The Newport Folk Festival is continuing the rollout of its 2020 lineup, with the additions of Hawktail and Yola to go along with Big Thief, the first band announced for the festival. Beginning in 1959, Newport is one of America’s oldest music festivals. This year’s event will be held at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, from July 31 to August 2. The current lineup consists of Big Thief, Hawktail, Yola and Black Pumas, with the promise of more to come. The event has already sold out.
Big Thief was the inaugural band announced for the festival’s lineup. The Brooklyn-based indie rock band will perform on July 31, the first day of the festival. They are coming off a 2019 in which they released two studio albums, U.F.O.F. and Two Hands.
Hawktail, an instrumental acoustic quartet, recently release their second studio album, Formations. They will be performing on August 1.
English singer/songwriter Yola will perform on August 2, the final night of the festival. Yola had a titanic 2019, garnering wide acclaim for an array of performances at the previous Newport Folk Festival and releasing her second solo album, Walk Through Fire, which garnered her four Grammy nominations.
Black Pumas, the funk/soul duo based out of Austin, Texas, will also be performing on August 1. They join fellow Festival Act Yola as a 2020 Best New Artist Grammy nominee.
The Newport Festival Foundations has also made generous contributions to specific causes and organizations selected by each act, which can be further explored through each artist’s festival page.
UPDATE (2/21): Newport Folk Festival has added more artists to its 2020 lineup, including a solo set from Nathaniel Rateliff. Also added to the lineup are Randy Newman, Caamp, Ed O’Brien (billed as EOB), Erin Rae, Joseph, Mandolin Orange, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Tre Burt and Vagabon.