WinterWonderGrass at Palisades Tahoe 2023 has the blues.
Marcus King is among the headliners announced today for the seventh-annual festival to be held March 31-April 2. Traditionally instrumented bluegrass bands Greensky Bluegrass and Trampled By Turtles also top the bill. Rising sensation Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway is in the lineup.
King’s been considered a blues player since he was a child prodigy, the son of South Carolina blues guitarist Marvin King. But his 2020 record, “El Dorado,” received a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. The follow-up, “Young Blood,” released on Aug. 26, is rock ‘n’ roll flavored. Both albums were produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.
The 26-year-old King is on a Stevie Ray Vaughan-Jonny Lang-like accent, transcending the blues and appealing to mass audiences. King’s May 21 appearance at the Crystal Bay Casino sold out in February, hours after it was announced.
Twenty-five bands will perform on four stages at the ski resort formerly known as Squaw Valley. Notables: The Main Squeeze, The Lone Bellow, Mapache, Neal Francis, Tray Wellington Band, Big Richard, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Lindsay Lou, Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, Cris Jacobs Band, the Brothers Comatose, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and Pickin’ on the Dead.
In a press statement, founder Scotty Stoughton said, “The intention behind WinterWonderGrass and all our Bonfire Entertainment events is to hold space for a mindful, clean and comforting fan experience. First and foremost, we create this for the people, the communities, and our artists. WWG is itself a community; our attendees share our passion for protecting the environment, tasty craft brew, authentic music, and collective kindness.”
Tahoe Onstage album review: Marcus King is an old soul.
