Have you been to Merlefest yet this year? If so, who drew you in? Who was your favorite musical act this year? I know that many people were really excited to see Kris Kristofferson and Robert Earl Keen. If you missed the shows or if you just want a refresher, check out the Robert Earl Keen and Kris Kristofferson setlist below!
Merlefest Day 1: Robert Earl Keen and Kris Kristofferson Setlist
MerleFest kicked off its 31st annual homecoming of musicians and music fans with an all-star lineup Thursday, April 26th. The festival returned to the rolling hills of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, with a legendary first-time MerleFest performance from Kris Kristofferson, backed by The Strangers (Merle Haggard’s original backing band and son Ben Haggard). Also on the mainstage, Texas songwriter Robert Earl Keen, funky-roots outfit Shinyribs, Wilkesboro, North Carolina-based Kruger Brothers, and Latin-tinged country group The Mavericks. Fans were also treated to performances by Aaron Burdett, Banknotes, Donna The Buffalo, and The Mastersons.
Click here for a full list of Thursday’s performances.
Kris Kristofferson Setlist
-Shipwrecked in the 80’s
-That’s The Way Love Goes
-Darby’s Castle
-Me and Bobby McGee
-Here Comes That Rainbow
-Help Me Make It Through The Night
-Okie From Muskogee
-Casey’s Last Ride
-Loving Her Was Easier
-Just the Other Side of Nowhere
-Sing Me Back Home
-The Pilgrim
-Jesus Was A Capricorn
-Stay Here And Drink
-Sunday Morning Coming Down
-For The Good Times
-A Moment of Forever
-Why Me
Encore:
-Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends
Robert Earl Keen Setlist
-Hot Corn
-Shades
-Feelin’ Good Again
-Twisted Laurel
-Copenhagen
-Bass
-If I Were King
-Man Behind Drums
-I Gotta Go
-Road
About MerleFest
MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. MerleFest has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.
