In Episode 24 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I sit down with bluegrass fiddle player Dan Andree from The Fretliners to preview their upcoming performance at the 2025 WinterWonderGrass Festival in Steamboat Springs, CO, happening February 27–March 2.

The Fretliners, winners of the 2023 Telluride Bluegrass and RockyGrass band competitions, bring a fresh take on traditional bluegrass with their infectious energy and modern themes. Dan shares insights about the band’s journey, their unique sound, and what fans can expect at their WinterWonderGrass set.

Key Moments in the Conversation 🎙️

• 03:15 The origins of The Fretliners and their 2023 competition wins.
• 07:42 Balancing traditional bluegrass with your own songs
• 11:20 The evolution of The Fretliners' lineup and musical style.
• 14:38 Experiences with Bonfire Entertainment and WinterWonderGrass.
• 19:05 Dan previews new plans and talks about their Colorado tour dates.
• 23:49 Dan’s favorite memories from past WinterWonderGrass festivals.

About The Fretliners 🎻

Website: https://www.thefretliners.com

YouTube: @TheFretliners

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefretliners

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4iMEdosOM4PPgZrreSoWJn

WinterWonderGrass Festival 2025 ❄

Website: https://winterwondergrass.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winterwondergrass/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/winterwondergrass

About Bonfire Entertainment 🔥

Website: https://bonfirentertainment.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.bonfirentertainment/

Email & Audio Podcast Subscription Links 🔗

Website: https://musicfestivalspodcast.com/

Find NeighborN8 🔎

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborn8fests/

Request coverage: https://musicfestivalspodcast.com/contact

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Title sequence music bed is piano improvisation from Holly Bowling from Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream the full festival set on Nugs: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC 🤨

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

In Ep.23 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I talk with festival producer Shane LaVigne about the upcoming Whippersnap Music & Arts Festival that will be held at the at the Florida Sand Music Ranch Feb 19-22, 2025.

This early 2025 season festival is shaping up to be a killer event with headliners including Keller Williams, The New Mastersounds, and the Polyrythmics. Dozens of other regional and local bands will be jamming across two stages and to some of the best light shows you'll find at an intimate music festival setting.

🎙️ Key Moments in the Conversation 🎙️

03:29 Local Florida fans inspired organizing a music festival.

08:28 Funk music, talented bands, Polyrhythmics excelling.

11:44 Expanded lighting, lasers, LED upgrades, projection mapping.

13:15 Adapted plans: relocated stage due to flooding.

17:31 VIP package includes RV, grocery service, merchandise.

20:43 Newsletter offers festival tickets and band interviews.

🔗 More About Whippersnap Music and Arts Festival 🔗

https://www.whippersnapfest.com/

https://www.facebook.com/whippersnapfest/

https://www.instagram.com/whippersnapfest/

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0yqvRtDX5KHVO4eXQ5Uizc

🔗 More About Florida Sand Music Ranch 🔗

https://floridasandmusicranch.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/floridasandmusicranch/

⏯️ Florida Sand Music Ranch in Brooksville FL - Venue & Campground Tour (11/23/24) ⏯️ https://youtu.be/RLM7GW_bTJg?si=PCRYdN8w9lzhQ8c2

⏯️ Florida Sand Music Ranch Playlist ⏯️

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9vKuhye8V3_nlaK2lakIUeyivOA8xzKY&si=yLgL_uep2xrnC9fK

📧 Join the Neighborhood and find Audio Podcast Subscription Links 📧

https://musicfestivalspodcast

📸 Follow your host, NeighborN8 📸

https://www.instagram.com/neighborn8fests/

------------------------

🙏 Production Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024)

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

In Ep.22 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I talk with Katia "Pixie" Racine from Utah-based Bluegrass band Pixie & the Partygrass Boys. We get into the details behind the band's new self-titled album, their upcoming performances at WinterWonderGrass 2025 and on their RiverWonderGrass rafting trip. Katia also shares more about their newest band member and some changes to the mix coming in 2025. You'll also find out why they are so keen on chickens.

👉 Links Mentioned During the Episode 👈

More About Pixie and the Partygrass Boys

• https://www.pixieandthepartygrassboys.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/partygrassmusic
• https://ffm.bio/partygrass

Follow Katia

https://www.instagram.com/pixie_onherfixie

CaveFest 2023: Pixie and The Partygrass Boys w/ Lindsay Lou, "Gimme Shelter" (Rolling Stones cover)

https://youtu.be/ZZFXgqTNZvk?si=e1-Na3mqCyHk6CjS

About WinterWonderGrass

https://winterwondergrass.com/

About RiverWonderGrass

• https://winterwondergrass.com/riverwondergrass
• https://youtu.be/9xEvi5ezzic?si=lTPJXaCcsMiWQ4rS
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-EfdPZKC5QS4g1uV_B-a30ENADu5aPJA

Join the Neighborhood and find Audio Podcast Subscription Links

https://musicfestivalspodcast

Follow NeighborN8

https://www.instagram.com/neighborn8fests/

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

Podcast Intro Music Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

In Ep.21 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I talk with Grammy Nominated singer, songwriter and bluegrass guitarist, Trey Hensley. Trey was also 2023's IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and up for even more accolades this year. During the conversation, we get into how Trey balances the demands of being a professional touring musician with family and life as an active and engaged parent. We cover a lot of ground in this chat -- from Trey’s amazing guitar collection, to recent collaborations to his upcoming projects and tour dates in 2025 -- this interview is full of stuff you should know.

👉 Links Mentioned During the Episode 👈

More About Trey Hensley

https://www.treyhensley.com

Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley Tour & Albums

https://www.robandtrey.com/

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley - “Way Downtown” Live from the Ryman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XEZ9-1zzWg

The Taj Mahal Sextet - Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes ft. Trey Hensley (Live)

https://youtu.be/xvT2Ej2a5kI?si=3cKgjG0X_slX4S27

Bluegrass Radio – Alison Brown & Steve Martin (Official Video)

https://youtu.be/EXQteCdU-Sg?si=wQDGbjsnlCnbEZhO

Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Molly Tuttle - John Deere Tractor (Official Audio)

https://youtu.be/A6Pe2KlfUpM?si=LiGbGvUt83vIvqPR

Florida Sand Music Ranch in Brooksville FL - Venue & Campground Tour (11/23/24)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLM7GW_bTJg

Join the Neighborhood and find Audio Podcast Subscription Links

https://musicfestivalspodcast

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

Podcast Intro Music Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

In Ep.20 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I talk with the fellas from Mountain Grass Unit, one of the hottest new bands on the national bluegrass scene. Talking with Drury Anderson, Luke Black, Sam Wilson and Josiah Nelson was a real treat -- since seeing them live at Renewal 2024, MTU has made their way to my every day play lists. We get into some how the band came together, how they met Billy Strings and Jarod Walker, recap a few performances from 2024 and their upcoming dates in 2025. You'll even find a pretty cool golden Easter Egg buried in this episode.

👉 Links Mentioned During the Episode 👈

AndBlack Bluegrass Musical Performance at TEDxYouth@MBJH 2018

https://bit.ly/AND-Black

About Mountain Grass Unit

https://www.mountaingrassunit.com/

Follow the Band on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/mountain_grass_unit/

Stream Mountain Grass Unit on Nugs

https://www.nugs.net/mountain-grass-unit-concerts-live-downloads-in-mp3-flac-or-online-music-streaming-1/

Join the Neighborhood and find Audio Podcast Subscription Links

https://musicfestivalspodcast

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

Podcast Intro Music Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

In Ep.19 of the Music Festivals Podcast, I talk with the founders of TuneHatch, a Nashville-based tech startup that matches bands and musicians with local venues while adding transparency to the booking process. Serving 15 Nashville venues and over 1,000 registered artists, the founders aim to build TuneHatch into the world's go-to platform for live music and entertainment, creating a transparent, efficient, and profitable ecosystem for musicians, venues, and fans. We wrap this weeks show with this week's music festival news segment with early bird tickets and one of the final outdoor festivals of the year.

👉 Links Mentioned During the Episode 👈

Join the Neighborhood and find Audio Podcast Subscription Links

https://musicfestivalspodcast

Sunshine Music Festivals - Florida Sands Resort in Brooksville, FL

https://sunshinemusicfests.com/

Florida Sand Music Ranch Playlist

https://bit.ly/florida-sand-music-ranch

48th Ann Arbor Folk Festival

https://theark.org/folk-festival/

Midwinter Bluegrass Festival Early Bird Tickets are Available

https://www.midwinterbluegrass.com/

Columbus Winterfest is happening December 7th 2024 (FREE ADMISSION)

https://winterfestcolumbus.com

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

Podcast Intro Music Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24

This week on Music Festivals Podcast, I recap my trip to last weekend's Sunshine Hootenanny Music and Art Festival at the Florida Sands Music Ranch in Brooksville, FL. It was the inaugural year of the Fall Hoot with great people, great bands and a super cool venue.

It's also Black Friday and I've got more early bird and blind faith ticket promotions, some of which end tonight at 11:59pm. And, we'll wrap this week's show with a clip from the Friday night performance from the headliner jam band, moe.

Follow NeighborN8 on Instagram and DM me for a commemorative Sunshine Hootenanny poker chip while they last

https://www.instagram.com/neighborn8fests/ 👀

🔗 Music Festivals News Links 🔗

About Florida Sand Music Ranch

https://floridasandmusicranch.com/

Sunshine Get Down Tickets on Sale

https://sunshinemusicfests.com/

Bonaroo Pre-Sale Ends Tonight

https://www.bonnaroo.com/tickets

Annapolis Baygrass Tickets on Sale

https://baygrassfestival.com/tickets

Cave Jam 2025 Tickets on Sale

https://www.thecaverns.com/cavejam

Bourbon & Beyond Tickets on Sale

https://bourbonandbeyond2025.frontgatetickets.com/

Hookahville 60 Tickets are on Sale

https://www.hookahville.com/

Winterfest Columbus is Free Next Weekend

https://winterfestcolumbus.com/

In Ep.17 of the Music Festivals Podcast, we're kicking off season 2 of the podcast with the week's music festival news and more announcements for dates, pre-sale and blind faith tickets for the 2025 season.

I also talk with Cary Psutton, a long-time live music industry veteran, talent manager, producer, drone pilot and stand up comedian who happens to be my one of my real life neighbors -- we met at our local pet shop and decided to do the interview at our local Starbucks. And, the show closes with another great number from the recent Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival that features a 15-year-old mandolin virtuoso sitting in with the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band.

👉 Links Mentioned During the Episode 👈

Join the Neighborhood and Find Audio Podcast Subscription Links

https://musicfestivalspodcast

Pre-Sale is happing now for the Field of Vision Festival at Meadow Creek

https://www.meadowcreekco.com/

Pre-Sale has also been announced for the All Good Now Festival

https://allgoodpresentslivemusic.com/all-good-now/

The Suwannee Spring Reunion will be happening March 20th - 23rd 2025

https://suwanneespringreunion.com/

Sunshine Music Festivals - Florida Sands Resort in Brooksville, FL

https://sunshinemusicfests.com/

About East Tennessee State University - ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band

https://www.etsu.edu/cas/das/bluegrass/

About Wyatt Ellis

https://wyattellis.com/

------------------------

Production Credits 🙏

Music Festivals Podcast is a Production of NRMedia Group, LLC

https://www.nrmedia.biz/

Podcast Intro Music Credits 🙏

Piano improvisation from Holly Bowling, Dark Star Jubilee 2024 (Recorded 05/25/2024).

Holly's Website: https://www.hollybowling.com/

Stream her full set on Nugs.net: https://bit.ly/holly-bowling-set-DSJ24