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Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN

Mar 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM  ·  Downtown Downtown

Big Ears Festival
Mar 29
Big Ears Festival

Music Festival Tickets

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Festival Info

LineUp

Pat Metheny, from Lee's Summit, Missouri, is a celebrated guitarist and composer known for blending jazz with global sounds. With 20 Grammys across 10 categories, he's famous for albums like "Bright Size Life" and collaborations with luminaries like Lyle Mays and Ornette Coleman. His works range from jazz to classical, with "What's It All About" winning a Grammy in 2011. Metheny was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2018 and continues to innovate with projects like Side-Eye NYC. His 2023 album "Dream Box" was Grammy-nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
GRAMMY winner & EMMY nominee Dom Flemons, "The American Songster," spans 100+ years of music. Known for "Black Cowboys," co-founded Carolina Chocolate Drops. Featured at the Grand Ole Opry & Country Music Hall of Fame.
Seattle-born Mike Hadreas, known as Perfume Genius, crafts tender yet muscular music with partner Alan Wyffels, producer Blake Mills, and a fierce band. Renowned for exploring themes of alienation and desire, his collaborative approach on the album "Glory" shows vulnerability and depth.
Robert Plant, born in the Midlands, is a top rock vocalist and Rock Hall of Fame inductee. Known for Led Zeppelin, he won multiple Grammys. His solo career features 11 acclaimed albums and collaborations with Phil Collins, Jimmy Page, and Alison Krauss. His diverse influences span from Morocco to Nashville, showcased in bands like The Honeydrippers and The Sensational Space Shifters. Plant also explores his musical journey in his popular Digging Deep podcast.
Born in Asheville, NC, Jake Lenderman, aka MJ Lenderman, is known for his album "Boat Songs," featuring sports references and ragged guitar solos. He gained attention with hits like "Ghost of Your Guitar Solo." A member of the band Wednesday, he recorded at Asheville’s Drop of Sun, making waves with barbed humor and raw style.
Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdés, born in Quivicán, is a pivotal figure in Afro-Cuban jazz, blending Afro-Cuban, jazz, and classical styles. He's won seven GRAMMYs, five Latin GRAMMYs, and a Latin Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. His acclaimed album "Jazz Batá 2" earned a Latin GRAMMY and was on Billboard's 50 Best Latin Albums of the Decade. Valdés collaborates with his wife, Lorena Salcedo, to share Latin jazz globally.
Acclaimed guitarist Marc Ribot's "Songs of Resistance 1948 - 2018" merges WWII Italian, U.S. civil rights, and Mexican protest songs. Collaborators include Tom Waits and Steve Earle.
David Byrne, known for blending avant-garde with accessible pop, explores human connection in collaborations with Kid Harpoon, Ghost Train Orchestra, St. Vincent, and Hayley Williams.
Born in France, Cécile McLorin Salvant is a Grammy-winning jazz singer/composer known for blending jazz, blues, and folk with theatrical flair and historic depth.
Born in London, Richard Thompson is a legendary British folk-rock artist, known for his guitar skills, songwriting, and vocals. Co-founder of Fairport Convention, he merged rock with traditional British folk, notably on "Liege and Lief." Post-Fairport, he achieved critical acclaim with albums like "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" with Linda Thompson despite poor sales, and saw a breakthrough with the acclaimed "Shoot Out the Lights." His solo career, marked by the cult classic "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," flourished with collaborations like those with producer Mitchell Froom. Thompson's influence extended through the decades, earning the admiration and covers by artists such as Del McCoury Band.
John Scofield, born in Dayton, Ohio, is a master jazz guitarist known for blending post-bop, fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. He's famous for collaborations with Miles Davis, Medeski, Martin & Wood, and his Grammy-winning albums "Past Present" and "Country for Old Men." Renowned for his slightly distorted sound, Scofield has worked with artists like Chet Baker and Charlie Haden. His notable albums include "A Go Go" and "Uncle John's Band," showcasing his innovative style across decades.
Canadian artist Patrick Watson blends avant-garde and pop, with 5 gold albums, film scores, viral hit "Je te laisserai des mots," and songs featured in TV and films worldwide.
The Blind Boys of Alabama are gospel legends, winners of five Grammy® Awards, and NEA honorees. Known for gospel to contemporary covers, they've collaborated with Eric Clapton, Prince, and more.
UK producer Adrian Sherwood, founder of On-U Sound, fused dub, rock & dance, working with Lee "Scratch" Perry, Nine Inch Nails, the Slits, and Tackhead, shaping reggae and post-punk.
Born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Laurie Anderson is an avant-garde musician and performance artist known for her hit "O Superman," innovative instruments, and collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, and Lou Reed.
Cymande, a U.K. band formed in 1971, blends African rhythms with rock, funk, and soul, adding reggae and jazz-funk. Discovered by John Schroeder, their 1972 debut charted in the U.S. Known for hits like "Bra" and "The Message," they've influenced hip-hop and partnered with Soul II Soul's Jazzie B. Reunited in 2013, Cymande continues to captivate audiences.
Mary Halvorson, born in Massachusetts, is a jazz guitarist known for her innovative style. Her last three records were named Jazz Album of the Year by DownBeat. She was also named Guitarist of the Year in 2023 and 2024. Her trio debut was Dragon's Head (2008), later expanding to various larger ensembles. She released critically acclaimed albums, collaborating with artists like John Hébert, Ches Smith, and Susan Alcorn. Her ensemble Code Girl released two albums and features Amirtha Kidambi and Adam O'Farrill.
John Zorn, born in NYC, is a genre-blending composer and performer known for avant-garde and experimental music. Founder of Tzadik label, MacArthur Fellow, and collaborator with many artists.
Flying Lotus, aka Steven Ellison, born in Los Angeles, mixes hip-hop, electronic, and avant-garde jazz. Known for "Never Catch Me" with Kendrick Lamar, he's collaborated with Thundercat, Herbie Hancock, and Solange. Grammy-nominated, he founded Brainfeeder label, scored Netflix's Yasuke, and released hits like "Cosmogramma" and "Flamagra."
Melbourne trio Dirty Three blends violin, guitar, and drums into emotive instrumental rock. Known for albums like Horse Stories, Ocean Songs, and collaborations with Nick Cave.
London-born Shabaka Hutchings, raised in Barbados, blends jazz with global influences, collaborating with Esperanza Spalding and Lianne La Havas on his flute-focused debut.

Venue Info

Downtown

Downtown, Knoxville, TN, USA Directions

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