The Bonnaroo lineup dropped on Tuesday and while there might have been a few people out there unhappy with it (there's always some fish who doesn't like fun, right?), the majority of the online chatter has been exceedingly positive.
After 19 years, I do wonder if it is time to finally put to bed the notion that the festival has forsaken its mission, roots, purpose, whatever. I still hear people say it's no longer the jam and hippy festival that it started out as. That is always said with the implication that it was always meant to be that.
Co-founder Ashley Capps said from the beginning, and has told me multiple times over the years, that it was never meant to be any one thing forever, other than a great multiday music festival that featured camping.
Camping being an important component, and because of that, the jam bands were heavily featured in 2002 because Phish had proven with the Clifford Ball that it could work. The first Bonnaroo tailored its lineup to attract people who would camp.
LISTEN
Listen to a Spotify playlist of this year's lineup here
That remains true to this day, but the festival has adapted many times over with the intent of making camping more appealing to fans of all types of music. EDM became a big focus a few years ago, and because of the proximity of the Manchester farm where it is held to Nashville, organizers have slowly looked to introduce country music to the lineup.
This year, the Grand Ole Opry show returns. Much to the surprise, and delight for some, Miley Cyrus is part of the lineup. She's just one of about three dozen acts I'm really excited to see this year.
But the main thing I find so interesting about this, is how interesting the whole festival scene has become over the last two decades.
' Cindy Pinion has been nominated for Bluegrass Promoter of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America as part of its annual Bluegrass Music Awards.
It is well-earned, to be sure. Pinion and her sisters, Inez Pinion Castleberry and Ruth Pinion, have championed bluegrass music via the Boxcar Pinion Bluegrass Festival named in honor of their late father, Boxcar Pinion, since the early '90s.
The 46th annual SPBGMA convention will be held at the Sheraton Music City hotel from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. Awards are given for all kinds of categories honoring everybody from instrumentalists of the year to DJ and radio station of the year.
Barry Courter
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.
The 2020 Bonnaroo Lineup:
Thursday, June 11 - Grand Ole Opry featuring (in alphabetical order) 99 Neighbors, Andy Frasco, Big Something, Briston Maroney, Dabin, Devon Gilfillian, Ezra Collective, The Funk Hunters, HE$H, Kursa, Larkin Poe, Liz Cooper & The Stampede, MIZE, Scarypoolparty, S.P.O.C.K., Sweet Crude, Taska Black, The Regrettes, Too Many Zooz and Zía. Friday, June 12 - Tool, Miley Cyrus, Bassnectar, The 1975, Run The Jewels, Glass Animals, Young The Giant, Megan Thee Stallion, Tipper, Brittany Howard, Primus, Dashboard Confessional, Big Wild, Ganja White Night, Lennon Stella, The Band Camino, Wallows, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Turkauz with Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew: Remain In Light Turns 40, Ekali, Svdden Death, Still Woozy, Tones and I, Marc Rebillet, Yola, Lucii, ATLiens, Detox Unit, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Resistance Revival Chorus, Phutureprimitive, Luzcid, Altn Gün, PLS&TY, Mdou Moctar and Dynohunter. Saturday, June 13 - Lizzo, Flume, Oysterhead, Tenacious D, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit King, Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, DaBaby, Seven Lions, Superjam: Sylvan Esso Presents WITH, Kevin Gates, Nelly Performing Country Grammar, TroyBoi, Dermot Kennedy, Subtronics, Denzel Curry, J.I.D., Mandolin Orange, The Growlers, Billy Strings, Mt. Joy, Yaeji, Moody Good, EOB, The Marcus King Band, Wooli, Surfaces, Slowthai, Dr. Fresch, Hero The Band, Nilüfer Yanya, Jupiter & Okwess, William Black, Lick and DJ Mel. Sunday, June 14 - Tame Impala, Lana Del Rey, Vampire Weekend, Leon Bridges, Young Thug, Grace Potter, Flogging Molly, REZZ, Boombox Cartel, Greensky Bluegrass, The Struts, CAAMP, Oliver Tree, PEEKABOO, Morgan Wallen, LSDREAM, Pinegrove, Cuco, Saint Jhn, Orville Peck, Femi Kuti & Positive Force, Colony House, Bonnie X Clyde, Bill Frisell: Harmony featuring Petra Haden, Hank Roberts & Bergman, Elderbrook and Makaya McCraven.