Railbird: 10 don’t-miss acts and the Stapleton-Yoakam moment to watch for
Is it too much of a blatant pun to say Railbird is back on track again? After all, each of its three installments — in 2019, 2021 and 2023 — have been held on racetracks with this weekend’s fourth edition serving as not only its second sitting at The Red Mile but the first time the mammoth music festival has been presented over two consecutive summers.
Given that last year’s Red Mile outing went smoothly after taking 2022 of for replanning and relocation from its original digs at Keeneland (the 2020 festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Railbird seems firmly set to become a summertime fixture in Lexington and a bit of a travel destination for those hungry for major music festivals this time of year.
It’s almost Railbird time. What to know if you’re attending Lexington’s music festival
As has been the case throughout the festival’s still-young run (as well for the announced roster from the scrubbed 2020 outing), Railbird has presented a performance lineup so stacked in terms of popularity and artistic appeal that some picking-and-choosing becomes inevitable.
So as Railbird No. 4 sets to break from the starting gate at The Red Mile this weekend, we have selected five acts each day from the massive roundup of 32 bookings set to play at three locales within the Red Mile infield (the featured Limestone and Elkhorn stages and the more intimate Burl stage) that should be considered essential. All of the performers are worth catching. But as your stamina, sunscreen and, perhaps in some cases, sobriety began wear down as the days progress, these are the artists you should head down the home stretch for.
And they’re off ...
Saturday, June 1
Abby Hamilton, 2:45 p.m., Burl stage
How appropriate that Wilmore native Hamilton should be performing on the Burl stage, since the namesake club was the launch for pad for a performance career that resulted in “#1 Zookeeper (of the San Diego Zoo).” The splendid 10-song album boasts learned songs of intimacy, introspection and gentle despondency wrapped in layers of pop atmospherics and Americana assuredness.
Trampled by Turtles, 4:15 p.m., Elkhorn stage
Long promoted and referenced as a bluegrass troupe, Minnesota’s Trampled by Turtles has more in common with the rustic Americana music of The Band. Its instrumentation, though, pairs the usual string-music makeup of guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and bass with cello. Bearing more musical resemblance to the Avett Brothers than the Stanley Brothers, Trampled by Turtles recruited Wilco chieftain Jeff Tweedy to produce its latest album, 2022’s “Alpenglow.”
Marcus King, 5:15 p.m., Limestone stage
Guitarist King has been wowing Lexington audiences for years as a leading ambassador for the broad Southern inspirations that extend well past the narrow genre boundaries of Southern Rock. On his new “Mood Swings” album, King enlists famed producer Rick Rubin, stretches the stylistic breadth of his music into R&B/soul territory and confronts, in his lyrics, battles with anxiety and depression. Arguably the strongest act on the Saturday roster.
Wynonna Judd, 6:15 p.m., Elkhorn stage
One of Kentucky’s own, of course. This will be the Ashland native’s highest profile regional performance since the The Judds’ final tour played Rupp Arena in October 2022. On her own, Judd is far less anchored to the new traditionalist country inspiration that ignited her career in the early ’80s. Her post-Judds music regularly embraces an arresting blend of rock, soul and blues. Hence the name of her 2016 album, “Wynonna and the Big Noise.”
Counting Crows, 7:15 p.m., Limestone stage
Amazingly, over 30 years have slipped by since Counting Crows hit airwaves with the Van Morrison-leaning pop-soul hit “Mr. Jones” in the midst of the grunge era. The band has never stopped since then, releasing a series of strong, but often underappreciated albums. Among them: 2014’s “Somewhere Under Wonderland,” where Adam Duritz’s vocals recall the jittery singing of Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott.
Sunday, June 2
Brent Cobb, 1 p.m., Elkhorn stage
Georgia songsmith Brent Cobb began building a substantial following here in Lexington after serving as part of perhaps the coolest country concert bill to play Rupp Arena, a 2018 lineup that teamed him with Marty Stuart and fellow Railbirder Chris Stapleton. Bolstering his local popularity have been several subsequent shows at The Burl along with a succession of expert albums showcasing Southern-accented country, Americana and gospel influences.
The Infamous Stringdusters, 2:30 p.m., Elkhorn stage
Another progressive bluegrass-rooted group that doesn’t adhere exclusively to bluegrass. The Nashville-bred Stringdusters have been building a solid fanbase for over 15 years with a groove-oriented grass sound has earned them a Grammy (for the 2017 album “Laws of Gravity”) along with enough traditional cred to devote two of their last three albums to the music of Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe. And yet, the Stringdusters seem just as happy picking away on a Grateful Dead cover.
Allison Russell, 3:15 p.m., Limestone stage
For my money, this is the most essential act to catch on the entire Railbird bill. A Montreal-born singer-songwriter, Russell’s Americana inspirations root deep into rich, soul-savvy, spiritually inclined reflection. The resulting mix is both roots-conscious and refreshingly contemporary. She also represents a sense of affirmative activism that abounds in such original songs as “Demons” (“Ah-ha, hush that fuss/Send your demons to the back of the bus.”)
Dwight Yoakam, 5:15 p.m., Limestone stage
Shift Kentucky’s roots country heritage back one generation from Stapleton and you run smack into Dwight Yoakam. While his music owes greatly to such West Coast stylists as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, Yoakam’s most galvanizing compositions — “Floyd County” among them — reflect the depth of his home state roots. Yoakam co-headlined the sold-out “Kentucky Rising” benefit with Stapleton at Rupp in 2022. Even money says they will wind up onstage together again at Railbird.
Chris Stapleton, 9:30 p.m., Limestone stage
It was inevitable that the most acclaimed Kentucky-bred musical titan of the past decade would finally land at Railbird. After all, he has headlined every other mammoth stage in the region, including sold-out shows at Kroger Field and Rupp Arena. Country at heart, but with a soul-savvy vocal awareness that has made him compatible with numerous collaborative settings, Stapleton’s earned his two newest Grammys in February for the single “White Horse.”
Railbird Music Festival
When: June 1 and 2, noon to 11 p.m.
Where: Infield of The Red Mile, 1200 Red Mile Rd.
Tickets: $185-$1,820 at railbirdfest.com/tickets
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