Rhythm & Roots Music Festival has announced their 2021 Lineup which will feature John Hiatt, Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi and Uprooted. The music, dance and food festival is set to take place on Labor Day Weekend, September 3-5, in Charlestown, Rhode Island at Ninigret Park. Tickets are available here.

The festival will cover a vast range of musical styles. Among the genres are Cajun, R&B, Delta Blues, Zydeco, Soul, Country, Rock and Gospel. The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and 80% of the artists who were scheduled to perform during last year’s festival, are back. Chuck Wentworth, who produces the music festival, said “It’s the first time in 40 years that we’ve ever faced a situation like this, and it posed a lot of hardships on the festival, emotionally and financially, but we’ve gotten through it. We’re back with renewed spirit this year and looking forward to putting on a fantastic festival.”

On Friday, September 3rd, Uprooted is set to headline, joined by Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root. Uprooted will be performing Rusted Root’s multi-platinum album When I Woke along with their own interpretations of songs. Saturday will be headlined by prolific songwriter John Hiatt with his blend of Rock, Blues and Americana music. Finally, on Sunday, the final day of the festival, acclaimed banjo and fiddle player Rhiannon Giddens is set to headline, joined by Francesco Turrisi. 

In May 2021, John Hiatt and The Jerry Douglas Band released their collaboration album, Leftover Feelings. Leftover Feelings followed the release of Hiatt’s critically-acclaimed 2018 record, The Eclipse Sessions. The New York Times called the project, “a collection of timeless tunes that show [Hiatt’s] unassuming mastery.” Rhiannon Giddens was featured on the Red Dead Redemption 2 soundtrack and performed at the Red Dead Redemption 2 concert in June 2021 in Manhattan. Giddens also released an album with Francesco Turrisi in 2021 titled, They’re Calling Me Home.

Photo credit: Sharon Alagna