May 24, 2026
The John Hartford Jamboree
Southland Jamboree Kickoff
The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project
The musical legacy of John Hartford has found a new chapter with The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project; Mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist, fiddle player Rachel Baiman, and banjo/guitarist Ella Korth bring newly discovered Hartford tunes to old-time and bluegrass fans everywhere. The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project is passionate about sharing these tunes far and wide so that they can become part of the roots music canon for future musicians to love and enjoy. [This passion has led them to performances] at festivals such as The Earl Scruggs Music Festival, Cowichan Bluegrass Festival, the Folky Fish Festival and house concerts throughout the States. The Project also presents workshops [where they teach] tunes from Hartford’s Mammoth Collection FT book, aspects of Hartford's iconic songwriting and creative ensemble practices Hartford lead in his own band.
Hancock & Shouse
After years of performing around the country, Arthur Hancock [guitarist and founding member of the Wooks] and Chris Shouse [mandolinist and founding member of 23 String Band and Wolfpen Branch] have made a lot of musical memories. [Their past performances include] Spirit in the Bluegrass, Laurel Cove Music Festival, Li'l Sandy Shakedown and the Kentucky Wool Festival. Both [Arthur, and Chris] enjoyed their time in the award winning bands The Wooks, The 23 String Band, and Wolfpen Branch. [And] they are excited to continue making Kentucky Bluegrass music together and to represent their roots with some of Kentucky’s best musicians - Cody Dugger, on banjo [who] got into bluegrass because of his grandfather and has been playing since age 12, Laura Orshaw on fiddle, and Ryan Greer on bass.
Hancock & Shouse are proud Tunes Ambassadors for Can’d Aid that encourages music education and has donated over 4000 instruments to schools in need. Look for Hancock & Shouse performing across the Kentucky region this year.
The Tillers
The Tillers [Mike Oberst, Sean Geil, & Aaron Geil] have been thumping their own distinctive sound of string band style folk music for nearly two decades... Four studio albums and one live record have won them praise as modern folk storytellers of the national soundscape. The Tillers got their start in August 2007… The songs they picked were mostly older than their grandparents. Some came from Woody Guthrie, some were southern blues laments, and many were anonymous relics of Appalachian woods, churches, riverboats, railroads, prairies and coal mines... Musically, the band wears many hats. Their sound has proven to be an appropriate fit with a wide range of musical styles- traditional folk, bluegrass, jazz, punk rock and anything else they might run into. They continue to plot their travels around the map, electrifying new places and making new friends wherever they go. From place to place, they carry with them more instruments, new songs, and funnier stories. They are Cincinnati’s traveling minstrels.
