2024 LINEUP
We've worked very hard to assemble a high-quality, eclectic lineup for all to enjoy this year. Check out this year's performers below and get a sample of some of their work.
Five albums into an acclaimed career, Sam Morrow has carved out a sound that exists somewhere outside of genre and geography. It's his own version of modern-day American roots music: a mix of roadhouse rock & roll, bluesy R&B, and country-fried funky-tonk, driven forward by groove, grease, and guitars.
Championed by outlets like NPR and Rolling Stone, Morrow's first four albums turned him into one of the West Coast's biggest Americana exports. The appeal wasn't just the swaggering, swampy music itself; it was also the sharp storytelling and unfiltered insights of a songwriter who wasn't afraid to shine a light on the skeletons in his closet. Balancing honesty with self-deprecating humor, Morrow became a working-class hero for those struggling to follow the straight and narrow. ​​​
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Harbor & Home is a Minneapolis-based rock band directed by lead singer Kaleb Williams. Described as having a “classic, emotionally gratifying sound that [transcends] time and place,” their music is a blend of roots Americana and classic rock n’ roll.
Harbor & Home’s latest EP, Change, presents the band’s shift toward country, with lyrics that hold deep and honest reflections about life and loss. Alyce Lindberg of Rising Artists writes, “You’ll be drawn in by the catchy melodies and organic feel, then stay for the gritty, emotive vocals.”
Over the past decade, the group has toured the country, opening for acts like Dean Lewis, The Head and the Heart, NEEDTOBREATHE, DURRY, Jeremy Messersmith, Eric Hutchinson, Mark Chesnutt, FLOR, From Indian Lakes, and Austin Plaine.​​​​
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2020 was the first time we heard anything from The Goodwin Brothers. It was in the middle of the pandemic when fans heard the video tribute to their musical heroes, The Osborne Brothers, in the form of a medley of three classic Sonny and Bobby songs. After which, names like Dana Williams (Diamond Rio), Sonya Isaacs, Ronnie Reno, and even The Chief himself (Sonny Osborne) chimed in applauding the brother’s tribute. Since then, we’ve not heard much. But all of that is about to change.
The brothers comprising the eastern Kentucky-born band are anything but newcomers: Jonathan & William Goodwin began their musical journeys playing together in the early 90s, Jonathan was 8 and William 6. They began singing on the bluegrass festival circuit across the eastern US, a tenure that had refined their sound to a level typically reserved for older players with bigger discographies.​​​​
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The third act of the day will also have some Ferdinand Folk Festival veterans. The Bourbon Britches features singer-songwriter, Arianna Barton supported by an all-star female band. Arianna has played the main stage before as a member of The Strings of Indian Creek, most recently in 2022.
This time, she brings along an incredible female band, The Bourbon Britches and will take the stage from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Kelsey Lee (Southern Sirens 2022), Anna Blanton (Strings of Indian Creek 2022) and Kendra Villager will back up Barton as she supports her debut album Stronger.​
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BORROWED TIME
Borrowed Time will take the stage from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Local fans will be familiar with Andy and his daughter Ella Rose, from the fan-favorite Hagedorn Family Band that performed at the 2021 edition of the Festival.
This year, they have combined with three members of the Schemenauer family, Kevin and sons Gabe and Dominic, creating a new blend of music and energy for Hagedorn’s original songs.​​​​​
The Hammer and The Hatchet, made up of John Bowyer and Jayme Hood, are no strangers to the Ferdinand Folk Festival. They have become Folk Fest regulars with numerous performances on the Kyana Woodstock Market Stage and several children’s concerts in the Lower Shelterhouse over the last several years. They will bring their original Midwestern Roots music to the main stage for the first time, playing from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m.
John and Jayme are born and raised Hoosiers who make their home in South Central Indiana on the Brown/Monroe county line. Together, as The Hammer and The Hatchet, they have written and released four albums and have been refining their songwriting and musical partnership for 10 years.​​​​
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