Tanya Tucker, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jon Batiste Among Roots N Blues Festival Headliners

Tanya Tucker, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jon Batiste, Wilco, Chaka Khan and Bleachers are set to headline this year’s Roots N Blues Festival from Oct. 7-9 at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia, Missouri.

The three-day festival will also feature performances on two stages from a wide range of established and up-and-coming Americana, roots, blues, R&B, country, bluegrass, soul, folk, and rock acts, including Brittney Spencer, Kassi Ashton, Steeldrivers, Hippo Campus, Larkin Poe, Tank and the Bangas, Houndmouth, Cautious Clay, Jackie Venson, Jaime Wyatt, The Dip, Liz Cooper, The Heavy Heavy, as well as five Missouri-based artists.

The Roots N Blues Festival made headlines last year for its historic, diverse, all women-led lineup during its first incarnation under new co-owners Tracy Lane and Shay Jasper. This year they have curated a lineup that is balanced with regard to gender and generation.

“We’re continuing to expand on what we started in 2021 by exploring all corners of American Roots Music–moving away from a narrow definition and adopting a broader view of what roots music is,” Jasper shares. “This is the most exciting, eclectic lineup yet. There will be something for everyone at Roots N Blues!”

“The central focus of our vision for the future of this festival is equity–both on and off the stage,” Lane adds. “We strive to remove the barriers around live music–gender, age, race, ability, and income–for our artists, staff, and audience.”

Roots N Blues attendees will have the option to make a $200 donation to Friends of the Festival in addition to purchasing their 3-day festival pass for access to lounges and up-front viewing at both stages. Friends of the Festival was formed during the pandemic as a nonprofit committed to sustaining the Roots N Blues Festival.