Avetts to debut special MerleFest video

In anticipation of their performance at MerleFest 2013, The Avett Brothers have created a special video for their fans and the fans of the annual festival.

The video will debut at USAToday.com at noon (EST) on Feb. 8, on the front page of the “Music” section.”

MerleFest, a four-day event that is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans, will once again take place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro on April 25 to 28, 2013.
The Avett Brothers first performed at MerleFest in 2004 and have been one of the most requested performers in the festival’s history.

In the video, Scott Avett performs the classic folk tune, “Froggy Went A- Courtin’,” on the banjo, as both a nod to the traditional styles of music that can be heard at the four-day festival and in tribute to the late Doc Watson, who often performed the song during his celebrated career.

The video is released through Crackerfarm (Mike Beyer), who has been documenting The Avett Brothers since 2005; his work with the band is considered the visual voice for what they do as musicians. Crackerfarm is currently working on a full-length feature documentary that chronicles the band’s career up to this point.

Rolling Stone calls the Avett Brothers "the best Pop band in the Alt-Country corral." The Avett Brothers are Seth Avett (guitar, percussion), Scott Avett (banjo, percussion) and Bob Crawford (vocals, bass). The Concord, N.C.-based indie folk-pop group received rave reviews for its 2009 breakthrough major-label debut, “I and Love and You,” and continues to win over fans and critics with its latest release, 2012’s “The Carpenter,” nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award.

Just as many fans compare MerleFest to a family reunion, that comparison may be true for the Avetts; their dad, Jim Avett, will perform some of his beloved gospel favorites during the Gospel Hour on Sunday morning on the Creekside Stage.

Tickets for MerleFest 2013 can be purchased at http://www.merlefest.org or by calling (800) 343-7857. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 10, 2013. Additional details about this year’s festival lineup and other MerleFest information can also be found at the website.

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro.

MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of American music legend Doc Watson, who died May 29, 2012.

MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles.

The festival hosts more than 90 artists, performing on 14 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

For more information, visit http://www.merlefest.org.