Walnut
Valley Festival Announces 50th Festival Performer Lineup &
Unveils 2022 Poster
Winfield, KS
This fall
Winfield, a small south-central Kansas town, will welcome fans to its 50th
Walnut Valley Festival. From its humble beginnings in 1972, with eight bands or
solo performers, the event has grown into an annual gathering of acoustic music
fans and musicians from around the world, with four stages showcasing
world-class performers over five days. To celebrate its golden anniversary, a
stellar combination of folk and bluegrass music’s top artists is slated to
appear at Winfield from September 14-18.
Several of this year’s performers have a connection to the 1972 lineup, but
only one, Dan Crary, is listed on the poster for both the 1st and 50th
festival. The flatpick guitar legend and Kansas native will perform with Bill
Evans and Wally Barnick.
Other
artists with ties to early Walnut Valley Festivals include two former members
of 2020 IBMA Hall of Fame inductee New Grass Revival--Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn
(although both joined the group after its 1972 appearance at Winfield). Fleck,
2022 Grammy winner for Best Bluegrass Album with “Béla Fleck My Bluegrass
Heart,” will bring the album to life at Winfield, assisted by a
multi-generational band of top bluegrass players that includes Billy Contreras,
Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Shaun Richardson and Mark Schatz. This will be
Fleck’s first return to Walnut Valley since New Grass Revival’s last appearance
in 1989. Flynn also returns, with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson.
Rhonda
Vincent & The Rage will be at Winfield for the first time. Vincent was once
crowned by the Wall Street Journal as the New Queen of Bluegrass, and her band
enjoys the unique status of being the most awarded band in bluegrass history,
having won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 2017, as well as 19 IBMA awards
and 89 SPBGMA awards.
Other
artists featured at this year’s festival include Bryan Bowers, Chris Jones
& The Night Drivers, Tim O’Brien Band, The Steel Wheels, Marley’s Ghost,
John McCutcheon, Tom Chapin & Friends and Still on the Hill. Andy May
returns to host his Acoustic Kids Showcase, giving young musicians an
opportunity to appear on stage and gain experience in front of a live,
supportive audience.
If you enjoy watching
talented guitar players, then this will be a year to remember, as the lineup
includes Stephen Bennett with Bill Gurley, Italian virtuoso Beppe Gambetta, and
talented young Irish guitarist Shane Hennessy.
Irish
bands Socks in the Frying Pan and JigJam, known for their humor, energy level
on stage and expert musicianship, are back as well. Past National Hammer
Dulcimer Champion Mark Alan Wade will be joined by Kyle Baker. Already a Winfield
favorite, Bing Futch is able to bring a whole new sound to the mountain
dulcimer (and other instruments). Brooklyn’s Damn Tall Buildings will mark
their second year at Winfield, after making a big splash in 2021.
Wichita-area groups Green Flamingos and Pretend Friend, along with 2022 Walnut
Valley Battle of the Bands winner Whiskey Mash Band, from Kansas City, reflect
the depth of musical talent in our region. Kansas City songwriter Kelly Hunt will make her Winfield debut, and campground
favorites the Weda Skirts, from Eastern Kansas, will
keep your toes a tappin’. Recent
International Bones Champion and Winfield native Barry Patton will be joining
friends on stage, creating those special moments treasured by fans.
Dave
Stamey and 3 TRAILS WEST are among the best Western-style musicians. Festival
veterans Roz Brown and Jim Ratts always fit in with their humor, stories and
original music. Linda Tilton will be back on stage with her dance-like signing
of song lyrics for audience members with hearing loss. Local band GASS will be
playing gospel music on stage as things wrap up on Sunday.
Media Director Rex
Flottman: “We had a difficult task this year, as we wanted to invite
EVERYONE--all of the entertainers who have helped propel Walnut Valley Festival
to this point, our 50th year. Of course, no festival has that big of
a budget, or enough time in the schedule! We have a great lineup, including
many of the best-loved Winfield performers as well as some new-to-Winfield
artists that we know our crowd will enjoy.”
Golden Anniversary Walnut Valley Festival Poster
Along with the
performer list, Walnut Valley Association is excited to release the 50th
edition of this year’s Walnut Valley Festival promotional poster. Poster
designer Peter Thomas Lague is a Lawrence, KS, based freelance artist,
musician, and independent contractor. He has been painting murals, designing,
teaching, and spreading creativity from Kansas to Los Angeles for the past 30
years. To contact Peter about his work, please call 785-424-4422, or email plague1968@gmail.com
The Walnut Valley
Festival runs from September 14 through 18, 2022 and is held at the Winfield
(Kansas) Fairgrounds. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at www.wvfest.com
