mixed just right, sets the mood for the entire event- happiness and excitement coming from the front porch of the “House That Bill Monroe Built”, all in memory of our beloved namesake, John Hartford.
You know, in a blog, one gets to express how they feel in the first person. There aren’t really any rules outside of punctuation and spelling, so I feel right at home saying this. You see, one year, on a Saturday evening, I sat about ten rows back from the dance area at the Hartford Stage, with my soul mate Patti, and friends, watching Bawn in the Mash work their string band magic, and I achieved that apex of calm I’d been looking for, that adjusted head trippy feeling that tingles from your brain and tells all the rest of your body that things are the way nature intended for them to be, you know, Nirvana maybe? Hillbilly Groove? Escape from the pressures of the working world? Heaven??? You get it. If you were there, I hope you felt this too. If you weren’t there, I hope you like the sound of this and make plans now! Anyway, I looked to my left at our dancing fest family, silhouetted against the trees in the soft evening dusk, with the stage lights flickering on them like firelight, and I saw a little deeper. I saw folks who were actually able to forget about cares and worries. I saw folks who were able to breathe the music and the mood into their lungs and let it take them to a special spot, free from burden, living in the moment, and I felt that mood all around me. That energy that emanates from all of us, past and present. Magic. Spirit. Fleeting and obscure, but waiting to be tapped and made manifest.
Definition of festival: “a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something.” A celebration for sure. A deliberate gathering of folks getting away, joining the laid back. A hopeful celebration of the musical influence of the Father of New Grass, John Hartford, happening on ‘The Old Home Place’ of the Father of Blue Grass, Bill Monroe. Going on 10 years in the making, this festival is the fruition of the vision of John Hotze, the dream of Tom Burkhart, the culmination of every good soul who ventured forth with these two, whether volunteers or attendees.
Thanks for dropping in. Have a look around and enjoy the music and photos, new and archived blogs and explore our official youtube channel as well as our social media pages. Send us your comments, stories and photos, along with your suggestions.
“Will we make it happen again?” We are one big family now, and you are this family, because it couldn’t happen without You. Please keep checking back as we monitor the world for the time we can safely meet again. We’ll be tickled to death to have you help us celebrate life with music, at the 10th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival and please, Bring Someone You Love! Until then, one big virtual hug!
Kansas. The land of Ahs! My father exited the Korean conflict and instead of returning to the coal mines in East Virginia, he, like so many other veterans, took a job with an airplane manufacturer in Wichita, where I was born and lived until I was 8. Kansas is loaded with sweeping prairies, farmlands, alabaster, clay and flint hills, geological anomalies, and Lily B. Moonflower. Lily (Brown) is a rising young star from Lawrence, KS, whose talents are broad, poetic and colorful. Lily is dynamo of creative and positive energy- an old soul inhabiting a young lady’s fleshly soul vessel. I first made contact with Lily when I learned she was selected, with other songwriters, to be a part of my “Story Songs with Ernie”, songwriter’s set at the Pickin on Picnic Festival held annually at Cuba MO. This set, which I have presented for several years, most notably at the John Hartford Memorial Festival and the Walnut Valley Festival, is a panel discussion/performance with storytelling songwriters. I host, moderate and perform. We each perform an original story song then discuss the process, round robin until we are out of time.
After talking with Lily, I asked her to also join the John Hartford Memorial Festival emcee crew, which I also managed. She delivered straight and true and was a pleasure to work with. The Story Songs set took place two months later at the Pickin’ on Picnic festival in Missouri, along with Willi Carlisle, Xaris Waltman and Walter Greiner. (below- Ernie Hill, Lily B Moonflower and Willi Carlise) I was greatly impressed with Lily’s personality, songwriting talent and stage presence. Lily, her boyfriend and dobro player, Jake Keegan, and I became friends. Not long after seeing them at the Walnut Valley Festival, Winfield, KS, Covid hit and things changed drastically for everyone. Performing artists were stopped in their tracks as venues were shut down to help slow down the spread.
Lily Moonflower told me that she discovered her inner light by being in a dark place. She emerged as a butterfly and Covid only redirected her energy from live performance, to more songwriting and also recording her original songs. Lily’s first album was not a rush project, but rather, a process involving several Lawrence, KS based musical friends who excel at what they do. The end result, “Moonflower”, set to release Feb 12, is a 10 track, about 45 minutes of original folk twang/rockabilly testament that this lady is an original. The recording, cd and vinyl, is also quite a piece to look at!
Lily B. Moonflower has a smooth broad ranged, soprano based voice that does not sound like anyone I have ever heard. Twang suits her fine. She effortlessly hits all the notes that are built into her creative melody repertoire with a signature slide, something between a moan and a croon, but not. What it is, is feeling. It is natural soul. It is natural art. Lily is not pretentious, not a dreamer, just a gifted soul who has many paths to choose from to share her creativity, just happens that songwriting and performing brings her joy, so that’s what she does. Lily also pays bills with cabinet and furniture restoration, bringing new vibrance to old finishes. She is also a quite the visual artist. Having picked up some tips here and there from family, Lily began making money right out of high school, so with a career in her sights, there was no need for her to seek academic higher education. As I left Lily, still at the stage at the Pickin on Picnic fest, I turned and noticed her guitar case and was completely blown away by the artwork on it. I asked her about it and yep, she painted it.
The following interview introduces you to Lily B. Moonflower and covers most of the bases. With Story Songs, I let my curiosity rule. With music journalism, I do the same. Meet Lily B. Moonflower.
EH- Lily, First, please tell me how pandemic has affected your career and your various venues of revenue.
Lily-- During these crazy times, we haven’t been able to make a living like we used to. Not playing as many live shows is the main reason for this. Performing live and connecting with my audience is one of my favorite parts of my job as a musician, I’ve had to adapt and evolve for the better. Last March, my survival instincts told me that I have everything I need to be successful, within. My resourcefulness and creativity has kept me afloat and even thriving the past year. My intuition told me it would be best to release my debut album while folks are in need of good new music. During my album release journey, I’ve found joy tapping into my imagination & ingenuity. It hasn’t been easy figuring out how to adjust the way I do things and stay on the path of purity and truth but I have learned many lessons of integrity and honesty along the way.
EH-What is your opinion about this pandemic and public health?
Lily-- Health and sustainability is my number one priority. I couldn’t lead the lifestyle I do without first staying in touch with my body and intuition. To be a musician is demanding to your body and mind. Once I realized this, I became a health advocate for diet and lifestyle. We have to remember as a society the importance and value of having our health and being a balanced human. It starts within the shadows of our life. We first have to realize how we could improve upon our daily habits and then slowly evolve into what we can imagine our most healthy life being like. Personally, I found out that I had some health issues manifesting so I started researching the benefits of a whole foods diet, meaning no processed foods. This is important because its comparative to riding your bike to the park instead of driving to get there. We all know the convenience of driving but we also know the repercussions the pollution has on our precious environment. Life was not intended to be so convenient and profitable. Taking the time to prepare healthy meals and lifestyles for ourselves is better for our environment within our bodies and without our bodies. Once society realizes this as a whole, our focus will be more geared towards immunity to prevent sickness instead of controlling and prohibiting everyday situations. Fully understanding this, we will gain back our true freedom.
EH- Where were you with your career when pandemic hit?
Lily-- We we’re excited for a full year of touring, in late Feb, 2020. When it hit, we were at Folk Alliance International Music Festival in New Orleans, before anyone knew what Covid was. Everyone came down with the weird sickness when they left the conference but there was no weird stigma about it. Since then we’ve moved to more of an online presence which seems to be more efficient then hardcore touring.
EH- How are you dealing with it now? Do you perform in safe venues only? What is your approach to booking now that restrictions are in place?
Lily-- Live music is more important than society tends to think. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health and wellness. Balance is key. We are able to offer safe and memorable experiences while only performing in public if the venue has health and safety in mind and takes the appropriate precautions. This enables us to keep moving forward with integrity and our audience to keep their essential mental well-being.
EH- Let’s talk about your history- you are currently 23?
Lily-- Yes and getting older as we speak!
EH- You do everything- music, art, crafts, wood working, pet welfare, has your creative side always been so diverse?
Lily-- Since I entered the world of the arts in high school, I have not cornered myself into a certain trade. I like to keep my mind open to trying new things and even failing. There is a lesson in each failure.
EH- Do you ever rest?
Lily-- I very much enjoy taking time for myself in order to restore and reenergize my mind and body. When we exhaust ourselves, our minds physically can’t keep up with our to do lists. I’ve experienced this first hand. What I’ve learned from my own journey of self-healing, studying Taoism and all other eastern philosophy is that we CAN find joy and contentment in SIMPLY EXISTING. We do not need to justify our lives by working for ourselves or someone else to feel satisfied or meet others expectations. Since I live in a society that does not view life in this way, I have felt pressured to maximize my schedule and life in every way. I like to keep a balance of maintaining relaxation and using my artistic mediums as a creative outlet for my imagination.
EH- Born where and when?
Lily-- I was born & raised in Kansas. I went to high school in Desoto, KS, graduated in 2016, then moved to Lawrence, KS which is the bigger college town, 25 miles from Desoto. I never went to college because I was making money. I started my own wood working business as a junior in high school, refinishing kitchen cabinetry & furniture. I was inspired by my mom’s friend whom she hired to refinish our kitchen cabinetry. I would sit in the kitchen with her and watch how she did it. She gave me some tips on faux finishing, which is one of my specialties now. Around this time I was also playing music and writing songs because I was envisioning my life as a songwriter and performing artist. I would play in small bars and venues around where I live in the mid-west. I started to make friends in the scene by going to songwriter rounds and open mics. Made a lot of memories I’ll never forget, doing that kinda stuff. Eventually I met my boyfriend and bandmate Jake Keegan, who plays the dobro with me in my band and in our duo project, “Lily B Moonflower & Jake Keegan”. We write songs together and are working on our duo album currently. As a team, we are quite the force. My best advice is to form an alliance with whoever you love to share your goals and aspirations together and hold each other accountable. This will inspire you to be the best version of yourself in order to achieve abundant success!
EH- Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
Lily-- I believe in the quantum physics of reality. My life is so spontaneous. I love doing what I do and I will continue to do so because I’m working on a road that leads to glory. I want to shake my Savior’s hand. I’m building my hopes on things eternal. I’m working on a road to glory land.
EH- Siblings?
Lily-- I have full brother and sister along with 1 half-brother, 1 step-brother and sister on moms side, and 3 step-sisters on my dad’s side.
EH- How did you grow up? Is your family into music and art performance?
Lily-- Our lives growing up definitely revolved around music. We loved listening to it and one of my earliest memories is being held during a church service, listening to my dad play trombone on stage. My grandpa on my mom’s side took me out at 8 years old to buy me a Fender Stratocaster. I guess I took a liking to the idea of being a guitar player and songwriter so I never stopped singing & playing. My first performance was with that navy Stratocaster at the 4th grade talent show, in front of the whole elementary school. Eventually my dad gave me an acoustic guitar that I started enjoying folk and country songs on. I remember doing summer rock camp thru the place where I took lessons, then leading church services in song on the big stage when I was young! We went to a big church so there was always a huge crowd. I think this is all what got me acclimated to performing for large audiences.
EH- Is either parent a woodworker?
Lily-- Surprisingly no. I was inspired by my mom’s friend, Stacey, whom she hired to refinish our kitchen cabinetry. I would sit and watch how she did it and learn techniques like faux finishing and antiquing. I started my own wood working business as a junior in high school, refinishing kitchen cabinetry and furniture. Stacey gave me some tips on faux finishing, which is one of my specialties now.
EH- You’re involved with animal welfare and rescue
Lily-- I was inspired by the thousands of dogs that were affected by Hurricane Irma of 2017, to host an annual fundraising day fest in their benefit! A lot of the dogs were shipped from the areas the hurricane hit up north, to anywhere possible, so a lot ended up in KC. We hosted the first concert in my hometown, DeSoto, KS at the classic, beautiful Zimmerman Barn that they had recently renovated. The next concert was at a new place in KC called Bar K Dog Park! It’s a dog park made out of recycled shipping containers complete with a stage for live music, cocktail bar, cafe/bakery, restaurant, and even a grooming area! We packed in the pups and even brought some dogs in for adoption, that had been directly affected by the hurricane tragedy!
EH- Who is your biggest influence in music, in art, overall?
Lily-- My biggest influence is nature. There’s so much to express and so many ways to express it. I feel honored to have a perspective of it all. I am one with nature so I feel that my life is a facet of the fullest expression. The source of my life force is sustained by nature here on earth and of the universe.
EH- You are also a very busy wood worker, what all do you do when you take on a restoration job?
Lily-- I first bid the job & work with the client to figure out what their vision is. I come in to prep so I uninstall the doors and drawers, take off hardware, tape and mask off the area, clean the wood, sand it, prime it, paint it, do a faux finish if they desire, then I seal it all with a top coat. Next we put on new hardware and un-tape everything, clean and vacuum, then load out!
EH- Did you take guitar lessons?
Lily-- I had guitar lessons when I was 8-15 years old. Haven’t had any since then. I learned how to sing in choir throughout my school years then joined varsity choir my senior year. After that I took some voice lessons from one of KC’s best vocalists, Havilah Bruders. We did the lessons with a grand piano in a sanctuary that had impeccable acoustics! It was a great experience. I learned a lot on how to properly sing and breathe. When it comes to woodworking, leatherworking, video editing, marketing and event planning, I am completely self-taught. Trial and error is my formula. There is a lesson in every failure and you can only improve from there.
EH- Do you have any artists who come to mind that you draw inspiration from?
Lily-- I absolutely love so many artists. A few favorites that come to mind are John Hartford, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Etta James, Del McCoury, Sturgill Simpson, Sara Watkins, Bob Wills, Colter Wall, Marty Robbins, Margo Price, John Prine, Lukas Nelson, and there are so many more…..
EH- Who designed your album art?
Lily-- My friend Asja, whom I met at Winfield, designed my album artwork. She is one of my favorite artists ever. I am so honored that she took the time to create the album artwork for me! I told her I wanted a whimsical, colorful, flowery design that screamed Lily B Moonflower and she totally nailed it!
EH- Do you find yourself going back to the drawing board on projects, do you map out a project and go by that, do you ever just wing it?
Lily-- I love to wing it and not look back. I think I can be my hardest critic. When I stopped overthinking and looking back is when I was truly liberated as an artist, to do what I want and feel!
EH- What is your favorite medium?
Lily-- Sound is my absolute favorite medium. To me, sound is a reflection of the cosmic vibrations happening in our lives at the level of our solar system- infinitely larger and smaller dimensions of the universe! Vibrational energy is experienced thru all mediums of art, in fact. Paintings give off a unique frequency of vibrational energy thru their colors and design, that we experience with our senses! Dance is another outlet for that unique frequency of vibrational energy to be expressed and experienced! It’s hard to pick a favorite when they’re all so different yet similar!
EH- Lily your voice is unique. I haven’t heard anyone that you sound like, this is a big plus. Did you ever try to sing like anyone else growing up?
Lily-- I have never tried to play or sound exactly like someone else. I listen to a variety of masculine & feminine music for inspiration.
EH- Tell me about your guitar.
Lily-- The Gibson SJ-200 is my second acoustic guitar. The first was a Fender Stratocaster, given to me by my grandpa, then an Alvarez acoustic lent to me by my dad. I got the Gibson in 2016 and haven’t put it down since. The sound quality is amazing and it’s a breeze to play.
Not to mention the beautiful abalone inlays in the retro pick-guards, headstock & bridge. It’s absolutely stunning, definitely an expression of my soul. I named this guitar Moonflower for its own lovely personality & when I play it during a performance, I become Lily B Moonflower.
EH- What kind of strings do you use, and how about picks?
Lily-- I use medium gauge D’addario strings and a Bluechip pick for my sound.
EH- Do you read music?
Lily-- I wish i could read music. If I could go back in time, I would have played an instrument in the school band so I could learn how to read music.
EH- Do you remember your first performance? How did that come about and were you nervous?
Lily-- I remember my first performance at the fourth-grade talent show, in front of all the kids and teachers in the elementary school. I was so nervous to go on, I was worried because all the other guitar players in the talent show were boys and I was the only girl plus I was singing. I so wish I had footage of this. Anyway, I channeled my nervous energy into useful adrenaline and ended up nailing my performance. I was so happy afterwards and that was when I realized girls can do anything boys can do!
EH- Having shared the stage with you, and observing your live performance, you are a natural, you seem to have no fear or anxiety with an audience- has it always been this way?
Lily-- I think the reason it comes with ease now is because I’ve been performing for audiences since I was in fourth grade constantly. I even led the worship team at church growing up. This helped a ton, along with my parents putting me thru “rock camp for kids” at the place where I took guitar lessons growing up. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone and eventually I learned to channel that discomfort into optimal performance adrenaline.
EH- Picking style- you know your way around the finger board. Have you studied any particular technique or any particular picker?
Lily-- I enjoy listening to great pickers like Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Townes Van Zandt, and many other greats. Maybe someday I will play like them but I’ve never sat down and tried to play exactly like someone else. What I do is “folk n roll” with a twang. It can’t be compared to anything because it’s my way of doing things.
EH- At what point in your life did the light go off that told you "Wow! I wrote this! I am a songwriter!"?
Lily-- Probably when i was in high school, going to songwriter rounds in the KC/Lawrence music scene and sharing my songs and meeting new friends!
EH- Tell me about your process- do you make yourself write- or believe the tunes come from thin air?
Lily-- I would say they come from the atmosphere for me. I can't make myself write or it won't be as genuine. I usually start with a concept and go from there.
EH- Do you write melody first then lyric or is it random?
Lily-- Either or usually.
EH- Do you collaborate?
Lily-- I love collaborating. I write with my boyfriend and bandmate, Jake Keegan. I've also written with Tori Ponce, Havilah Bruders, & my friend Elaina McEndree.
EH- What advice do you have for emerging songwriter/musicians?
Lily-- Don’t write to please anyone but yourself. That’s where your truest expression comes from, that intimate personal space.
EH- What is your opinion about live streaming and online lessons as a revenue stream, and as a venue?
Lily-- I tried moving my Twang Tuesday jam to a livestream series and it went fine, people seemed to enjoy tuning in to enjoy some live music but for me it’s not as great of a way to connect with my audience. Sure, they can receive my energy and song thru the screen but it’s just not the same.
EH- Why rockabilly folk as genre? What drew you to it?
Lily-- I guess it’s just how I enjoy expressing myself. A lot of music I listen to is this kind of vibe so I guess it’s true you become what you consume. I like to think of my style containing a little bit of grace and a little bit of grit.
EH- How did you decide to use the songs you used for your record- did you leave some gems on the cutting room floor?
Lily-- Oh yeah we for sure have some gems that will eventually be recorded. The ones we chose seemed right at the time and I thought the overall concept of the songs worked well together. It’s basically an intro to who I am as an artist which makes sense being my debut album.
EH- Where do you take it from here?
Lily-- I’m hoping the world will enjoy my debut album and I’ll be able to grow my online audience and create more content to be enjoyed!
EH- About the record and music business- Lily do you have an agent or publisher, or publicist?
Lily-- I signed with Lost Cowgirl Records in 2020 after recording in their studio. They are the producer and publisher of my album. They are also helping distribute to publications and radio stations.
EH- Where do you believe the future of recorded music is headed for the independent non-mainstream musician concerning cds, vinyl and downloads?
Lily-- Currently we will make the most money selling hard copies of vinyl, cds & t-shirts to folks who like to collect & listen that way! I think that the world is evolving and eventually the systems of Spotify and other streaming platforms will give and start paying artists what they deserve because that’s what’s right. The truth and positivity will always prevail.
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“Moonflower” was recorded at Lost Cowgirl Records studio, Stull Kansas, by producer Martin Farrell Jr.. The album features some of Kansas City and Lawrence’s finest players including Jake Keegan on dobro, Colby Allen Walter on mandolin, Michael Turnbo & Shannon O’Shea on fiddle, Miki P on drums, Jenna Rae on saxophone and back-up vocals, and producer Martin Farrell Jr. on back-up vocals, pedal steel, piano, telecaster guitar, tambourine, and bells.
We are excited that the John Hartford Memorial Campout will be our first "official event" of the year. Keeping the tradition of the John Hartford festival alive, June 2-5 will be in memory of John Hartford and John Hotze. There will be music on the main stage Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Tickets will not be sold this year. The campout will be open to everyone who has a paid camping reservation. If you are coming for the weekend or overnight and don't have a camper, you will need to make a primitive tent reservation online. Tent camping is $12 per person, per day. If you are planning to come on Thursday, you will need to make tent reservations for 3 days, if you are coming on Friday, tent reservations will be for 2 days, and Saturday, tent reservations for one day. Wristbands will be issued at the gate.
If you have a current reservation, you must accept the Terms and Conditions in your reservation email to secure your campsite for this year. See your reservation email for details. With our new online reservation system, we encourage you to create an account so that you can view all of your reservations and update your information. During the event we will be sending out campsite renewal emails for the 2022 festival, you will have 30 days to confirm and pay for your site.
Here are some quick reminders we need you to read:
Festival campsite reservations are for 2 guests.
Each additional guest fee is $12 per person, per night. There is a limit of 6 guests per reservation/site.
All guests must be pre-registered and paid in full in advance through our online reservation system. No additional guests will be added at the gate. Deadline to register and pay for additional guests is May 20, 2021.
All registered guests will be checked in at the gate and receive a wristband.
Contact us at [email protected] to add your guests and make payments.
Each hookup site can have 1 Camping Unit & 1 vehicle.
Limit 1 vehicle per site, the vehicle must be parked completely within the designated site, not on the street or in another campsite and parking pass displayed at all times.
Additional vehicles must be parked in the front lot for the duration of the event.
Gate hours are 10 am to 10 pm. Guests with campers/tent checking in for the first time arriving after 10 pm will need to park/camp in self contained lot and check in the following morning.
We would like to Thank You for your support of Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground. We will continue to follow all of our Festival Health Procedures and Guidelines moving forward. We are dedicated to continuing to be cautious and protecting the well being of our campers.
The next installment of the John Hartford Memorial Festival is in the works, With the regretful 2021 passing of the creator, John Hotze. Tom Burkhart has joined with Brent Turner and John Grantz to maintain the festival into the future. The event is scheduled for June 1st through the 4th in 2022. We will be moving it to a new location, the Lawrence County Recreational Park in Springville, Indiana to better accommodate the festival experience. “The new location will allow the multi-day festival to have a much larger camping area and room for everyone to spread out,” said Tom Burkhart, festival organizer. “Nearly 8 times more acreage is going to give us all plenty of wiggle room and air space. It will also help make the event more affordable to attend including free tent camping and free hot showers with every ticket.” Lawrence County Recreational Park is less than 40 miles from the location where the event was held for the past 11 years and is only 12 miles south of Bloomington.
Tickets and camping options will go on sale around December 1 on our website. Cunningham Golf Carts will start taking reservations for carts around the same time. Mailing list subscribers will be notified about 24 hours before tickets go on sale to the public. Our initial lineup will be announced when tickets go on sale.
We can't wait to see our Hartford Fest Family and start the next chapter!
We’re tickled to announce the initial lineup for the 2022 festival taking place June 1-4 in Springville, IN. We’ve put together a superlative lineup that features many of the acts that were booked (and never performed) at the 2020 festival. We know this diverse lineup will appeal to bluegrass, newgrass, jamgrass and old time fans. At the center of our booking philosophy is the concept of putting together a roster of talent that is as eclectic and varied as the music of our festival namesake, John Hartford.
The initial 2022 lineup for the official 2022 John Hartford Memorial Features: Leftover Salmon, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, The Dillards, Henhouse Prowlers, Great American Taxi, Damn Tall Buildings, Chicago Farmer & the Fieldnotes, Wolfpen Branch, David Davis & The Warrior River Boys, The Lonesome Ace Stringband, The Sweet Lillies, Never Come Down, Stillhouse Junkies, Good Morning Bedlam, Phillip Steinmetz & His Sunny Tennesseans, One Way Traffic, Chain Station, New Old Cavalry, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Red Mountain Boys, & More To Be Announced.
The final lineup will be announced around mid-February.
Call up the band members and tell them to start practicing! We just opened the registration for the John Hartford Memorial Band Contest. Registration will remain open until 11:59pm ET on February 28th. Judges will narrow down the qualified entries to a maximum of up to 12 finalist bands to compete live at the 2022 JHMF. Final contestants will be notified via email by Monday, March 7th.
Make sure you read and understand the rules and guidelines listed on the band contest page and have complied. Understand that failure to comply will result in your entry not being forwarded to the judges. Click here to read the rules.
Bands selected to compete at the 2022 JHMF will be required to pay a $100 entry fee to secure their spot in the contest. This fee must be paid within 7 days of notification or you will forfeit your place in the contest. All selected band members will be provided with full festival passes to the John Hartford Memorial Festival 2022. If selected for the finals, bands must be available and ready to perform at 11:00am, ET, Friday, June 3rd. The top four band will perform again on Saturday, June 4th. All competing band members will receive free primitive tent camping. All entrants will be considered for booking. We have booked several of the bands that competed in previous contests.
If you want to apply for the band contest you must read all the rules by clicking here.
2022 Band Contest Prizes:
1st Place: $1000, a Hartford main stage slot at the 2023 John Hartford Memorial Festival.
2nd Place: $500
3rd Place: $300
4th Place: $200
2022 Band Competition Schedule
• Band meeting 11:00am, CST, Friday, June 3rd at the Boogie Stage.
• Preliminary Round. Noon-3:00pm, ET, Friday, June 3rd at the Boogie Stage.
• Finalists will be selected by 5:00pm, ET, Friday, June 3rd and announced on the Hartford Main Stage.
• Final Round. Noon, ET, Saturday, June 4th. Hartford Main Stage.
• Prizes will awarded around 4:00pm, ET, Saturday, June 4th, on the Hartford Main Stage.
2022 JHMF Band Competition Rules
• Please note: Contestants are required to use just a single microphone for the preliminary and final rounds of the band contest.
• Most electrified instruments, drum sets, and amplifiers will not be allowed.
• Bands will have 1-2 additional channels if needed for electric bass, pedal steel, and or keyboard.
• A Maximum of 12 bands will be selected for the band contest.
• Bands must consist of 3-6 members.
• Any band that was booked at the 2019 festival is ineligible to enter.
• Set time constraints: Each band will have 15 minutes total including set up and breakdown. This will give you 2-3 songs for your set (10-12 minutes performance time). The judges will mark you down significantly if you go over.
• Each band plays 2-3 songs in the preliminaries and 2-3 songs in the finals. (see timing explanation above)
• Repeat of only one song played in the preliminary round is allowed in the finals.
• Bands entering the contest may have no common members.
•The contestant order will be randomly assigned at the contest site prior to the start of the competition at the band meeting on Friday June 3rd, at 11:00am, ET. Judges may confer to ensure fairness and consistency in the rating process.
• Contestants should not talk to the judges or the clerks concerning their scores during or after the contest. The decision of the judges is final. Completed judging forms are not available to the contestants or the public. If you have a formal protest, bring it to the head clerk first. They will forward it to the right person.
• Scores are not cumulative from the prelims to the finals. The finals are a new contest; everyone starts on a fresh and equal footing.
• Prizes are awarded Saturday, June 4, around 4:00pm, ET, on the Hartford Festival Stage.
Point your rig to Springville, IN because all roads and flights lead to the Lawrence County Recreational Park! Fill up your 1970s Volkswagen van with biodiesel from your deep fryer or top off the tank on your Steam Powered Aereo-plain, regardless of how you get here, we want you at the Most Laid Back Festival In America, the John Hartford Memorial Festival taking place June 1-4, 2022.
Today we announced the final lineup and have added nine superlative bluegrass, jamgrass and old time bands to the roster. Just when you think it can’t get no better then it does. Who is new to the 2022 lineup? We dipped the musical cup deep into the soup of the gurglin' cracklin' cauldron and are serving up The High Hawks, Becky Buller Band, Julian Davis & The Situation, Mama Said String Band, Lily B Moonflower, Miles Over Mountains, Hot Brown Smackdown, River Valley Rangers, Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke.
We’ve now got almost 30 bands to facilitate all the “Vamps In The Middle” of your varied musical tastes. We believe this roster of talent is as eclectic and varied as the music of our festival namesake, John Hartford. In addition to the bands booked, we are also hosting a band contest and we’ve got a total 12 slots open for contestants. More about that later in this e-blast.
The final lineup for the official 2022 John Hartford Memorial Festival Features: Leftover Salmon, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, The Dillards, The High Hawks, Becky Buller Band, Henhouse Prowlers, Great American Taxi, Julian Davis & The Situation, Damn Tall Buildings, Chicago Farmer & the Fieldnotes, Wolfpen Branch, David Davis & The Warrior River Boys, The Lonesome Ace Stringband, The Sweet Lillies, Mama Said String Band, Never Come Down, Lily B Moonflower, Miles Over Mountains, Stillhouse Junkies, Good Morning Bedlam, Phillip Steinmetz & His Sunny Tennesseans, One Way Traffic, Chain Station, New Old Cavalry, Deep Fried Pickle Project, Red Mountain Boys, Hot Brown Smackdown, River Valley Rangers, Joe Kidd & Shelia Burke. The daily lineup will be announced around early March
You’ve been patiently waiting, and we’re tickled to finally announce the daily lineup and the sale of single day tickets. We’ve got over 30 bands and 45 sets of music over the course of four days. Entertainment will be spread out over three stages at our new venue in beautiful Springville, IN. Newgrass, Bluegrass, Jamgrass, Old Time and everything in between will soon be flowing through the campgrounds of the Lawrence County Recreational Park. Plan your festival adventure accordingly and as always expect a few surprises along the way. The highly anticipated return of the festival kicks off on Wednesday evening with One Way Traffic and Julian Davis & The Situation and culminates on Saturday with performances by Great American Taxi, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Becky Buller Band and tons of other genre busting musical acts. Be sure to catch The High Hawks, Never Come Down and Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes on Thursday and festival favorites Leftover Salmon, Henhouse Prowlers and The Dillards on Friday. If you’re itching for even more music don’t forget about all the wonderful campground jamming that takes place 24/7 throughout the park. Bring an instrument and join the jam, will you? The hourly stage schedule will be announced at a later date. See below for the full list of bands playing on each day.
Single Day Tickets On Sale
In addition to the Daily Lineup Announcement, we’ve also launched the sale of single day tickets. Single day tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are now available for purchase by Clicking Here. No Wednesday Single Day Tickets will be sold. Only a limited amount of single day tickets will be sold for each day and no single day camping passes will be sold. We limit the amount of people in the park so you can continue to have ample amounts of wiggle room. Can’t make the whole shindig? Never attended the festival before and curious about all the positive commotion? A single day ticket just might be the option for you. If you’re in it for the long haul (and you should be), pick up a full festival ticket and join in for all four days of music and camaraderie under the stars of Springville, IN.
In just a month we will finally all be back together celebrating the music of the late and great John Hartford! What exactly is the John Hartford Memorial Festival? Well, we are a family friendly, kid friendly, dog friendly, jam friendly, just plain friendly bluegrass and folk music festival. We strive to reach the right number of people for your maximum comfort and will continue to limit the amount of multi-day tickets sold to just 3,000 Full-Festival Tickets. Fill up your steam powered Aereo-Plain and follow your friends to our new location in Springville, IN, June 1 - 4 and enjoy The John Hartford Memorial Festival "The Most Laid-Back Festival In America". 30+ bands, camping, jamming, dancing, contests and much more. Sit back, relax, and leave your worries at home. Click Here to purchase tickets and camping passes. We sell tickets in tiers and right now you can save $15 on full festival tickets. In addition to full festival passes we also have single day passes and a new Friday/Saturday combo ticket.
Wondering who is playing where and when? We’ve finally got the answers. Our team of festival producers has been busy behind the scenes carefully curating and calibrating four stages of Hartford centric entertainment. New this year is a tent stage that is about 3X the size of the previous tent and will be located near the Hartford Main Stage. This tent stage is adjacent to the main stage and will act as an in-between stage with sets alternating between the main and the tent stage. Four stages? You read that right. Keep reading to find out more
The Long Hot Summer (festival) Days are finally here! Its’ been 1,095 days since we all got together back in June of 2019 to celebrate the namesake of your festival, John Hartford. We are in full jubilation mode and thrilled that next week y’all will descend upon the new and much larger venue at the Lawrence County Recreational Park in Springville, IN. We’ve got over 30 bands to facilitate the “Vamps In The Middle” of your musical tastes. We believe this roster of talent is as eclectic and varied as John Hartford. Click Here to see the full lineup and Click Here to see the hourly stage schedule. If you’re itching for even more music don’t forget about all the wonderful campground jamming that takes place 24/7 throughout the park. Bring an instrument and join the jam, will you?
Tickets are still on sale and will also be available for purchase at the gate. Save some money and time and pick up a ticket or two right now by Clicking Here. Full festival tickets, Single day tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday along with the new Friday/Saturday Combo ticket are available for purchase. Camping on site? Our new location is much larger, and we’ve got plenty of primitive RV and tent camping spots still open. You are this event. We always ask you to bring someone you love, and you have. Please keep this up. Our laid-back groove and loving spirit have maintained because this is what we all strive for. We have an attendance cap because we do not want chaos. We are a family friendly, kid friendly, dog friendly, jam friendly, just plain friendly festival.
Save some money and pick up a full festival ticket ASAP. You’ll be glad you did. Don’t forget to bring your friends, we are a family friendly, kid friendly, dog friendly, jam friendly, just plain friendly festival.
Single day tickets for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are now available for purchase. No Wednesday Single Day Tickets will be sold. Only a limited amount of single day tickets will be sold for each day and no single day camping passes will be sold. We limit the amount of people in the park so you can continue to have ample amounts of wiggle room. Can’t make the whole shindig? Never attended the festival before and curious about all the positive commotion? A single day ticket just might be the option for you. If you’re in it for the long haul (and you should be), pick up a full festival ticket and join in for all four days of music and camaraderie under the stars of Springville, IN.
New for 2022 is a special Friday & Saturday combo ticket. Unlike single day tickets, this special combo ticket includes complimentary primitive camping. We listened to your feedback and many fans have requested an option that allows them to attend for two days and camp. If that’s you, pick up the new Friday & Saturday Combo Ticket, with primitive camping.
This year we pulled off what many have said was the best festival yet. It takes a lot of talented people and entities in both the foreground and background to produce the John Hartford Memorial Festival, and we'd like to publicly acknowledge the folks who used their talents to make the event run as smooth as a steam powered aero-plane. We would like to thank everyone who helped out including; John Hotze for his vision of founding the festival, we miss him very much. Eric and Katie Harford Hogue and Betty Harford who bring John Hartford's family, recorded history and art, and most of all, his legacy to the festival. Our new venue, The Lawrence County Recreational Park and its staff for really making us feel at home. The 30 + bands booked for the festival as well as all our contest bands for all of their incredible talent and creativity. Our team members who work year-round including; Jon Griffin, Tom Burkhart, Brent Turner, John Grantz, Anj Way, Danny "Hootenanny" Clark, Ernie Hill and all of their spouses or significant others. Our onsite production team members including; sound crews- Tommy Potts of Louisville Sound Company and Dan Bent. Our emcees - Hondo Thompson, Jayme Hood, John Bower, Kurt Hubbard and Allie Jean with her son Daniel. David Cook and the crew at hospitality for taking great care of our artists and crew all weekend. Les Ticknor of Old Hippie Recycling. Larry Banks who helped with concessions. Scott Nelson for creating and running the band contest and Sam Herrin for taking over the song writing contest. Our many loyal volunteers who go way above and beyond and just keep on helping. Our photographers including; Will Huston, Jay Strausser and everyone else who continue to share their photos and videos.
But most importantly everyone who bought a ticket, we certainly couldn't do it without you!
Hopefully the festival can return in some form in the future but today we are going to say goodbye for now. Please stay in touch by signing up for our mailing list at; www.Hartfordfest.com
