Grey Fox Bluegrass Fest Announces Line-up of Bands

Photograph by Andrzej Pilarczyk

It’s without a doubt one of the northeast’s most prestigious bluegrass fests, and the annual Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival has announced another stellar line-up of great music for 2016.

The four-day fest runs from Thursday-Sunday, July 14-17 at Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, just about 30 miles southwest of Albany. The fest features more than 40 bands on five stages, as well as workshops, an Emerging Artist Showcase, dancing, children’s performers, the Bluegrass Academy for Kids, camping, jamming, food, crafts and a guaranteed all-around good time.

Among the featured performers at this summer’s fest are the SteelDrivers (Monday’s winners of the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy Award), the head-spinning duo of Bela Fleck & Chris Thile, the Earls of Leicester (led by dobro master Jerry Douglas), the Del McCoury Band, David Grisman’s Bluegrass Experience, fab fiddler Mark O’Connor leading the O’Connor Family Band, the Wood Brothers, Greater Nippertown’s own award-winning Gibson Brothers and a whole lot more.

Four-day, full-festival tickets are currently available for $200; and single day tickets just went on sale this week, priced at $70 per day (including all entertainment, parking and shuttle service). Children age 12 years and under are free with ticketed adult.

Here’s the daily line-up of bands for the 2016 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival:

THURSDAY, JULY 14
The Steep Canyon Rangers
The Horseflies
The Wood Brothers
Band of Ruhks
The Lonely Heartstring Band
The Dustbowl Revival
Front Country
Scythian
Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore
Compton & Newberry
The Mike + Ruthy Band
Mile Twelve
John Kirk, Trish Miller & Quickstep
Dry Branch Fire Squad

FRIDAY, JULY 15
The Earls of Leicester
The Del McCoury Band
David Grisman’s Bluegrass Experience
The SteelDrivers
The O’Connor Family Band featuring Mark O’Connor
The Lonely Heartstring Band
Front Country
The Stray Birds
Trout Steak Revival
Matuto
Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore
Compton & Newberry
The Mike + Ruthy Band
The Railsplitters
Joe Craven
Rushad Eggleston
Charm City Junction
John Kirk, Trish Miller & Quickstep
Dry Branch Fire Squad

SATURDAY, JULY 16
Bela Fleck & Chris Thile
The Gibson Brothers
Della Mae
Sara Watkins
Mr. Sun
The Lonely Heartstring Band
The Steel Wheels
Sierra Hull
Elephant Revival
Donna the Buffalo
The Mike + Ruthy Band
The Railsplitters
Joe Craven
Rushad Eggleston
John Kirk, Trish Miller & Quickstep
Dry Branch Fire Squad

SUNDAY, JULY 17
Della Mae
Joe Craven
Rushad Eggleston
Dry Branch Fire Squad

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING FESTIVALS FOR 2016:
BRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL @ Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy & the Massry Center for the Arts, Albany, February 26 & 27
HIGH MUD COMEDY FESTIVAL @ MASS MoCA, North Adams, March 11 & 12
MOVE MUSIC FESTIVAL @ various locations, Albany, April 22-24
ROCK ‘N DERBY FESTIVAL @ Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, Schaghticoke, May 20-22
MOUNTAIN JAM @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, June 2-5
A TASTE OF COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, June 10-12
CLEARWATER’S GREAT HUDSON RIVER REVIVAL @ Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, June 18-19 UPDATE: This festival has been cancelled.
OLD SONGS FESTIVAL @ Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, June 24-26
FREIHOFER’S SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, June 25 & 26