2012 Nelsonville Music Fest Lineup Includes Iron & Wine, M.Ward, Roky Erickson
NELSONVILLE, Ohio- Stuart’s Opera House is thrilled to announce the lineup for
this year's 8th annual Nelsonville Music Festival on May 18-20 at Robbins Crossing
on the campus of Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. This year's lineup includes
Iron and Wine, M. Ward, Roky Erickson, Dawes, Charles Bradley, Kurt Vile
& The Violators, Dark Dark Dark, Jorma Kaukonen, Lee Ranaldo Band, Sallie
Ford & The Sound Outside, Horse Feathers, Michael Hurley, Shovels & Rope,
JD McPherson, R.Ring, Woody Pines, Todd Burge, with more acts still to be
announced! Weekend passes and individual camping passes are on sale now! To
purchase passes, or for more information visit http://www.nelsonvillefest.org or call (740) 753-
1924.
Iron and Wine is the musical project of Sam Beam, a singer-songwriter who has had a
very impressive decade long career. Iron and Wine began in 2002 as a mainly acoustic
project of uniquely hushed songs on their debut The Creek Drank The Cradle and over
the years has evolved into a variety of styles while maintaining a distinct sound and focus
on storytelling that weaves throughout their music. Iron & Wine have released four studio
albums (including their most recent, Kiss Each Other Clean in January of 2011) and a
handful of EP's, download only releases, and a few live albums including performances
from the 2005 Bonnaroo performance and their 2006 show at Lollapalooza.
M.Ward's was initially a well-kept secret of his peers in the Portland folk scene, his star
continued to rise with each record's release, and he is now one of the most acclaimed
American musicians of the decade. In addition to his own four solo records, side projects
have included 2007's Monsters of Folk (with Jim James of My Morning Jacket and
Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes) and She & Him with Zooey Deschenel. Past critics have
compared him to everyone from John Fahey to Tom Waits, but it's clear that M. Ward,
with his brilliant guitar playing and innate sense of melody, is one of those rare and
special talents who defy comparisons and compartmentalization.
Roky Erickson hails from Austin, Texas and he is, in the words of music writer
Richie Unterberger, one of “the unknown heroes of rock and roll.” He was the singer,
songwriter, and guitar player for the legendary band The 13th Floor Elevators, the first
band to describe their music as “psychedelic”.The Elevators only had one chart hit, the
Roky-penned “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, but they influenced everyone from Robert Plant
The White Stripes. After several decades of tragedy following a 1969 incident, Erickson
has now returned to recording and playing live music all around the world. In 2010 he
collaborated on an album with indie-rockers Okkervil River and has played at the Austin
City Limits Festival.
The 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival lineup includes folk-rockers Dawes who draw
inspiration from the old Laurel Canyon sounds of Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Jackson
Browne alongside the fiery soul music of Charles Bradley, sung as only a man who has
led his life can sing. and Critically acclaimed indie songwriter Kurt Vile and his band
the Violators join the festival after making countless best of 2011 lists. Music legends
Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) and Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) will
make appearances along side up and coming acts like Portland's Sallie Ford & The
Sound Outside and the orchestral music of Minnesota's Dark Dark Dark, both of whom
will become new favorites this year for the festival crowd. Folk legend Michael Hurley
will continue his streak of Nelsonville Music Festival performances in 2012 and will join
Shovels & Rope, Horse Feathers, J.D. McPherson, and more throughout the weekend.
Regional artists and favorites are represented as well, with R.Ring, the new project from
Dayton resident and former Breeders member Kelley Deal and longtime area favorites
Woody Pines and West Virginia's Todd Burge.
Set in the beautiful rolling hills of Southeastern Ohio, the Nelsonville Music Festival is a
three-day festival that celebrates music and local artistry of our region. We take pride in
offering a warm, accepting environment where local artisans can sell and be recognized
for their work, where local, regional and national musicians instill their awe-inspiring
talents and festival goers can relax and enjoy the fruits of our regional flavor. Now in its
8th year the Nelsonville Music Festival continues to be one of the region's best offering
multiple stages of music all weekend long along with camping on site, kids activities,
local art vendors, food, and a beer garden. Past performers have included The Flaming
Lips, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, The Avett Brothers, Neko Case, Yo La Tengo, George
Jones, Mudhoney, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Swell Season, and many more.
The Nelsonville Music Festival is a production of Stuart’s Opera House, a historic, non-
profit theater located in Nelsonville that features over 75 events a year including live
music, theater, films, educational programming and more. You can find out more about
Stuart's by visiting http://www.stuartsoperahouse.org.
Stuart’s Opera House presents the 8th annual Nelsonville Music Festival on May 18-20
at Robbins Crossing on the campus of Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. This year's
lineup includes Iron and Wine, M. Ward, Roky Erickson, Dawes, Charles Bradley,
Kurt Vile & The Violators, Dark Dark Dark, Jorma Kaukonen, Lee Ranaldo Band,
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Horse Feathers, Michael Hurley, Shovels &
Rope, JD McPherson, R.Ring, Woody Pines, Todd Burge, with more acts still to
be announced! Weekend passes and individual camping passes are on sale now! To
purchase passes, or for more information visit http://www.nelsonvillefest.org or call (740) 753-
1924.