Deep Roots Mountain Revival to spark a new tradition at Marvin’s Mountaintop

The inaugural Deep Roots Mountain Revival is going down on September 15-18 at the legendary Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia. Getting back to the Appalachian roots of the fondly remembered site of the bygone All Good Music Festival, Deep Roots has curated a lineup steeped in tradition and overflowing with rising talent, representing the best from bluegrass, jamband, rock, and country music.

The Poke Around spoke on the phone with Leftover Salmon’s colorful frontman Vince Herman earlier this week to talk about Deep Roots Mountain Revival and the exciting times that have inspired it.

“I went to school in Morgantown, it’s my old stompin’ grounds up there and it’s cool as hell to be going back. That Morgantown area is a really great place, it’s just meant for music,” said Vince Herman, also exclaiming, “Holy Toledo! That’s a really good lineup. Man, that’s gonna be really fun.”

Stringed music across the board has experienced a thriving revival of talent and enthusiasm in recent years, and Deep Roots embodies that revival with pioneers such as Leftover Salmon, David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart. They have also enlisted many younger heroes of today including Greensky Bluegrass, Jamey Johnson, Larry Keel, Yarn and Shooter Jennings. Representing the Dead will be Melvin Seals and JGB, along with Zach Nugent’s Dead Set, which features members of Trey Anastasio Band, Moe., and Mr. Seals himself. Exciting up-and-comers hail from all over, with bands like Fruition, Cabinet, Rising Appalachia, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Rumpke Mountain Boys, Marcus King, The Black Lillies, Big Something and The Hip Abduction bolstering an incredibly stacked roster from top to bottom.

“The music is in good hands for years to come,” Herman said. “There’s a great pile of pickers, young kids who are growing up going to these camps that are really helping kids get a hold of some tunes at a pretty high level, and that’s really keeping the future of acoustic music in great shape.”

Deep Roots Mountain Revival will look to rekindle the magic of Marvin’s Mountaintop for this ever-expanding festival scene, amidst the beloved Appalachian mountainscape and crisp early autumn weather. To echo the thundering battle cry of Vince Herman, “FESTIVALLLLLLL!!!!” is upon us.

Get your tickets here!

Written by Richard Oakley