202610 acts
- Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
- Vickie Vaughn Band
- Damn Tall Buildings
- Release The Squirrels
- Tall Poppy String Band
- Chet O'Keefe
- Custer's Grass Band
- Shiloh Mountain Band
- Welter Brothers
- Poor Boy's Delight
From the festival archives
Pickin’ through
the years.
From the early days with Jackstraw and John Reischman & The Jaybirds to the artists taking the stage this summer, the Blue Waters story is written one set at a time.
Browse the featured performers and headliners from 2002 onward.
2002—2026
Every year has a sound.
Some favorite artists who’ve made memories at Blue Waters.
Verified national award win · Select a tag for award details
20259 acts
20249 acts
- New Dangerfield
- Full Cord
- Jacob Jolliff Band
- Rock Ridge
- True North Duo
- Monroe Bridge
- Floating Crowbar
- Dry and Dusty
Tribute: Roots of Bluegrass
20239 acts
- AJ Lee & Blue Summit
- Tony Furtado Trio
- FY5 (Finders & Youngberg)
- Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms
- Custer's Grass Band
- Brett & Janet Dodd
- Hannah Siglin
- Mountain Dew Boys
- Buck 99
202212 acts
- John Reischman & The Jaybirds
- Lonesome Ace Stringband
- The Onlies
- Eli West Trio
- Chris Luquette
- Chris Luquette & The Grass Messengers
- Monroe Bridge
- Buck 99
- Jenny Anne, Karli Trio
- King Trouble and the Cherry Pickers
- Eyer Family Band
Tribute: John Hartford
201910 acts
- Wood & Wire
- High Fidelity
- Masontown
- Ashleigh Caudill
- Whiskey Deaf
- True North
- Greg & Caridwen Spatz
- High Valley Mountain Boys
- Bitter Oak
- Eyer Family Band
201810 acts
- Kenny & Amanda SmithIBMA '03
- Danny Barnes Trio
- Barefoot Movement
- Po' Ramblin' BoysIBMA '18
- Old Growth Quartet
- Kevin Pace & The Early Edition
- 4$ Shoe
- Misty Mountain Pony Club
- King Trouble and the Cherry Pickers
Tribute: Doc Watson
201712 acts
- Lonely Heartstring Band
- Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
- John Reischman, Scott Nygaard & Sharon Gilchrist
- Fireball Mail
- Kaia Kater
- Jackstraw
- Jenny Anne & Caleb Mannan
- Bust it Like a Mule
- River City Ramblers
- Panhandle Polecats
- Brett & Janet Dodd
Tribute: Stanley Brothers
201610 acts
- Chatham County Line
- Front Country
- Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin
- Slocan Ramblers
- Farmstrong
- 4$ Shoe
- The Barn Owls
- The Lowest Pair
- BlueStreak
- No Going Back
201511 acts
- Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick
- Phillips, Grier & Flinner
- FY5
- Growling Old Men
- Eli West & Friends
- Kevin Pace & The Early Edition
- Top String
- Acuff & Sherfey
- Heartbreak Pass
- King Trouble and the Cherry Pickers
Tribute: Hazel Dickens
201411 acts
- Rambling Rooks
- Town Mountain
- Milk Drive
- John Reischman & Kenny Smith
- True North
- Blackberry Bushes
- North Country Bluegrass
- Browns Mountain Boys
- Kevin Brown & The Beloved Country
- Brad Keeler Trio
Tribute: Bill Monroe
201311 acts
201213 acts
- Josh Williams BandIBMA '10
- Dirk Powell
- The Quebe Sisters
- Foghorn Stringband
- Anne & Pete Sibley
- The Jim Faddis Band
- The Calenders
- Jenny Anne Mannan
- Big Red Barn
- Dead Fiddlers Society
- Old Bear Mountain
- Kevin Pace & The Early Edition
- King Trouble and the Cherry Pickers
201112 acts
- Mountain HeartIBMA '02
- John Reischman & The Jaybirds
- The Wilders
- Joy Kills Sorrow
- Prairie Flyer
- Northern Departure
- Bluegrass Regulators
- Cahalen Morrison & Eli West
- Wanigan
- The Wylie Family
- Spokane Songwriters in the Round
- Gospel band? (as listed in the spreadsheet)
201013 acts
- Dan Tyminski Band
- Marth Scanlan
- Della MaeIBMA '13
- Growling Old Men
- Downtown Mountain Boys
- Cahalen Morrison & Eli West
- Loose Digits
- Runaway Train
- Panhandle Polecats
- Heartbreak Pass
- Stony River
- Molly & Tenbrooks
- Acuff & Sherfey
200914 acts
- Steep Canyon RangersIBMA '06IBMA '11IBMA '12Grammy '13
- Crooked Still
- Darrell Scott
- Anne & Pete Sibley
- Prairie Flyer
- Jackstraw
- Loose Digits
- Down the Road
- Wanigan
- Bluegrass Conspiracy
- Pistol Packin' Mamas
- Big Red Barn
- Custer's Grass Band
- Dead Fiddlers Society
200813 acts
- Kenny & Amanda SmithIBMA '03
- The GreencardsAmericana '06
- Infamous StringdustersIBMA '07Grammy '18
- Martha Scanlan
- Spring Creek Bluegrass Band
- Rachel Harrington
- Loose Digits
- Dewgrass
- The Stuart Brothers
- Wild Oats
- Molly & Tenbrooks
- Columbia
- Redwing
200712 acts
- The Seldom Scene
- Infamous StringdustersIBMA '07Grammy '18
- Flat Mountain Girls
- Prairie Flyer
- Anne & Pete Sibley
- Broken Valley Roadshow
- Steptoe
- Wide River
- Kettle Creek
- Wild Oats
- Panhandle Polecats
- Don't Fret It
200611 acts
- The Wilders
- Biscuit Burners
- Jackstraw
- Broken Valley Roadshow
- Bottomline
- Anne & Pete Sibley
- South Hill Ramblers
- Panhandle Polecats
- Bluegrass Conspiracy
- Prairie Flyer Express
- Big Red Barn
200510 acts
- Hit & Run
- Jackstraw
- Cascade Colonels
- Broken Valley Roadshow
- Fletcher Girls
- Steptoe
- Bluegrass Conspiracy
- Grass Act
- Too Hot to Handle
- Big Red Barn
20048 acts
- Hit & Run
- Jackstraw
- Red Dirt Road
- Prairie Flyer
- Steptoe
- Fletcher Girls
- South Hill Ramblers
- INBA Showcase
20035 acts
- Sam Hill
- Jackstraw
- Fletcher Girls
- South Hill Ramblers
- Banjer Dan
20027 acts
- John Reischman & The Jaybirds
- Jackstraw
- Emerald Valley Boys
- Fletcher Girls
- Prairie Flyer
- South Hill Ramblers
- Dan Gore & the South Hill Ramblers
The spreadsheet has no year tabs or performer records for 2020 or 2021.
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