For three days, enjoy folk, Americana, and bluegrass music from dozens of bands featured on four stages at the 28th Annual Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, held April 12-14, 2024 at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds. Celebrating one of St. Augustine’s most admired natives, the festival honors Gamble Rogers and his musical storytelling that forever changed folk music.
Headlining this year’s festival is AJ Lee & Blue Summit and the John Jorgenson Quintet, with supporting acts including Verlon Thompson, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, Remedy Tree, The Krickets, Red and Christopher Henry & Their All Star Band, Wyatt Ellis, and more.
AJ Lee & Blue Summit are a bluegrass band from the Bay Area that draws influences from country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music. Led by singer-songwriter and mandolinist, AJ Lee, the band includes Sullivan Tuttle and Scott Gates on steel stringed acoustic guitars, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on upright bass. John Jorgenson Quintet is a dynamic, authentic gypsy jazz band led by music virtuoso John Jorgenson, known for his fast guitar licks. In addition to acoustic and electric guitars, Jorgenson plays the mandolin, saxophone, clarinet, bouzouki, pedal steel, and performs as a vocalist. His quintet has been hailed the “U.S. ambassadors of gypsy jazz,” and is comprised of Casey Driscoll on the jazz violin; Rory Hoffman on guitar, piano, and the accordion; Simon Planting on bass; and Rick Reed on percussion.
One of the highlights of the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival is the YoungFolk Stage, where a new generation of musicians have an opportunity to perform on a nationally-recognized professional stage. These up-and-coming performers are aged 19 and younger, and epitomize how the festival is keeping the folk music tradition alive for future generations. Mandolin prodigy, Wyatt Ellis, returns this year with his band as a highlight performance of the YoungFolk Stage.
Make plans to join this fun spring festival this year with four stages, dozens of performers, on site camping, food trucks, local artisans and vendors!