Author: Christopher Crowell

Armed with her guitar and a gift for honest storytelling, Callista Jade is quickly making her mark on the North Carolina music scene. Based in Cleveland, NC, she has spent the last years studying music, writing songs, steadily gigging and building a reputation for dynamic performances that refuse to stay in one lane.

She headlined the Earth Day Jam ‘Sunshine Stage’ in 2025 — absolutely crushing her set — and then went on to cement her crowd-commanding presence by winning the 2025 Salisbury Busker’s Bash.

Currently a Music major at our Title Sponsor, Catawba College , Callista blends technical training with raw, live energy. From the soulful storytelling of ’70s country to the grit of ’90s rock, and even some modern haunting Billie Eilish vibes! All woven seamlessly with her own compelling originals. Her set feels both comfortingly familiar and entirely her own.

We’re thrilled to have her opening up the Main Stage this year!

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Florencia & the Feeling is a high-energy pop-funk quintet blending upbeat funky rhythms, heartfelt songwriting, soaring four-part harmonies, jazz and Latin flair creating a sound uniquely their own. Winners of the 2025 FloydFest On-The-Rise and 2024 MerleFest Band Competitions, they’re known for electrifying, groove-driven performances that get crowds moving from the first note.

Fronted by Florencia Rusiñol—lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter—the band’s sound reflects her East Tennessee roots and Argentine heritage, weaving warm jazz chords, catchy hooks, and infectious rhythms into music built for connection and joy. Rusiñol has long believed in music as a tool for human connection, a philosophy that led her to earn a degree in Music Therapy.

After graduating in 2015, Florencia moved to Ecuador, where she taught at the liberal arts school Colegio Menor and reconnected deeply with her Latin roots. During this time, she released her first recorded music—a self-titled EP produced with Sebastian Barniol, a Berklee-trained arranger and producer—which quickly gained attention in both Ecuador and the U.S. for her smooth vocals and groovy guitar work. She returned to the U.S. in 2019 and continued pursuing music through performance, composition, and therapy, even throughout the pandemic. In 2021, she reunited with musician friends from her high school days, forming Florencia & the Feeling.

Since then, the band has become a standout on the East Coast festival circuit, appearing at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Rooster Walk, and beyond.

Radio Bristol praised their “tight rhythmic jams and groovy guitar riffs,” while Glide Magazine called their sound “deeply infectious & brimming with energy.”

Their debut album ‘Birthday’ earned wide acclaim for its joyful energy and musicianship, and their sophomore release ‘Couch Hangin’’ arrives November 7, 2025.

Come ready to dance… Stay for feel-good grooves!

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Hailing from Greensboro, NC, raspy, fresh vocals meet the Appalachian strings of Ranford’s guitar—evoking the spirit of John Prine and Townes Van Zandt while carrying a sound that’s unmistakably his own. His talent stretches far beyond songwriting and acoustic picking; he’s just as fierce and expressive on electric guitar.

A lifelong musician, Ranford Almond began excelling at his craft early. Videos of him performing at The Blind Tiger at just 11 years old have garnered thousands of streams—an early sign of the stage presence and raw talent that would shape his path.

Ranford’s full-length debut Old Soul (2023) showcases his growth as a writer, arranger, and player. Recorded at Ovation Sound and produced by Bill Stevens, the album features a lineup of nationally recognized guest musicians and highlights the evolution of his signature style.

Festival appearances include Mountain Music Festival, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, New River Gorge Festival, The Big What?, Trail Days, The Casual Campout, Floydfest and more, leaving 2025’s festival with a 2nd place Artist On-The-Rise finish!

We’re thrilled to welcome Ranford Almond to the EDJ lineup this year! See ya on the green this Spring!

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Red Panda is an all-star North Carolina supergroup built to hit hard and groove deep. Featuring a locked-in, deep-pocket rhythm section from lifelong friends Kassem Williams (drums) and Mark Vann (bass), jam-rock heavy hitter Nick MacDaniels (guitar, vocals) of Big Something, rising singer-songwriter Ranford Almond (guitar, vocals), and Bill Stevens (keys), Red Panda delivers a high-octane blend of funk, jazz, and rock made for big moments.

Catching a break between Florida and Pennsylvania Big Something tour dates, Red Panda brings a special headlining set featuring Asheville-based, internationally renowned Datrian Johnson of Datrian Johnson & The Family Tree, bringing his signature Appalachian Soul to the mix. Expect deep grooves, extended jams, and no holding back!

When the sun goes down, the glow party comes up…. lights on, crowd lit, and the field moving as Red Panda takes Earth Day Jam into the night!

Their debut instrumental single Grandma’s Punch and live album Live From The Pour House Music Hall are out now on all platforms, alongside a pro-shot multicam live performance video. This also marks the band’s first official vinyl, pressed by Pour House Pressing.

This is gonna be ELECTRIC!

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Born in the foothills of North Carolina, Mo-Grass is a brand-new collaboration of two beloved NC-based bands—BIG DADDY LOVE and The Deluge. They have joined forces with some of the state’s finest soul musicians to create a project that reimagines the Motown songbook and history through a bluegrass lens.

At its core, Mo-Grass is about joy, feel, and connection. The band takes timeless soul hits and dresses them in banjo rolls, tight vocal harmonies, and funky, danceable rhythms. It’s Motown with a twang, bluegrass with a deep heartbeat, and your favorite soul music that never forgets where it came from.

Mo-Grass draws from a legendary catalog, covering artists like Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Otis Redding, The Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, The Box Tops, Dusty Springfield, Bill Withers, and Jackie Wilson, among many others. Each song is treated with reverence and creativity—honoring the originals while carving out something entirely new.

Mo-Grass has been officially confirmed for major 2026 festival appearances, including MerleFest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and FloydFest—a strong signal that this project has struck a chord across genres and generations.

Don’t miss Mo-Grass as it makes waves across the Southeast—bridging soul and string music with heart, groove, and undeniable spirit.

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Blue Cactus is the North Carolina–based duo of Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez, crafting what they call Modern Cosmic Country—a blend of grit, glitz, groove, and twang that evokes a celestial soundscape of mid-century heartbreak. Rooted in the honky-tonk circuits of North Carolina, their music has evolved into an electrified, emotionally resonant style that drifts effortlessly between folk, alt-country, country-rock, and light psychedelia.

Following their critically acclaimed 2017 debut and a run of standout singles in 2020, Blue Cactus’ sophomore album Stranger Again (2021, Sleepy Cat Records) marked a bold step forward. Praised by outlets including No Depression, American Songwriter, FLOOD Magazine, Talkhouse, and INDY Week, the record finds soaring harmonies and twangy slide guitars colliding with propulsive basslines and deeply human storytelling—ambitious, otherworldly music grounded in real emotion. Over their eight-year journey, the duo has shared stages with artists like The War & Treaty, Town Mountain, Steve Gunn, American Aquarium and more, building a reputation for both studio depth and magnetic live performances.

Their third full-length album, Believer, has been hailed by No Depression for painting “beautiful pictures of limitless possibility” within roots music, and drawing comparisons to Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris, Blue Cactus continues to deliver adventurous, deeply personal Americana that feels expansive, intimate, and alive.

Excited to have Steph and Mario back in town with the full band for EARTH DAY JAM – A Benefit for Happy Roots at Bell Tower Green in Downtown Salisbury

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