Posts Tagged: music band photographers
Merlefest Memories Part 2 – the music
Merlefest 2020 would have started tomorrow, April 23rd and Ryan, Finley and I would have joined our official photographer pals and hundreds of others who love music to celebrate. Wilkes County fills up with vendors, fans and of course, some of the best bluegrass, blues, indie, folk and country singers and musicians in the nation.
The line-up of musicians each year is impressive to say the least. For 2020, this was true too. Sadly, on April 7, 2020 one of the most beloved musicians and performers around, John Prine, passed away due to Covid-19 – the very reason there is no Merlefest this year. Prine was on the schedule to perform and we were all looking forward to it. Other famous performers included the Avett Brothers, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Sam Bush and many more from years past.
What began as traditional Appalachian style music that Doc Watson and son Merle just exploded in both interest and talent. The festival benefits Wilkes Community College. If you want to learn more, I would encourage it.
We also want to encourage everyone to consider a gift this year too, since costs were incurred gearing up for the 2020 lineup, set up and coordination. To donate to Merlefest, visit the site.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs newborns and families, special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Merlefest Memories, Part I – the people
Back before we knew how bad it was going to get with the Covid-19 pandemic, we did know that rough times were on the horizon. The delay and ultimate cancellation of mass gatherings started in mid-March and we were not surprised that Merlefest 2020 was one of them.
It was the responsible thing for organizers to do, but we are certainly missing the crowds and energy this year. Merlefest would have been this coming weekend (April 23 – 26) and we long to be there.
So many new faces come each year to sit outside and enjoy music, play music, camp, sing-a-long and escape for a weekend. And, even more joy-producing, we see many familiar faces year after year. There are some serious fans, vendors and beloved musicians who just cannot stay away. We are part of that cohort, as official Merlefest photographers since 2015.
I mentioned energy before and it’s such a key to what makes Merlefest so special. Everyone wants to be there. It’s not some business conference; it’s a festival. It is a party. Music lovers swap stories, multiple generations show share the experience together, musicians show off their instruments and songs in progress, laugh, collaborate and “pick” together. There’s nothing quite like it. My heart isn’t broken, because I know cancelling was the absolute right call, but it’s a little bruised not to be there to soak up all that wattage. Still, it’s important that we all do our part.
One way that you can do your part this year is to contribute. MerleFest is asking for donations and ticket contributions to raise funds toward incurred expenses. Nearly 90% or more was already in place when it was clear that the shows would not go on. If you can and would like to make a donation, it would thrill us to no end. Go to the Merlefest site and do what you can with our gratitude.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographsnewborns and families, special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
merlefest 2016
4 days, 18 bands, 13 stages, 74,500 roaming festival goers and 22 miles of steps for both of us. And all God’s children and Mastercard ad lovers said, “Priceless.”
We were asked to be official photographers again this year for Merlefest 2016 and were there from Wednesday to Sunday, so we’re splitting this blog into 2. We simply saw and photographed too much to try to load it into one. Like last year, it was amazing: the music, the lively vibe, the pace (read: non-stop) and we’d be lying if we didn’t say we were thrilled OUT OF OUR MINDS to have 3 of Misty’s shots picked up by major media outlets: Rolling Stone, Huffington Post and HCPress.
Ranking the bands would take WAAAY to much negotiation, so we’re just gonna show you shots of those we covered and let you investigate those you’ve never heard of and grin at those you know well.
Barefoot Movement – a bluegrass, folk trio out of Nashville.
Becky Buller – bluegrass fiddler, with a classical violin background and Old-Time/Country flair (Minnesota meets East Tennessee)
Becky Buller’s high-spirited accompaniment
Girls, girls and more girls! In order….
Emi Sunshine – a 12-year old dynamo/prodigy whose surname is spot on (from Tennessee)
Jennifer B & the Groove – Americana rock band out with a kick-butt front woman (Austin, Texas)
Sarah Potenza – Raw vocalist who leaves it all on the stage (Nashville, Tennessee)
And, finally April Verch, who Rolling Stone said best embodied the spirit of Doc Watson. She’s a CHARMER!
Jennifer B & the Groove…
Sarah Polenza…
April Verch…
Now for some boys, starting with We Banjo 3 – a brilliant mix of Irish and American strumming, fiddling and flash.
Below those guys are Old Crow Medicine Show out of Nashville. We may have lost count, but there were at least 2 banjos, an upright base, guitars and fiddles.
And finally, the Wood Brothers – an amazing trio out of Nashville.
Old Crow Medicine Show…
The Wood Brothers…
<Happy Sigh> enough for now.
Ok – two more: Sunday Morning Blues and South Carolina Broadcasters.
South Carolina Broadcasters…
More in our next blog about the new-comers, the regulars like Steep Canyon Rangers and the old-timers who’ve made Merlefest every year for 29 years.
We’ll leave you with another media love-up, this one from Huffington Post. We couldn’t be more honored or humbled!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
the Grievous Angels ~ photographing a killer charlotte band
These guys use only the good notes.
If it’s your cup of tea (or whiskey) to go to a live local show, then you need to see the Grievous Angels Band. We ADORE them and were honored to photograph a performance of theirs. They’ve got some fab photos from fans and friends, but wanted a few more for promotional use and we threw our equipment in the car and sped their way. Do you like American music, vocals that range from gravelly to crazy smooth, guitars, guitars, guitars with texture, folk, rock and a confluence of talent, grace, mischief, energy and a pure force that brings you back to earth? These guys are for you, … and when we say guys, we mean guys (precisely 5) and one gal – Alicia – nicknamed “the Pistol.” Any woman who can elbow her way into that mix is a mighty thing and Alicia is mighty.The photos for this session were taken in February of this year at Summit Coffee in Davidson where they perform regularly. As with all truly good live music, the vibe was raw and fun and we loved focusing on each band member. The Grievous Angels, by the way, are Joe Ciarlante, Tim Farney, Richard McDevitt, Reid Cathcart, Jim Gamble and Alicia Akima R Driver.
Drummer (and booking agent) Jim Gamble
the lovely, the talented Tim Farney, Ladies and Gentlemen.
(left) Joe Ciarlante and Reid Cathcart and the brilliant Richard McDevitt on piano
Grinning Reid (left) completely caught up and DY-NO-MITE Joe shredding and singing on the right
Reid Cathcart
The Pistol – Alicia Akima R Driver (get OUT of the way ya’ll)
L-R: Joe, Richard and Alicia
Pixels loves photographing musicians, as you know, and would love to do so for your band, group, ensemble, trio or musical tribe. We’re looking forward to Merlefest in a mere 4 weeks.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.